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New French wood 2 storey Garage, PV & electrics installation.
Scruff:
--- Quote from: bigrockcandymountain on December 16, 2020, 07:09:40 PM ---Yep, right on the money scruff.
--- End quote ---
I was a van dweller for 6 years. I broke even year 4 and made a killing after that until the chassis gave up and then I paid a high price for normality commuting 5k miles a month to work and staying in accommodation.
I can live on 2kWh a week.
--- Quote from: bigrockcandymountain on December 16, 2020, 07:09:40 PM ---
I like the freedom to twist and tape whatever wires i choose being off grid.
--- End quote ---
Yes Big Rock with that I am inspired to second your sentiments...thanks CM for setting such a high bar for those who follow!
--- Quote from: bigrockcandymountain on December 16, 2020, 07:09:40 PM ---Nobody can tell me not to.
--- End quote ---
:-X
Electrical limits are physics defined.
Speed limits are traction and reaction.
Some smoke is more expensive than others.
clockmanFRA:
Scruff,
Earth tested we require 100ohm French Regs. As regards times and switching then the equipment required is way beyond my expenses and my very old oscilloscope and my old HP frequency counters.
All RCD's here are tested, but not by me, before they are installed.
Regards ECO supply, the output 240vac goes through a RCD inside the OzInverter, However on the control board we have a variable setting for amperage output. But what this circuit also does is to sense any feed back or imbalance on the 240vac windings of the toroid, infact its so fast at instantly shutting down the OzInverter it beats the RCD hands down. The red LED is switched on and glowing and only a reset of the OzInverter will re-start it.
BigRock, Yes 1.5m earth rods are perhaps short but then that depends on your actual ground conditions. Here its 300mm top soil , then damp clay subsoil for about 1.5m then chalk, Iron ore and flint for about 3 meters, then soft limestone bed rock.
Again its the French regulations, and what i have learned in France is that the Government technicians that visit here just stick to the rules. As my French Eco Warrior friend Dimitri constantly says, "Just show them what they want to see, DO NOT SHOW THEM ANYTHING ELSE, they do not understand anything outside the normal".
Costs and install costs are most of the time very prohibitive for most folk if they get the so called professionals in. Here in France 3kW is the maximum amount of PV panels for Grid tie for a domestic property. However they do have a written down law 'that a domestic property can auto consume as much energy as it wishes' ie you can create energy and use it as much as you like.
Yes Big Rock, i get asked all the time, so I have put on my web site a page on OFF GRID and creating your OWN MINI GRID, these are actual costings this year if you install everything yourself.
http://www.bryanhorology.com/off-grid-and-your-own-mini-grid.php
What we try to do here at 'Le Vivray' and why we came to a small old collapsing farm in 2002, is to show that a large property with several buildings with normal family demands and heating etc, can run OFF GRID, or run a MICRO GRID very cost effectively by utilising AC coupling. Second hand MPPT GTI's are readily available at a fraction of there original installation cost.
We are also following a sustainability philosophy. see http://www.bryanhorology.com/renewable-energy-creation.php & the 'fluffy bunny' site https://levivray.com/smallholding.php
Ac Coupling is the main reason i got seriously involved with making a REAL powerful INVERTER, the OzInverter creation.
And No, we don't have much money to buy the latest this and that, as most stuff is fleebay and repurposed, i just await for something to come up at the right price.
I do my best!
mab:
--- Quote from: clockmanFRA on December 16, 2020, 01:39:36 PM ---Hi,
I just keep a fleebay search for them, been doing that since 2014, max paid £30, min £4 but had a job lot.
Yes will work on the GTI Sunny Boys with the toroid in them.
Here's the installation manual.
(Attachment Link)
And here is what i fit them onto.
(Attachment Link)
--- End quote ---
cheers for than CM - looks like I might need a different sort for the 4000tl - HF type.
I'll just have to keep looking then... ::)
I do wonder if the French system is similar to UK 'TT' system:- The utility ground one side of a single phase supply at the transformer to define neutral ( or ground the star point of a 3ph system) but the consumer property has it's own earth rod(s) - and there's no N-E bond in the property; RCD's work fine as long as the rod's to spec. If the french system is the same as UK TT then I would expect CM to have a N-E bond at the oZinverter, which would make the property TNS when on 'eco' and TT when on grid.
Having Terre-Neutral allows for use of single pole breakers and switches though - which must be in the live line, whereas I seem to recall (?) CM says they use double pole breakers? (don't recall re: switches) which may imply IT? I have to admit that the only IT system i'm familiar with is for a portable generator suppling a single appliance, but once you have an installation with multiple connected appliances/circuits it normally needs a NE bond somewhere to be right unless it's a totally earth-free system?
Sorry CM - I don't mean to hijack your diary with concerns about your installation - I'm sure you'd do it right - it's just that those of us who do electrical installations for a living all too often come across scary DIY attempts were they've done it by rote without understanding earth bonding, or even just don't care as long as the lights come on when the switch is flicked.
Scruff:
Earth neutralisation is probably the most overlooked part of off grid because:
It works without it.
It's complicated
It's often outside the scope of the average DIYer
The test gear to procure compliance readings can be expensive.
Looking at the drawing it's not possible to pass a ELI test without the neutral tied to the earth.
I'm not sure if CM either has this and not mentioned it or is only measuring half of the loop. PE to terra.
As regards the test gear being prohibitively expensive for a DIYer.
Meh...sure if it's new with a valid calibration cert.
Megger MFT, Fluke, Robin, Metrel they all turn up for low prices on the used market when they update the regs or corporations routine renewal etc.
I bought a joblot of Robins out of cal date but there was enough of them to verify the calibrations against themselves.
Here's another cheapo solution. (Haven't tried it myself...looks a little too simple but better than nothing).
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQhaXfCleR0
Artful bodger infected me with an uncompromising methodology of ensuring it's at the very least enabled, life harm protection, it's important. I am my insurance policy, being a cowboy I'm not expecting a liability policy to bail me outtov an incident.
It's a bittova curse when you clue into it. It's the most complicated aspect of the install and can double the workload and then some.
I believe France is TT.
IT is a nightmare, I can't be dealing with it...I do have to on occasion but unless it's a submarine or an aircraft there's usually a better way imo. Most countries regulation bible's have IT cross-referenced with world of pain.
As regards the spending on hardware...psah. It's all lightweight fast turnaround niche application tripe these days, built down to cheaper manufacturing, shipping costs and local economic factors. There's nothing I see on today's market I can't outrun with decade old hardware that's no longer fashionable.
The Irish are all buying Mickey Mouse 1.5kWh grid tied li-ion house batteries for the equivalent cost of 3kWp of solar because there's no FiT and the state is backing it (offering a grant that the installers are pocketing so nil sum gain for the end user).
Efficiency reduction devices I call 'em.
The green wannabes callit soft gridding. ::)
The governing bodies and people writing application notes are calling them "AC batteries" I sh1t you not!
Those SBs will run 5 years longer than the current generation...but they're a 2 person install and 25kg.
Scruff:
--- Quote from: clockmanFRA on December 17, 2020, 04:02:50 AM ---Costs and install costs are most of the time very prohibitive for most folk if they get the so called professionals in.
--- End quote ---
Never confuse a professional with an expert! ;)
Same here. I can install grid-tied solar in my back yard for €0.40 per kWh and maybe €0.45 on the roof.
I got about 30 quotes in from the privateers and twas ~€2 per kWh with a grant and €1.20 without.
--- Quote from: clockmanFRA on December 17, 2020, 04:02:50 AM ---Here in France 3kW is the maximum amount of PV panels for Grid tie for a domestic property. However they do have a written down law 'that a domestic property can auto consume as much energy as it wishes' ie you can create energy and use it as much as you like.
--- End quote ---
That's interesting if you grid-tie a "hybrid" inverter and not a solar array. By the letter of that law you're either exempt of compliance or you can peg it to 3kW 24/7
--- Quote from: clockmanFRA on December 17, 2020, 04:02:50 AM ---What we try to do here at 'Le Vivray' and why we came to a small old collapsing farm in 2002, is to show that a large property with several buildings with normal family demands and heating etc, can run OFF GRID, or run a MICRO GRID very cost effectively by utilising AC coupling. Second hand MPPT GTI's are readily available at a fraction of there original installation cost.
--- End quote ---
Funny what you teach and what people learn from it isn't it?
I adopted your cost-effective hardware strategy and & DIY approach.
I'm totally neglecting the power the property with it aspect other than back-up & test load, I think your cost-effective generator (EDF) is too cost-effective to compete with...I might change my mind later.
I think I'll be the first to grid tie a 3 phase truck though....Mwahaha.
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