Sunny Boy SPS?

[dannieboiz]

Was browsing around and saw a youtube video about the Sunny Boy SPS system which provide a little bit of power during a grid outage. Thought it's kind of cool. Anyone have anyone here use them?

[dshenmdyn]

Was browsing around and saw a youtube video about the Sunny Boy SPS system which provide a little bit of power during a grid outage. Thought it's kind of cool. Anyone have anyone here use them?

I have it installed as nice-to-have. It's just as what they said on Youtube.
PGE has been reliable in my place. So i don't know how frequent I will have the chance to use it though.

[solar_newbie]

I have it installed as nice-to-have. It's just as what they said on Youtube.
PGE has been reliable in my place. So i don't know how frequent I will have the chance to use it though.

All my 20 years in bay area, I recall to have maximum 60 minutes in 1 night not to have power. I guess it would be great during earthquake .

[solarix]

Many people would like to have some off-grid capability but really have a hard time justifying spending much to achieve it. I've heard many customers say: "you mean I just spent $$$$ on a solar system and if the power goes off, I'm out just like my neighbors?" Those that inquire about off-grid or hybrid systems are rapidly put off by the $5-10,000 additional it will cost. The great thing about the SMA SPS feature is it gives people the peace of mind that, even though they may well never use it, if a serious outage happens - their investment in a solar system will help them through it (at no extra cost). So far, we haven't had much experience with actually using the SPS feature, but SMA is our first choice in inverters.

[solar_newbie]

Many people would like to have some off-grid capability but really have a hard time justifying spending much to achieve it. I've heard many customers say: "you mean I just spent $$$$ on a solar system and if the power goes off, I'm out just like my neighbors?" Those that inquire about off-grid or hybrid systems are rapidly put off by the $5-10,000 additional it will cost. The great thing about the SMA SPS feature is it gives people the peace of mind that, even though they may well never use it, if a serious outage happens - their investment in a solar system will help them through it (at no extra cost). So far, we haven't had much experience with actually using the SPS feature, but SMA is our first choice in inverters.

If I go that round, I guess a 10KWH battery from tesla or new 1 KWH from enphase will be better . At least you can leverage during the 10 years life time.

[inetdog]

To the extent that it adds very little to the cost of an already premium priced product, it is attractive for rural users or doomsdayers.
I think that they have done the best they can with a practical batteryless design.

[bcroe]

Many people would like to have some off-grid capability but really have a hard time justifying spending much to achieve it. I've heard many customers say: "you mean I just spent $$$$ on a solar system and if the power goes off, I'm out just like my neighbors?" Those that inquire about off-grid or hybrid systems are rapidly put off by the $5-10,000 additional it will cost. The great thing about the SMA SPS feature is it gives people the peace of mind that, even though they may well never use it, if a serious outage happens - their investment in a solar system will help them through it (at no extra cost). So far, we haven't had much experience with actually using the SPS feature, but SMA is our first choice in inverters.

I keep explaining that my solar is about energy management; it has nothing to do with emergency
backup. That has been in place since the previous century. A generator and a tank of propane will
keep me reasonably comfortable for a while. If those resources are used up, we are really in trouble.

Bruce Roe

[Justjames]

I will have one install soon, but I dont care much about SPS feature. First it is loaded only 1500 watt and can use only when panel generate energy no night time i guess. Lucky that Im with moreno valley utility company where we have our own electric generaters and we hardly have back out(knock on wood)

[peakbagger]

I live up in the woods but my power is quite reliable. I have had a standby portable generator in the back of my garage since 2000 with a patch cord to backfeed my panel (please note that patch cord is illegal as I don't have a interlock on my incoming line) , I ran it once to help someone build a deck and then drained it and it has never run since then. The SPS is nice to have for showing off the system but I expect unless someone is in an area prone to power outages not much use. The only reason that its offered is the Japan requires inverters to have this feature to get incentives. If the power is truly unreliable in any area to the point where the SPS get used, a Honda generator and a couple of gas cans of non ethanol fuel is going to be the easiest solution.

Pick the best inverter for your application an if it happens to have SPS great. If its a toss up go SPS.

[Naptown]

I live up in the woods but my power is quite reliable. I have had a standby portable generator in the back of my garage since 2000 with a patch cord to backfeed my panel (please note that patch cord is illegal as I don't have a interlock on my incoming line) , I ran it once to help someone build a deck and then drained it and it has never run since then. The SPS is nice to have for showing off the system but I expect unless someone is in an area prone to power outages not much use. The only reason that its offered is the Japan requires inverters to have this feature to get incentives. If the power is truly unreliable in any area to the point where the SPS get used, a Honda generator and a couple of gas cans of non ethanol fuel is going to be the easiest solution.

Pick the best inverter for your application an if it happens to have SPS great. If its a toss up go SPS.

For those wondering where to get gas without ethanol about the only places i know of are airports that serve small aircraft.

[peakbagger]

For those wondering where to get gas without ethanol about the only places i know of are airports that serve small aircraft.

Thankfully, we can get ethanol free gas up here in the woods at a few locations. Ethanol gas raises heck with small engines and seasonal recreation vehicles (ATVs, boat motors and snowmobiles). Many a small engine has been hauled to the dump with ruined carb.

Just need to know where to look http://pure-gas.org/

Its usually a bit more so not worth running in a daily driver but it the engine is going to sit for few months its worth it. It also tends to keep its octane rating longer than ethanol blends.

[jflorey2]

If I go that round, I guess a 10KWH battery from tesla or new 1 KWH from enphase will be better

If you want to spend the extra $3000 for something you might use once, go for it. Most people are sensitive to additional cost for a limited-use function.

As mentioned, the good thing about the SPS is that it is no additional cost or labor (well, a few $$ for the outlet and switch.) I had friends and family living in New York during Sandy, and several friends lost a lot of food to spoilage and lost the contents of their basement (including walls, wiring, furnace etc) to flooding. 1500 watts for 6 hours a day would have made a huge difference to them - and a $200 UPS would have extended that to lights and cellphone charging at night.

[Naptown]

My emergency power out back up lights are as cheap as you can get.
I have a bunch of solar garden lights that you can remove the top portion from.
Charge up during the day and bring in at dark. Set on table bulb up.
Not a lot of light but enough to function and not have to run the generator.

[dannieboiz]

It's kind of funny that I started this thread... I got a call from PG&E 10 minutes ago about an outage in the area of my rental. It'll be down for 3 hours.

With this power, it's useful to start up the coffee machine, microwave foods for the kids etc...

Kind of like insurance, you're paying for it hoping nothing would happen. I don't think I'll do it when I get mine install it's just a thought.

[ButchDeal]

It's kind of funny that I started this thread... I got a call from PG&E 10 minutes ago about an outage in the area of my rental. It'll be down for 3 hours.

With this power, it's useful to start up the coffee machine, microwave foods for the kids etc...

Kind of like insurance, you're paying for it hoping nothing would happen. I don't think I'll do it when I get mine install it's just a thought.

Unless you have a small microwave I doubt you will be able to start it with the SPS