This project began as a straightforward request from a professional couple who, after rediscovering the charm of their holiday home in Langebaan during the pandemic, decided to make it their permanent residence. Nestled in a stunning coastal village with panoramic views of the lagoon, their three-story property required a tailored energy solution that could grow with their needs.

Initially, their main priority was to ensure the lift - essential for their grandchildren - could run seamlessly, even during outages. We recommended a 5kW inverter to cover the lift, all lighting, and outlets throughout the entire home - a feat that few brands of 5kW inverters can manage for a property of this scale. In Phase 2, we introduced a substantial array of PV panels, providing so much solar power that the battery was fully charged by 9 a.m.! As their energy needs evolved, Phases 3 and 4 expanded their battery bank to 20kWh, ensuring ample storage for their growing solar capacity.

With additional PV panels installed in a later phase, we added another 5kWh of battery storage, bringing their system to a powerful 10kW hybrid inverter, 25kWh of battery backup, and 20 PV panels distributed across two MPPTs. The setup is further enhanced by Node-RED scripts, optimizing energy management to power this stunning property rain or shine. This six-phase journey is a testament to the beauty of a well-planned, modular system, delivering seamless, off-grid capability while the couple enjoys their idyllic coastal lifestyle.

Components:

• 2x Victron MultiPlus-II 48/5000/70 Inverter;
• Victron SmartSolar 250/100 MPPT with 12x 535W PV modules
• Victron SmartSolar 250/60 MPPT with 8x 415W PV modules
• Victron Cerbo GX + Touch50;
• Victron Lynx DC Busbar system;
• 5x Freedom Won Lite 5/4 Lithium Batteries

Notes:

• ESS enabled
• Node-RED enabled to put system in 'off-grid' mode when battery is above 30% and reconnect when battery is on 20%. This makes larger systems more energy efficient by eliminating the +5w/-5w energy seepage to and from the grid that all Hybrid system have.
• a Second Node-RED script allows to use a second geyser as a dump load once lithium batteries are fully charged.