The City of Willoughby Hills, Ohio is a picturesque suburb East of Cleveland and not far from the shore of Lake Erie. This client had received quotes from local solar installation companies in the Cleveland area, but contacted us because he wasn't keen on the proprietary nature of the technology on the quotes. Each of those systems required everything to make by one company, limiting his options for expansion or adding new features to his system. We provided several options and the eventually the client decided a Victron Energy system, paired with Pytes V5° batteries, was the right solution for him.
In North America, Victron systems are not usually installed in grid-connected homes because Victron does not have the requisite UL listings for full grid interactivity. This is disappointing because in most other use cases, Victron Energy has an amazing suite of products. However, the client was not interested in selling any excess solar production back to the utility. He wanted to store the energy he produced in lithium batteries and only utilize his grid connection during extended periods of cloudy weather, which is typical of NE Ohio in the winter. Since grid interactivity was not necessary, we were able to use Victron Energy products and pass inspection.
The design
Since the owner had lived in the house for several years, it was easy to determine what his power and energy needs would be to satisfy his electrical needs most of the year. Since they have a fully electric home, Off-Grid Power Systems (OGPS) first recommended the replacement of some major electrical loads. Fortunately, the customer was already planning to replace their central HVAC system and hot water heater along with the asphalt shingle roof. The timing was perfect.
We suggested a high-efficiency, inverter-driven heat pump (augmented with a wood stove if ever needed) and a hybrid heat pump hot water heater. At OGPS, we believe energy efficiency should be the first upgrades a homeowner, cabin owner, or business should address before spending significant money on energy production and storage. We could sell a larger system to the client to operate their older, inefficient appliances, but that doesn't align with our values. It's better for the planet we all live on to reduce our energy consumption and the burning of fossil fuels.
The system
- Four Victron Energy MultiPlus-II 48/5000 inverter chargers configured for 240V/120V for a total inverter capacity of 20kVA or 16kW continuous.
- Sixteen Pytes V5° battery modules for a total energy storage capacity of 80kWh
- 55 Hyperion 400W solar panels rated at 22kW peak production with full rapid shutdown capability
- SunModo NanoRack rail-less PV mounting system on the roof
- Three Victron Energy SmartSolar MPPT 450/200 solar charge controllers
- A Victron Energy Ekrano GX with wall mount, to provide enough compute capacity for full system automation with third party devices. For example, if the main battery bank is below 50% remaining charge, the electric vehicle charger can be shut off.
The four inverters were required to supply enough power to an all-electric home and still pass-through his full utility service if ever needed. It made wiring a little more challenging, but in the end it was one of the cleanest installations we've ever performed. And with the Pytes battery bank, the client can easily run the house for one to two days without any modification to the way they live. By turning off large loads, they will have electricity during a week long utility outage!
Since the home is a large, single story home, there is ample remaining roof space for additional solar panels. The system was designed to easily accommodate additional battery storage as well. So the client has complete control of his system, can easily add power automation to his system, and can expand his system in the years to come. This is why he chose Off-Grid Power Systems for his on-grid home over the other installation companies he first worked with.
The verdict
In the client's own words:
"Working with Off-Grid Power Systems was one of the best decisions I made. I shopped around quite a bit at first looking for solar providers that would both meet my specific needs with a custom solution and not break the bank. OGPS definitely hit the mark on both ends.
In 2024, we went through a very tough family situation. In the middle of that we had a large storm that knocked out our power for four and a half days in the middle of the August heat. That’s when I decided we would never have to go through that again. So long as the sun is shining, which we estimate to be for around the next 5 billion years or so, we should have no issues. Amazingly, with our particular setup, we are still generating enough power to run the house during the day even on very cloudy days.
Not to mention walking into my basement now feels like walking into the starship Enterprise. It is very cool, it is very useful, and I look forward to expanding even more in the future."
Yes, Off-Grid Power Systems does more than off-grid cabins, businesses, and vehicles. Having access to utility power actually makes it easier for us to design and install fully self-sufficient homes since we have utility power to fall back on during long periods of foul weather. Since every project we undertake is performed according to applicable codes, standards, and best practices, pulling permits and getting inspections is easy since even our off-grid systems are code-compliant.
If you prefer a solution customized for your specific needs or turn-key installation, contact Off-Grid Power Systems at 740.234.3434 or visit us at https://offgridps.com.