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--- project:index [2025-11-02 Sun wk44 11:07] – [New Solar System with BESS] baumkp
+++ project:index [2025-12-30 Tue wk01 11:48] (current) – baumkp
@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 I have published these notes on my public wiki website https://wiki.kptree.net/, for my own access and also and possible benefit to others. I am not interested in advertising on this site. As these are my personal notes, provided without cost, I assume no obligations in anyway should anyone in anyway use them in full or part. YOU USE THESE NOTES AT YOUR OWN RISK!
-  *[[https://www.airgradient.com/|airgradient, Powerful Air Quality Solutions]]
 <pagelist&header>
 *[[project:index]]
+*[[project:air_quality]]
+*[[project:grid_power]]
+*[[project:home_solar_bess]]
 *[[python:subprocess]]
 *[[project:oscilloscope]]
 *[[project:LEDS]]
+*[[project:lighting]]
 *[[project:sprinklers]]
 *[[project:ethernet]]
+*[[project:surge_protector]]
 </pagelist>
 ----
-======Grid Power======
+<- ^ project:index|Start page ^ project:air_quality|next page ->
-[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oit8pzyqL3U|It's not what you think... it's worse. Sky high power prices are by design. Topher Project Ep 194]]
-Bid Stack Electric Power System
-^ Description                                 ^ Type                    ^ Response          ^ Inertia       ^ Capital Cost                                                 ^ Power marginal cost  ^ Power Stability  ^
-| Nuclear %%(++++)%%                          | base %%+++%%            | Slow -            | High %%++%%   | High - - - - -                                               | Low +                | High %%+++%%     |
-| Coal  %%(+++++)%%                           | base %%+++%%            | Slow -            | High %%++%%   | High - - -                                                   | Low +                | High %%+++%%     |
-| Gas  %%(++++++++)%%                         | Base/Flex %%++++%%      | Fast %%+++%%      | High %%++%%   | High - -                                                     | High -               | High %%+++%%     |
-| Wind  %%(- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -)%%   | Intermittent - - - - -  | NIL - - - - -     | NIL - - -     | High((Grid scale remote location power distribution)) - - -  | Low %%+++++%%        | Low - - -        |
-| Solar  %%(- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -)%%  | Intermittent - - - - -  | NIL - - - - -     | NIL - - -     | High<sup>1)</sup> - - -                                      | Low %%+++++%%        | Low - - -        |
-| Hydro %%(+++++++++++++++)%%                 | Flex %%++++%%           | FAST %%++%%       | HIGH %%+++%%  | High - - - -                                                 | Low %%+++++%%        | High %%+++%%     |
-| Pumped Hydro %%(+++)%%                      | Flex Storage %%++++%%   | FAST +            | NA            | High - - - -                                                 | High - - -           | High %%+++%%     |
-| Battery Storage Grid Following %%(++)%%     | Flex Storage %%++++%%   | FASTEST %%++++%%  | LOW -         | High - - -                                                   | High - - -           | High %%+++%%     |
-| Battery Storage Grid Forming %%(++++++)%%   | Flex Storage %%++++%%   | FASTEST %%++++%%  | HIGH %%++%%   | High - - -                                                   | High - - -           | High %%+++%%     |
-=====Home Solar / BESS======
-=====First Solar System=====
-I had installed upon my house circa 2013 5kW of solar panels (20 x 250W peak capacity solar panels with 10 micro inverters each with 2 x 250W rated inputs). I replaced this system with new solar cells and string inverter in April 2025.
-++++Comments on system performance and why I replaced; tl;dr;|
-The main problem with this system were:
-  *The micro inverters were unreliable.
-    *I had 2 micro-inverters replaced in full warranty period (no cost to me) within 3 years.
-    *I had an additional 3 micro inverters replaced after 6 years (the micro-inverters were free issued, but I had to pay for installation).
-    *Upon system replacement in April 2025 an additional 2 micro inverters had fully failed and 2 were not functioning correctly.
-  *The monitoring device that reported micro-inverter performance and power production was unreliable in communication with the micro-inverters and regularly had difficulties communications with the micro-inverters.
-  *The installer did not provide a micro inverters / panel installation map on initial installation. (This begs the question of how professional the installer was.) I did not identify the need for the map until a few weeks after the installation and was not expecting the system to be so unreliable that such need affected maintenance cost.)
-  *The system was not over provisioned.  Basically 5kW of panels with 5kW of inverter capacity is not the most effective installation, particularly as solar panel pricing reduced. It is more cost effective to install excess solar panel capacity over invert capacity as this gives improved overall system performance including improved installed return on investment.  Only in the 2 years of operation did I every briefly observe 5kW output. After this peak output was usually between 3 - 4.2kW, depending upon operational inverters.
-  *The micro-inverters with from AP Systems. Enphase is another major micro-inverter supplier that appears to be more premium.  That being said the AP System installation clearly was sub-standard in terms of reliability.  Whether or not an Enphase system would have performed better is unknown.
-I calculated using actual conservative measure performance that the system payback was about 7 years, including maintenance cost.
-I replaced this system with new solar cells and string inverter in April 2025.  At this time the existing system performance was degraded, and configuration sub-optimal and unreliable, making overall replacement easier and more effective in the long term than maintenance of existing.  Also battery storage systems were starting to become cost effective with offered government subsidies.
-++++
-=====New Solar System with BESS=====
-I installed a new solar system with a 6.6kW panels and  5kW sting inverted in April 2025. In August 2025 I had installed a 5kW/10kWhr battery system, the installer replaced the string inverter with the BESS that included an integrated dual string inverter.  There were substantial government subsidies available at the time I had the BESS install that allowed an approximate 6 - 7 year pay back to be possible.  Further to this the system supplier included a full 10 year warranty on parts and labour.  The supplier seemed reputable, that is hopefully will be around and honour any warranty claim with in years.  The BESS supplier Alpha ESS also had a 10 year warranty, which helps mitigate risk on parts warranty.
-It is too early to form any conclusive comments on this system.  The spring and autumn periods are traditionally thoses where I have the lowest energy demand (low heating and cooling requiremnts coupled with reasonable solar output, where as summer that has best solar output also tends to have higher associated cooling electrical power costs.  Winter is the worst month with lower solar power generation coupled with high electrical power consumption for electrical heating (reverse cycle heat pump heating coupled with typical Australian pre circa 1995 poorly insulated housing.) MY preliminary opbervations are
-<- ^ rpi:start|Start page ^ python:subprocess|next page ->