481–490 of 492 posts
It would be quite smart if this battery only runs on a single power group. You could get like 2 or 3 of these and put them on your most important power groups. But you disable the power groups of nonessential but heavily consuming devices such as your car charger, heating, washing machine, or drying machine. That way, three small batteries that only power part of your house would be cheaper than powering your entire…
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> It has an "app" user interface, requiring both a cellular connection and the service remaining in business. Plus it wants WiFi so it can receive "software updates". What could possibly go wrong? Do not be so dismissive so fast without reading. The FAQs and the website says that they have a local interface and requires no internet for controlling it. E.g from https://pilaenergy.com/tech-specs "While we think you’ll…
Great that they are local first. Far too many IOT products getting bricked these days. Plus my parents can use this without having to explain how to use the app. Just show them the touch screen.
I have two questions: How are you funded? Hardware products are capital intensive. The cost of inventory alone can be a killer. The problem with buying a product like this is that an underfunded company can go "poof" inside of a year by quickly getting over its skis and gasping for air (money). And, of course, warranties are only as good as the life of the company. How much/how was it tested? Managing power can be da…
Pila is funded by venture capital firms. 100% agree, must be used and abused to ensure it’s ready for 10yrs. Pila extensively tests their units through multiple accelerated testing schemes. Plug to plug efficiency is >80%
You don't have to answer if this is too intrusive.
What's your runway?
I can't speak for others. In my case, I need to know a company is going to be around for a minimum of five, and, ideally, at least ten, years before adopting certain types of products.
For example, while I love the idea of SPAN, there is no way I am ripping out my panel to install one until it feels just as safe (long-term support, reliability, maintenance, safety, etc.) as, for example, the choice to buy SMA solar inverters or APC UPS systems.
I think this product might fall under that category. Well, let's put it this way...it can't be a flash-in-the-pan product that will cease to have support in a year or two.
The tech world is littered with products from companies who got enough funding to get to launch, only to have to survive on sales in a "paycheck to paycheck" fashion, which, in hardware, can be incredibly difficult. I speak from experience on this, so, not throwing stones from a glass house...I've been there and have the scars to prove it. Doing hardware is brutal, which is why most VC's go "poof" and disappear from the room when you mention hardware is involved.
Again, I know this is a tricky or undesirable question. I get it.
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That conclusion all depends on how much extra power the UPS uses while acting as a pass-through. I think the SOLIX doesn't directly pass through the power so it's having the inefficiencies of conversion to and from AC-DC-AC, maybe this version has a more efficient pass-through system?
Correct, this does direct feed-through no conversion losses for pass through because it uses a relay rather than an inverter to connect to the grid.
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This product is capable of bidirectional power.
How do you avoid electrocuting a linesman? Don't products like a powerwall have a disconnect relay to ensure there is no backfeed? I can't see how this product can backfeed to the household circuit safety/legally unless there is some technology I'm not aware of?
Is it possible to power the devices from the battery during the night and then charge during the day (where solar energy is being produced)?
Yes, absolutely!
The other 10% is my garage where all my equipment is stored, so I want a smaller 20-25KWH battery system for it.
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I lost $1000 in groceries in the Bay Area in 2023. Four multi-day outages on the peninsula.
I’m on the Peninsula. Don’t remember an outage longer than few hours in my lifetime.
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The description was very poor. They could only feed power back into the one circuit that hardware is on, and the would also be a violation of multiple safety standards, as well as the National Electrical Code. That’s a good way to get someone hurt or killed, and to have your ass thrown in jail for sporting such a stupid device. This is why you have lockout devices on breaker boxes, if you’re going to have an emergenc…
This is mostly correct. One additional feature is that it can back feed when the grid is up. This allows you to save money on your energy, charging when energy is cheap or from solar and discharging when energy is expensive.
Can't wait to buy one of these for my homelab! I've been waiting for someone to basically make an eco-flow that's meant to be on constantly and has decent cooling that's quiet and intended to run continuously! Insanely cool!
Thanks! What color are you going to order?
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How do you avoid electrocuting a linesman? Don't products like a powerwall have a disconnect relay to ensure there is no backfeed? I can't see how this product can backfeed to the household circuit safety/legally unless there is some technology I'm not aware of?
Can back feed when the grid is up. Can't back feed when the grid is out. It has an onboard relay to disconnect from the grid when there is an outage.