Am I oversizing my system?

[jplee3]

currently NEM2.0 in CA, peak time will be 4pm-9pm where solar does not generate enough power. If you have EV, need about 3500KWH to drive 12000 miles. You should oversize it, otherwise you will pay big time at true up, especially if you use AC during peak hours, the cost about 1.5 time off peak

Sounds like this is where a battery would also come into play no?

Thanks for confirming tho... 19 panels it is!

[ktran1]

Yes, that is where battery come into play. Just observe your usage, and NEM charge. If your NEM charge go up, then do battery/

[peakbagger]

Thanks. How big is your battery pack btw?

Sorry for the unit laziness 16 KWh The battery pack is actually larger but the rest of it is reserved for hybrid operation.

[jplee3]

Yes, that is where battery come into play. Just observe your usage, and NEM charge. If your NEM charge go up, then do battery/

Makes sense. Yea, I think we may wait on the battery. Someone mentioned there's a shortage of them too right now so pricing may actually behigher due to supply. So if we can wait (for supply to normalize and pricing to come down) then all the better.

Sorry for the unit laziness 16 KWh The battery pack is actually larger but the rest of it is reserved for hybrid operation.

I'm curious as to what a "good price" is per kw/kwh for a battery. I was looking around online and saw that the Enphase Encharge 3 that my solar installer wanted to charge $7k for sells for $3k~ - I haven't delved into solar battery pricing so I have no clue but I assume $7k is overpaying (even with install) and at least $3k ($1k per kw~) is the standard price point?

Is this something that most/all electricians can just install for you or do you *have* to get a solar installer to install and connect the battery?

[jplee3]

BTW: anyone have specific recommendations on batteries? Brand? Size? I was looking at the sizing guide here and it seems to indicate for the system size we're considering and our average # of kwhs used, the suggestion falls around 16kwh for the battery size - https://www.solarchoice.net.au/blog/...g-quick-guide/

[ktran1]

Battery install need electrician, the cost per kwH should be under 800

[Ampster]

BTW: anyone have specific recommendations on batteries? Brand? Size? I was looking at the sizing guide here and it seems to indicate for the system size we're considering and our average # of kwhs used, the suggestion falls around 16kwh for the battery size

Are you in Australia? I read in some other forums that some are having luck with LFP cells from China that are selling for about USD 150 per kWh. The DIY battery market in the US is complicated by NEC 2020 which requires UL listing for batteries installed under a building permit. Tesla, Generac, BYD, LG Chem, Outback and some others have product for that niche.
I have a 42 kWh DIY pack I installed a year ago using EVE LF280 cells that I purchased two years ago for USD 125 per kWh delivered to my door.

[jplee3]

Are you in Australia? I read in some other forums that some are having luck with LFP cells from China that are selling for about USD 150 per kWh. The DIY battery market in the US is complicated by NEC 2020 which requires UL listing for batteries installed under a building permit. Tesla, Generac, BYD, LG Chem, Outback and some others have product for that niche.
I have a 42 kWh DIY pack I installed a year ago using EVE LF280 cells that I purchased two years ago for USD 125 per kWh delivered to my door.

Im in Southern California. Sounds like DIY isnt going to pan out so well haha

[Ampster]

Im in Southern California. Sounds like DIY isnt going to pan out so well haha

It depends on your local jurisdiction and whether they have adopted NEC 2020 yet. Last year I did a permitted GT install and then self installed a UL listed hybrid inverter in compliance with the code at the time. I am not advocating doing anything that is illegal but there is some grey area and the line is not always perfectly defined. It would be better to discuss the details off line.