What he said, plus a Carlo, I know you, you will never accept figures that don’t add up…
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@TheTerribleTriplet A PV inverter is simpler to add than another MPPT, and miles simpler than adding another hybrid inverter. Once you’ve added one it won’t be your last, go for it.
Interesting! What criteria do these need to meet for you to buy them?
Frequency shift capable and less about £85/kW to the door.
And when in a suitcase must be less than 32kg.
Brexit has added quite a bit on in customs, so I am glad I have my buying done, as the UK is where they mostly came from.
Edit: That’s top dollar that I will pay for an SMA TL21, but I’ve picked up most 3.6kW other brands for under £200.
I got 4 150/85 Victron MPPTs for £100 each once and 2 Fronius 3.6kW units at £90 each.
I just waited for the bargains.
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There is one big difference where you connect upstream or downstream of the Multi though.
If it is downstream the PV inverter stays on during daytime load-shedding, if it is upstream it doesn’t.
That can be very helpful.
Right, I’m convinced - You guys saved me about a minimum of R18k … with have it use it.
Once the one is in, adding more would then be easy.
I hear you, the 4.2kw array sorts LS 100% to date. Also don’t want to go and tamper there if at all possible, as it works.
How to actually connect it all, sparkie will do it, my first questions to grasp it all:
- Where does the Carlo go, before or after the Victron Carlo if installed in the main DB?
- OR, can one have a dedicated DB for multiple Solis inverters which in turn feeds the main DB, the Carlo between the Solis DB and main DB, to make additions in the future as simple as connecting the next Solis to a breaker in the Solis DB… if that is at all possible?
- Does the Solis’s, plural, need a dedicated current transformer per Solis to ensure no feedback?
3.1) OR if one can do a Solis DB, set them between the Solis DB and main DB to stop if the main DB is off?
3.2) OR will one Carlo be that point between Solis DB and main DB, the one Carlo connecting to the Cerbo as a PV inverter?
Read the manual. Like this, except with the extra energy meter (which does the job of measuring the PV-inverter, so it pretends to be a PV-inverter) between the Solis and the grid, but also so that the PV-inverter connects between the Multi and the other energy meter (the one you’ve got already, which has the role of grid meter).
Edit: People often ask about the orientation. The PV-inverter goes in on the top left of the ET112, and the grid connects to the top right, so that the power produced by the PV-inverter results in a POSITIVE power reading.
Edit 2: Indicated where the Solis CT goes. Also, if you have more than one PV-inverter, they can all use the same energy meter to proxy for them. To the GX device they appear to be ONE PV-inverter. I have no idea if you need multiple CTs for multiple Solis inverters.
Whilst, I personally, wouldn’t get out of bed for 3 extra panels.
I find myself humbled, knowing that every little bit saves a rainforest.
So whilst 700W won’t save a whole tree, it may actually save some shrubbery.
Or some roses, or azaleas or perhaps a large patch of moss?
Now, you know I’m taking the Michael.
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Perhaps you should have posted this rather on the Hobbies and Collections thread 
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One per Solis or an EPM or similar device with one ct. The EPM can connect up to 80 devices via Rs485.
In this case a CT per Solis would be the most cost effective.
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I’ll get to the manual, first I need a picture to visualize it.
If I understand:
- Using 1 x EPM I can connect multiple Solis inverters onto it with one CT from EPM to main DB.
- Using one Carlo, I can connect multiple Solis inverters onto it as one PV inverter for the Cerbo.
Effectively, this can be a “Solis DB” for the PV inverter supply, just add another double pole breaker per Solis, yes?
Have it, use it like “One small step for moss, one leap towards the forest”.
Yes, everything as you drew it… except that EPM is not cheap. You’re starting with ONE Solis right now. Keep it simple. When you get to the second one you can revisit all this. Odds are you’ll just get a second CT.
What’s this EPM you guys are talking about, link, estimated price?
Export Power Manager: (Solis-EPM1-5G)
About R5500 (see Solis Export Power Manager 5 Gen - 1ph — The Power Store)
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Is what I would have done, but need a next-level plan … and at the Solis EPM price, naaa. CT’s it is
Updated:
Nice little irradiation dials, are they something simple to get?
A CT per unit of feeding the same CT through multiple units is really dependent on cable management considerations. These days electronic devices present negligible burden to a CT so they are unlikely to saturate. Electrically, a single CT will work for multiple units, just wire the Solis’ CT inputs and outputs in series. Practically though, it will probably be easier to run a twisted pair to each unit and have multiple CTs in the DB.
A standard CT should never be open-circuited it will fail catastrophically.
The measurement type CTs you are looking for should be capable of withstanding an open circuit. This is done by them having an inbuilt resistor or Zener diode or something else.
(So even if they are open-circuited externally, they aren’t OC internally).
So don’t just use any old CT, confirm this part.