Installing Australia's Fastest Home EV Charger (And It Works Off-Grid!)

[@andrewmcdonald774]

Brilliant video. Thank you. Finn, for the clarity of your explanation and great annimations. Finally, a great system for three-phase homes. Looking forward to the follow-up video in six to twelve months.

[@markpurcell4507]

Nice combination of features, certainly worth considering for new sites. Let's see how well the 'simple software update' statement ages.

[@lklmmedia4715]

I'm a Victron person through and through for ESS, but looking at this - it seems like a worthwhile system to have installed Simply as a Home ESS system without even considering the EV Charging capabilities!

[@womble042]

I’m waiting for a Victron DC bi-directional charger….. 🤞

[@AleksPTA]

That's cool, will look into it to install when my house build is done

[@jimi-w]

I hope Sigenergy and similar platforms are massively successful in Australia… because I just installed a 10kW Fronius Gen24 and I want a system like this next time!

[@semsolar9273]

fronius >30 years of tech history. sigenergy new tech history = ?

[@jimi-w]

@@semsolar9273 Won’t be so new in 10+ years when my Fronius is up for replacement 🙂

[@willhall2468]

@@semsolar9273 actually more experience than most - the CEO and most of the senior team came from the worlds largest inverter/battery brand

[@gregselkirk4224]

Thanks Finn, great video. It would be great in the future to understand the whole setup including solar panels, the total cost and whether it would be possible for city/city fringe homes to go off-grid. I am prepared to make the switch when I know I can buy a car with bi-directional charging and just need a little extra assurance I can make it work. Or the enthusiasm you have!

[@JohnWickFour]

Oh wow, finally a local video of exactly what I want 👏 Bit surprised the VTG box module was pricey, otherwise LFG 👍

[@flukeylukey7559]

You can opt for less batteries.

[@willhall2468]

@@flukeylukey7559 You can start with just inverter, then add a battery later, then add more batteries even later, then add the DC charger even later! Fully modular and totally flexible.... it's just like an expensive lego set!

[@pmacgowan]

The most important thing is that batteries are LFP

[@mreazi1340]

Can see Will so excited at the back haha

[@willhall2468]

haha i was very very excited!

[@Leveetsta]

I was recently quoted $27200 for a 32kw Sigen system with a 10kw inverter. Exceptionally positive reviews about them, but that works out to $680 a quarter for the next 10 years. My winter bill, the highest of the year was $540. I so much want all the benefits but it’s just too hard to justify.

[@AlexWoolaston]

Have you looked at Amber electric? A battery that size you could sell back to the grid at wholesale prices and make the difference back

[@willhall2468]

Also worth noting that our batteries are fully modular and independently optimised which means it couldn’t be easier to add more batteries in the future…. Start smaller and add more batteries when the budget allows

[@SmartEnergyLab]

@@willhall2468 the modularity of the Sigenergy battery is a winning feature. No need to match them on age or capacity... just add them as you need.

[@brnatlas9611]

@@AlexWoolastonlove to see figures on how realistic that would be

[@Arycama]

If your winter bill was $540, you most likely don't need a 32kwh battery. You could most likely halve it to a 16kwh, which is what I'm looking at, though my bills are higher than yours, you might even be able to go lower to 13 or 10kwh. (Since it's modular, you can start small, then add-on later if needed)

[@FutureSystem738]

Nice! I’d have one of these in a heartbeat! However it would be VERY difficult, expensive, and involved on our existing house/solar/switchboard setup.

[@naomiwelk4291]

Needs to intergrate with Amber smart shift! Yesterday, in Adelaide, I had my solar curtail to zero output and ran my house and charged my PW2 at negative prices. All I up I was paid $35. I could only imagine what it would be like using this in the same way and charging a car at 25kw as well.

[@willhall2468]

Integration complete - should be announcing next week

[@millin-avp-educationav-kin9128]

Great demo buys!! I will email you about a PV carport plan I have - this may be the prefect fit for a battery pack!

[@SmartEnergyLab]

Actually Finn... we beat you to the title of "Australia's Fastest Home EV Charger" with my SigenStor with 25 kW DC EV charger modules installed a few months ago :)

[@SolarQuotes]

😬😬🤢

[@SmartEnergyLab]

@@SolarQuotes kzbin.info/www/bejne/pmrLZmCqfsdnj6M

[@lukem7570]

Also in SA?

[@SmartEnergyLab]

@@lukem7570 In Victoria on our off-grid microgrid

[@SolarQuotes]

Australia’s fastest on grid home EV Charger 🫢

[@wilkothewiz]

Do you need to have a 3 phase 415v input to the house to get the max output DC output to the car? Or will a single phase 240v input feed the DC charger with the same DC output speed.

[@VitalStatistics-t7t]

Awesome!

[@michaelchong4648]

If I had a V2L car like the new XPeng G6, these numbers look like they’d be enough to go off grid….maybe for the bulk of my Melbourne year?

[@diycave5144]

Wow love these reviews. Seems like a proper alternative to the Powerwall 3

[@SolarQuotes]

It is!

[@diycave5144]

@@SolarQuotes If you haven’t already thought of it, would you consider doing a comparison of the Powerwall vs the Sygenergy?

[@davidissko9796]

In 3 phase, it's a Victron alternative, rather than a Tesla Powerwall anything.

[@RayJohnson1980]

you forgot to mention that this invert can do up to 40kw due to the 4 mppt's, and 1 inverter can do up to 48kwh of battery storage or 6 x 8kwh modules

[@celts88-78]

40kW allowed over East, whereas here in WA maximum we're restricted to 30kW maximum and only 15kW inverter - that's due to the Western Power caveman rules we have here in WA.

[@RayJohnson1980]

should have mentioned that if got the home max TP home gateway can take 2 inverters for a total amount of 52.6kw of power and 96kwh of storage and 2 x 25kw dc chargers

[@SolarQuotes]

Good point - but we've learned that not overwhelming people with numbers is important on YT. It's always a balance of how much info you throw at viewers, and what people can absorb.

[@willhall2468]

Home & HomeMax Gateways are no longer being offered. It's simply either a single phase or 3 phase gateway. Both versions have generator input

[@RayJohnson1980]

@@willhall2468 so what do you do if 1 system is not enough?

[@willhall2468]

@@RayJohnson1980 Parallel as many as you need

[@RayJohnson1980]

but forgot to mention that the 25kw is not peak because it has a 0.8 leading and lagging power factor so can only get up to 27500va or 30kw for 10 secs

[@JoshuaMcTackett]

I feel like a powerwall 3 with some DC expansions would be a more balanced option! Imagine if they enabled bidirectional charging in the cars 👌

[@stephenbrickwood1602]

Good video. 👍 😊

[@SolarQuotes]

🙏 we enjoyed making it.

[@stephenbrickwood1602]

@SolarQuotes just my thoughts. Nuclear electricity needs 24/7 cashflow. Grid to customers needs 24/7 cashflow. Customers ARE the cashflow. When the sunshines 🌞 With rooftop 7kw PV and 10kwh home battery then NO cashflow to the grid. More customers offgrid for longer With rooftop PV and BV's 100kwh battery and V2G then no cashflow to the grid from all the battery vehicle owners The FREE battery storage with BV's oversized battery parked 23hrs every day and all night long. More customers permanently offgrid.????? Or the grid takes the customers dirt cheap electricity and supplies more industrial customers. The GRID KEEPS ITS CASHFLOW. Happy days. 😊 No nuclear monopolising government money.

[@conantafline4128]

Um .... Finn, why at 1:00 into the clip, do you throw the old AC charger in landfill rubbish - should it not be taken to electro-waste?

[@SolarQuotes]

Yes. Fear not we fished it out after the shot.

[@conantafline4128]

@@SolarQuotes Great - thanks

[@johnrogers1423]

What an absolutely terrible message. At least eco waste it or better still reuse it.

[@SolarQuotes]

@@johnrogers1423 Sounds like you didn't appreciate the joke.

[@johnrogers1423]

@@SolarQuotes I am not sure how anyone was meant to see it as a joke. I hope that it went to a new home.

[@Dean-vt2qz]

Is it possible to get this installed in Victoria and just not connected to grid so we can use bi-directional for V2H??

[@davidrumsey3180]

I believe that every Nissan Leaf ever sold is capable of bi-directional charging. Shame it has taken everyone else so long to understand that it is a great idea. If all EVs were equipped with bi-directional charging, and were plugged in to an appropriate charger when not in use, there would be fewer problems with grid stability, and there would be plenty of places to put the solar surplus...

[@geoffpetersson3463]

I'm on my second LEAF and still on the look out for a cost effective off-grid bi-directional charger to work with my original solar set up. I'm not that keen to buy another 10kw battery for cloudy days when i have a 60kwh battery in the LEAF!

[@dyemanoz]

We only have single phase (no room on the local transformer for 3 phase). Is there a single phase version of the system and if so what specs are different?).

[@SolarQuotes]

The DC EV charging modules and battery modules can be used on single phase. The inverter is available in 5kW and 6kW single phase.

[@Arycama]

@@SolarQuotes a 10kwh single-phase inverter is also 'coming soon' apparently!

[@willhall2468]

@@Arycama 1ph 5 & 6kW available now... 8, 10 & 12kW single phase will be CEC listed over the next couple of months

[@Dan4096]

I believe Cupra Born does support bidirectional charging

[@SolarQuotes]

@@Dan4096 we asked Cupra. They couldn’t confirm! Hopeless. So buyer beware.

[@sb4photos]

what options if your house is only single phase to dc charge

[@NashvilleAustralia]

What's the legalities if you're only installing these systems for off grid? Surely if it's being installed off grid, you can activate the bidirectional function now?

[@SolarQuotes]

YEP - if you have a car with DC bi directional charging

[@SirPhilby101]

What are the cars currently that can do bi directional in Aus ? Is your website up to date?

[@AlexWoolaston]

@@SirPhilby101 I emailed will from sigenergy. Currently nio do it in china and they are working with some other (undisclosed) companies

[@SolarQuotes]

Currently, Nissan Leaf Gen2 and Outlander PHEV, but we are expecting some new (to Australia) Chinese cars soon that can do proper DC bidirectional.

[@tobya8004]

@@SolarQuotesNissan Leaf is chademo connection, not ccs2. Is there a way to get around that?

[@HarmLessSolutionsNZ]

Japan mandated bidi for all EVs (Leaf, Outlander) made there post Fukushima (2013 on) to help grid resilience. Kia have V2G functionality on the EV5 & EV9 I believe, as does the Polestar4 and some VW models. Most manufacturers will move towards offering this functionality in the coming years and hopefully the choices of bidi chargers will progress accordingly.

[@willhall2468]

@@tobya8004 Not at this stage

[@rodsmyth]

When car charging via DC does the power come directly out of the battery ie DC - DC charging without any use of AC in an intermediate step?

[@SolarQuotes]

By default to charge at 25kW this will first use solar then 16kW of battery and the rest from the grid if needed

[@rodsmyth]

If only using the system as a car charger via solar and battery does the system need a grid connection and an inverter?

[@willhall2468]

@@rodsmyth Doesn't need grid connection but does need inverter

[@rodsmyth]

@@willhall2468 thanks for replying but what I am trying to determine is does the DC current coming out of the battery to charge the car ever become AC current which would then need to be converted back to DC to charge the car. If not then what is the role of the inverter in this use case? DC - DC voltage conversion perhaps?

[@willhall2468]

@@rodsmyth No conversion, purely DC. Each battery has a DC-DC optimiser built into it and each inverter has EMS and PCS built into it

[@fdsteve-x2g]

OK V2G is not enabled yet - due to cars/network not ready... but some cars do support V2G, so Can it do V2H? - i.e. V2G but limited to not exceed the homes usage to keep network happy.

[@rodsmyth]

@rodsmyth If only using the system as a car charger via solar and battery does the system need a grid connection and an inverter?

[@SolarQuotes]

yes - inverter power needs at least match EV charger power

[@KirbyHaines]

The bit about the whole setup needing to be where just your EV charger is now will rule a few people out I reckon. I didn't see any mention of an IP rating either. Can this be installed outdoors at all?

[@SolarQuotes]

yes

[@aaron_333]

Sigenergy's data sheet says it is IP66 rated.

[@willhall2468]

IP66 rated. If you are limited with space, then we have a longer cable for the DC charger up to 10mtrs.... otherwise you can opt for one of our standalone AC chargers (7/11/22kW) which you can install anywhere but still integrate with the smarts and control of our system.... but you won't be able to do bi-directional charging with our AC chargers

[@Snerdles]

So they want 8k for the hope that some time in the future it might work?

[@SolarQuotes]

DC charging works now. But yes, bi-directional is dependent on the cars and DNSP permissions

[@Snerdles]

@@SolarQuotes Even in the EU they only list Nio vehicles so far. In North America they go under Point Guard Energy, and they have zero vehicles. So selling hopes and dreams doesn't seem like a good business model.

[@ccgmail8025]

@@SolarQuotes with V2G news now, I wonder if they have a timeline for this software update. Can you ask them?

[@cad4246]

Interesting for truly off grid. Modest battery for when you're away. Charge car remotely. House runs off the car whilst you're in.

[@KiwiShoot]

WOW ! Do want ! :-)

[@chrisperera2818]

Some EVs can charge at 22kW AC on three phase. I mean that’s expensive just to charge at 24kW DC.

[@AlexWoolaston]

So what’s the rumours around the cars that will work on the v2g?

[@MatthewBayard]

Tesla will have v2g will be out in 2 weeks ;)

[@AlexWoolaston]

@@MatthewBayard 😅

[@AlexWoolaston]

@@MatthewBayard seriously though, if Tesla allow another company to use v2g with their cars it would be amazing. It would never happen though IMO

[@HarmLessSolutionsNZ]

@@AlexWoolaston Too much of a conflict with their Powerwall market.

[@hadtobe4502]

Does it handle 3 phase, unlike Powerwall.

[@SolarQuotes]

@@hadtobe4502 yes

[@John-B91]

What is the cost of a unit with 6 batteries, no car charger, and can it be connected to a 15kW Enphase solar system? Who do I call for accurate prices and an installation in Western Sydney.

[@marsspacex6065]

11 kw charging is fine for home charging

[@davidissko9796]

so is 7kW but 25kW DC is also fine. Whichever suits you best.

[@encee5595]

What about installation of a Chademo charger for SA clients? I'm looking for V2H.

[@evchargeaustralia3169]

Unfortunately, the only bi-directional CHAdeMO charger approved for use in SA was discontinued shortly after the approval was granted.

[@davidf5609]

You put the Zappi in the bin! Those aren't cheap.

[@SolarQuotes]

@@davidf5609 don’t worry we took it out again!

[@brnatlas9611]

Thought you said not worth it? How can you justify 32k plus gateway on battery system and. Charger?

[@SolarQuotes]

@@brnatlas9611 This video is simply showing what’s available, what it can do and what it costs.

[@wapphigh5250]

Sure while we all die waiting for what is basically vaporware - bidirectional charging

[@willhall2468]

Care to elaborate?

[@DeveloperChris]

"Nice spirit level in the centre to get it level" and then uses a builders level to actually get it level.

[@SolarQuotes]

😵

[@stephenbrickwood1602]

If BVs oversized battery is parked 23hrs every day and all night long, then 10kwh home battery is big enough. Daily drives are very small kWh users. Ezi pezi to top up daily.

[@av_oid]

And it’s 50k installed with panels?

[@SolarQuotes]

This spec would be about that, yes.

[@AnthonySarino-f7n]

Really struggling to see the benefit of this. 7kW overnight is more than enough for a weekly charge. Can someone enlighten me of an example lifestyle which this would benefit?

[@simonr32gtr]

Just a note, the math's doesn't add up on the system to $28,000, it's more like $36,000

[@SolarQuotes]

DC EV Charger ~$8,600 Retail, 25kW, 3ph inverter ~$6,000, 8kWh battery modules x 3 ~$4500 each: = ~$28,100 - Gateway is another $2k. But the stack is about $28k worth. WIll add a note that its $28k + gateway

[@simonr32gtr]

​@SolarQuotes you're forgetting a battery!

[@SolarQuotes]

@simonr32gtr good point! Add another $4500. My bad. WIll add a correction to the video.

[@MrTuckmaster]

Mate, that's not so true! My Taycan charges via AC at 22kws, as well as my son's BWM iX1-on three phase 32A, no issue at all….

[@SolarQuotes]

Who said they don’t?

[@ha1234]

9:18 Hey Finn, great video. Just wondering, can you please elaborate on waiting 6 months for cars that can do bi directional charging? I thought the BYD vehicles can discharge via the ccs2 port already. Thanks

[@SolarQuotes]

BYD can do ~3kW V2L (Vehicle to Load) via the *AC* pins on its Type 2 socket. The SigEnergy DC EV charger in the video is a DC bidirectional charger, so it requires a car that can do DC bidirectional charging via the *DC* pins on the CCS2 socket.

[@ha1234]

Thank for the explanation

[@stephenstevens5746]

BUT DOES IT HAVE AUTO BIDDER LIKE TESLA ?

[@GaryV-p3h]

If it's capable of running the whole home and charging the car why would you want to be connected to the grid.

[@semsolar9273]

charging at 25kWh... what % of owners have a battery capacity to support that? or is that wank factor for covering the gap with grid feed?

[@semsolar9273]

or will this discharge battery + array for a combined 25kWh?

[@willhall2468]

@@semsolar9273 It utilises PV, then batteries, then grid if required. You're right, 25kW will be overkill for most resi installs, which is why we also do a 12.5kW DC Charger. But the 25kW DC charger is a great solution for commercial clients.... you can parallel unlimited stacks together to go as big as you want (recently did a winery with 63 stacks / 3MWh), so having a few stacks with 25kW DC chargers would be a good fast charge stop off for those that need to get out on the road quickly

[@kosmokramer9502]

There’s absolutely no point in installing DC charging into a private home. AC charging is all anyone needs.

[@PT-ww9nc]

Too expensive. I will wait for more competition coming out from China.

[@apemaster6976]

This is cool but completely useless. There is 0 and I mean absolutely 0 need for dc charging at home, if you have the money go for it but just know you are throwing it down the drain. It charges 2x faster than a normal ac charger but that takes about 10hrs, so this still takes 5hrs, what’s the point it’s not fast enough to warrant being useful and you don’t want it to be that fast anyway, fast charging especially over 1c all the time will damage your battery. The inverter and battery are fine I install lots of systems like that but the dc ev charger is pointless at best, and anyone who says otherwise doesn’t understand how to properly live with an electric car and has too much money to waste.

[@stephenbrickwood1602]

For clarity, if you want to understand, just look at the basics. The national electricity transmission grid is the connection between millions and millions and millions and millions of customers and their supply of CASH. $100sBILLIONS cashflow. The nation's 100 years to build, $TRILLIONS infrastructure investment. Obviously the owner's need the $100sBILLIONS in cashflow for this $TRILLIONS investment, its maintenance and emergencies. The real relationship is between the $TRILLIONS grid and the millions and millions and millions of customers and their $100sBILLIONS of cash. 😊😊😊😊

[@dikkybee4003]

You do realise that only rich people can afford this setup unlike most people who live week to week on what they earn which is a majority of people who you are insulting?

[@stephenbrickwood1602]

@dikkybee4003 I do not mean to insult. Early adopters will do this first. It will take 20 years to happen. I have gas appliances that will cost to be replaced. When I eventually go all electric. Nuclear promoters are misleading the Australian population, about their solution to worldwide CO2 emissions and their climate change solution.