Which hybrid inverter for installation by an not MCS certified electrician which works with octopus agile?

[SUNBATH]

I thought I have found a good PV kit to have it installed by my builder and electrician, which should have been the sunsynk 3.6kw hybrid inverter and 2 * us3000c pylontech batteries to start with. I'm not interested in exploring energy back into the grid therefore I wouldn't need an MCS certified installer. And the whole system has a capacity of max 3.6kw

BUT , after I was searching for some reviews about sunsynk and speaking with them today it looks like that sunsynk preferable just offers tech support for MCS certified installers, preferable those they have enlisted, which seems to be the reasons for quite some bad reviews on Google.
They told me as well that normally all electricians in the UK will be MCS certified, which apparently seems not to be correct.

Therefore sunsynk is for me obviously not a viable option anymore, which is a shame. I quite liked the YouTube help and explanation videos.

So I'm looking for another hybrid inverter which will work together with the octopus agile tariff.

One brand I came across is the givenergy. The only issue I have with this one is that it just works with givenergy batteries.

I have contacted octopus as well to see if they can provide an overview of compatible inverters, as the only information I found is from an octopus blog 2 years ago.

So I wonder what else is out there and maybe what you would recommend please?

 

[Mrjmegson]

I love my AllGreen energy system.

And I contacted the MCS before I started my project to ask a few questions about their "rules", and they told me they are just guidelines, and do not need to be followed, as long as the electrical work is upto regs.

A lot of energy companies want you to have an MCS certificate in order for you to feed back to the grid and get paid for it, as well as DNO approval.

But if you're not going to be grid tied, no need for an MCS accredited installer.

 

[binky]

Fox and Solis work with pylontech.

DNO don't care about MCS, they just want to be notified and may want to insist on grid feed restrictions.

 

[johnb2713]

But if you're not going to be grid tied, no need for an MCS accredited installer.

If you ARE going to be grid tied there's no need for an MCS installer, it's only if you wish to export that MCS is pretty much universally needed.

 

[binky]

If you ARE going to be grid tied there's no need for an MCS installer, it's only if you wish to export that MCS is pretty much universally needed.

You only need MCS if you want to get paid for export, and the only people driving that are the energy suppliers.

 

[Mrjmegson]

If you ARE going to be grid tied there's no need for an MCS installer, it's only if you wish to export that MCS is pretty much universally needed.

I assumed that was implied by the previous paragraph. But yeh, if you don't want to export.

 

[Mrjmegson]

You only need MCS if you want to get paid for export, and the only people driving that are the energy suppliers.

Someone is getting a back hander somewhere. As always.

 

[binky]

Someone is getting a back hander somewhere. As always.

MCS are a quango, they are only interested in their own business survival. Since the removal of the FiT and mass leaving of their rediculous scheme, they have tried to stick their fingers into other pies like EV chargers. Fortunately they have not succeeded. I was MCS registered for many years, they insist on you running a ISO9000 type paperwork system in the name of quality control and standards. It's a real burden for a small business to run such an onerous system, which leaves the big boys, and we know what sphincters they can be. That's part of the reason MCS registered businessess charge so much for their services, they have to cover the overheads of running the paperwork system. MCS spout a lot of noise about quality, yet spend more time looking at the paperwork for your annual assessment than inspecting jobs. If they bothered to do spot checks on installation work, they might be worth bothering with. They don't, and we have seen lots of ***** installation work done by fly by night installers as a result.

 

[Mrjmegson]

Here here

 

[SUNBATH]

I find it more than irritating that sunsynk seems to force this by not providing warranty / technical help for their equipment when it is not installed buy one is their approved MCS installers. It is even hard to find that information on their website. Just the negative reviews pointed that out.

So which other inverter will work not just with pylontech batteries but for example with octopus agile too please?
Anyone using it in this way already?

@binky , does Solis and Fox work with octopus agile ?

 

[johnb2713]

I find it more than irritating that sunsynk seems to force this by not providing warranty / technical help for their equipment when it is not installed buy one is their approved MCS installers. It is even hard to find that information on their website. Just the negative reviews pointed that out.

So which other inverter will work not just with pylontech batteries but for example with octopus agile too please?
Anyone using it in this way already?

@binky , does Solis and Fox work with octopus agile ?

I think there's a slight weakness in this approach with agile linking in to the inverters. What happens if you change energy supplier, agile changes or octopus gets rid of agile all together?
I feel a better approach although a little more work is involved, is to use an inverter linked to home assistant which can connect to anything including agile and the power saving sessions etc. A lot more flexibility and future proofing with minimal outlay in hardware cost (it runs on a Raspberry Pi) the software is free. I have mine configured to change the level of charge I give the batteries overnight dependent on the weather forecast for the next day as an example. I also have it controlling my EV charger in a similar way.
It would give you a much greater choice of inverter, if you want one with good community support and great quality, look at Victron, maybe sit down first though, the price can be on the high side.

 

[SUNBATH]

I think there's a slight weakness in this approach with agile linking in to the inverters. What happens if you change energy supplier, agile changes or octopus gets rid of agile all together?
I feel a better approach although a little more work is involved, is to use an inverter linked to home assistant which can connect to anything including agile and the power saving sessions etc. A lot more flexibility and future proofing with minimal outlay in hardware cost (it runs on a Raspberry Pi) the software is free. I have mine configured to change the level of charge I give the batteries overnight dependent on the weather forecast for the next day as an example. I also have it controlling my EV charger in a similar way.
It would give you a much greater choice of inverter, if you want one with good community support and great quality, look at Victron, maybe sit down first though, the price can be on the high side.

Damn it, you are so right. Thank you so much!I
I was so much focused on this function that I oversaw that possibility.

I even have the equipment here to setup home assistant, which I was planning too anyway, ust didn't got the time to install linux beside of windows 10.

Could you give me a hint on how to do this with home assistant?

Oh, and the question stands.. which hybrid inverter should I choose?
Not Sunsynk, for the above stated lack in service
and rather not Givenergy because of the incompatibility with pylontech batteries.

Thank you

 

[binky]

I find it more than irritating that sunsynk seems to force this by not providing warranty / technical help for their equipment when it is not installed buy one is their approved MCS installers. It is even hard to find that information on their website. Just the negative reviews pointed that out.

So which other inverter will work not just with pylontech batteries but for example with octopus agile too please?
Anyone using it in this way already?

@binky , does Solis and Fox work with octopus agile ?

both are compatible with Octopus

 

[johnb2713]

Damn it, you are so right. Thank you so much!I
I was so much focused on this function that I oversaw that possibility.

No problem, easy to get side tracked.

I even have the equipment here to setup home assistant, which I was planning too anyway, ust didn't got the time to install linux beside of windows 10.

I run it on an ultra small form factor DELL PC, it's overkill for this but has minimal consumption.

Could you give me a hint on how to do this with home assistant?

My Growatt inverter appeared in the devices in HA, it was relatively easy to track down the grid charging settings and read parameters like the battery capacity. A weather app was the source of radiance and a quick bit of simple coding allowed me to set parameters for charge dependent on weather. It's worked really well and some nights I only take around 30% into the batteries counting on solar to the rest and it does work. I have yet to see the performance in the summer.

Oh, and the question stands.. which hybrid inverter should I choose?

My Growatt works well BUT annoyingly only outputs 50% of it's rated power on battery only, my Victron Multiplus II is superb but expensive and doesnt have a PV input BUT it will talk to a Victron MPPT controller so it can addressed that way. As for the rest out there I dont know, just make sure it's on the DNO's approved list.

Not Sunsynk, for the above stated lack in service
and rather not Givenergy because of the incompatibility with pylontech batteries.

You could always make your own battery up, see my build thread elsewhere, considerable cost saving and you choose an appropriate BMS to match the inverter.

Thank you

Youre very welcome, please do keep us updated on what you decide etc.

 

[SUNBATH]

Thank you. I'll look into those.
Which one do you prefer and why if you don't mind me asking?

Wish there would be a comparison test for hybrid inverters, especially as they are not that supercheap to buy, but maybe they are all too close or this is to specific to gain much interest.

Thank you

 

[SUNBATH]

No problem, easy to get side tracked.


I run it on an ultra small form factor DELL PC, it's overkill for this but has minimal consumption.


My Growatt inverter appeared in the devices in HA, it was relatively easy to track down the grid charging settings and read parameters like the battery capacity. A weather app was the source of radiance and a quick bit of simple coding allowed me to set parameters for charge dependent on weather. It's worked really well and some nights I only take around 30% into the batteries counting on solar to the rest and it does work. I have yet to see the performance in the summer.


My Growatt works well BUT annoyingly only outputs 50% of it's rated power on battery only, my Victron Multiplus II is superb but expensive and doesnt have a PV input BUT it will talk to a Victron MPPT controller so it can addressed that way. As for the rest out there I dont know, just make sure it's on the DNO's approved list.


You could always make your own battery up, see my build thread elsewhere, considerable cost saving and you choose an appropriate BMS to match the inverter.


Youre very welcome, please do keep us updated on what you decide etc.

Thank you very much again. Great input!!

I need to look into some recommended inverters and start to setup home assistant... Im not into coding as you did but let's see what I can figure.

Have all a great weekend

 

[johnb2713]

Thank you. I'll look into those.
Which one do you prefer and why if you don't mind me asking?

I'm seriously considering removing my Growatt system purely because of it's poor performance on battery only and replacing it with a Victron system and another home built battery.
Bladerunnerpv was asking about Victron's EasySolar-II and that looks a very tidy solution with everything built in, the GX version will give you all the comms you'd ever need. I dont know the pricing though.
If it was me I would currently go Victron Multiplus II, Victron MPPT, Fogstar Battery and Solar to your liking.

Wish there would be a comparison test for hybrid inverters, especially as they are not that supercheap to buy, but maybe they are all too close or this is to specific to gain much interest.

TBH in performance terms, I dont think there's much to choose between them all, it gets down to availability and support. Victron is great on both of these, theres a very active community and Victron themselves are readily available.

 

[bladerunnerpv]

The Easysolar-II in my post (48/3000/35-32 MPPT 250/70 GX) was £2061 with vat

It's bigger brother, Easysolar-II 48/5000/70-50 MPPT 250/100 GX, is £3322 with vat

 

[Mrjmegson]

Wow, how much!

The Easysolar-II in my post (48/3000/35-32 MPPT 250/70 GX) was £2061 with vat

It's bigger brother, Easysolar-II 48/5000/70-50 MPPT 250/100 GX, is £3322 with vat

As John said above, the Victron community is huge, and they are meant to be very easy to sort out yourself should any software issues arise.

I do like the sound of them, but they are double the price of pretty much everything else.

 

[johnb2713]

Wow, how much!

As John said above, the Victron community is huge, and they are meant to be very easy to sort out yourself should any software issues arise.

I do like the sound of them, but they are double the price of pretty much everything else.

I wouldn't agree with double, possibly double the bottom end of the market but you cant buy a Rolls Royce at Ford Escort money. Victron do make a much bigger range of equipment than any other manufacturer I know.

Pricelist for the whole range can be seen here, (prices are discounted on the open market) Victron Pricelist