Offgridtec Balcony Power Plant 1880W Blackframe Mini-PV Solar System, including HMS-1600-4T and DTU-Lite-S

Offgridtec's balcony power plants offer a practical solution for generating part of the electricity needed for the household yourself, thereby significantly reducing the cost of total electricity consumption. The system includes two solar modules, a suitable micro-inverter with a DTU control unit, and an AC connection cable that connects the inverter to an outlet. The modules are designed to be installed directly next to each other.

How does a balcony power plant work?

The Offgridtec balcony power plant is a space-saving solar system consisting of a solar panel and a matching Hoymiles micro-inverter to feed the generated electricity into the home’s electrical grid. The inverter is ideally mounted directly on the solar module’s mounting frame and connected to the module via the solar connector. The AC cable is connected via the inverter’s battery port and routed directly to the appropriate outlet. You can choose between a standard GFCI outlet and a Wieland feed-in outlet, which is included in the package. No special settings are required to use the generated solar power in the home’s electrical grid. If electricity from other sources is available in the home, it is used preferentially and supplemented by grid power as needed.

The Balcony Power Plant Complete System includes:

• 4x Trina Solar 470W Vertex S+ double-glass N-type i-TopCon solar modules
• 1x Hoymiles HMS-1600-4T microinverter
• 1x Hoymiles DTU-Lite-S Wi-Fi data transmission unit for HMT/HMS
  • To be able to change settings in addition to monitoring, a DTU Pro-S is required instead of the DTU-Lite-S (not included)
• 1x Hoymiles HMS connection cable 3x1.5mm² Plug&Play 10m
• 4x MC4 to MC4 connection cables, 6 mm², 2 m

Trina Solar Vertex S+ 470W Solar Module

The Vertex S+ from Trina Solar (MPN: TSM-470-NEG9R.28) is a high-performance 470W double-glass solar module that is ideally suited for both residential and commercial applications. Thanks to modern technologies such as high-density cell interconnection, the spacing between the solar cells is minimized, allowing more sunlight to be utilized. Multi-busbar and N-type i-TOPCon technology further ensure higher light output, lower energy losses, and improved current conduction.

Features

• Multi-busbar technology and N-type i-TOPCon technology
• High-density cell interconnection technology
• Double-glass design for optimal reliability
• Low series resistance, improved current conduction
• Excellent resistance to fire and environmental influences
• 5,400 Pa snow load and 4,000 Pa wind load (test loads)
• High compatibility with inverters

Technical Specifications

• Power (Pmax): 470 W
• Voltage (Vmp): 46.1 V
• Max. current (Imp): 10.20 A
• Open-circuit voltage (Voc): 54.6 V
• Short-circuit current (Isc): 10.89 A
• Operating temperature: -40°C to +70°C
• Max. system voltage: 1500 V DC
• Cell efficiency: 23.5%
• Weight: 21 kg
• Dimensions: 1762 x 1134 x 30 mm

Hoymiles HMS-1600-4T Module Inverter

The HMS-1600-4T (MPN: HMS-1600-4T) from Hoymiles is the perfect microinverter for your balcony power plant. This compact, lightweight unit (only 5.56 kg) is suitable for solar power generation with up to four solar panels, each with a power output ranging from 320 W to 540 W+. Just like all other microinverters from Hoymiles, it is suitable for long operating hours and a wide range of PV module applications, as its start-up voltage is very low (only 22V) and the DC input range of the operating voltage (16–60V) is extremely wide.

Technical Specifications

• Recommended module power: up to 320W – 540+W (per module)
• MPPT voltage range: 16–60 V
• Start-up voltage: 22V
• Maximum input voltage: 65V
• Maximum input current: 4*14A
• Maximum input short-circuit current: 4*25A
• Rated output power: 1600VA
• Rated output current: 6.96A
• Rated output voltage/range: 230V / 180-275V
• CEC peak efficiency: 96.70%
• Ambient temperature range: -40°C to +65°C
• Dimensions (WxHxD): 331 x 218 x 40.6 mm
• Weight: 5.56 kg
• Enclosure rating: IP67

Balcony power plants in Germany

Currently, there is no law or regulation in Germany governing the generation of solar power for personal use only. The limit of a maximum of 600W AC PV power is a reserve value that, according to the current VDE standard, can be fed into an existing outlet circuit in a home without overloading it. There are no specifications for independent circuits without additional load. Every electrical installation should be carried out in accordance with VDE standards. However, operating a balcony power plant via a standard GFCI outlet is not generally prohibited. Registration with the Federal Network Agency is mandatory. However, there are currently no known cases of fines for failure to register balcony power plants, nor are there any insurmountable issues with grid operators. Compliance with and implementation of standards and obligations is the responsibility of the system operator. A wealth of technical and legal information on this topic is already available on relevant websites.