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My "house" will go grid-tie package deal with finance in the coming years. However.
The garage is my DIY man cave.
Current system:
330W 41VoC panel (ground/wall mounted). ~12V 4S 105Ah LFP. EPEver Tracer4210N.
Current loads:
~12VDC cable to the office (6mm outdoor copper, 8 meters). DCDC boost/buck converter for a stable 13VDC and 5 Amps.
Runs anything and everything I can find that runs on 12VDC. That is presently "enough" to full utilise the generation.
Upgrade in progress:
12VDC -> 24VDC 8S 105Ah LFP.
Planned. 2 or 3 more 330W panels while still stocked / matched. I can do 3P or 2S2P with a 40% over power on the current MPPT.
The problem.
Already I am running out of suitable loads for the 12VDC. 24VDC gives me more amps up that 8 meter cable before I lose 10% voltage. I have nothing that will take that power.
Also, while I have considered running the 24V around the office and using individual buck converters to power things like PC monitors (19VDC 100W) and the like, someone pointed out to me I should consider inverting up to mains voltage and then I can run as much power up that 6mm cable as I need and just run an extension for monitors or even PCs.
My own little island power. Excellent. Decided to buy an inverter.
My mistake.
Having ordered an EPEver charger / inverter combo. I did some research into how much "spark" involvement I was going to need to have it done right. It seemed then that the only thing I needed to do was get a spark to create an island earth for me, such that the island is not floating relative to the grid and that if the grid has a fault, I still have an earth on the island.
Then I got a phone call that the EPEver was out of stock and would I consider the upgrade (at my cost) to a Victron Multiplus 24/1200
I hummed, ha'ed and eventually agreed to upgrade to the Victron Multiplus 24/800 instead.
Nothing changes, right? It's still an off-grid charger, inverter?
Wrong.
Studying on how the Victron Multi-plus systems work they are in fact ALL grid tie. It doesn't matter that YOU configure it to never export, the various regulations already apply and worming your way out or around them is at your own risk.
The topology of ALL multipluses is the same (according to Victron). A FET bridge transformer inverter with a grid phase sync/lock and a "grid parallel relay".
The only thing that stops the unit from "exporting" is the software setting for the pilot sinewave amplitude. Make it slightly lower than the ACIn and net power will flow to your loads and your batteries. Make it slightly higher and your batterys will be supplying the loads AND the grid.
That AC-In to AC-Out relay makes all of their multi-plus inverters grid tie.
Bottom line.
As it's under 3.8kW and single phase it does not need prior premission. Under G98 it's a notification within 30 days of commissioning type affair. However. It states that the generating device complies with and has a valid upto date G98 certificate registered with ENA.
Victron don't have that. They have produced that certification for some of their large units, but it looks like they just not bother certifying the smaller units.
So it comes down to my DNO. I have reached out. If they say, "No. G98 certificate or disconnect it immediately.", then I'm out of pocket by £700! Or rather I'm out of pocket by the difference of a true island inverter like the Victron Pheonix.
Decisions and deadlines.
The Multiplus arrives today via DHL. I have 14 days within which I can return it, still packaged and "as new" under the distance selling regulations n the UK. (Which is designed to handle cases like this where not enough advice and thought went into an online/telephone sale).
The DNO have said it can take up to 10 days for them to respond by phone or email to my query. If they just come back with forms, delays and brueacracy I may run out of my return window.
I suppose I will have to set a deadline. If the DNO has not suggested approval or say I don't need approval by the 5 working day mark, I will have to assume the worst and return the Multiplus in favour of a Pheonix (I probably pay the shipping both ways). I have a means to charge the batteries whie the inverter is running anyway. A self contained, automated system doing this sounded great and all, but those darn UK regulations and standards, they do love them.
Any thoughts? Prior use cases / examples?
The other option is to plead ignorance, carry on and if anyone says anything say, "But it's just plugged into a plug socket? Why do I need approval?"
The garage is my DIY man cave.
Current system:
330W 41VoC panel (ground/wall mounted). ~12V 4S 105Ah LFP. EPEver Tracer4210N.
Current loads:
~12VDC cable to the office (6mm outdoor copper, 8 meters). DCDC boost/buck converter for a stable 13VDC and 5 Amps.
Runs anything and everything I can find that runs on 12VDC. That is presently "enough" to full utilise the generation.
Upgrade in progress:
12VDC -> 24VDC 8S 105Ah LFP.
Planned. 2 or 3 more 330W panels while still stocked / matched. I can do 3P or 2S2P with a 40% over power on the current MPPT.
The problem.
Already I am running out of suitable loads for the 12VDC. 24VDC gives me more amps up that 8 meter cable before I lose 10% voltage. I have nothing that will take that power.
Also, while I have considered running the 24V around the office and using individual buck converters to power things like PC monitors (19VDC 100W) and the like, someone pointed out to me I should consider inverting up to mains voltage and then I can run as much power up that 6mm cable as I need and just run an extension for monitors or even PCs.
My own little island power. Excellent. Decided to buy an inverter.
My mistake.
Having ordered an EPEver charger / inverter combo. I did some research into how much "spark" involvement I was going to need to have it done right. It seemed then that the only thing I needed to do was get a spark to create an island earth for me, such that the island is not floating relative to the grid and that if the grid has a fault, I still have an earth on the island.
Then I got a phone call that the EPEver was out of stock and would I consider the upgrade (at my cost) to a Victron Multiplus 24/1200
I hummed, ha'ed and eventually agreed to upgrade to the Victron Multiplus 24/800 instead.
Nothing changes, right? It's still an off-grid charger, inverter?
Wrong.
Studying on how the Victron Multi-plus systems work they are in fact ALL grid tie. It doesn't matter that YOU configure it to never export, the various regulations already apply and worming your way out or around them is at your own risk.
The topology of ALL multipluses is the same (according to Victron). A FET bridge transformer inverter with a grid phase sync/lock and a "grid parallel relay".
The only thing that stops the unit from "exporting" is the software setting for the pilot sinewave amplitude. Make it slightly lower than the ACIn and net power will flow to your loads and your batteries. Make it slightly higher and your batterys will be supplying the loads AND the grid.
That AC-In to AC-Out relay makes all of their multi-plus inverters grid tie.
Bottom line.
As it's under 3.8kW and single phase it does not need prior premission. Under G98 it's a notification within 30 days of commissioning type affair. However. It states that the generating device complies with and has a valid upto date G98 certificate registered with ENA.
Victron don't have that. They have produced that certification for some of their large units, but it looks like they just not bother certifying the smaller units.
So it comes down to my DNO. I have reached out. If they say, "No. G98 certificate or disconnect it immediately.", then I'm out of pocket by £700! Or rather I'm out of pocket by the difference of a true island inverter like the Victron Pheonix.
Decisions and deadlines.
The Multiplus arrives today via DHL. I have 14 days within which I can return it, still packaged and "as new" under the distance selling regulations n the UK. (Which is designed to handle cases like this where not enough advice and thought went into an online/telephone sale).
The DNO have said it can take up to 10 days for them to respond by phone or email to my query. If they just come back with forms, delays and brueacracy I may run out of my return window.
I suppose I will have to set a deadline. If the DNO has not suggested approval or say I don't need approval by the 5 working day mark, I will have to assume the worst and return the Multiplus in favour of a Pheonix (I probably pay the shipping both ways). I have a means to charge the batteries whie the inverter is running anyway. A self contained, automated system doing this sounded great and all, but those darn UK regulations and standards, they do love them.
Any thoughts? Prior use cases / examples?
The other option is to plead ignorance, carry on and if anyone says anything say, "But it's just plugged into a plug socket? Why do I need approval?"
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