Developer DIY
Developer DIY
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Pool heat pumps using solar panels
I want to use my excess solar panel energy to run two heat pumps and heat the kids paddling pool. Rather than export excess solar power I will use Home Assistant to switch on the pool heater whenever we are exporting more than 1Kw of electricity to the grid.
Each year I attempt to heat the kids paddling pool for as little cost as possible and this year we have 2 heat pumps and a very big swimming pool to heat.
I attempt to heat a 13,000 litre above ground swimming pool using two 3.75Kw heat-pumps that I have purchased from an auction and repaired.
00:00 Introduction
00:48 My setup walk through
03:14 Floating thermometer
04:40 Solar
05:31 Up and running
08:08 What did we learn?
10:01 Summary
#swimmingpool #heatpumps #homeassistant #solarpanels
Переглядів: 194

Відео

ESPHome + LVGL Pizza Oven Thermometer v2 - Home Assistant
Переглядів 1,2 тис.28 днів тому
Home Assistant temperature sensor for a pizza oven. This is the second video in the wood fired brick pizza oven smart thermometer series. Here we take our basic ESP8266 MAX6675 thermocouple and add a display with a meter gauge showing the current temperature of the oven. We have upgraded to an ESP32 S3 microcontroller now with a GC9A01A 240px by 240px round display. Yaml source code for ESPHome...
Temperature Sensor - Pizza Oven - Home Assistant
Переглядів 993Місяць тому
We go through the process of creating a temperature sensor using a Wemos D1 Mini ESP8266, a MAX6675 K-Type thermocouple sensor controller board and a k-type thermocouple with ceramic insulation. We then create a script in ESPHome to read the temperature sensor and display this in a Home Assistant dashboard. Wiring and script can be found here github.com/DeveloperDIY/brick-oven-thermocouple #hom...
Part 6: Designing the oven - Wood fired brick pizza oven build
Переглядів 2,5 тис.Місяць тому
The sixth video in the wood fired brick pizza oven for our outdoor kitchen series. We have now ordered the bricks the calcium silicate board. We have spent a week designing the brick oven using Sketchup. The reclaimed fire bricks need cleaning and cutting with the angle grinder. #firebricks #refractorybricks #woodfiredoven #calciumsilicate
Part 5: Concrete Slab Pouring - Wood fired brick pizza oven build
Переглядів 4722 місяці тому
The fifth video in the wood fired brick pizza oven for our outdoor kitchen series. This video details the pouring of the concrete slab and floating off. #outdoorkitchen #pizzaoven #woodfiredpizza #woodfiredoven
Kids toy ride on electric car upgrade, too fast!
Переглядів 4222 місяці тому
Upgrade from 12,000 rpm to 40,000 rpm! 12v to 24v to 33.6v will it still work? This video documents the upgrade of my daughter's ride on car from 12 volts to 24 volts along with the addition of a speedo, new speed controller and new lithium polymer 14.8v batteries. We also see what would happen if we doubled the batteries and go for 33.6v! Will it work or will it just blow up? 00:00 Upgrade spe...
DIY Solar Setup and Lessons I Learned
Переглядів 5 тис.2 місяці тому
This is a retrospective look at my solar setup over the last few years. The is most photos and a walk through of how I started learning about solar all the way through to my current system. I started with a simple off grid solar setup comprising of an inverter, solar charge controller and 12 volt car battery. This then developed further with an auto transfer switch, Epever solar charge controll...
Part 4: Reinforced steel bars - Wood fired brick pizza oven build
Переглядів 3252 місяці тому
The fourth video in the wood fired brick pizza oven for our outdoor kitchen series. This video details the concrete steel reinforcement being cut to size and tied ready for pouring of the concrete slab. #outdoorkitchen #pizza #woodfiredpizza #diy #concrete #rebar
Part 3: Formwork - Wood fired brick pizza oven build
Переглядів 7402 місяці тому
The third video in this series show the construction of the concrete formwork for the wood fired brick pizza oven for our outdoor kitchen project. #outdoorkitchen #pizza #woodfiredpizza #diy
Part 2: The Stand - Wood fired brick pizza oven build
Переглядів 7283 місяці тому
#pizza Wood fired pizza oven build. This phase of the outdoor kitchen build focuses on the construction of the concrete pizza oven stand. Using concrete blocks and reinforced steel bars we construct a solid foundation for the wood fired oven that will be more than capable of holding the weight. #outdoorkitchen #garden
Under Voltage Detected - Home Assistant
Переглядів 4645 місяців тому
My home assistant server has been crashing recently with Under-Voltage Detected errors along with disk errors and failed services. It starts with my Zigbee network failing with errors then Home Assistant crashes. Hopefully this will help anyone with similar issues.
Part 1a: Pendant LED light - Wood fired brick pizza oven build
Переглядів 2207 місяців тому
#lightfitting #outdoorkitchen #gazebo #ledlights #treetrunk #customlighting We are attempting to build a feature light for the outdoor kitchen project that will hang from the Gazebo. This light is made from the trunk of a tree that has lived on the property for over 30 years. This project aims to honour that tree by creating a focal point above the pizza oven and kitchen. We aim to use SK6812 L...
Indesit IS60V(UK) tumble dryer rear bearing repair.
Переглядів 9758 місяців тому
A simple replacement of the rear drum bearing for an Indesit tumble dryer model IS60V. If your tumble dryer is making a banging noise when rotating then it may be a bearing issue. The bearing I used was from Amazon and cost only a few pounds GBP. #clothesdryer #repair #tumbledryer #bearings #diy
Behind the scenes Halloween light show 2023 #halloween #projectionmapping #ledlights #xlights
Переглядів 1888 місяців тому
Behind the scenes Halloween light show 2023 #halloween #projectionmapping #ledlights #xlights
Solis S6 to Home Assistant Project
Переглядів 2,4 тис.9 місяців тому
Solis S6 to Home Assistant Project
Red diesel heater for drying clothes
Переглядів 1549 місяців тому
Red diesel heater for drying clothes
Part 1: The Roof - Wood fired brick pizza oven build
Переглядів 6299 місяців тому
Part 1: The Roof - Wood fired brick pizza oven build

КОМЕНТАРІ

  • @adamswire9152
    @adamswire9152 3 дні тому

    When I lived in Texas, people used a waterfall like yours on their pools to COOL the water as it would get uncomfortably hot! After three weeks of 40 degree days and 32 degree nights the pool water would be ridiculously warm. By using one, I suspect you are losing a lot of heat energy to the atmosphere. To heat that amount of water to say 30 degrees would take approx 800 million joules under ideal conditions. (no losses) That's an awful lot of energy! At 7.5 kw, it would take about 30 hours of continuous running, again under ideal conditions. But its difficult to run solar powered heaters at night... Insulation would help losses and I've used a top cover made of bubble wrap to cover my hot tub over night which made quite a difference. Your pool has a large surface area relative to the volume so a similar cover during the day when not in use would make a few degrees difference too. Also, taking the water to be heated from the deepest part of the pool (coldest water) would help heating efficiency. Your water is taken from the top, which is probably the hottest. Anyway good luck!

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 3 дні тому

      Thanks, it’ll probably be easier to just move to Texas. My calculations were very similar, I worked it out to about 92Kwh of energy to go from 22 to 28 degrees, which sounded achievable but like you say that is in ideal conditions. Maybe digging a big hole with insulation is the way to go. Then build a shed on top of it. 🤔

  • @jeremygeorgia4943
    @jeremygeorgia4943 4 дні тому

    You can probably get a step down converter & step down the 33v to 24v. Also, I think they make a four wheel drive version of that model. Perhaps, you might be able to find a front suspension part, that has the motor mounts. Alternately, I don't know how long the shafts are, but there might be some stops on the shaft that could be ground down. Then you could slip motor gearboxes on the front. You'd just need cable ties to secure the motors. Then, you'd need an extra set of rear wheels, to fit on the gearboxes. Accordingly, there is a separate speed controller, that will support four motors.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 4 дні тому

      Thanks. I’d not considered making it a 4x4, that’s a great idea.

    • @jeremygeorgia4943
      @jeremygeorgia4943 4 дні тому

      @@DeveloperDIY One thing to note about the gearboxes for generic cars: They often tell you in the description what axle size they are designed for. Sometimes, the seller will have more than one version of the gearbox. I believe your Mercedes has 10mm axles - front and rear. Also know that very high speed motors tend to be a bit less tolerant of over voltage. They might also be a little low on torque, too. The higher RPM the motor, the more you might want to keep the voltage stock & rely on the higher RPM rating to deliver the speed you need. I mean, 40,000 RPM is a lot faster than 12,000, after all. This video shows a four wheel drive version of the Mercedes. It's currently running the stock motors. Right now, I'm just working on the programming necessary for it to work. ua-cam.com/video/dTYz7ChCd2U/v-deo.html

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 4 дні тому

      @@jeremygeorgia4943 that looks like an awesome project! Are you planning to use sonar sensors or some kind of LiDAR setup? That would be immense.

    • @jeremygeorgia4943
      @jeremygeorgia4943 4 дні тому

      @@DeveloperDIY Right now, I am working on lightning, and an improvised control system. I am using an ESP32 board for the wireless, and I am using an Arduino for the sensors, since they are 5 volts. I am using the ESPnow protocol for communication. I am sending the signals to the Arduino's analog input as PWM. When I get things working, I think I will pursue camera input. That seems to be the cheapest solution & communicates the most information. I might then supplement with sonar. Lidar is a bit out of my price range right now, but that would be the ultimate goal. For the Mercedes, I am using two motor controllers, to give the motors the most power. ESPnow can broadcast to multiple units at once, so the front and rear each have their own unit to control the motors. I have an additional ESP unit with an external antenna, that relays the commands to the front and rear units. It is directly wired to the Arduino, which controls the steering. Right now, I have switched focus to my Mini Countryman, which has a simpler 2WD setup. I am about through with the lighting setup that I want.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 4 дні тому

      @@jeremygeorgia4943 Good luck, I can’t wait to see the video. It sounds like a very big project.

  • @TheExix
    @TheExix 5 днів тому

    I guess you could have a better COP running the heat pumps in parallel, but it brings other challenges with the hydraulic Nice nerdy content :)

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 5 днів тому

      @TheExix Thanks, for some reason my wife won’t let me build a giant cauldron, it would be so much easier! Parallel, that’s a great suggestion, it would slow down the flow and give the heaters a fighting chance. It feels like you are encouraging the nerdiness, you only have yourself to blame for more nerdy content now!

  • @TamourTahir
    @TamourTahir 7 днів тому

    Can you please elaborate the efficency of mppt charge controller as compared to PWM controller

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 7 днів тому

      The cheap pwm charge controller I used was around 75% efficient and the Epever MPPT is around 98% efficient so you are getting upwards of 25% more. Probably at least 20% better. If you can afford it then Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) is far better.

  • @daisywong-ke1kz
    @daisywong-ke1kz 22 дні тому

    NICE work man! We'd love to offer you some boards or 3D printing parts if you might need them in the upcoming content. (PCBWayDaisy) :p

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 22 дні тому

      Thank you. I did create some schematics in KiCad for the floating pool thermometer project but I didn’t feel confident enough to send them out to be made. I might have another go using this project, the electronics are far simpler so might be a nice introduction to custom PCB design.

    • @daisywong-ke1kz
      @daisywong-ke1kz 7 днів тому

      @@DeveloperDIY fantastic!

    • @daisywong-ke1kz
      @daisywong-ke1kz 7 днів тому

      @@DeveloperDIY How could we contact you?

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 7 днів тому

      @@daisywong-ke1kz My PCBs are arriving today. I decided to give it a go.

  • @Tntdruid
    @Tntdruid 25 днів тому

    Nice i was looking for a way to get my LVGL into esphome, thanks for that code 👍

  • @paulhyland3528
    @paulhyland3528 26 днів тому

    Awsome project only a couple of days ago i thought about doing this for my bbq. Definitely going to be doing this, great video!

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 26 днів тому

      Thanks. Let me know how you get on.

    • @paulhyland3528
      @paulhyland3528 26 днів тому

      @@DeveloperDIY where did you get your ceramic temperature prob?

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 26 днів тому

      @@paulhyland3528 Amazon UK K Type Ceramic Kiln... www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CCSG4LZK

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 26 днів тому

      @@paulhyland3528 for a BBQ you might be better with one of these. Also comes with the Max6675. DollaTek MAX6675 Module Mini... www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07DK8VG87

    • @paulhyland3528
      @paulhyland3528 19 днів тому

      @@DeveloperDIY just seen your reply, that's looks great definitely more suitable, thanks for your help. I'll be adding it to the ever growing list of esp projects

  • @MezzaLoey
    @MezzaLoey 28 днів тому

    “This project has been rattling around in my brain for a while now…”, love it! Beautiful job! Love the roof! What sort of tiles are these? I’ve never seen such a thing. Also how did you attach the capping at the top? I couldn’t quite make it out. Can you come to South Australia and build one for me? 😊🦘🥂

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 28 днів тому

      Thank you for watching. The roof is one of my favourite parts too. I imagine the felt roof tiles would melt in the Australian summer heat so they are probably more of a northern hemisphere product. Everything is just nailed in with roofing tacks and bits of my fingers where I missed with the hammer! 😵‍💫 I’ll book the flight as soon as the outdoor kitchen is complete! Although I suspect we’ll be waiting a good while, it’s taken two years to get this far!

  • @MezzaLoey
    @MezzaLoey 28 днів тому

    Looks gorgeous! Will search for part 2.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 28 днів тому

      Thank you and sorry twice, I’ve put part two on hold until I’ve completed the oven. It dawned on me that I need to fit the oven chimney first. The heat from the oven and flue will affect the light, especially if I embed led strips into it. Also, sorry for these videos being quite long, I’m still learning how to edit videos and now realise that shorter is better and less music is good too. 😁

  • @beforeyourimmigrants8471
    @beforeyourimmigrants8471 28 днів тому

    You can't program the controller? You have a soft start on it?

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 28 днів тому

      Yes, the existing speed controller does have soft start. I’ve not used the new controller and pedal yet. I’ve been side tracked by the pizza oven project. I’ll have another go at the car later this year.

    • @beforeyourimmigrants8471
      @beforeyourimmigrants8471 28 днів тому

      @@DeveloperDIY ah ok. I've never used the LiPO batteries. Do you need a low voltage cutoff for it?

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 28 днів тому

      @@beforeyourimmigrants8471 That would be a great addition to help protect the batteries. Maybe set around 3.2v per cell as a cut off. I always supervise the kids when they use the vehicles with lithium polymer batteries so I can check their temperature and voltage. It’s best not to take chances with lithium based batteries, they need treating with respect.

  • @simonsayshomeassistant
    @simonsayshomeassistant Місяць тому

    Great video!

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY Місяць тому

      Thank you. I’ve fallen down a rabbit hole now. I’ve just got the display gauge working using LVGL in ESPHome. I’m hoping they merge the LVGL branch into a release version it’s very nice to work with for small device interfaces.

  • @pmbpmb5416
    @pmbpmb5416 Місяць тому

    Interesting , are you able to sign off the electrical installation yourself and have you , or do you know even if you are obliged to tell your house insurers ?

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY Місяць тому

      I’m not qualified to give legal advice. I’d always recommend that you get a qualified electrician in to check over your work as there will always be recommendations, improvements and regulations that need addressing. Each country will be different so an electrician will know what you need. You should also notify your insurance as it is a notable change to your house. Solar can be a significant investment that you would want to ensure is included in your building cover. Again, I’m not qualified to give advice, my videos just cover my experience and learning. If you attempt to do something similar then you should research the requirements in your own location. I always seek the relevant help to ensure safety. Plus it’s nice to have someone look over your work and point out improvements.

  • @Theoverthinker81
    @Theoverthinker81 Місяць тому

    You need to start making your own batteries next.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY Місяць тому

      Oh, I’d love to build my own batteries. I keep looking but it’s a big investment of money. This month we generated more electricity than we used, if I had batteries to store it. I will try but probably a project for next year.

    • @Theoverthinker81
      @Theoverthinker81 Місяць тому

      @@DeveloperDIY I made my own lead carbon batteries. Made the first test with lead and lead mixed with red oxide powder. But then I just recycled single use AA batteries using the carbon rod in place of red lead. Recycled, free and made it better.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY Місяць тому

      @@Theoverthinker81 wow, that’s some serious chemistry then. I thought you meant some lifepo4s with a bms. You’re actually making the cells. That’s awesome. Let me know if you figure out how to make some of those sodium ion batteries.

  • @Wir3dy0ne
    @Wir3dy0ne Місяць тому

    Can you share the links to the guys you were referring to in the video? 😀

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY Місяць тому

      Sure it’s the Fire Brick Company youtube.com/@thefirebrickco

  • @Godonstilts
    @Godonstilts Місяць тому

    A diamond in the rough. This looks great! All these builds I see on YT are from the US, where they have oodles of land and are spoilt for choice with lumber yards, and glorious sunshine to boot! Refreshing to see someone on home soil tackle this. Which region of the UK are you in? It's rainy where I am too! I'm a long time dreamer of a pizza oven build too - one day I'll have enough space to fit one, and i'm saving this series for the future!

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY Місяць тому

      Thanks for the nice comment. I’m in the midlands and yes it rains more than the sun shines so a roof is key. It’s very much a learning process so hopefully I can help someone else with their project. Good luck with your own build. Hopefully with a cold beer and a pizza cooking it’ll feel like I’m in a sun soaked California.

  • @MikeMakesAMess
    @MikeMakesAMess Місяць тому

    How did you draw that up in sketch up? I’ve only played with it a little but I have no clue what I’m doing

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY Місяць тому

      It’s a little frustrating to begin with but once you master the move and rotate tools along with rectangle and line, you are good to design anything. It’s worth sticking with and do a couple of tutorials. I’ve almost completed the design now, just the oven floor to go. When I’m done I could do a little video on using Sketchup to design the oven if you think it would be useful?

    • @MikeMakesAMess
      @MikeMakesAMess Місяць тому

      @@DeveloperDIY that would be very helpful!

  • @housesforsale6892
    @housesforsale6892 Місяць тому

    best of luck - want to build one myself. incorporate bbq, stove, heat store into design. that way you can the heat for multiple purposes

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY Місяць тому

      Thanks. I did wonder about running copper water pipes within the dome insulation layer. I could then use this to heat the garage. Good luck with your own project.

  • @MezzaLoey
    @MezzaLoey Місяць тому

    Love your detailed descriptions and attention to detail. I look forward to seeing things progress! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY Місяць тому

      Thank you for watching. I’m slowly getting the hang of the video editing. I just need a better microphone I think. I’m cleaning bricks as we speak! 😁

    • @MezzaLoey
      @MezzaLoey Місяць тому

      I’m about to go to sleep. A new subscriber from South Australia!

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY Місяць тому

      Night, night. 😁

  • @JamesTenniswood
    @JamesTenniswood Місяць тому

    I'd love to see more solar home assistant videos

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY Місяць тому

      I am planning to do a run through of my home assistant setup along with the sensors and switches. I’m not sure when though as it’s all about the outdoor kitchen and brick oven at the moment. Hopefully next month.

  • @JamesTenniswood
    @JamesTenniswood Місяць тому

    Amazing, thanks for sharing

  • @alibro7512
    @alibro7512 Місяць тому

    Thanks for sharing, it was great to see your journey with solar, I hope you don't mind if I ask a few questions. I already have a professionally installed 3.6kW system that is doing fine but I want to upgrade and improve. I spent the last three years converting a car to leccy so it is great to be able to charge it from the sun however I plan to get a MG5 soon so the solar I have will not be enough to charge it too. I also have lots of spare EV batteries so was thinking of using cheap EV tariff to charge the batteries and the cars at night then run the house off the batteries during the day probably with more solar installed separately as I do not want to mess with the professionally installed system. Do you know of a solar inverter that would be suitable for DIY installation that could charge the batteries at night and run the house during the day? It would be great if it could export to the grid in the evening if it has been sunny and the batteries are still full.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY Місяць тому

      Wow, converting a car to electric must have been a great project. It sounds like you are way ahead of me in your solar journey. Electric car is on my list for the future. I believe most hybrid inverters will do what you want and can be setup with rules for exporting and charging etc. there are hundreds of different makes and models to choose from so I’m unable to recommend anything in particular. All I can offer is my preference in brands. I do like Epever, Solis and Fox ESS. Epever do some cheap hybrid inverters. Solis seem very reliable and Fox also have a nice range. Sorry I can’t be of more help. Try Will Prowse, he has lots of great reviews for products.

    • @alibro7512
      @alibro7512 Місяць тому

      ​@@DeveloperDIY​@DeveloperDIY thanks, converting the car was the best thing I've ever done and is still ongoing. I posted a video series abut it. As for solar I'm only starting out and know almost nothing so trying to get my head around the various options. I can pick up some new 420W JA panels for £160 locally so might do that first then see what happens.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY Місяць тому

      Check out City Plumbing, 425w panels are £70. Or HDMSolar, they are as low as £58. It’s a great time to buy panels. I did consider buying some and storing them.

    • @alibro7512
      @alibro7512 Місяць тому

      ​@@DeveloperDIYI'll do that thanks.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY Місяць тому

      I’ll check out your video too.

  • @DodgyFPV
    @DodgyFPV Місяць тому

    I have been toying with the idea of water cooling solar panels in summer because they overheat and not run as well, and using the heat to heat water.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY Місяць тому

      Sounds like a good project, let me know how you get on. I’ve heard that bi facials work very well if you mount them vertically, mainly due to more efficient heat loss. I’ve been looking at ways of setting up a cylinder outside with a DC element to use excess solar to heat water, I really dislike exporting solar.

    • @DodgyFPV
      @DodgyFPV Місяць тому

      @@DeveloperDIY Wait on those bi-facials ones there has been an issue on a local solar farm of them just cracking.

  • @Skkonn
    @Skkonn Місяць тому

    I would love to hear more about the esp integrations you did with home assistant, are you still running that or does the solis show that information? I'm also looking into Batmon w/ HA to look up bluetooth data for batteries, but I'm not sure if it works with shunts.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY Місяць тому

      I’m still waiting to find a new inverter so the Shunt and Epever integrations are not working at the moment. The Epever was courtesy of Colin Hickey so nothing for me to add there. I was going to do a video on the shunt esphome script as it needs re soldering anyway but I’ve been distracted with all things pizza oven the last few months. I don’t know anything about Batmon, but I’ll take a look and see if there is anything I can add.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY Місяць тому

      I could do a run through of my whole Home Assistant setup. I don’t know if that’s of interest to people.

  • @5ureS2K
    @5ureS2K 2 місяці тому

    Great effort. The next step is the exciting stage.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 2 місяці тому

      Thanks, I can almost smell the burning pizzas 😁

  • @shaunthornton5217
    @shaunthornton5217 2 місяці тому

    @DeveloperDIY Really good video. It’s always good to see how other people have set up their solar. I’m just in the middle of my diy setup. We have a long rear garden so decided to set 10 panels horizontal along the east facing fence and another 4 facing west and south. Hoping to capture lots of morning sun to charge the battery and power the house in the day then get the evening sun to cover tea time loads. How did you get on with the G98 form. I’ve got an electrician coming to connect my inverter and battery to the mains but the form to the DNO seems like a faff.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 2 місяці тому

      The G98 is a work in progress, my end goal is to have kitchen roof and south facing garage connected to the Solis 3.6 and grid tied so the G98 will cover that configuration and then setup 10 more panels off grid to test the setup then move those to grid tied which will take me above the G98 and into the next tier. I still have 2 more vertical wall panels to install so the setup is not complete yet.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 2 місяці тому

      Let me know how you get on with it.

  • @bikerchrisukk
    @bikerchrisukk 2 місяці тому

    I really appreciate this honest videos, we don't get better at anything without making some mistakes along the way. I've been fascinated with solar for years and while I know it's issues and ROI, I still want to give it a go. I'm planning an extension to an office building I built a few years ago and I'm hoping to use a mono pitch roof at close to the optimum angle, but actually use the panels as the roof finish. tricky thing is that the length of the panel determines how far out it projects. Good work though, you 👍

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 2 місяці тому

      Thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed it. It’s a great time for buying panels, I’ve never seen them so cheap at the moment. I’m tempted to buy a few and store them in the shed for future use. Good luck with your project, I wonder if you could use bi-facials like a roof light, that would be nice.

    • @bikerchrisukk
      @bikerchrisukk 2 місяці тому

      @@DeveloperDIY You're very welcome. Yes I've seen panel prices come down slightly, though as usual, I have to priorities spending money, like most! Good point about bi-facials, I don't think they would work in my situation, but I like your thinking 👍 To start with I'll have around 3 x 2m x 1m panels - one might be some tree shade at times, so I might need to arrange them in a way that the shaded one doesn't drag the others down. I've heard some pro installs have panels with their own inverters, I'm betting they're crazy money? If it's working nicely, I have space for 2 more of a similar size within relative proximity to the other 3 (around 2m). Really though, perhaps I should start small like you, it would certainly work better for my budget and give me the same understanding as you if I tried a simpler route. Finally, just a thought about securely mounting on a flat roof without penetrating the felt. May be you could get some 50-70mm square hollow steel lengths, get an upright that's bolted a few courses above the flat roof/wall intersection. Then a horizontal length that goes over the flat roof but doesn't touch it, then a vertical member that goes down to the ground in front of the extension, bolted into a concrete pad. 2 of those space right, might allow for bracing between and make it quite sturdy. Happy to illustrate with Sketchup if helps...might just be a stupid idea! Thing is, some modern roofs have insulation directly under and may not even have OSB that would at least give some fixing to.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 2 місяці тому

      @@bikerchrisukk That’s a good idea for the frame. I suspect it might not pass the wife test though, plus I do like the ability to experiment and change configuration. I think a subframe bolted to the house wall might work too.

    • @bikerchrisukk
      @bikerchrisukk 2 місяці тому

      @@DeveloperDIY Ah, with all the panels and frames, I was unsure if it would pass the wife test. I think certainly having a section bolted 2-3 times to house, then a horizontal bit on the roof might be OK. could put rubber feet on end nearest the flat roof eaves, then 2 diagnonal members to act as a brace, then normal sections for attaching panels to, after the upright bit is done to get the angle right.

  • @miketargaryen1210
    @miketargaryen1210 2 місяці тому

    Hey great video, I'm currently using my 5kwh hybrid inverter with a EASTRON SDM230 meter to tell the inverter to kick in faster as I found the CT clamp that came with it was just rubbish (very inaccurate and slow) My question is can I continue to use this and implement what you have done. Also are you able to control the inverter from the point of weather the following day and if it should / shouldn't charge based on sun forecast the following day? This is what I would like to achieve.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 2 місяці тому

      Great question. I don’t have batteries or a hybrid inverter so I don’t have any experience with trying to manage charging schedules etc. My integration is purely read only, I didn’t have any need to send commands to the inverter. You could add this though. You would need to wire up the TXD to the TX for the RS485 to the D1 Mini and the add the sending of commands within the ESPHome script. Sorry I can’t be of more help, It sounds like an interesting addition to make setup changes based on weather predictions. Let me know if you get something working.

    • @miketargaryen1210
      @miketargaryen1210 2 місяці тому

      @@DeveloperDIY thanks for the reply I do have a waveshare RS485 to ethernet powered over Poe but I have zero experience or idea on how this works or would wire up to what you've done. Is there any chance you could help with the physical wiring part as I have no idea what I am doing. I can follow instructions but sadly this is all very bespoke and there don't appear to be anyone who has done this before me (that I can find.) I have found several that are similar but not the same!

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 2 місяці тому

      @@miketargaryen1210 that’s a completely different beast to the simple esp8266 microcontroller. I wouldn’t know exactly how to set that up. All I can offer is my thoughts. If you use my diagram from the video then RS485 A and B would go to your waveshare device into the respective A & B connections. You may need ground and 5v, I’m not sure. It may work without. I’m guessing you would then have to communicate with the waveshare via MQTT into Home Assistant. You wouldn’t be able to use my scripts for this. You would need to write something new. If you’re not 100% sure, it’s probably best not to experiment and wait for someone who has already done an integration to share.

  • @PaulRansonArt
    @PaulRansonArt 2 місяці тому

    Thank you Simon for sharing your experiences with DIY solar setups. I'd love to do the same one day when time and finances permit - goodness knows when either will be available!. But I do have one question about hooking up to the mains / and home insurance. When I started my investigations the door was firmly shut in my face because I wasn't MSC qualified and my home insurance would be void if there were ever a claim. How have you dealt withis or is it even an issue. Keep up the good work and make some more videos! - Paul

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 2 місяці тому

      I’d always advise that you get a qualified electrician to check over your work and help implement any improvements or things that don’t meet regulations. This is far cheaper than paying for a full install. In the UK I do think the mood is changing in favour of people doing their own solar installs. I believe Octopus energy had relaxed their requirements for an export guarantee so they don’t always need as MSC certification. Good luck, with your install. Just start small, I bet you have something you could run off grid in a simple low volt setup.

    • @PaulRansonArt
      @PaulRansonArt 2 місяці тому

      @@DeveloperDIY yes - I think I need a simple set up just to get the hang of a DIY set up. Thank you for your videaos

  • @quickquote1568
    @quickquote1568 2 місяці тому

    You would have had an inverter with a much longer life expectancy and a much higher surge capacity to power your home's inductive loads if you had installed a low frequency, transformer based inverter instead of that low cost, low surge high frequency, transformerless inverter.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 2 місяці тому

      I totally agree, the cheap inverters were great to get going but both low voltage inverters I’ve had have both failed within one to two years so I agree, it’s worth spending a little more if you can, it will save you money in the long run. I’m still on the lookout for a good 3kw inverter for the off grid setup.

    • @skullpoly1967
      @skullpoly1967 2 місяці тому

      Why not the victron multiplus? 😊

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 2 місяці тому

      @@skullpoly1967 if I could afford Victron I probably wouldn’t need solar panels 😁. I believe they are great quality though.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 2 місяці тому

      Maybe one day I’ll find a broken one that I can repair 🤞

    • @quickquote1568
      @quickquote1568 2 місяці тому

      @@skullpoly1967 Victron low frequency inverters are great inverters. Even Victron's high frequency units are better than the Chinese designed inverters because they use much higher quality quality components in their builds.

  • @asedcopf
    @asedcopf 2 місяці тому

    great to watch different journeys from 12v to 48 ^^ My brain hurt a bit hearing about those panels falling off the roof - the hidden damage will most likely be micro-cracking across the panels :( Good advice regarding taking your time - i'd say to anyone starting out, pretend your first 12v system is actually 240v and take note of how many times you electrocuted yourself shorting this/accidentally touching that....will build good habits as you move up the ranks.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 2 місяці тому

      Thanks, I’m now googling micro cracking. 🫣

  • @HermanWillems
    @HermanWillems 2 місяці тому

    Can you dynamically limit your Solis S6 with percentage 0-100% over modbus? With functioncode 6?

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 2 місяці тому

      No, I only read information from the Solis S6. My integration does to send any commands to the inverter. In theory you could change the script to both read and send commands, you’d have to research that though as I’ve got no experience. Let me know if you get it working, I’m sure others would be interested.

  • @5ureS2K
    @5ureS2K 2 місяці тому

    You are building my dream outdoor kitchen. I'll be starting my build next spring. Love the detail and explanations.. awesome work!

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 2 місяці тому

      Thank you for the nice comment. It’s tricky to know how much detail to include before it gets boring. I just need to get the sound levels right, it’s either too loud or too quiet at the moment. All the best with your build.

  • @ketohable
    @ketohable 2 місяці тому

    Is it gonna work with afore inverters? 4 pin hole look the same

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 2 місяці тому

      I couldn’t say for sure but I would imagine the principle would be the same assuming it is using Modbus. I would expect the Modbus registers would be different though. Try a Google for Afore Modbus and see if you can get the correct registers. Sorry I can’t be of more help.

    • @ketohable
      @ketohable 2 місяці тому

      @@DeveloperDIY@DeveloperDIY ye, I got registers from the manufacturer and connected it to the home assistant via reading wifi dongle, but there was a 20-second delay. Gonna try your method, but I can't find such parts in Europe, can I replace it with something else?

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 2 місяці тому

      @@ketohable I get a lot of my parts from AZ-Delivery which are based in Germany. I buy through Amazon. The connector came from Germany. The RS485 module should be easy to find too. Which part are you struggling to find?

    • @ketohable
      @ketohable 2 місяці тому

      @@DeveloperDIY I was looking for it in my local stores in Bulgaria:) There is nothing or not listed on the internet. And Amazon de won't send item here. Gonna check other sources

  • @Daddytronics
    @Daddytronics 3 місяці тому

    Lovely stuff. Should withstand a nuclear apocalypse

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 3 місяці тому

      Shh!, it’s the entrance to the secret nuclear bunker really! 🤫

  • @camarieoz
    @camarieoz 3 місяці тому

    wow so much effort, think it would have been easier for you had you put vertical rebar into the base, dry layed the blocks then core filled them , same strength less work?? but nice job either way

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 3 місяці тому

      I did think about that but my fear was that the blocks would move and concrete would go everywhere. I couldn’t find any interlocking blocks near me. I agree it would be much easier but you need to be a little braver than me. Thanks for the advice.

  • @qz5ogsx9
    @qz5ogsx9 3 місяці тому

    Do we need to add some custom mqtt code? Where are you setting those details?

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 3 місяці тому

      The line that says ‘api:’ instructs esp_home to handle the MQTT automatically for you. See esphome.io/components/mqtt.html

    • @qz5ogsx9
      @qz5ogsx9 3 місяці тому

      Ohhh, I _think_ that piece you mention enables esp to push data to home assistant using their API In order to have MQTT working seems more code is required, MQTT is nice but not strongly required unless you want to decouple from home assistant or if you want to have multiple _listeners_ for the data. Simplicity is king and the API integration looks great!

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 3 місяці тому

      @@qz5ogsx9 Yes you are right, I think I just assumed it would connect via MQTT behind the scenes. I have a few of these microcontrollers for connecting power monitors, Epever off grid charge controller and Victron smart-shunt. All the code kind of blurs into one after a while. I like the simple solutions that I can just fit and forget. Using the api is the simplest. Thanks for the extra info, I’m sure it will help others.

  • @spadari000
    @spadari000 3 місяці тому

    Yes, this is a simplest way to integrate inverter with Home Assistant. Works also with S5-GR3P(3-20)K inverter and does not require any configuration on inverter side. If MAX485 chip -based RS485 adapter is used, YAML needs to have flow_control_pin -option in modbus section. As a connector, 7-pin DIN female can also be used, but it needs to be cut down and is definitely NOT waterproof. Thanks a lot!

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 3 місяці тому

      Thanks for the additional information.

  • @Swindondrive
    @Swindondrive 5 місяців тому

    Think im going to set reminder to replace it every year as yet again i have left it to long and now need to replace the shaft as well.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 5 місяців тому

      Yes, mine is getting thin. Is the shaft replacement easy?

    • @Swindondrive
      @Swindondrive 5 місяців тому

      @DeveloperDIY yes but mine is riveted on so I'm gonna drill the rivets and replace with nuts and bolts.

  • @peewee3ie
    @peewee3ie 5 місяців тому

    This sounds like the problem I was having with my HA on a pi3 and a usb zigbee stick plugged in to the pi. I was getting random drop outs and lockups I though it was my pi3 was giving up and replaced it with a Intel NUC. I mite look in to it now that its been happing to others.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 5 місяців тому

      How does the NUC compare to the pi? I was thinking it might be time to upgrade the hardware.

  • @becauseican2607
    @becauseican2607 5 місяців тому

    I had the same the rpi4-2g with the official 7" touchscreen. It worked for months but suddenly under voltage. Since i have a meanwell RS-25-5 i adjusted the voltage to 5.1V and never got a warning again.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 5 місяців тому

      Thanks, it’s nice hear I’m not the only one.

  • @Max24871
    @Max24871 5 місяців тому

    Some power supplies come with very crappy cables that already drop 0.5V over the cable when drawing close to its rated max amps.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 5 місяців тому

      That’s good to know, thanks.

  • @thiagolodo8209
    @thiagolodo8209 5 місяців тому

    Amazing, thanks for the video, I was having a hard time to understand what happened, and seems to be your same issue. I'll try to get one 5.1V to see if it solves the problem.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 5 місяців тому

      Let me know if it fixes your problem.

  • @giuseppenatella2722
    @giuseppenatella2722 5 місяців тому

    Hi, I had the same problem, I changed the 5.1V 27W (5A) power supply.

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 5 місяців тому

      I’m glad it’s not just me then.

  • @ricobass0253
    @ricobass0253 6 місяців тому

    Is it the ESP8266 which sends data and receives commands to and from the inverter via wifi? Am I right in thinking that in not having the original dongle means you can't communicate with the Solicloud via browser or iPhone app any more? If so, could the original dongle be run in parallel with your box to maintain Soliscloud functionality?

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 6 місяців тому

      Yes, the ESP8266 microcontroller sends data via the wifi to your home assistant server. If you still want to use the cloud and the App then I’d recommend sticking with the official dongle and look for an API based solution to read data from the cloud. In theory you could try and run them in parallel but I’d imagine there would be lots of issues.

    • @pr5991
      @pr5991 3 місяці тому

      You can use solarman integration for solis, also ask the cloud people to change the data upload frequency from 5min to 1 min.

  • @yoshidis4
    @yoshidis4 7 місяців тому

    How did you got gas measurements? Also I was wondering, as I am currently searching for myself, if you have a smart meter (SMETS2) connected to Home Assistant

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 7 місяців тому

      I replaced my CAD display with a Glowmarkt Smets2 CAD which then allows me to listen to the encrypted Zigbee network that the Smets boxes use and broadcast the energy data to my home assistant MQTT server. It sounds way more complicated that is really is. Just buy the new display either Smets1 or Smets2 then enter a username and password from your home assistant and that’s it. I have a short showing the CAD here ua-cam.com/users/shortsp9wYQgjUFaA

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 7 місяців тому

      Here is the CAD I bought shop.glowmarkt.com/products/display-and-cad-combined-for-smart-meter-customers

    • @DeveloperDIY
      @DeveloperDIY 7 місяців тому

      I started by using the free Bright app (which you will need) to test if the data could be collected and my meters were compatible. glowmarkt.com/bright Hope this helps.

    • @yoshidis4
      @yoshidis4 7 місяців тому

      @@DeveloperDIY That's very helpful. Thanks a lot!

  • @Xyrbareno
    @Xyrbareno 7 місяців тому

    What a great job😊