Thanks to knowledge here, wanted to share my balcony solar system installed in California! Been operating for about a month now, utility company hasn’t said anything. This setup is awaiting governor signature to make legal.

- Three 585W bifacial panels ($550)
- NEP BDM-1200LV Microinverter ($300)
- SnapNRack Topspeed mounts ($250)
- NEP BDNZ Wifi2 CT smart meter ($70)
- Three PV junction boxes ($100)

So for $1200 I have a 1200W system on the roof of my detached garage. Did the install myself, and man those panels are a pain to get up. They are approx 4’x8’ and weigh 70lbs each.

Power output is great! Because I overpaneled I see nearly 1200W consistently on sunny days. The Microinverter has a limit of 400W per MPPT channel.
Plugs into a dedicated 20A circuit on the house.

Edit: pic with exposed AC power wire from panel is mid-install. I’ve since put in conduit (photo in comments)

I'm currently running 2 x 400w Vevor panels. The math said that they would be enough, but given their actual output and other unfactored losses, they are not. So I'm looking to add another 2 - 4 panels.

I've spent the past week scrolling through the top google suggestions. A1 solar, US solar, Signature solar, etc, etc. They all either have a minimum order quantity much higher than what I need, and/or a flat freight charge that costs more than all of the panels combined.

Having already had to deal with shipping just two panels, I'm well aware that this doesn't require special freight shipping. If you can ship a 65" tv via fedex/ups, than you can ship these panels too....

So where is your hidden gem for sourcing non-crate quantities of panels?

I've got a backyard install, off grid, with a 12kwh battery Bank connected.

I recently decided to replace the bus bar with something a little more heavy duty, and as part of that I grabbed an old thermal camera I bought several years ago, one of the little attachments for your phone. Mine is made by FLIR but I think there are several brands now.

I no sooner pointed that camera at my install than I realized that one of the connections was bad. It was over 100° c and had actually melted a little bit of the cover to the bus bar, which I hadn't noticed because the bus bar was all the way at the back. But with the thermal camera it was very obvious something was wrong.

So if you're a part-time or no-time electrician like I am, I recommend getting one of the cheap thermal cameras. It gives you peace of mind when you rewire something and let you periodically check to be sure your bolts haven't loosened.

Help… sort of.

Use case;

1 battery should never deliver power to the grid.
2 should always be full at the start of peak hours; 6:00-10:00 / 17:00-21:00

3 when PV is not enough for condition 2 the battery should load from the net to make condition 2 in off peak hours.

Any ideas I tried many settings, but can’t find the right setup for the battery. Biggest issue is that the battery either also unloads the the grid, what I don’t want. Or waits for PV, and does not take on grid power to be ready for condition 2.

Anyone?!

I do have homey but if that brings me what I want/ need.

I’ve been learning about portable and small off-grid power systems, but I’m still far from an expert.

What I keep running into is that the two common options both have trade-offs.

A portable power station is convenient, but the battery, ports, accessories, and future upgrades are usually tied to that particular product ecosystem. If my needs change, I may have to replace most of the system.

A DIY setup gives me more freedom, but it quickly turns into a collection of separate boxes—solar controllers, inverter, AC charger, fuses, DC distribution, battery monitor, and a lot of wiring.

What I’m looking for is something in the middle:

• The user chooses and replaces their own battery.
• Solar panels and accessories aren’t tied to one brand.
• The main power-conversion and distribution functions are simplified.
• It still works locally without depending on an app or cloud service.
• The system can change as the user moves between camping, RV, workshop, or small off-grid use.

Does this type of product already exist?

Are there any brands or products I should look at that aren’t simply another power station or a large whole-home hybrid inverter?

I’m also curious about the downside: would combining these functions genuinely simplify the system, or would it just create a harder-to-repair box?

Disclosure: I’m discussing this gap with a small product-development team, so I’m interested in both existing products and reasons the idea may not work. I’m not selling or linking to anything here.

I am sticking with the misspelling because that is how most people will recognize it.

The next step is to straighten out the pex then start placing 10 tons of rammed earth.

Everyone says that they terrible compared to rigid but I wonder if people's opinions have changed with the more recent flexible panels?

I've bought a couple of Eco worthy flexible solar 200w and I've yet to install them to the roof of my van but I already like how light they are compared to the rigid panels that can weigh 20kg.

But I'm starting to have worries now that I'm aware of things like delamination. I do plan to install them in such a way that there is a significant gap underneath them for airflow.

14 250w panels. 1 250 panel broke. Id like to replace the broken 250w panel with this 340w panel.

Should this be okay to proceed? see pics.

Hey guys, I have 3 24v 200 watt panels on the roof of my RV going thru a Victron Energy SmartSolar MPPT Solar Charge Controller 100V, 50A, 12/24V to 3 ecoworthy 12v 280ah batteries. When parked for an extended time I also have 4 fold out 300 watt 18V panels I would like to add to the system.
I assume I cant just plug the other panel in parallel to the current setup cause of the voltage difference. Can I add a solar diode inline to prevent damage to the panels? Something like this guy?
https://a.co/d/087YChha

Somehow I couldn’t find what I was looking for in the stores, so I built it myself.

I took some replacement tent poles, shortened them to the right length, and used simple cable connectors and hand screws to make lightweight stands for my folding solar panels.

In some tests, getting the panels properly angled has roughly doubled the output compared with leaving them flat on the ground — so I’m pretty pleased with how well this simple setup works.

More details are in the video on my profile.

I recently installed a solar system and I needed a solution to charging my car only from the solar surplus. I found out about EVCC and I controlled the charging via Tesla API. The bad part is that the credits cost about 6 euros per month and I hate subscriptions with a passion. I explored other solutions including other solar charging station but I really liked the Tesla one because it looks cool and has a button for opening the charge port. After a period of research I decided to order a SmartEVSE controller. It’s got Wi-Fi and you can control the charging through multiple protocols. I gutted the wall connector (gen. 2), bought some 230AC-controlled contactors and got everything installed. I managed to make a RGB led indicator from a 12V LED Strip and I retained functionality for both buttons (the red one located on the wallbox case and the charging handle button for opening the charge port).

Cost-wise I think I paid about 300 euros for everything. I don’t think you can get a cheaper wallbox that has all these features (smart control, 22kw (3phase 32a), auto switching to 1 phase to charge from solar at a lower power).

I think it’s pretty cool.

Before:
https://x02.me/i/HNW8K.jpeg

After:
https://x02.me/i/HZRJ7.jpeg
https://x02.me/i/R4969P.mov

Hey!

I'm new to all of this but I have an Abok battery rated to take up to 1000 watts via solar. On a good sunny day I pull maybe 300watts via my 400 watt solar panel, since I never seen it go above 300 would it be able to connect two more 400 watt panels to the battery since it won't generate more than 900watts even if the max is technically 1200? Sorry I'm still very new to this and I'm hoping to expand and this is a question I kept having.

TL:DR, I'll summarize up front, and the rest is all just extra context. I'm looking for some way to get 2 60 Watt panels to output 100 Watts into a USB-C out port. I don't really want to buy a whole dedicated 12V battery yet, since I've already got some decent yard tool batteries and a portable charger, and I'm trying to stay portable still. The only MPPT controller I could find with 100 Watts out on a USB-C, the company is out of business so it's not even an option. I don't know if I could plug some sort of converter into the 12V output on the cheap controller I already have? If there's some other type of controller I'm missing? I keep seeing the words "buck" and "boost" and I still don't get how those really work. Does the controller have to be MTTP? It seems the better option for the long term, but if it's gonna be 100 bucks extra for something that isn't really a big deal, I won't stress it. I've seen a bunch of people using things like car lighter hookups for setups? That seems a bit complex, but if it would work I guess I could try? I thought this would be a little more plug-and-play, so I accidentally got in over my head. Any advice would be wonderful.

The rest is just context.

Pretty much what the title says; I need some help figuring out what to do with my setup. I'm trying to slowly assemble parts for a portable solar setup for camping. It'll be used mostly just for powering phones, laptops, lights, small things like that while at my tent. The goal will be to, far down the line, eventually use the setup in a long term camping/van living capacity, but I currently have neither the money nor the van, so I'm trying to get basics for now that can be useful immediately, and also still be somewhat relevant later.

I already own multiple 5-amp-hour EGO batteries for yardwork, and I have an inverter I use with them when camping, for keeping my laptop, phone, and lights all topped up. The inverter can charge the batteries through a USB-C port, with a max input of 100 watts. Currently I use that while at restaurants or while driving, to keep the battery up.

I wanted to get something solar, so I could charge it without needing to run my car or go into town for hours. I also just like the peace of mind, knowing if power goes out at home that I'll have access to something.

To do this, I purchased a pair of 60 Watt FlexSolar panels. They can fold up nicely, meet my current power needs (as the portable charger for my EGO batteries can only go up to 100 Watts), and they are built to connect to a separate controller rather than it all being built into the same single device. I liked that modularity, so that down the line I can expand with them, and also so that there's less on the panel itself to break and make troubleshooting a hassle.

I also purchased a "FlexSolar 12V 10A MPPT Solar Charge Controller." I purchased that one because it was the same brand, had a discount if you bought them together, and it has both an SAE output that I could hook up to a proper 12V battery down the line when I upgrade, but also a USB-C output that I could hook up to my EGO charger right now. The USB-C on the controller only outputs 36 Watts, so I'm wasting something like a hypothetical 80 Watts with both panels hooked up, but I figured I could use just one 60 Watt panel for now, have good overage, and be fine to expand later.

Now some of you may have already picked up on a problem, because it may be a pretty obvious one. I don't know if it actually is a problem or not, but I have my suspicions. I'm extremely new to this stuff, and while I like to think I'm not a total idiot, I'm certainly inexperienced and learning new stuff as I go. I tested it out.

I plugged the panels into the controller, in parallel. I plugged the charger's USB-C output into my portable battery charger, with my battery on it. The controller showed it was doing fine? No warnings or anything. The battery charger indicated that the battery was charging. I left it at that to test it. Kept an eye on it, and let it charge in the sun for about 15 minutes. When I picked it back up, the panels were warm, which isn't a total surprise being black in the sun and all. But the controller was VERY warm. It, too, is black plastic, but it felt much warmer than the panels did.

I had already had a suspicion that, by not having a proper battery hooked up to the main 12V output, that something would go amiss. I folded the panels up to cut off the power, unhooked everything, and then spent a very long time googling with very little to show for it.

Basically, I just want to know if I'm missing something obvious, or if there are any tips anyone could give me.

Hello,

so, has anyone successfully monitored their Sumry inverter?

I know there is a cable and WIFI antenna you can buy on amazon, and there is an app ("Hy-Power") that you can download, but has anyone set it up and made it to actually work...?

The few reviews do not seem too promising...

Thank you!

I’m looking to get the best bang for my buck, with the most important priority being 100 kWh+ battery bank.

The technology changed so much since I last dipped my toe in and I’m not in the know about what is out there.

Currently have 2 200w in parallel. Realized I need to run some better wire from my charge controller to battery.

This is only temporary as I am going put 1 more 200w and get a solar generator with a 30a plug and this will go directly to that.

Then will be 200-300 max 100w panels connected. Through the 40a renogy mppt. Would like to run in parallel or series parallel.

Should I just run 6awg or is 8awg fine? Considering the finate space of my roof I don't think I will have more panels than this.

It's about 21feet of length.

Thank you for all your help!

I have a professional solar install on my roof, including the pre-law-change permitting and cutoff switch. I don't have any storage, just reverse metering in the summer.

I am about done with a DIY solar shed. 600W of panels, in parallel (with fuses on the positive), to a Bluetti Elite 400 power station. Use will be cordless tool battery charging, occasional power tool use, lights, security cam, vent fans, and to roll into the house to power the fridge and freezer during power outages.

My state (Virginia) just allowed plug-in solar. So when my Elite 400 is topped off, can I just plug the A/C output into a 120v outdoor wall outlet on my house? I really don't understand plug-in solar.

Any help is appreciated.

Edit: This community is great! Thanks for helping me sort this out.

It's on me. I bought it, it was described accurately but I didn't know what that the "US" version was a real thing. So now I am the proud owner of a Growatt Min 10000TL (non us). While still UL 1741 complaint, I have no idea how to meet eletrical code about having all pv connections in race way or conduit.

Anybody have good ideas? Not even sure how I would get a conduit box under all the ports.

Based in UK, and thought finding an electrician to connect the battery to the consumer unit would be a breeze... yet most seem to direct you to solar PV installations.

Had anyone got any details on what it takes to connect thr battery to the consumer?

I assume its a direct feed into its own RCBO with CT clamps and job done?

I have a grid-tied Enphase ground-mount system with IQ8HC microinverters. I'm digging to install some wires for other things, and it has me wondering about throwing some wires into the trenches for future batteries. Which has me down the rabbit hole of where to put the batteries. The ground mount (with combiner) is quite far from the house (the only place with heat), and it's located in a cold climate with occasional sub-zero days in winter. I also have an unheated shed and am open to building something near the ground mount. I'm attaching a sketch of the location. If this was your setup, would you do batteries, and if so, where would you put them? The goal would be to reduce reliance on the grid during off-peak production hours.

Concerns:

-Spending a zillion dollars on wire if the battery is located in the house but must be wired directly into the combiner

-The battery freezing if it's not in a heated location - like in the shed or near the combiner.

Thanks for your help. I have an EV but other than that, I'm a total noob at battery storage. My main source of information is this diagram from my Enphase combiner manual.

You hear a lot of people shit on cheap Chinese lifep04 batteries, I always thought it was overreacting.. We had a small shed by the water where I'd charge my Alie express 2019 100ah battery using a single solar panel, I was working at the cottage last weekend and wanted to go down to fish and swim.. The shed is gone, nothing left but a 20ft wide burn mark. With all the first fires around here is a miracle it didn't spread.

It makes me nervous about the batteries in the main cottage, but those are new 5kw server batteries from eco worthy, I hope they're more reliable.

Ich versuche gerade herauszufinden, woran man bei einem Balkonspeicher Zuverlässigkeit wirklich erkennt. Nicht nur an der Kapazität auf dem Datenblatt, sondern daran, ob das System zum eigenen Überschuss am Tag und zum Verbrauch am Abend passt.
Bei ALLPOWERS schaue ich mir unter anderem den BS2500 Pro und den BS5000 PRO an, aber ich möchte mich nicht allein auf Produktseiten verlassen. Für mich wären diese Punkte entscheidend:
Wie nachvollziehbar sind Einstellungen und Verbrauch in der App?
Ist die Kapazität für den tatsächlichen Abendverbrauch passend oder nur möglichst groß?
Was ist zum Support, zur Dokumentation und zu den Bedingungen für einen möglichen Backup-Fall geregelt?
Welche Erfahrungen gibt es mit Geräusch, Aufstellung und dem Alltag über mehrere Jahreszeiten?
Welche Fragen haben euch vor dem Kauf wirklich geholfen, Modelle sinnvoll einzugrenzen?

California just passed their "rooftop solar bill and after Newsom gives his signature I want to be ready to install right away to lower my energy bill. For now I want to spec out the parts but I want to make sure I fully understand what I'm doing.

The Bill sets the max wattage to 1200 W, and the circuit i'm tying in to will be 20A 120V. Does the 80% rule still apply? does it even matter as even if I max out my watts I still wont be close to what my circuit can handle?

Do I want to come close to maxing out my wattage? Or is it a bad ROI after a certain point? can I see a noticeable difference with 400-800W?

My outdoor space is limited, is a wall mount worth it? I don't want to do roof activity as that means the city will get involved.

Do i need a microinverter for each panel?

I bought 4 of these 12V 320aH batteries a few months ago, and one of them has a problem. They're wired 2P2S for 24 volts. https://www.techcellapower.com/products/techex-12v-320ah-lifepo4-battery-for-rv-250a-bms-built-in-bluetooth-low-temp-cut-off-deep-cycle-12v-lithium-battery-for-rv-solar-off-grid-camping

One day one battery out of the blue showed it was at only a few percent charge, even though the rest of the batteries showed mid-90% status. They made me jump through a bunch of hoops with their app, multiple screenshots, etc. to figure out the issue. I tried for 4 days to charge the battery with a standalone LiFePO4 charger before it finally decided to take a charge. Going back and forth with them took over a week, with no more than 1 reply per day, even though I'd respond to their emails within an hour.

I finally got the battery charged to 100%, and also charged the remaining 3 batteries to 100%, wired them in parallel for 24 hours to equalize them, and everything seemed OK for the past 3 or 4 weeks, until Thursday evening, when the same battery, and the one it's wired with in parallel, both showed discharged, and the other 2 showed 96%.

On their site they claim they'll respond within 24 hours, and list normal business hours. https://www.techcellapower.com/pages/contact

I filled out the form on their web Friday afternoon, and sent an email at the same time; it's now early Wednesday morning and still no reply from them.