Hi Everyone. Reading through a lot of the topics covered, it’s clear to me that there are some very clever people here. So I am hoping one or more of you will be able to help.
We have purchased a Lumioo solar panel tracking system of 1.4Kw output and once erected (a different story), it will be connected to a Zendure SolarFlow Hyper2000 - 8.5Kw battery bank. Because of how the winters are lengthening, and being on top of a hill, we get a goodly amount of wind during the winter, so I have attempted to create a hybrid system by buying an additional 14,000 w domestic wind turbine. The Zendure people inform me that the wind turbine will not connect to them, I must have a separate inverter that meets a specific standard if I am to use the wind turbine to top up the batteries.
Here are the specifications of what they tell me I should purchase with some instructions.
A proper grid-tie inverter (or converter) for the turbine that:
Produces a stable single-phase 220–240 V AC, 50 Hz sine wave synchronized to the grid.
Has anti-islanding protection and certifications for grid connection.
Has an export/current limit feature (so it won’t push uncontrolled power into small devices).
Power limitation: Hyper’s AC input/inverter side is rated ~1200 W. If the turbine (or its inverter) feeds more than that into the same AC bus where the Hyper is connected, you must ensure protection/coordination so the Hyper isn’t forced to absorb uncontrolled short-term surges. (Your turbine’s peak 14,000 W is far above what Hyper expects; you need the inverter to limit or the system to dispatch that power to loads, not directly into Hyper.) Zendure EU+1
Correct connection topology: The safe ways to integrate are:
Connect the wind turbine inverter to the household distribution (grid-tie), so it supplies household loads directly. The Hyper will then behave normally — drawing from the mains (which now is partly supplied by the turbine inverter) to charge batteries or letting the turbine supply loads. This is the most common, safe approach.
Never directly feed raw generator output into the Hyper AC input. The Hyper expects a mains waveform, not an unsynchronised three-phase generator output.
Protections & compliance:
Grid protection (breaker, isolator), anti-islanding, grounding, and local electrical code compliance.
The basic issue is I know nothing about this technology nor where to go look to find it. Internet searches are presenting Industrial inverters costing tens of thousands but surely I don’t need something that huge for something so small?
Can anyone of you clever people that understand this stuff point me in the right direction for purchasing an inverter that meets this standard that is of reasonable cost?
Without being specific, not putting all your. Eggs in one basket a separate inverter for the much more powerful wind turbine is sensible. Are you going to grid tie your power generation for what little they may offer you? Or self consume? Often it’s easier to find an electrical installer who uses and recommends a specific inverter so you get some support and they understand how to set it up.
That’s what I’d do - I know nothing about solar myself, but a bloke who goes to our business networking group is a total whiz on this stuff (I’ve photographed some of his installations) and he spends a lot of his time sorting out bodged setups put in by end users or dodgy installers.
Our aim is to be ‘off grid’. Not too interested in selling to the grid as I understand the amount received is so small as to be not realistic. It’s all about the inverter right now. I’ve found industrial size things cost €2000 but they are so OTT when all I am trying to achieve is that the wind turbine supplies power into the system and the Zendure unit is basically ‘conned’ into believing what it is receiving is electricity from the grid. Or at least that’s my understanding of it. The Lumioo is 48v as is the Zendure. I bought a 48v Wind Turbine believing I was doing the right thing. The Wind Turbine arrived with a controller and testing it we are getting 24v with a wind speed rpm of 50. The manufacturers assure us we will get 48v with a 100rpm. Hope this helps.
81470 Cuq Toulza. We can pick up from Toulouse or Caracssonne if he’s interested. The main thing of course though is a pre-discussion about solving the problem. We have a UK phone number on a VOIP phone so calls from or to the UK are free of charge.
Permit me to be expand on my understanding of the installation.
The lumioo tracker connects to their own installed consumer unit that provides the fancy bit between ERDF and the house so that when the batteries and system are supplying sufficient electricity for our consumption, the connection to the grid is severed: or the meter goes in reverse.
The wind turbine connects between the Zendure batteries and the lumioo consumer unit so there’s no actual need to think about French electrical connections.
It’s all about convincing the Zendure that it’s getting ‘correctly formatted’ electricity that it will accept to keep the batteries charged.
Best not to.
Not worth getting a friend, or anyone, in deep do da by suggesting none registered ‘in France’ tradesman should hop over the channel to do a spot of work even if the payment is accommodation and food as that is payment in kind.
Giving advice from a distance is a different matter.
So back to the question, does any of you cleverer than I people know what inverter that is aimed at a domestic installation would meet my needs? And where I can buy from?
There was a lot of discussion on here a while back about off-grid installations and someone (was it @letsmile ?) had a pretty comprehensive setup. He hasn’t been on for a while though and I may not have remembered correctly in any case…
The Lumioo system is installed for you - with the battery? Not that it matters too much - the way solar works…..Panels produce a DC output - in your case that DC feeds into the “battery” - the battery is connected to the inverter/micro inverter which converts to AC and then connectors to the mains.
The Zendure can only take 2-4 panels input DC - you’ve maxed it already. The Zendure is a cheap way into battery but it’s limited. The Zendure will charge from the mains as an option (usually to take advantage of off peak tariffs) - 240V - that’s what they’re telling you
Allo Solar or any of the solar sheds sell Inverters(Ondulateur in French). But you’d probably need a more specialised one for 14kW coming from a single source. But north of 1k at best for an approved one
Now you are grid tied - you’re not off grid. In a power cut the Inverters will all switch off - so your battery will not be providing back up. The same applies to your wind turbine and whatever inverter you attach. Contrary to your understanding - the solar will be used first by the house - excess will be stored in your battery - but at no point is your connection to the grid “cut” because you don’t need it equally any excess just feeds back into the grid but the meter doesn’t go into reverse - if you have a sale agreement EDF will pay you a small amount - if not it just gets taken. Now the system will switch off in a power cut but it doesn’t change your grid connection.
All renewables have to be declared/approved by ENEDIS if your attached to the grid. Small installations can be self declared (if Lumioo are installing they should have registered you). But the basics requirement is that the inverters cut out and don’t back feed the grid during a power cut. You can’t just add stuff down stream.
Off grid doesn’t need ENEDIS approval - but it’s a lot more complicated to set up and your not off grid anyway.
Now your 14kW wind generator. I’m guessing a 500 euro kit from China? They don’t work is the really brutal fact. Now it’s all down to how they use “kW” in the ads. Apart from it will have a very narrow window of wind speeds where it’s efficient - a 14kW output would be somewhere near 60Amps at 240V - 200A+ at 48V- larger than most EDF tariffs. In reality it will be 14kW produced power over a year with ideal wind speeds or something equally useless. If it is a cheap Chinese - dig into the data - it’s peak output should be hidden somewhere - you know what’s it really is then. If it was a proper “14kW kit” they’d supply the inverter but you wouldn’t be quibbling over a grand or two given the costs anyway. The brutal truth is don’t throw money down the same rabbit hole unless it was a serious investment - in which case talk to whoever sold you the turbine for their advice. The other dodgy bit is the wind speed quoted in m/s sounding fine until you realise that means it needs 70kmh winds to produce quoted power
Now there’s a reason you don’t see wind turbines domestically…….and it’s not just planning. Wind works for boats (low power is better than no power) - for McGyver types who can do the math and design their own - or you spend serious money.
