Your hot water heat is resistive. Low voltage will cause the element to have a lower temperature, not heating the water as efficiently as the proper voltage. But no damage will occur. Basic ohms law and the power equation.
Greg, thanks for the update...nicely done: We have a hybrid system (Panels & Batteries), etc. We also see the 20 watts from the grid. We have our system setup for 100% solar usage (day/night) and if the batteries hit the 20% remaining power level, then the ATS switch triggers and the grid supplies 100% power until the batteries re-charge via the panels. We only use the grid in this scenario. We do not use the grid to re-charge the batteries. Note: we hit the 20% level one time in the last three months. We are very happy with our system, its capabilities and ROI.
We have consistantly low power and brownouts here in Prosperidad Agusan Del Sur Mindanao, in fact I thnk that has caused 2 split systems to malfuction, the last one only a week ago as the tech we called in said the circuit board had blown. When we first moved here and built our house 8 years ago I noticed that the power was fluctuating all the time as the electronics I bought up from Australia would not function some of the time, (they are 240v). I complained to ASELCO, our supplier, about it and they said that because we share our transformer with dozens of houses it will always be up and down depending on demand, as you found out. They said we could buy our own transformer at a cost of 100,000p which I was not prepared to do. I am now seriously thinking of installing a solar system and go off grid as I am so sick and tired of the brownouts and low voltage, I can't even use our locally bought microwave in the evening as there is not enough voltage to run it but its' fine at other times.
Look into getting your hot water off grid tie; use a heat-pump water heater - it scrubs room air heat (plenty of that in PH) for heating water; still needs 120vac for the compressor and fan. I use an 80 gallon Rheem. Your inverter may be undersized and not rated for high in-rush inductive loads (larger air conns, water pumps). Get a soft-start (in line large capacitor) to reduce the in-rush on inductive loads.
Thank Greg. Your explanation is a lot better than the solar salesman that tries to sell me their products. I will need this video when I have questions of solar/power systems. Aloha from Hawaii 🌺
Another tip Greg, due to our low voltage problem here, we’ve blown up 2 microwaves! So my solution was to buy an ADJUSTABLE VOLTAGE PROTECTOR! Bought them on Lazada. They plug into an outlet. Then plug whatever appliances you are trying to protect into the voltage protector. Then you can adjust the digital TRIP to whatever voltage settings YOU choose. So like for example on my new microwave the factory manual tells you what the voltage SHOULD be! And the manual says do NOT run BELOW 210 volts! And NOT OVER 250! So I adjust the power to trip OFF at 211 and 248 volts! It works like a charm!
I was hoping your Deye inverter would do AVR when grid connected for the whole house. Too bad it can’t do that and you have to manually disconnect the grid fully.
Hi We have the hybrid system here in Isabela province. We have been connected to the main grid since February this year, but we have never had to use it. Even if the weather is cloudy for days, it still generates enough energy for us to use all our electricity day and night. We have 18 panels, 1 x 6kw inverter and 2 x 51.2 200ah 10.24 kwh batteries. This is enough for 3 x A/C, 3 x TV's, 1 x ceramic electric hob, 1 x built-in electric fan assiated oven, 1 x kettle, 1 x washing machine, 1 x water cooler, 1 x refrigerator and 4 electric fans. We do not get a bill from Iselco even though we are not using the mains power. Thanks for the video. Simon
@buildingthephilippines Maraming salamat po. Best purchase of my life I think. ROI in 4 years based on our previous year usage. We have solar on the farm (3 hectares) for growing rice. We use the solar to pump the water from deep below. Thanks again for you great vlogs mate. Cheers, Simon
marvelous Info not something that i would of thought of normally I'M over next week to my new home in Ilocos Sur I will have to buy myself that panther electrical reading gadget. Best wishes
In our homesteading progression we started small, investing in AVRs of varying sizes depending on the appliance clusters while we were on the low voltage grid. I highly recommend Kolin Inverter window-type airconditioner units as they have been tremendously resilient in managing the low-voltage conditions, they have internal regulators that switch off like your pool pump under low voltage and have a time-delay with automatic power-on after power restoration. We then were able to get our own 25kva transformer this year and will now work towards a hybrid setup to reinforce our operational continuity as we both work from home. Not keen on getting a genny as we are averse to the operational and maintenance handling, we also have portable power units permanently connected to Starlink and Fiber modems so when all else fails at least we can pass the time on our phones, lol.
Very interesting video. I plan to buy solar as well. We don't have many problems with low voltage ourselves. My in-laws next door have a water pump (which also provides me with running water) that sometimes experiences low voltage issues. A friend of mine in a nearby barangay is also complaining about it. It's mostly the brownouts that I want to avoid. You mention net metering systems. Net metering can be applied to both grid tied and hybrid systems. Net metering in the Philippines is a hassle and costly, so most people with hybrid systems don't bother with it. I am not sure yet whether I want to choose for a hybrid or an off-grid system. I don't have an electric water heater, so I could run everything off grid. The hybrid system is more expensive, both the inverter and the installation, but offers more convenience. But if you run it like you do now, there isn't much of a difference in convenience. I am also afraid a hybrid inverter is more likely to break down sooner as it has a lot more electronics in it. I am tempted to go for off-grid. Basically running on solar 24/7, except when it's clouded a lot, I might have to switch to the grid for a few hours. Which I'd have to remember to do every month because the electric company can disconnect you if you have 0 pesos power bills. During long brownouts combined with bad weather, I might have to turn off the aircon at night. I also have a generator for backup, for which I plan to buy a battery charger if I go for an off-grid system. Many hybrid inverters have an integrated generator battery charger. The local installers are only familiar with off-grid systems. For an experienced installer for hybrid systems I have to go to the city, 4.5 hrs away.
We will have Solar for sure at some point, Good 3 days Storage, But I have Diesel Generator for now Tank last 9 hours, Happy with that, Stormy weather Brown outs None of our Solar lights work, I don’t have problem with lots brown outs right now, But a Super Typhoon 3 month Grid down better have Good Solar back up after Cad 5 super, Panel set up needs to be Bullet Proof lock Down Covers, I have seen many Roofs Gone, We have Concrete Roof
First like you channel great info I have a very similar solar system to you dye 5kw hybrid 10.24 kw battery 3.22 kw panels want add more panels. I turned that 20 watt feed in from noreco off there's a setting in inverter it says 020 I set it to zero no more feed in no issues. I did find the low power interesting I might just go full offgrid in bacong by the way.
Fyi "According to the Philippine Electrical Code (PEC), the nominal voltage of 230V has a tolerance of ±5%. This means that while 230V is the standard, actual voltage can vary between 218.5V and 241.5V under normal operating conditions. This ensures some flexibility in voltage fluctuations without causing damage to appliances or overloading the system. Utility companies in the Philippines are required to maintain this voltage range to ensure stable power delivery to consumers, though occasional dips or surges may occur, particularly in areas with older infrastructure or during peak demand periods."
I have seen it as low as 201 and high as 247 recently this is why appliances are losing life a lot sooner than should be but Noreco2 don't care and filipinos don't complain thus nothing will ever be done
I have zero ideas when dealing with electrics. Working for contractors and construction companies and remodelers I learned so much! The guys would make me try things hoop n holler when I succeeded laughed uproariously when I didn’t get it! Electrics n plumbing. When I learned about AC and heating how simple THOSE things were I vowed to do things myself!!! $340 bucks to what??? Scuse me but-GTFOH! Lol😁😝🙄. Since our appliances get the jobs done they’re valuable and expensive so I’d want full care and knowledge to keep them 💯! Thanks for sharing good info! Love to Wilma n Prince. 🙏🏻😎
Ha! Greg! Good topic! We have our own transformer too. So I had Zaneco here at my place installing a voltage monitoring device. Why? Because I told them of the atrocious problem of low and high voltage swings I experience here in North western Mindanao Everyday! What did they do about it? Nothing as usual! My grid voltage here gets SO low! I can’t use my microwave! Voltage of 209 to 170!!! Then the grid TRIPS! Or surges! Either into a BLACKOUT or surges higher OVER 250 Volts! This is normal Zaneco grid operation here! What is this country being run by? Kindergartners?!!! Complete lazy incompetence!! Maybe in 50 years they will get it right?! But my hopes are NOT counting on it!
@ Probably! But battery’s are so expensive. Lithium phosphate LifePo4 are VERY efficient and prices have come down a lot! That’s why I finally pulled the trigger and built a backup bank of them now.
Thanks for this information, very informative. The transfer switch seems like it should always be on solar, unless you drop to a certain voltage then switch to the grid. Typically the transfer switch was used to switch you from a loss of grid power to a generator type of backup. Why is it back home the transformer feeds an entire neighborhood with out loss of voltage, but here it in the Philippines it is an issue.
Hybrid inverter is on grid even though solar is handling everything. Goes off grid only when there's a power outage. Second part, I have no idea. Things just don't work normally here.
Wow! Another reason to get solar in the new house! 🤔 Hopefully I'll have enough left over, after all of the upgrades, to do it? The last advertisement I saw for solar was 325K, and that's almost what my upgrade budget is (400K). If we get everything done under that figure, maybe? 🤞 Thanks, Greg 👍
@buildingthephilippines We have fairly stable power here. But sometimes I suspect the voltage may be low. But saving P4500+/month would be a nice raise?
@jerrymarshall2728 yes, solar will give you stable power. Investment up front, but basically eliminates electric bill. Strong typhoon may knock out grid, no issue with solar.
Our voltage is all frigged up so I put an AVR on our ref. and microwave. It's prohibitively expensive to our aircon in the bedroom ( and, like your pool pump ) it's shut off one time during low voltage. A whole house AVR which is essentially a transformer ,would be VERY expensive. Question Greg. Your single house transformer couldn't maintain 220 because of the excessively low voltage coming into it ?
I should probably go back and watch your old videos for the answer, but it’s faster for me to just ask. I know that your hot water heater is electric, but is it a holding tank type or an instant hot water type? When we eventually build I was thinking about doing the instant heater. Is either heater a big drain on your solar power? Also, the electric cables in our community in CDO are all underground so I’m not sure that we have the option to have our own transformer.
I don’t use an ATS! Why because I don’t trust the power company Obviously! I have a manual switch to my generator or battery backup system! Why? Because my solar system is Grid-tie AND Net metering! So in a long term blackout scenario I physically go out and manually switch to generator or battery bank per MY timing or choosing. So I can control when and how to manage my backup resources!
This solar stuff can be confusing to me, so I'm glad you put out these videos. Mind if I ask the rough cost for getting your own transformer? I'm sure the price is up now, but just a rough idea would be nice
Greg, I'm sure your situation will be interesting to see how it works out. Greg, I've been in many phases of construction all my life (I am now 62 yrs old). Solar has been a great interest to me in my goal of an off-grid property. But now, being married to a Filipina, Christine, I soon will be moving there. Now don't get me wrong, I am not your expert in any on this. I have re-watched your video 4 or 5 times, and I have watched your 2nd video on this also. I have to say, that I gotta ride with the few guys that have said, something is very confusing here. I know with these new inverters, you have a lot of options, technology grows fast. But something just doesn't seem right in all this. But I'm not there, so what do I know. I think it would be a good thing to reach out to another solar guy there and get a second opinion. If your home, to include the pool pump, is hooked to solar, how did your pool pump see low voltage? Maybe I missed something.........I totally get the fact your power company is working on their side. That should have nothing to do with you, if you are on your solar. Your pump should be seeing clean, even power all the time you are on solar. But somehow it seems your solar and your grid power are mixing together. And that doesn't seem right to my old school thinking. But non-the-less, I'm here in your corner, hoping all this gets figured out.
The hybrid installation matches the grid voltage. This is by design and it allows you to run partially on solar and partially on grid power when your inverter doesn't produce enough power. Or switch between solar and grid power without the light flickering when the battery is empty.
Greetings. Since its just in the thumbnail you can easily change it. You have a typo in the thumbnail. "there". I am a big fan of selfsufficiancy. ( hope thats the correct term). Being able to support yourself during chaotic times is important.
So don't quite understand. Does your solar system mimic the voltage drop on the grid or is the voltage being drawn down in the solar system by being tied to the grid? Very interesting. Looks like it would be a good idea to test the voltage in a home that you are looking to rent. Thanks for the video, Greg...Jim
The hybrid system mimics the voltage on the grid, so when you use more power than the inverter can provide, you can run on grid and solar power simultaneously. Or switch between battery and grid power when the battery is empty without the light flickering. Some inverters (the Deye inverter doesn't) also have 2 output lines, which would allow it to connect both the house group and the heater group, where it would try to supply 100% to the house group and if there is excess solar power and the battery is above a set level it would also provide some power to the heater.
Whole house uses a lot of electricity even when not in use. Uses much more as you use more electricity. Shared transformer, say 165v like the example. Your AVR would use electricity to attempt to boost to 220v.
Always things are problems, and it does ruin everything over time. From watching things over in the US, i am sure it the problem will take longer. Happy Election Day.
I wonder if. the solar company sells us a lot of crap we don’t need? Like breakers on the solar panels, as if the panels would suddenly start generating double power. Haha.
I'm sure the correct me if I'm wrong police will show up but..... I would think the only way your voltage is low is if "YOUR" solar power & batts are back feeding back into the power grid. There seems to be no other way that you would have low voltage from your own power. You need TOTAL isolation or an AVR that you said you had to counter this problem. Shouldn't the AVR decouple from the grid if power is too low and transfer 100% to solar/battery? I'm not hating or anything but you've got something wired or logic'd wrong in your setup if this is happening. Bring in an outsider to look at it with a fresh eye. Don't tell him how the system works at first. Let him figure out what you've done if he knows what he's doing. He'll catch it as soon as he sees it. Good Luck
Power company temporarily moved our substation farther away from location. This caused the low voltage on the grid side. The tap adjustment needs to be changed to increase the grid voltage. My system, when isolated, gives pure sine 230 volts.
Hey, Greg! Don't you have a battery bank to store the energy from the solar panels? Can't you just run your entire house via the battery bank and then during cloudy days, charge the batteries using the grid? This way, you're really only using power from the electric company to charge your batteries and only when the solar panels are not operational. You can even use an external diesel-powered generator to power up your batteries in case there is a brownout.
I See a couple options here. If you want to continue using the grid for the water heater is to tie into that line and install a 120v battery charger with a step down transformer. That way you can run everything off the solar system and still charge your batteries during the brown out with the voltage at 165 or cloudy days. Your water heater will be fine at a low voltage, just take longer to heat as well as charging your batteries while on grid. That’s providing your storage is no more than 48v to 72v. Or build up your panels and battery storage and go off grid with a backup generator. Which would be best, but take more time to recoup money. As a retiree, it might not be worth the added expense.
Hello Greg. Now, that you bring up that topic, I have this question for my understanding regarding the transformer. It only changes DC to AC, nothing else, is that correct? If so, are there transformers with dual function, that can also handle change of voltage? If not, you'll need an AVR or a UPS with an integrated AVR? Thanks for helping me to understand better!
Sorry Greg but this doesn't make any sense to me. The key to all of this is your inverter. The solar panels connect to the inverter, the batteries connect to the inverter, and the grid connects to the inverter. The inverter feeds the house power regardless of whether it is coming from solar (when the sun shines) or the batteries, or the grid. The inverter should be smart enough to take power from all of these (solar, battery, or grid) and feed 230 volts to the house. All the testing you are doing at the plugs inside the house is coming from the inverter. Or am I missing something? Coming from the RV world in the US and Victron inverters this is how it works. Solar connects to the inverter and the solar charge controllers are inside the inverter. Batteries connect to the inverter. When there is excess power, the batteries get charged. When the RV needs power the inverter pulls power from where ever it can get it, just to feed the RV or house with power. The only time you would see low voltage is when the RV or house pulls too much power and exceeds the power limits of the inverter. And that is determined by the inverter you purchased. 5,000 watts, or 10,000 watts, or maybe two 5,000 watt inverters? If you have enough solar, batteries, and inverters you should never see low voltage regardless of what the grid is doing. You said yourself, you only pull 20 watts from the grid? Why does the voltage in your house go down when you connect to the grid? When you disconnect from the grid and your personal transformer on the power pole outside your house the voltage in your house goes up? Something is not right.
Electric company temporarily moved our line to a substation farther from our location. This caused the low voltage coming in. They need to make a tap adjustment to our transformer to increase voltage until they get the new substation back on line.
@@buildingthephilippines Ohm's law (volts=current x resistance), your system is feeding back into the grid. It's the only explanation that makes sense. If your system was wired correctly, it wouldn't matter how many volts are coming from the grid.
@@buildingthephilippines Without looking at how your ATS, inverter, breakers, and house are wired, it's hard to say where the feedback is happening. I watched the video again and it appears that when you isolate your inverter, batteries, and solar you have a solid 230 volts. Correct? When the grid has low volts and you add the grid to your system, the volts in your house go down. Correct? Again Ohm's law, volts=current x resistance You show how the power to your water heaters comes from the grid and only the grid. Is this correct? What about the outlets in the house? Does the house get power from the inverter and only the inverter? Does the grid and the inverter provide power to the house at the same time? If so this is not right. The power to the outlets inside your house should come from the inverter and only the inverter. And I have questions about your ATS. In most solar, inverter, battery systems the ATS functions to make sure your inverter cannot feed back into the grid. This makes sure that (when the grid is down) your solar system does electrocute some guy down the street working on a downed power line. Is your ATS wired correctly? What is the primary power source and what is the secondary power source? Anyway, I enjoy all your stuff. Keep up the good work. Thanks again.
Your hot water heat is resistive. Low voltage will cause the element to have a lower temperature, not heating the water as efficiently as the proper voltage. But no damage will occur. Basic ohms law and the power equation.
That's great to hear. Thanks for that information.
Greg, thanks for the update...nicely done: We have a hybrid system (Panels & Batteries), etc. We also see the 20 watts from the grid. We have our system setup for 100% solar usage (day/night) and if the batteries hit the 20% remaining power level, then the ATS switch triggers and the grid supplies 100% power until the batteries re-charge via the panels. We only use the grid in this scenario. We do not use the grid to re-charge the batteries. Note: we hit the 20% level one time in the last three months. We are very happy with our system, its capabilities and ROI.
Our systems seem very similar. Thanks for watching.
low voltage , another reason i will be building off grid solar and batteries with generator backup .. great video again very informational
Thanks for watching
We have consistantly low power and brownouts here in Prosperidad Agusan Del Sur Mindanao, in fact I thnk that has caused 2 split systems to malfuction, the last one only a week ago as the tech we called in said the circuit board had blown. When we first moved here and built our house 8 years ago I noticed that the power was fluctuating all the time as the electronics I bought up from Australia would not function some of the time, (they are 240v). I complained to ASELCO, our supplier, about it and they said that because we share our transformer with dozens of houses it will always be up and down depending on demand, as you found out. They said we could buy our own transformer at a cost of 100,000p which I was not prepared to do. I am now seriously thinking of installing a solar system and go off grid as I am so sick and tired of the brownouts and low voltage, I can't even use our locally bought microwave in the evening as there is not enough voltage to run it but its' fine at other times.
Yes, what you are describing is low voltage for sure. Solar will be a great fix to that.
Well put together mate. Tks
Thank you
Great update on power issues. Thank you.
@donbuesen3558 your welcome, thanks for watching
I live in cabuyao laguna no power problems here 3years never had a brown out.we are on shared transformer no power problems
Beautiful, don't tell anyone your location. You will have an influx of foreigners move there.
@@buildingthephilippines there are a lot of expats here i see them in in the malls and the imagination office
Look into getting your hot water off grid tie; use a heat-pump water heater - it scrubs room air heat (plenty of that in PH) for heating water; still needs 120vac for the compressor and fan. I use an 80 gallon Rheem.
Your inverter may be undersized and not rated for high in-rush inductive loads (larger air conns, water pumps). Get a soft-start (in line large capacitor) to reduce the in-rush on inductive loads.
Thanks for the suggestion
Just because you have a hybrid doesnt mean you are forced to be connected to the grid.
That is correct. Thanks for watching.
Thank Greg. Your explanation is a lot better than the solar salesman that tries to sell me their products. I will need this video when I have questions of solar/power systems. Aloha from Hawaii 🌺
Thank you appreciate that
Another tip Greg, due to our low voltage problem here, we’ve blown up 2 microwaves! So my solution was to buy an ADJUSTABLE VOLTAGE PROTECTOR!
Bought them on Lazada. They plug into an outlet. Then plug whatever appliances you are trying to protect into the voltage protector. Then you can adjust the digital TRIP to whatever voltage settings YOU choose. So like for example on my new microwave the factory manual tells you what the voltage SHOULD be! And the manual says do NOT run BELOW 210 volts! And NOT OVER 250! So I adjust the power to trip OFF at 211 and 248 volts! It works like a charm!
@foreignerescapestothephi-lj3ls thanks for the information, appreciate it
I was hoping your Deye inverter would do AVR when grid connected for the whole house. Too bad it can’t do that and you have to manually disconnect the grid fully.
Yes, it doesn't have an AVR when connected to the grid.
Hi
We have the hybrid system here in Isabela province. We have been connected to the main grid since February this year, but we have never had to use it. Even if the weather is cloudy for days, it still generates enough energy for us to use all our electricity day and night.
We have 18 panels, 1 x 6kw inverter and 2 x 51.2 200ah 10.24 kwh batteries. This is enough for 3 x A/C, 3 x TV's, 1 x ceramic electric hob, 1 x built-in electric fan assiated oven, 1 x kettle, 1 x washing machine, 1 x water cooler, 1 x refrigerator and 4 electric fans.
We do not get a bill from Iselco even though we are not using the mains power.
Thanks for the video.
Simon
@tyremango sounds like a great system, congrats.
@buildingthephilippines Maraming salamat po.
Best purchase of my life I think. ROI in 4 years based on our previous year usage.
We have solar on the farm (3 hectares) for growing rice. We use the solar to pump the water from deep below.
Thanks again for you great vlogs mate.
Cheers,
Simon
marvelous Info not something that i would of thought of normally I'M over next week to my new home in Ilocos Sur I will have to buy myself that panther electrical reading gadget. Best wishes
@lyndonhenry8127 definitely something to keep an eye on. Thanks for watching
In our homesteading progression we started small, investing in AVRs of varying sizes depending on the appliance clusters while we were on the low voltage grid. I highly recommend Kolin Inverter window-type airconditioner units as they have been tremendously resilient in managing the low-voltage conditions, they have internal regulators that switch off like your pool pump under low voltage and have a time-delay with automatic power-on after power restoration.
We then were able to get our own 25kva transformer this year and will now work towards a hybrid setup to reinforce our operational continuity as we both work from home. Not keen on getting a genny as we are averse to the operational and maintenance handling, we also have portable power units permanently connected to Starlink and Fiber modems so when all else fails at least we can pass the time on our phones, lol.
Thanks for commenting.
Thank you for these technical details. Hope you will have enough sun till end of the year 😊
We hope so too. Thanks for watching
Very interesting video. I plan to buy solar as well. We don't have many problems with low voltage ourselves. My in-laws next door have a water pump (which also provides me with running water) that sometimes experiences low voltage issues. A friend of mine in a nearby barangay is also complaining about it. It's mostly the brownouts that I want to avoid.
You mention net metering systems. Net metering can be applied to both grid tied and hybrid systems. Net metering in the Philippines is a hassle and costly, so most people with hybrid systems don't bother with it.
I am not sure yet whether I want to choose for a hybrid or an off-grid system. I don't have an electric water heater, so I could run everything off grid. The hybrid system is more expensive, both the inverter and the installation, but offers more convenience. But if you run it like you do now, there isn't much of a difference in convenience. I am also afraid a hybrid inverter is more likely to break down sooner as it has a lot more electronics in it.
I am tempted to go for off-grid. Basically running on solar 24/7, except when it's clouded a lot, I might have to switch to the grid for a few hours. Which I'd have to remember to do every month because the electric company can disconnect you if you have 0 pesos power bills. During long brownouts combined with bad weather, I might have to turn off the aircon at night.
I also have a generator for backup, for which I plan to buy a battery charger if I go for an off-grid system. Many hybrid inverters have an integrated generator battery charger.
The local installers are only familiar with off-grid systems. For an experienced installer for hybrid systems I have to go to the city, 4.5 hrs away.
Sounds like you're on it. Thanks for commenting
@@buildingthephilippines I try to inform myself, like you. I have a technical background, but I still learned something from your videos.
@@GerbenWulff thanks
We will have Solar for sure at some point, Good 3 days Storage, But I have Diesel Generator for now Tank last 9 hours, Happy with that, Stormy weather Brown outs None of our Solar lights work, I don’t have problem with lots brown outs right now,
But a Super Typhoon 3 month Grid down better have Good Solar back up after Cad 5 super, Panel set up needs to be Bullet Proof lock Down Covers, I have seen many Roofs Gone, We have Concrete Roof
Thanks for commenting
Thank you Greg for the info ? Your channel help a lot for me to built my home .
Thank you. I appreciate that
You both awesome I'm appriaciated you both thank you I'll be there February dinner from me ❤😊
Good video!
Thank you
First like you channel great info I have a very similar solar system to you dye 5kw hybrid 10.24 kw battery 3.22 kw panels want add more panels. I turned that 20 watt feed in from noreco off there's a setting in inverter it says 020 I set it to zero no more feed in no issues. I did find the low power interesting I might just go full offgrid in bacong by the way.
@@michaelward7438 can you take a picture of that setting and message to buildingthephilippines on FB messenger? I'd like to try the same.
Sure
thanks for the info
Your welcome
Fyi
"According to the Philippine Electrical Code (PEC), the nominal voltage of 230V has a tolerance of ±5%. This means that while 230V is the standard, actual voltage can vary between 218.5V and 241.5V under normal operating conditions. This ensures some flexibility in voltage fluctuations without causing damage to appliances or overloading the system.
Utility companies in the Philippines are required to maintain this voltage range to ensure stable power delivery to consumers, though occasional dips or surges may occur, particularly in areas with older infrastructure or during peak demand periods."
I have seen it as low as 201 and high as 247 recently this is why appliances are losing life a lot sooner than should be but Noreco2 don't care and filipinos don't complain thus nothing will ever be done
190's happen here often.
I have zero ideas when dealing with electrics. Working for contractors and construction companies and remodelers I learned so much! The guys would make me try things hoop n holler when I succeeded laughed uproariously when I didn’t get it! Electrics n plumbing. When I learned about AC and heating how simple THOSE things were I vowed to do things myself!!! $340 bucks to what??? Scuse me but-GTFOH! Lol😁😝🙄. Since our appliances get the jobs done they’re valuable and expensive so I’d want full care and knowledge to keep them 💯! Thanks for sharing good info! Love to Wilma n Prince. 🙏🏻😎
Thanks for commenting and watching our video.
Hi Greg, great information as usual
Thank you
Ha! Greg! Good topic! We have our own transformer too. So I had Zaneco here at my place installing a voltage monitoring device. Why? Because I told them of the atrocious problem of low and high voltage swings I experience here in North western Mindanao Everyday!
What did they do about it? Nothing as usual! My grid voltage here gets SO low! I can’t use my microwave! Voltage of 209 to 170!!! Then the grid TRIPS! Or surges! Either into a BLACKOUT or surges higher OVER 250 Volts!
This is normal Zaneco grid operation here! What is this country being run by? Kindergartners?!!! Complete lazy incompetence!! Maybe in 50 years they will get it right?! But my hopes are NOT counting on it!
@foreignerescapestothephi-lj3ls the grid is certainly unstable here. Maybe solar off grid is the best option.
@ Probably! But battery’s are so expensive. Lithium phosphate LifePo4 are VERY efficient and prices have come down a lot! That’s why I finally pulled the trigger and built a backup bank of them now.
Fascinating Report ... Thanks 😅😅😅
Thank you
Thanks for this information, very informative.
The transfer switch seems like it should always be on solar, unless you drop to a certain voltage then switch to the grid. Typically the transfer switch was used to switch you from a loss of grid power to a generator type of backup.
Why is it back home the transformer feeds an entire neighborhood with out loss of voltage, but here it in the Philippines it is an issue.
Hybrid inverter is on grid even though solar is handling everything. Goes off grid only when there's a power outage. Second part, I have no idea. Things just don't work normally here.
@@buildingthephilippines thanks, appreciate it.
Wow! Another reason to get solar in the new house! 🤔
Hopefully I'll have enough left over, after all of the upgrades, to do it? The last advertisement I saw for solar was 325K, and that's almost what my upgrade budget is (400K). If we get everything done under that figure, maybe? 🤞
Thanks, Greg 👍
It's a good investment here as the infrastructure is not stable. At least not here.
@buildingthephilippines We have fairly stable power here. But sometimes I suspect the voltage may be low.
But saving P4500+/month would be a nice raise?
@jerrymarshall2728 yes, solar will give you stable power. Investment up front, but basically eliminates electric bill. Strong typhoon may knock out grid, no issue with solar.
Our voltage is all frigged up so I put an AVR on our ref. and microwave. It's prohibitively expensive to our aircon in the bedroom ( and, like your pool pump ) it's shut off one time during low voltage. A whole house AVR which is essentially a transformer ,would be VERY expensive. Question Greg. Your single house transformer couldn't maintain 220 because of the excessively low voltage coming into it ?
Correct, the tap adjustment out at the pool needs to be adjusted. However, the electric company needs to do that. That's my next step.
I should probably go back and watch your old videos for the answer, but it’s faster for me to just ask. I know that your hot water heater is electric, but is it a holding tank type or an instant hot water type? When we eventually build I was thinking about doing the instant heater. Is either heater a big drain on your solar power? Also, the electric cables in our community in CDO are all underground so I’m not sure that we have the option to have our own transformer.
Our hot water is instant type. Yes, you can still have your own transformer.
I would never use Noreco for anything but to top charge the battery on a cloudy day.
Thanks for commenting
Good video. Off grid it is. Plus burying a power line to tap off my neighbor down the road 😮
There you go, but you will still will get low voltage. There will be a part 2.
I don’t use an ATS! Why because I don’t trust the power company Obviously! I have a manual switch to my generator or battery backup system! Why? Because my solar system is Grid-tie AND Net metering! So in a long term blackout scenario I physically go out and manually switch to generator or battery bank per MY timing or choosing. So I can control when and how to manage my backup resources!
@@foreignerescapestothephi-lj3ls sounds like a good system. Thanks for commenting.
If you can't afford a portable power station or don't want the trouble of a generator, then I think this is the best solution.
@@whitesamurai thank you for commenting
This solar stuff can be confusing to me, so I'm glad you put out these videos. Mind if I ask the rough cost for getting your own transformer? I'm sure the price is up now, but just a rough idea would be nice
We paid 87k, 100k now I believe.
@ Thank you
You buy at 10 pesos, sell to them at 6. And a year to get netmetering... With some palms being greased.
@@sfgoncalves here it's buy at 13 and sell at 6.
where did you get The Panther? how much did it cost?
@@A-RHINO-IN-THE-PHILIPPINES handyman do it best in the Robinson mall. I believe 1200 pesos.
Greg, I'm sure your situation will be interesting to see how it works out. Greg, I've been in many phases of construction all my life (I am now 62 yrs old). Solar has been a great interest to me in my goal of an off-grid property. But now, being married to a Filipina, Christine, I soon will be moving there. Now don't get me wrong, I am not your expert in any on this. I have re-watched your video 4 or 5 times, and I have watched your 2nd video on this also. I have to say, that I gotta ride with the few guys that have said, something is very confusing here. I know with these new inverters, you have a lot of options, technology grows fast. But something just doesn't seem right in all this. But I'm not there, so what do I know. I think it would be a good thing to reach out to another solar guy there and get a second opinion. If your home, to include the pool pump, is hooked to solar, how did your pool pump see low voltage? Maybe I missed something.........I totally get the fact your power company is working on their side. That should have nothing to do with you, if you are on your solar. Your pump should be seeing clean, even power all the time you are on solar. But somehow it seems your solar and your grid power are mixing together. And that doesn't seem right to my old school thinking. But non-the-less, I'm here in your corner, hoping all this gets figured out.
@patbrown1024 thanks for the comment, appreciate it
The hybrid installation matches the grid voltage. This is by design and it allows you to run partially on solar and partially on grid power when your inverter doesn't produce enough power. Or switch between solar and grid power without the light flickering when the battery is empty.
I am living in Luzon I just had a brand new compressor just go puff burnt out.
@howardrewald9817 more than likely low voltage. Sorry to hear.
May i ask what you paid for your transformer i'm building up here from valencia and i'm doing solar but i do want to be on the gr
@@ScottBurgess-x5b 87k 2 years ago. Purchased at Polaris electrical in Dumaguete.
Greetings. Since its just in the thumbnail you can easily change it.
You have a typo in the thumbnail. "there".
I am a big fan of selfsufficiancy. ( hope thats the correct term). Being able to support yourself during chaotic times is important.
I believe you have a typo as well, "Slnce".
@@buildingthephilippines Thanks for that :D What an irony. Made me laugh so hard.
@@TDK-Ouros I knew you would like it. I stopped sweating the small stuff a few years ago.
@@buildingthephilippines I should copy this trait of yours :D
@@TDK-Ouros keeps your blood pressure down.
How big is your house and what size system solar?
168 sqm Meyer and 5.5 kva with 10kva battery. 11 panels.
So don't quite understand. Does your solar system mimic the voltage drop on the grid or is the voltage being drawn down in the solar system by being tied to the grid? Very interesting. Looks like it would be a good idea to test the voltage in a home that you are looking to rent.
Thanks for the video, Greg...Jim
With a hybrid system appears low voltage appears to affect the system when tied to it. I go off grid voltage is fine.
The hybrid system mimics the voltage on the grid, so when you use more power than the inverter can provide, you can run on grid and solar power simultaneously. Or switch between battery and grid power when the battery is empty without the light flickering.
Some inverters (the Deye inverter doesn't) also have 2 output lines, which would allow it to connect both the house group and the heater group, where it would try to supply 100% to the house group and if there is excess solar power and the battery is above a set level it would also provide some power to the heater.
@@GerbenWulff I wish ours would do that.
Wouldn’t a whole home LVR instead of transformer take care of the issue also? As you know we are setting up our solar now…
Whole house uses a lot of electricity even when not in use. Uses much more as you use more electricity. Shared transformer, say 165v like the example. Your AVR would use electricity to attempt to boost to 220v.
Plus or minus 15 percent.. not 220 for the low.. 190,189 below that will give you issue
Maybe for some appliances. My pool pump shuts down at 200 to 205.
Always things are problems, and it does ruin everything over time. From watching things over in the US, i am sure it the problem will take longer. Happy Election Day.
Thanks Steve, appreciate it.
I wonder if. the solar company sells us a lot of crap we don’t need? Like breakers on the solar panels, as if the panels would suddenly start generating double power. Haha.
Engineer had to submit an electrical plan and blueprints to the municipal to get the permit for the installation.
I'm sure the correct me if I'm wrong police will show up but..... I would think the only way your voltage is low is if "YOUR" solar power & batts are back feeding back into the power grid. There seems to be no other way that you would have low voltage from your own power. You need TOTAL isolation or an AVR that you said you had to counter this problem. Shouldn't the AVR decouple from the grid if power is too low and transfer 100% to solar/battery? I'm not hating or anything but you've got something wired or logic'd wrong in your setup if this is happening. Bring in an outsider to look at it with a fresh eye. Don't tell him how the system works at first. Let him figure out what you've done if he knows what he's doing. He'll catch it as soon as he sees it. Good Luck
Power company temporarily moved our substation farther away from location. This caused the low voltage on the grid side. The tap adjustment needs to be changed to increase the grid voltage. My system, when isolated, gives pure sine 230 volts.
Hey, Greg! Don't you have a battery bank to store the energy from the solar panels? Can't you just run your entire house via the battery bank and then during cloudy days, charge the batteries using the grid? This way, you're really only using power from the electric company to charge your batteries and only when the solar panels are not operational. You can even use an external diesel-powered generator to power up your batteries in case there is a brownout.
We have battery storage as well as a generator to charge when grid is down and no sun. The low voltage situation won't charge battery using grid tie.
I See a couple options here. If you want to continue using the grid for the water heater is to tie into that line and install a 120v battery charger with a step down transformer. That way you can run everything off the solar system and still charge your batteries during the brown out with the voltage at 165 or cloudy days. Your water heater will be fine at a low voltage, just take longer to heat as well as charging your batteries while on grid. That’s providing your storage is no more than 48v to 72v.
Or build up your panels and battery storage and go off grid with a backup generator. Which would be best, but take more time to recoup money. As a retiree, it might not be worth the added expense.
It's could there not their
Thanks dad
@ you know that you can edit the post
Lol, I'm not that worried about it. Life is too short to sweat the small stuff.
@ wasn’t trying to be critical. Just thought you’d want to know
Hello Greg. Now, that you bring up that topic, I have this question for my understanding regarding the transformer. It only changes DC to AC, nothing else, is that correct?
If so, are there transformers with dual function, that can also handle change of voltage?
If not, you'll need an AVR or a UPS with an integrated AVR?
Thanks for helping me to understand better!
Sorry to say a transformer only changes the voltage it is still A/C
Our 25kva transformer does not convert DC to AC. The grid is AC and transformer just regulates power from grid to panel.
Sorry Greg but this doesn't make any sense to me. The key to all of this is your inverter. The solar panels connect to the inverter, the batteries connect to the inverter, and the grid connects to the inverter. The inverter feeds the house power regardless of whether it is coming from solar (when the sun shines) or the batteries, or the grid. The inverter should be smart enough to take power from all of these (solar, battery, or grid) and feed 230 volts to the house. All the testing you are doing at the plugs inside the house is coming from the inverter. Or am I missing something? Coming from the RV world in the US and Victron inverters this is how it works. Solar connects to the inverter and the solar charge controllers are inside the inverter. Batteries connect to the inverter. When there is excess power, the batteries get charged. When the RV needs power the inverter pulls power from where ever it can get it, just to feed the RV or house with power. The only time you would see low voltage is when the RV or house pulls too much power and exceeds the power limits of the inverter. And that is determined by the inverter you purchased. 5,000 watts, or 10,000 watts, or maybe two 5,000 watt inverters? If you have enough solar, batteries, and inverters you should never see low voltage regardless of what the grid is doing.
You said yourself, you only pull 20 watts from the grid? Why does the voltage in your house go down when you connect to the grid? When you disconnect from the grid and your personal transformer on the power pole outside your house the voltage in your house goes up? Something is not right.
Electric company temporarily moved our line to a substation farther from our location. This caused the low voltage coming in. They need to make a tap adjustment to our transformer to increase voltage until they get the new substation back on line.
@@buildingthephilippines Ohm's law (volts=current x resistance), your system is feeding back into the grid. It's the only explanation that makes sense. If your system was wired correctly, it wouldn't matter how many volts are coming from the grid.
@@MarkJensen-lb3bf breaker is off, so how does it feed back to the grid.
@@buildingthephilippines Without looking at how your ATS, inverter, breakers, and house are wired, it's hard to say where the feedback is happening. I watched the video again and it appears that when you isolate your inverter, batteries, and solar you have a solid 230 volts. Correct? When the grid has low volts and you add the grid to your system, the volts in your house go down. Correct? Again Ohm's law, volts=current x resistance
You show how the power to your water heaters comes from the grid and only the grid. Is this correct? What about the outlets in the house? Does the house get power from the inverter and only the inverter? Does the grid and the inverter provide power to the house at the same time? If so this is not right. The power to the outlets inside your house should come from the inverter and only the inverter.
And I have questions about your ATS. In most solar, inverter, battery systems the ATS functions to make sure your inverter cannot feed back into the grid. This makes sure that (when the grid is down) your solar system does electrocute some guy down the street working on a downed power line. Is your ATS wired correctly? What is the primary power source and what is the secondary power source?
Anyway, I enjoy all your stuff. Keep up the good work. Thanks again.