For safety reasons, the output of balcony power plants is limited. Larger systems must always be installed by a specialist. This device could change that in the future. Triple the output for balcony power plants would be possible – without costly intervention in power lines.
The output of balcony power plants must be limited to 600 watts for registration in a simplified procedure. In order to connect a larger system, interested parties must meet much stricter requirements and take into account higher safety requirements. With this device, three times the output of balcony power plants would be possible. Without an electrician having to make complex adjustments to the house wiring.
TRIPLE THE POWER OF BALCONY POWER PLANTS – THE READY2PLUGIN FEED-IN MONITOR
The ready2plugin feed-in monitor from the start-up indielux is intended to enable triple the output of balcony power plants. Completely without the replacement of an inverter or work on the in-house power lines by an electrician. As a result, instead of the previous 600 watt power limit of balcony power plants , up to 1,800 watts could flow directly into the house socket. According to the company, an output of up to 3,800 watts is even possible with the addition of a power storage unit .
The reasons for limiting classic balcony power plants to 600 watts are simple. The simplified registration should enable consumers to get their own PV modules without a lot of bureaucracy . However , it also takes safety into account . Large systems that send significantly more electricity through the house lines do not only have to be considered with regard to the stability of the grid. If you feed too much electricity into your electrical lines with your solar device, they can overheat. In the worst case, there is a risk of fire. In order to prevent such accidents, the electrical engineering standard provides for the definition of a so-called power reserve. So that you can use larger PV systems thanbalcony power plants , this power reserve must be carried out by a qualified electrician. As a result, the installation of larger PV systems is more expensive and the registration procedures are more complex and lengthy.
The ready2plugin feed monitor from indielux starts at this point. Thanks to the smart helper, it should no longer be necessary for a qualified electrician to check the cables. The feed-in monitor independently checks how much electricity is currently being consumed and uses this to determine the current power reserve. He also takes into account how long it would take to feed in additional solar power before the lines overheated. For this orientation, the device calculates with a temperature limit of 70 degrees. Should there unexpectedly be a malfunction in the device, the helper disconnects the inverter of the modules from the mains to prevent the cables from overheating.
TAKE SPECIAL CARE WHEN COMMISSIONING A SOLAR SYSTEM WITHOUT A FEED-IN MONITOR
The start-up indielux points out that before you operate a plug-in solar device without your own feed-in monitor, you always have to check the electricity meters and cables from the fuse box to the feed-in socket. Only electricity meters that have a backstop or can already measure in two directions are suitable for connecting solar modules. If your meter does not belong to the appropriate models, you must arrange for your meter to be replaced by your metering point operator in order to be able to connect the PV system .
In addition to checking the meter, a line check is required. So that you can use your plug-in solar device without ready2plugin, the line from the distributor to the feed socket must have a power reserve according to VDE 0100:551. This power reserve must be greater than the maximum current of the plug-in solar device. In addition, the power socket must be marked with the cable reserve. How high the line reserve is can be determined according to DIN VDE 0298-4 according to the way your lines are laid. If the line reserve is less than the output of your balcony power plant , an electrician must install an additional fuse in the circuit to increase it.
However, there are exceptions. If circuit breakers are available, a maximum of 2.6 amps can be connected in every household in Germany – which corresponds exactly to the 600 watts to which the inverters limit the balcony power plant output. As a rule, most fuse boxes should have such a circuit breaker. However, if the solar device is to be plugged into an old building, such a safety instance may not be available.
