Clean Energy Reviews Forum Forum

It has been four years in the making, and now we have launched Photonik 1.0. There is a free version for homeowners and DIY solar — Photonik Lite — and a version for solar professionals — Photonik Pro . The easiest to use solar design tool Our goal has always been to make the easiest to use solar design tools, and I think we have accomplished that. Homeowners are able to get a custom solar price in a few clicks - but can also dive as deep as they like into system sizing, panel placement, battery options etc - and solar professionals can create professional proposals in minutes. EV charging, Vehicle to Grid (V2G) and Virtual Power Plants (VPP) What I've been excited about recently is where the future of energy is going — how the next phase of solar, batteries and also EVs will integrate with the electricity network to balance our inherently irregular supply and demand cycles. We've built this simulation into Photonik now as well. Homeowners can now see how much they could save by exporting energy from their EVs onto the grid when there is a wholesale price spike, or what you could save by joining a VPP scheme - exporting to the grid from your home battery and taking advantage of wholesale rates. If you haven't tried it yet, have a go — Photonik Lite if you are a homeowner or DIY, Photonik Pro if you are designing for clients — and let me know what you think. I would love the feedback, good or bad.

Marty: I started working in solar in 2010. At that point everyone was talking about how cheap solar panels had become on the back of huge growth in Germany and Australia. They were around $2/W at that point, and panels were 14% efficient. Then prices just continues to tumble, faster and further than anyone could have imagined. 15 years later, panels are over 90% cheaper, and efficiency of panels are reaching 25%+. It’s pretty impressive how far panel technology has come since 2010. The jump to 25%+ efficiency is significant, especially with newer N-Type and bifacial panels becoming more common. I’ve also noticed more flexible and portable options appearing alongside the traditional rigid panels. I was actually looking into Callsun Solar Coupons while comparing some of the newer panels, and it made me wonder how much further efficiency can realistically improve before we start hitting practical limits. Do you think the next big gains will come from panel efficiency or from better storage and system technology?

MY MERITSUN WARRANTY EXPERIENCE — READ THIS BEFORE BUYING I bought 2 Meritsun LFP200-48 10kWh LiFePO4 batteries for more than PHP 340,000, sold with Grade A cells and a long-term warranty. After years of problems, I collected thousands of measurements directly from the PACE BMS. Pack 1: weak Cell 9 dropped to 2.715V, with cell imbalance reaching 726mV. Pack 2: weak Cell 12 dropped to 2.701V, with 575mV imbalance and Lower Cell Voltage Protection. I sent all the technical data to Meritsun. MERITSUN’S OWN TECHNICAL SUPPORT concluded: “Severe cell imbalance / capacity degradation in specific cells” and: “This indicates a weak/degraded cell.” I followed their instructions. I performed the diagnostics, provided the BMS logs and even successfully updated BOTH BMS units from firmware 2.03 to the 2.09 firmware supplied by Meritsun. The degraded-cell problem remains. So I asked Meritsun to provide the replacement cells under warranty. I even offered to FIND AND PAY a qualified technician myself in the Philippines. I am not asking Meritsun to pay the labor or ship two huge batteries internationally. Their answer? $30 PER REPLACEMENT CELL. After paying more than PHP 340,000, after their own technical support diagnosed degraded cells, and while I am asking for warranty support, I am being told to BUY the replacement cells myself. So before buying a Meritsun battery, ask this question: WHAT DOES THE WARRANTY ACTUALLY COVER WHEN A CELL BECOMES DEFECTIVE? A long warranty looks great in adve

Designing an efficient EV charging station requires more than simply installing a charger. You need to consider power demand, charger type, electrical infrastructure, energy management, safety, and future expansion . Key factors include: Assess EV demand: Estimate how many vehicles will charge daily and their typical charging duration. Choose the right charger: Select Level 2 chargers for workplaces and commercial locations, or DC fast chargers where rapid charging is required. Calculate electrical load: Determine the total charger load and ensure the electrical service, panels, breakers, and wiring can handle the demand. Use smart charging: Load management can distribute available power between multiple chargers and reduce peak demand. Integrate solar and storage: Solar PV and batteries can offset grid consumption and help manage peak charging loads. Plan for expansion: Design the electrical infrastructure with additional chargers in mind to avoid expensive upgrades later. Prioritize safety and compliance: Follow applicable electrical codes, grounding requirements, protection systems, and permitting requirements. Optimize charger placement: Consider parking layout, cable reach, accessibility, traffic flow, and maintenance access.

Designing an efficient EV charging station requires more than simply installing a charger. You need to consider power demand, charger type, electrical infrastructure, energy management, safety, and future expansion . Key factors include: Assess EV demand: Estimate how many vehicles will charge daily and their typical charging duration. Choose the right charger: Select Level 2 chargers for workplaces and commercial locations, or DC fast chargers where rapid charging is required. Calculate electrical load: Determine the total charger load and ensure the electrical service, panels, breakers, and wiring can handle the demand. Use smart charging: Load management can distribute available power between multiple chargers and reduce peak demand. Integrate solar and storage: Solar PV and batteries can offset grid consumption and help manage peak charging loads. Plan for expansion: Design the electrical infrastructure with additional chargers in mind to avoid expensive upgrades later. Prioritize safety and compliance: Follow applicable electrical codes, grounding requirements, protection systems, and permitting requirements. Optimize charger placement: Consider parking layout, cable reach, accessibility, traffic flow, and maintenance access. 1 post - 1 participant Read full topic

I’m proposing to use a 3 phase 29.9kW Deye Hybrid Inverter with a HV stack to start and spin a 5.5kW induction motor for 2 mins max…about 5 x per day. We intend to use a soft starter plus an inductive reactor to tame the inrush current and possible harmonics to about 35-40 Amps spread across 3 phases. Has anyone attempted such a project? 1 post - 1 participant Read full topic

I’m proposing to use a 3 phase 29.9kW Deye Hybrid Inverter with a HV stack to start and spin a 5.5kW induction motor for 2 mins max…about 5 x per day. We intend to use a soft starter plus an inductive reactor to tame the inrush current and possible harmonics to about 35-40 Amps spread across 3 phases. Has anyone attempted such a project?

Are your loads increasing during the charging process as well? The grid supply is limited, and if your loads increase, there will be a reduction in the charge rate I also think you may still need to check your grid voltage during charging. You should be able to graph the voltage in IsolarCloud - see below (have to use the filter button to select voltage).

That sounds frustrating, especially after testing the smart-meter side without any change. The AS4777 profile seems like a strong possibility, so checking the inverter’s regional grid-code settings or firmware configuration may be the next step.

This behaviour starts after 20–30 minutes of charging, when the battery SOC is usually around 20–30%. Yes, I have two stacks of Sungrow SBR 224 batteries with 10kW hybrid inverter. My house is single-phase, but there are no restrictions on importing power from the grid or using grid power at home.