{"id":73261,"date":"2023-05-04T06:45:24","date_gmt":"2023-05-03T20:15:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/?p=73261"},"modified":"2023-05-04T20:46:39","modified_gmt":"2023-05-04T10:16:39","slug":"selectronic-sp-pro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/selectronic-sp-pro\/","title":{"rendered":"Selectronic SP PRO: My Favourite Powerwall Alternative"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Selectronic<\/p>\n

If you are looking for the ultimate solar and battery system, whether on or off the grid, then in my opinion you should build it around the Selectronic SP PRO inverter. It is in a class of its own. I mean that in more ways than one, but you’ll have to indulge me while I explain. My personal favourite battery inverter, the Selectronic SP PRO is an Australian-made grid forming<\/em> inverter that can equally be used as a grid hybrid or stand-alone supply.<\/p>\n

Better than a Tesla Powerwall<\/h2>\n

The performance you can take for granted from an SP Pro simply isn’t supported by a Powerwall<\/a>. It’s not a soft-roader SUV that might get you through a sticky situation, it’s an army tank that ploughs through unaffected.<\/p>\n

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This is what a PROPER hybrid solar system looks like. Credit: Solar Depot<\/p><\/div>\n

The tech support is brilliant, absolutely nonpareil<\/a>, and the inverters themselves are the last word in reliability. They’re very flexible, conservatively rated<\/a> and capable (with 240% surge capacity) to the point you need not segregate the switchboard into essential and superfluous because they will run the whole house seamlessly. This is the technology that keeps the lights on for the Royal Flying Doctor Service at Innnamincka<\/a>.<\/a><\/p>\n

More Expensive Than A Powerwall<\/h2>\n

The catch is the price. The last one I installed (with 8kW of solar, a Fronius solar inverter and 14kWh of battery) was about $30k by the time the shouting died down. Incidentally, between March and December, monitoring shows that the customer has exported 1802kWh and consumed 1548kWh with just seventeen kWh imported<\/strong> from the grid.<\/p>\n

Compatible With Lots Of Batteries<\/h2>\n

Because of the nominal 48-volt input, they can have a dozen different types<\/a> of battery, in small or huge capacities, and different chemistries depending on your preferences. For this write-up, I have selected the new Selectronic Select Cell 13.44kWh<\/a> Lithium Iron Phosphate Batteries.<\/p>\n

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A 13 kWh Selectronic Select Cell Battery<\/p><\/div>\n

The SP PRO can be DC-Coupled<\/h2>\n

This post is part of our series on hybrid solar inverters as Tesla Powerwall alternatives<\/a>. A hybrid inverter will have solar panels and a battery both connected and managed simultaneously by one box.<\/p>\n

Whereas the Selectronic Pro – known as a battery inverter – can also have the DC output of solar panels charging straight into the battery. You simply add an ‘MPPT Solar Charge Controller’<\/a> (and a current shunt) then your solar is available to the SP PRO via the battery input.<\/p>\n

It’s a very flexible approach to managing a diverse hybrid system, and I recommend the superb Australian-made AERL<\/a> solar regulators to complete this setup.<\/p>\n

\"DCIt means you can DC Couple your solar and get all the benefits of DC coupling I talked about in my hybrid inverter post – the best being it allows significantly more solar to be installed than may otherwise be allowed by your local electricity network.<\/p>\n

The SP Pro Is Often AC Coupled<\/h2>\n

There are also many options to connect AC-coupled solar inverters<\/a> which will charge the battery, run your house or export to the grid, but unlike a one-box hybrid, Selectronic makes it easy to integrate black start capability or an auto-start generator.<\/p>\n

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The SP Pro Can Be A Single Phase Battery Inverter<\/h2>\n

If you just want to retrofit a battery to an existing solar panel array and single-phase inverter. It can do that (with full backup – of course).<\/p>\n

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Three SP Pros Can Back Up A Three Phase Solar Inverter<\/h2>\n

One problem with 3 phase solar inverters<\/a> is that they are hard to use with battery backup if you want to keep the solar running when the grid goes down. If you have a ‘Selectronic Certified’ compatible solar inverter, three SP-Pros can handle this task admirably. It won’t be cheap though…<\/p>\n

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Load Control Included<\/h2>\n

There are programmable outputs to manage energy with a mind-boggling array of priorities, i.e. controlling a hot water service according to solar yield, battery state of charge, time of day or grid quality while simultaneously charging or discharging batteries according to TOU grid pricing.<\/p>\n

All that control will involve lots of wires, and proper system integration, so a good installer will put thought into the design and cable management:<\/p>\n

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Not yet finished, but pre-building this board full of equipment and then making it swing off the wall for serviceability is a winner. Credit Solar Depot<\/p><\/div>\n

The Best Off-Grid Inverter In The World?<\/h2>\n

Despite being a great option for grid-connected hybrid solar systems, the core market for the SP Pro has always been off-gridders. Finn reckons they are the best off-grid inverters in the world, and I concur.<\/p>\n