The complete balcony power station systems from Offgridtec (MPN 014530) are an ideal way to produce some of the household electricity you need yourself and significantly reduce your overall expenditure on electricity. In addition to a solar module and matching micro inverter, the systems contain everything you need to connect to the household power grid and, if required, to mount on the balcony railing or roof. The set is designed for mounting the modules side by side. Our support team is on hand to provide advice and assistance for customised module installation options.

How does a balcony power station work?

The Offgridtec balcony power station is a compact solar power system. It consists of a solar module and the matching Hoymiles micro inverter for feeding into the household power grid. Ideally, the inverter is attached directly to the substructure of the solar module and connected to the solar module using the solar plug connector. The AC cable is connected via the Betteri connection of the inverter and routed directly to the appropriate socket. Here you can choose between connection to the standard Schuko socket or to a Wieland feed-in socket, which is included in the scope of delivery when selected.
No special settings are required to utilise the solar power generated in the domestic power grid. If electricity is already available from local sources, the appliances in the household use this first and then supplement with mains power as required.

The complete balcony power station system contains

• 2x Luxen Solar 430W Full Black Solar module Luxneri S5
• 1x Hoymiles HM-600 Microinverter
• 1x Connection cable Betteri BC01 socket to Schuko socket (length selectable 5m - 10m - 15m)
• Oder 1x Connection cable Betterie B01 socket to Wieland RST20I3S connection (length selectable 5m - 10m - 15m)
• Optionally selectable: Installation package for balcony railing - flat roof - plain tile roof - tiled roof - corrugated hernite and sheet metal roof (the respective sets contain 1.25 m long profile rails suitable for the balcony power station)

Luxen 430W Luxneri Series 5 (Full Black) - Efficiency of 22%

The monocrystalline and bifacial 430W Series N5 solar module from Luxen Solar impresses with a combination of different technologies, such as N-TOPCon cell technology and a 108 half-cell layout. SMBB half-cut cell technology was also used during production to increase performance. The state-of-the-art solar module represents the pinnacle of solar technology, offering impressive power output and low LCOE. The elegant full-black design makes it a good choice when it comes to finding a solar cell for rooftop installations on residential buildings or for balcony power plants and many other applications.

Properties

• Glass-glass module
• N-TOPCon cell technology
• SMBB Half-Cut cell technology
• Low BOS & LCOE
• Bifacial cell module technology
• Excellent anti-PID and low LID performance
• 3 bypass diodes
• 30-year performance guarantee and 15-year product guarantee
• High cell efficiency of over 22%

Half-cell technology

In half-cell technology ("half-cut"), conventional silicon cells are cut in half using a laser. The resulting halves are then connected centrally in parallel, which leads to increased solar module output by reducing resistance losses.

Bifacial cells

Bifacial means two-faced. And the name says it all: the Luxen Solar 430W N5 module is also equipped with solar cells on the back, which means it can absorb sunlight even better and increases the efficiency of the overall module.

Technical data

• Maximum power: 430W
• Module voltage (Vmp): 32.04V
• max. current (Imp): 13.42A
• open circuit voltage (Voc): 38.96V
• short-circuit current (Isc): 14.13A
• Module efficiency: 22.02%
• Dimensions: 1722 x 1134 x 30 mm
• Operating temperature range: -40°C to +85°C
• Cells: 108 (6x18)
• Max. operating voltage: 1500V DC
• Weight: 23.5kg

Hoymiles HM-600 Microinverter Module inverter

The HM-600 from Hoymiles is the perfect microinverter for your balcony power plant and is suitable for solar power production with a solar panel up to 500 watts peak power. As with all other Hoymiles microinverters, it is suitable for long operating hours and wide PV module applications, as its start-up is very low (only 22V) and the DC input range of the operating voltage (16-60V) is extremely wide. The Hoymiles micro inverter converts the solar power generated by your photovoltaic system in line with the AC grid and feeds it directly into the utility grid. Each Hoymiles micro inverter is connected individually to a PV module in your system. This unique configuration means that each PV module is controlled by an individual Maximum Peak Power Point Tracker (MPPT). This ensures that the maximum available power from each individual module is fed into the supply grid, regardless of the output of the other PV modules in the system. So if individual PV modules in the system are affected by shading, soiling, alignment or mismatching, the HM-600 still guarantees peak power for its associated PV module. The result is the maximum possible energy production from your PV system.

• Recommended module power: up to 380W
• Maximum input voltage: 60V
• Maximum input current: 2*11.5A
• Rated output power: 600VA
• Battery voltage range: 16~60V
• Dimensions (WxHxD): 250 x 170 x 28mm
• Weight: 3kg (including 2.06m AC cable)

Connection set

For the connection cable, you have the option of choosing between a connection for a normal earthed socket or a Wieland feed-in socket. If you choose the latter, the complete system includes an AC extension cable (length selectable) with a Betteri BC01 plug, suitable for the HM-600 inverter, at one end and an angled Schuko plug at the other end of the cable. This enables quick and uncomplicated connection to the Schuko sockets (plug type F) commonly used in Germany.

If the Wieland variant is selected, the AC cable has an angled Wieland RST20I3S plug at the cable end for installation in accordance with current technical regulations (e.g. VDE standard AR-N-4105). The appropriate feed socket is then included in the scope of delivery. With the Wieland plug, the pins are not completely exposed, as with the Schuko plug, which minimises the risk of arcing between pin and socket and therefore the risk of overheating and fire.

Optional mounting systems

The Offgridtec balcony power stations are available with or without mounting sets. Mounting sets are available for:

• Balcony railings: with matching C-hooks
• Flat roof: inclination angle 10° - 60°
• Plain tile roof: with plain tile roof hooks
• Tiled roof: with 3-way adjustable roof hooks
• Corrugated hernite and sheet metal roof: with stainless steel hanger bolts

Balcony power plants in Germany

There is currently no law or ordinance in Germany that regulates the generation of solar power for purely domestic use. The maximum limit of 600W AC PV power is a reserve value which, according to the current VDE standard, can be fed into an existing socket circuit in a house without overloading it. Nothing is described for independent circuits without additional load.
Every electrical installation should be VDE-compliant. However, the operation of a balcony power station via the standard earthed socket is not generally prohibited. Registration with the Federal Network Agency is mandatory. However, there are no known cases of fines for failure to register balcony power stations, or insurmountable problems with network operators. The system operator is responsible for complying with and implementing standards and obligations. A great deal of technical and legal information can already be found on relevant websites.

Do you have further questions about balcony power stations and how they work? Contact us, we will be happy to help you.