Nice job. One thing you could have done was put the combiners to the right of the charge controllers. This way the DC out of the combiners would feed the RHS of the charge controllers. The resulting 48V DC could then come out of the LHS of the charge controllers and avoid that penetration through the screen. This method would have also kept the 600V and the 48V separate in you wiring chase. 2nd thing: I know it's tempting to bundle the wires, but I like to keep them separate as in they tend to get warm under load and even though there's insulation, I want as much air flowing around them as possible.
The layout worked but I agree, it could have been better. The wires needed to go out the back of the charge control but I didn't plan for that. A rear raceway would have been really nice to have had.
could have used a ground plate they come at 400a rating and only have to down 2 ft on the flat they are about 1 ft x 2 ft in size and only need one instead of two 10 ft grd rods
since install for the past 3 years, have you had any issue with the Schneider or did you need to update anything or work on anything on it? If you had to do it again, would you use the Schneider again or something newer like EG4?
I could never get the two inverters to fully work together. They would both output power but I'd often get warnings. These warnings I was told by Schneider really didn't mean anything but we couldn't get them to go away. After a year I realized that we rarely used more than one inverter would output anyway so I disconnected one and kept it mounted as a spar. Flash forward two years and I got an notice about a firmware update so I did it. That fall I was getting things ready for winter and fired up the generator. Then weird stuff started happening. After some time on the phone with Schneider they came to the conclusion that the firmware caused a software error because that upgrade eliminated the SCP in place of the Gateway. I wasn't told of this so the SCP and the Gateway were fighting for control of the power coming from the generator. After wiping the inverter we were able to get it running again but it couldn't communicate with the rest of the system anymore. Schneider warrantied both inverters. Now I have four of them. Around that time EG4 was getting popular and I watched a few videos and decided to upgrade the system and bought dual 6000xp inverters. Since then I've hooked them up and will say that the install is a lot easier but they are very very loud and I can't use all the solar I have on the roof. The Schneider charge controls can take a lot more and the whole Schneider system was more beefy. So now I have the entire old system on one wall and the EG4 on another. I also upgraded my batteries with four Rhino 3's from Battery Evo. That's been a disaster so far. Long story but I wouldn't suggest buying from them and I'm very gald the old Schneider system is still hooked up because I've had to use it a few times along with the old batteries. I had planned to sell it but might just move it to another property at some point. Doing your own solar is addicting. I have a lot of extra parts now...... you've been warned!
Looks like you built your house on top of a buried mountain with all of that rock. I think you've got a good plan with putting your loads center close to your equipment. You'll save a little bit on the expensive wire to feed it, but depending on all of your runs, it may balance out.
Quality install nice job! I also am off-grid with Schneider Electric components, I'm wondering what was your reasoning for the added expense for three combiner boxes when the 80A-600V controllers have built in over current protection? IMO DC Isolator disconnect boxes with a 3ms arc suppression covers you for NEC requirements regarding disconnect shut-down. The only reason I can see are those Midnight 600V lightening arrestors, if that is the case than the added $$$ for the possibility of a lightening strike to the roof of your house is only giving you the false sense of protection that you think you have, interesting!
It's what came in the kit. We didn't order each piece independently. A direct lightning strike is possible with the storms we get. Better safe than sorry especially when the expense was so small.
Nice job! Any particular reason you went with Schneider for off-grid? I normally see Sol-Ark or MPP Hybrids. Any benefits for the higher costs, or was it just preference?
We kept seeing other off grid homes using Schneider and I have used their other electrical products before. So it was more brand recognition and trust. I had never heard of the other brands at the time. So far the set-up is working great.
Schneider is also a tank for heavy surge hits. They handle the unbalanced loads very well and simply built with to last. This build is fantastic, one of my first when I started my build with the same equipment.
Nice job. One thing you could have done was put the combiners to the right of the charge controllers. This way the DC out of the combiners would feed the RHS of the charge controllers. The resulting 48V DC could then come out of the LHS of the charge controllers and avoid that penetration through the screen. This method would have also kept the 600V and the 48V separate in you wiring chase. 2nd thing: I know it's tempting to bundle the wires, but I like to keep them separate as in they tend to get warm under load and even though there's insulation, I want as much air flowing around them as possible.
The layout worked but I agree, it could have been better. The wires needed to go out the back of the charge control but I didn't plan for that. A rear raceway would have been really nice to have had.
could have used a ground plate they come at 400a rating and only have to down 2 ft on the flat they are about 1 ft x 2 ft in size and only need one instead of two 10 ft grd rods
Didn't know that, thanks for the tip and for watching.
since install for the past 3 years, have you had any issue with the Schneider or did you need to update anything or work on anything on it? If you had to do it again, would you use the Schneider again or something newer like EG4?
I could never get the two inverters to fully work together. They would both output power but I'd often get warnings. These warnings I was told by Schneider really didn't mean anything but we couldn't get them to go away. After a year I realized that we rarely used more than one inverter would output anyway so I disconnected one and kept it mounted as a spar.
Flash forward two years and I got an notice about a firmware update so I did it. That fall I was getting things ready for winter and fired up the generator. Then weird stuff started happening. After some time on the phone with Schneider they came to the conclusion that the firmware caused a software error because that upgrade eliminated the SCP in place of the Gateway. I wasn't told of this so the SCP and the Gateway were fighting for control of the power coming from the generator.
After wiping the inverter we were able to get it running again but it couldn't communicate with the rest of the system anymore. Schneider warrantied both inverters. Now I have four of them.
Around that time EG4 was getting popular and I watched a few videos and decided to upgrade the system and bought dual 6000xp inverters. Since then I've hooked them up and will say that the install is a lot easier but they are very very loud and I can't use all the solar I have on the roof. The Schneider charge controls can take a lot more and the whole Schneider system was more beefy.
So now I have the entire old system on one wall and the EG4 on another. I also upgraded my batteries with four Rhino 3's from Battery Evo. That's been a disaster so far. Long story but I wouldn't suggest buying from them and I'm very gald the old Schneider system is still hooked up because I've had to use it a few times along with the old batteries. I had planned to sell it but might just move it to another property at some point.
Doing your own solar is addicting. I have a lot of extra parts now...... you've been warned!
@@Off-Grid Thank you so much
✅✅✅🔥🔥✅✅✅
Looks good with the solar.
Lots of big Rocks, you never know what beneath the earth. Glad you got it going pretty good GOD BLESS
The rocks are crazy. We're not in a place known for rocks like this. It was a total surprise.
Looks like you built your house on top of a buried mountain with all of that rock. I think you've got a good plan with putting your loads center close to your equipment. You'll save a little bit on the expensive wire to feed it, but depending on all of your runs, it may balance out.
We're amazed at all the rock. This area isn't known for being rocky. Guess we got lucky.....
why the surge protectors , lightning ?
Yes, we get a lot of storms in this area.
Quality install nice job! I also am off-grid with Schneider Electric components, I'm wondering what was your reasoning for the added expense for three combiner boxes when the 80A-600V controllers have built in over current protection? IMO DC Isolator disconnect boxes with a 3ms arc suppression covers you for NEC requirements regarding disconnect shut-down. The only reason I can see are those Midnight 600V lightening arrestors, if that is the case than the added $$$ for the possibility of a lightening strike to the roof of your house is only giving you the false sense of protection that you think you have, interesting!
It's what came in the kit. We didn't order each piece independently. A direct lightning strike is possible with the storms we get. Better safe than sorry especially when the expense was so small.
Nice job! Any particular reason you went with Schneider for off-grid? I normally see Sol-Ark or MPP Hybrids. Any benefits for the higher costs, or was it just preference?
We kept seeing other off grid homes using Schneider and I have used their other electrical products before. So it was more brand recognition and trust. I had never heard of the other brands at the time. So far the set-up is working great.
Schneider is also a tank for heavy surge hits. They handle the unbalanced loads very well and simply built with to last. This build is fantastic, one of my first when I started my build with the same equipment.