Why I Picked AC Coupled Battery Systems Over Hybrid Battery
If you're thinking of getting solar or a home storage battery then you have a choice between 2 systems a hybrid inverter or a AC-coupled system. Both these systems have advantages and disadvantages in this video am going to go through the advantages and disadvantages of hybrid and AC-coupled battery systems.
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00:00 Benefits Of Home Storage Battery Systems
00:17 How Does A Solar Home Storage Battery System Work
01:28 How Does A Hybrid Inverter Work
02:04 How Does An AC Coupled Battery Work
02:54 Hybrid Inverter Advantages
03:19 AC Coupled Inverter Advantages
05:26 Redunacy Of Separate Battery Systems
06:02 Losses Can Be made up using Microinverters
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This is really interesting stuff! Will you be providing monthly production figures and sharing some of the daily production curves at some point?
Indeed!
Was planning to release it next week have something else planned week after I’ll reccord it been super busy
Just commissioned mine, Victron with 14.4kW of Pylontech think my array could do with another 3kW on it, EV charger just installed to so it’s after the whole battery setup so no drainage from the battery to charge the car. You finished yours yet?
Good info.
As my existing solar inverter is still working fine and has a few years left on the warranty I opted for an AC coupled battery system rather than change the existing inverter for a hybrid. I also liked the idea of still having the storage available if the solar PV ever has a breakdown. Only one month into having the battery (9.5kw giv energy battery with 3kw inverter) and impressed so far but still getting a hang of the various app features to make best use of the system along with charging an ev.
so for the AC battery to work you need to tell it when to absorb power from the socket and how much, right? The same with giving it back? Or is it more automatic.
You can manually set it to charge or discharge in terms of the grid. Over the summer it will charge using solar so import will be limited (hopefully). As standard is it set to dynamically discharge so the inverter will work out what to do itself
Some further information. If you have a solar set still on a FIT tarrif, in other words a subsidy, you can add an AC Battery inverter without losing you FIT payments. Also, if you have two solar sets like myself, with two DC inverters, you can use the AC Battery inverter to pull power from either and both of the solar sets, something hybrid systems can't do.
Adding a battery doesn't affect any existing FiT. My AC coupled system has a CT clamp on the solar but I'm not sure if you can have it connected to more than only solar system, maybe a question for an installer
Pros and cons to every system , need to understand what's best for you and not be pushed or way or the other from the installer . I disagree most invertors are 3.6k , there id s full range and your installer should offer the full range, and not just the best system for them. I personally prefer the victron system which has seperate compents, and can be setup as ac , dc or a combo of ac and dc coupled
Hi, it might be a bit of an question but if you are on Intelligent Octopus Go and you are charging your battery overnight with a hybrid inverter, are you essential using it as an AC coupled battery? I'm trying to finalise my solar quotes and seem to be getting quotes for hybrid inverters but like the idea of the AC coupled system given how I'll likely run the system. Cheers
Hey Steve videos on my system located on channel but if you want to get a quote for same system I have go to evnick.com/heatable they fit an AC coupled battery PLUS your get micro inverters for solar meaning both can generate power at the same time. Each panel will give out 290w of AC power at full peak sun, for example 10 panels is 2.9kw from solar PLUS the inverter for the battery so if you get a 3kw inverter thats 2.9kw plus 3 or a 5kw inverter means your almost getting 9kw of support during peak sun
@@NicolasRaimo hi, I've had a few quotes and have had ones for the micro inverters but the 3 installers I've gone to all seem to want to go the hybrid string inverter route with tigo optimisers, which I'm not overly opposed to, and am asking for a revised quote to have the bi-facial panels. I'm a bit like you and like to have a bit of redundancy so have been asking to split the solar and battery so the the battery is ac coupled as I'll charge that over night on the cheap rate. I'm just wondering if that means I'm essentially running the hybrid like a an ac coupled system anyway so am wondering why they still seem to be pushing the hybrid? I assume it's an easier install? How I use the system will likely be financially driven to begin with by whatever energy tariff I'm on so the flexibility would be nice, even if there is a slight drop in efficiency should it switch back to being more cost effective to use and store the PV.
@@steve_787 Heatable have the exclusivity to these bifacial panels its worth noting normal bifacial panels are not the same as REA panels these have had things changed to them to work with micro inverters better. I'd either go micros or just string adding tigos as well as string just increasing failure potentials, Check what failure rate is on tigos I don't know much about them to comment. Most installs like installing what they are used to which is why your often get quotes for hybrid string systems. Tigos also drain a little power to work so your have that PLUS the string inverter all stealing a little power overhead. You can run most hybrid inveters like AC coupled but if your solar goes into it then that means if it fails your have no solar or battery/
We have split my house electrics into 3, cars come from thier own consumer unit. The house load from lights ring mains including kitchen come from second consumer unit (sub panel 1) that is covered by one 5kw hydrid inverter, and the third consumer unit (sub panel 2) is used to heat the house, is cover by a second 5kw hybrid Inverter. Plus these inverters are so cheap that I bought a third as a backup. The inverter are connected to the grid via a timer switch that connects it at the specified time four hours in the morning to charge the 2 battery banks, one 21kWh and second 10.5kWh, which leave the remaining 20 hours off grid. Plus I can use my car to run the heating side via a 6kw Setec unit with a change over switch from house system to car. My solar array feeds each 5kw inverter with 5kw, totalling 10kw solar array. I also have a Sunamp for our hot water that can be charged via a change over switch to either the grid or the house sub panel 1 or 2 depending on which sub panel is under load. This makes for a completely flexible system, which even in the most unlikely event both inverters fail, I can still run the house. So I would argue hybrid system are much better than AC compelled.
In Australia depending on where you live there are limits on inverter size. Eg In my area im allowed on single phase 10kw of inverter be it 2x 5kw units or what ever mix of sizes before you need to get permission from the power distributor for larger sizes. Other areas (rural Areas) its 5kw per phase and depending on the amount of solar on that section of the grid depends if your allowed more so for people here a AC coupled system with external solar inverter might not be allowed dew to limits to make it fair for every one with solar.
Hybrid inverters generally also AC couple, if you have 2 separate solar inverters on the same phase. The CT clamp sees export and directs towards the battery. The inverter generally doesn't care where the surplus cane from Peak output is nothing more than a sales line. It has little to zero real world benefit
What micro inverters have you used on your system?
Full install video here Plug & Play - Solar Installation So Easy Your Nan Can Do It kzhead.info/sun/kt56d62Dn3atdok/bejne.html
Please this is a sincere question. Micro inverters are more efficient than what exactly? Any evidence or data to prove this claim?
Data is on Enphase site but it’s to do with lower power overhead in standby these use nothing string inverters use some power from the grid to stay active
just a note.. A D.C hybrid set up will continue to charge your batteries if there is a power cut....
Depends on inverter
Sunsynk 3.6kwh @@NicolasRaimo
You can still charge AC batteries during a power cut…it depends on if your system is set up for (and compatible with) off-grid scenarios, e.g., manual or automatic switchover to EPS which can still allow for solar generation and battery charging. GivEnergy All-in-one is one such example but as always with these things, lots of ways to skin a cat!
Really the key here isn’t ac or dc as they’re much of a muchness the key is all in one inverter which most are nowadays or separates. Something like a victron system is the best of both everything separate and resilient and can have multiples of everything and still have ac coupled solar if needed.
My hybrid and many available in the market can do 12 kW. And don't forget the ac-dc-ac conversion losses.
A hybrid inverter plus micro solar panels would be even more again!
I don't get it, all this confusion about one type or another of inverters is not going to be easy for the potential customers. Why not talk about Victron for a change🙏? Is it that much more expensive? I knew very little about solar until 12 months ago,😄 only a 2-day course in Wales back in 1990 mostly on Hydro-power but it didn't take me more than 10 minutes to understand that I would not consider anything other than Victron mainly for its versatility. Easier to install, capable of almost any function one would desire, neat and pleasant to the eye, solid construction and, most of all, fully programmable for any type of use even up to a three-phase system if needed. I have installed mine with no effort at all and I'm very happy while now building the second battery (16K) to complete the job. The only problem is that it can become an addiction, before I knew it, I had parted from over 26k of my savings indulging myself in building what would take 30 years or so before it even paid itself and I am already 70🤦🙄
Victron is just a brand of AC coupled or hybrid inverter they also make string inverters like all these systems that's just a brand just like apple, samsung etc make phones. Victron and many others all able to the same tasks this video explained the difference between the systems when you buy them as they do different jobs depending how you spec them. You vicron would of been sold either AC coupled or hybrid form day one if you didn't need solar input into it then it be ac coupled and if you were feeding solar into it then it be hybrid
@@NicolasRaimo Appreciate your reply however I'm not aware of a Victron non-hybrid inverter, have you seen one Nicolas?
@@9111logic quick google shows they sell them
Mmmm… Blurry 😵💫
Honest feedback? Seriously confusing explanation. I'd try again!
Complicated subjects have complicated explanations
@@NicolasRaimo - I meant this constructively. I said confusing not complicated. Again..just giving you feedback.