Ronski's Solar & battery DIY build with whole house backup

Ron-ski · 2 Mar 2023 at 10:21

When I add it up, but the electricians bill came to £2.5k, the bypass switches they used were £300 each :eek:

It's gone well over what I thought it would be, but it's only money.

I've ordered 16 more cells, cell busbars and BMS for the second battery. At least the cells were £500 cheaper this time round, they are expected late April.

HungryHippos · 2 Mar 2023 at 10:24

Looked like an interesting project at least, there is always some value in learning things and doing something your own way I think.

Freefaller · 2 Mar 2023 at 12:58

HungryHippos said:
Looked like an interesting project at least, there is always some value in learning things and doing something your own way I think.

Agreed - there's something quite fulfilling about running a project and seeing it come together.

Ron-ski · 2 Mar 2023 at 13:08

There something quite fulfilling knowing the whole house is running off the garage

Welshman · 2 Mar 2023 at 14:39

Ron-ski said:
There something quite fulfilling knowing the whole house is running off the garage

i just like looking at your VRM data - its intriguing

Ron-ski · 2 Mar 2023 at 15:43

@Welshman there's certainly a lot of it, and there's a lot of graphs I haven't added.

I also have a page with predicted generation, another with various gauge's (not publicly assessable), and I'm trying to adapt someone else's code to upload to PV Output, all done on the Victron Cerbo GX.

Welshman · 2 Mar 2023 at 17:53

Ron-ski said:
@Welshman there's certainly a lot of it, and there's a lot of graphs I haven't added.

I also have a page with predicted generation, another with various gauge's (not publicly assessable), and I'm trying to adapt someone else's code to upload to PV Output, all done on the Victron Cerbo GX.

Awesome….as a data analyst, i love seeing other peoples data loads

katie279 · 2 Mar 2023 at 21:38

Ok, so I've got an extra roof on an outbuilding - it's a 8.5m x 4.5m EDPM roof facing SW.

I figure I could get some of these angled structures like you did.

How can I work out the best arrangement of panels and how many I can fit? I guess there's something about avoiding the shade of one row on the next - is there a trick to this, as imagine it'd vary throughout the year depending on the sun height...?

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 2 Mar 2023 at 21:50

katie279 said:
Ok, so I've got an extra roof on an outbuilding - it's a 8.5m x 4.5m EDPM roof facing SW.

I figure I could get some of these angled structures like you did.

How can I work out the best arrangement of panels and how many I can fit? I guess there's something about avoiding the shade of one row on the next - is there a trick to this, as imagine it'd vary throughout the year depending on the sun height...?

Escalation shots fired! @ @Ron-ski

Ron-ski · 2 Mar 2023 at 21:59

katie279 said:
Ok, so I've got an extra roof on an outbuilding - it's a 8.5m x 4.5m EDPM roof facing SW.

I figure I could get some of these angled structures like you did.

How can I work out the best arrangement of panels and how many I can fit? I guess there's something about avoiding the shade of one row on the next - is there a trick to this, as imagine it'd vary throughout the year depending on the sun height...?

I drew it in Sketchup, and you can set the orientation and location, then create shadows. Ideally you need a minimum of 300mm boarder around the panels and the edge of the roof, some places state 400mm though, but I went 300.

Or you could try https://easy-pv.co.uk/home although I find it not so good on flat roofs. If your roof is strong enough you can use ballasted adjustable frames.

Is it a single flat roof, and what's the pitch?

katie279 · 2 Mar 2023 at 22:15

Ron-ski said:
I drew it in Sketchup, and you can set the orientation and location, then create shadows. Ideally you need a minimum of 300mm boarder around the panels and the edge of the roof, some places state 400mm though, but I went 300.

Or you could try https://easy-pv.co.uk/home although I find it not so good on flat roofs. If your roof is strong enough you can use ballasted adjustable frames.

Is it a single flat roof, and what's the pitch?

Yes, it's a single 8.5m X 4.5m roof, so I'm hoping I could get a couple of rows of panels on that (maybe 14 panels)

Then on the West facing side of the house, we've got space for another 10-12 panels....

It'd be amazing if I could get us to 15kw+ - that would smash the cost of EV, heating, electricity pretty much for good....

Your build has inspired me to think smart!

Ron-ski · 9 Mar 2023 at 20:30

I've drawn my system schematic for the DNO, anything I've left off or any problems?

Link for bigger picture.

PS. Various bits have arrived for the second battery.

HungryHippos · 9 Mar 2023 at 21:19

Can confirm, this is a diagram

Ron-ski · 9 Mar 2023 at 21:41

HungryHippos said:
Can confirm, this is a diagram

Thank you for the confirmation

HungryHippos · 9 Mar 2023 at 21:50

Ron-ski said:
Thank you for the confirmation

Very welcome sir

As you were!

Oh Ed not again. · 9 Mar 2023 at 22:04

Ron-ski said:
I've drawn my system schematic for the DNO, anything I've left off or any problems?

Link for bigger picture.

PS. Various bits have arrived for the second battery.

NSFW man, add tags!

Ron-ski · 9 Mar 2023 at 22:40

randal said:
NSFW man, add tags!

Not safe for work tags :confused:

Hawk Tuah · 9 Mar 2023 at 23:33

Twin 25mm SWA? You planning on adding a small nuclear reactor at a later date.

Lovely diagram.

Oh Ed not again. · 10 Mar 2023 at 00:01

Ron-ski said:
Not safe for work tags

As in that diagram is a bit naughty like.

HungryHippos · 10 Mar 2023 at 00:04

Ron-ski said:
Not safe for work tags

You forgot to sum your panel size on the garage ones, yet you did it for the house roof ones!