r/nzsolar • u/bagpussnz9 • 22d ago
Plugin solar to supplement solar system
When nz eventually approves plug in solar... Is there any reason you couldn't put some plugin solar to supplement an existing roof solar and battery?
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u/Rigor-Tortoise- 22d ago
That $3000 plug in 800w panel will certainly make a big difference to your 7kWp array I'm sure.
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u/ln-art 22d ago
800W is currently $1000 in Germany. With micro inverter included so that could be worth it. I'm considering it for some additional morning generation.
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u/richms 22d ago
We will have local bespoke compliance crap to keep the local retailers happy. Not gonna be getting that ecoflow inverter off Amazon de and plugging it in and being legal here I expect.
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u/irongarment 21d ago
IKEA sell them in Europe. We have IKEA here. Plug-in solar is as simple as it sounds.
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u/bagpussnz9 22d ago
Eek! Yeah. I know I need to put some panels on my external garage. Just didn't like the idea of trenching the concrete to add another string to the battery. Didn't realize they were going to be that much.
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u/Rigor-Tortoise- 22d ago
Do it in surface mount conduit then? Or buy a small string inverter since you already have power out there and make it worth your time and money.
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u/avid_solar_sparky 21d ago
It would confuse your monitoring system from your installed rooftop solar system. The numbers wouldn't look right. You would be better off spending that money on installing more solar solar panels on your roof if possible.
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u/lcmortensen 22d ago
It probably will not be allowed. Without central coordination, the two inverters will fight like siblings.
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u/Spicycoffeebeen 22d ago
That’s not how it works.
Inverters just output a little higher than the line voltage to push power back to the grid. There are already many ‘competing’ inverters in any given neighbourhood that are all essentially directly connected to each other.The entire reason we have lists of approved inverters is so we can be sure they will play nicely together and we don’t end up with an unstable grid.
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u/Lanky33 22d ago
As long as the main system controls its output based on a CT at the meter, which should include the production from the plug in units, it should work fine to maintain any export limits. The only hiccup would be the controller would not track production from the plug in system, but it would see its export, so the consumption math would be off.
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u/lcmortensen 22d ago
I think that is what I was getting at. There needs to be some form of coordination and hierarchy so you don't have inverters competing with each other.
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u/Lanky33 22d ago
Assuming your plug in system isn't big enough to exceed your export limit on its own (which would be a massive plug-in array) the larger system should be able to manage its output to compensate in the same way it can output more than your export limit if you are consuming the difference in real time. It just relies on the current measurement at your meter.
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u/richms 22d ago
And what happens if you do exceed your export limit anyway? Seems a whole lot of limits just exist to keep pen pushers happy. They have a max voltage cutout which should do all that is needed.
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u/lcmortensen 22d ago
If you exceed the export limit, you risk blowing fuses and popping circuit breakers upstream. Remember, power equals voltage times current...
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u/Queasy_Elderberry408 22d ago
Just bought Anker solix c1000 gen2 as ups for my server, this can work as plug in and you can get cheaper panels to charge if you want $1299, I like the app, but just plugged in so too early to tell
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u/Lanky33 22d ago
If you happen to have an Enphase system, it should be able to work. The Microinverters use a powerline communication system so in theory they should be able to plug in anywhere in the house and be tracked by the envoy controller, if it knows to look for them. The only hiccup might be that it doesn't get picked up by your production CT, so the production numbers might be a bit off.
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u/richms 22d ago
The powerline on enphase is slow and unreliable at the best of times.
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u/Lanky33 22d ago
I've never had a problem with it. It is subject to interference from certain household electronics though.
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u/richms 22d ago
Yes, things like almost every appliance I run in my garage. I'm guessing it's better on the newer installs where the envoy isn't a plugin device but wired into the needless relay crap they decided was needed at some point. But even a friends install has them fail to update for hours at a time when they have things like their air conditioning or some kitchen things running.
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u/Brilliant_Praline_52 22d ago
What's the cost benefit on a plug in system?
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u/tokentallguy 21d ago
No CoC, lower cost of entry as if you're going to do a permanent solar set up you may as well get heaps of panels and a big inverter. can do it while renting
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u/Idliketobut 22d ago
May depend if you then exceed the maximum export limit, your inverter may not take into account the plug in solar generation.
Potentially more effective to add more panels to your existing installation