Article: The Audio Impact of Solar Panels and Battery Backup: Comparing Sound Quality of Panels, Batteries, and the Grid

[Bmansr1]

Rajiv - Understand the whole house/green desire driving the project but at any time did you consider a stereo only alternative like the Stromtank?

[austinpop]

2 hours ago, Bmansr1 said:

Rajiv - Understand the whole house/green desire driving the project but at any time did you consider a stereo only alternative like the Stromtank?

 

No, I did not. I am looking for reports from others who have explored such options.

[austinpop]

Apologies, there was an issue with my post from yesterday, where images were not showing. That has been fixed. Please view the post here:

 

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/64726-article-the-audio-impact-of -solar-panels-and-battery-backup-comparing-sound-quality-of-panels-batteries-and-the-grid/?do=findComment&comment=1177015

 

[KingRex]

I know an individual with the smallest Stromtank.  Last I heard he prefered his amps to the wall.  But he felt his front end gear was very good in a Stromtank.  

 

Since I sm not that person and have to interpret comments,  I also feel he was pretty much as happy with the optimized electrical we did, as well as some AddPower equipmemt he uses, as well as some Nordost  products.  

 

I would 100% hands down recommend a Stromtank to anyone in a walk up building with poor electrical infrastructure.   I also know the Stromtank will run perfect on a 15A dirty electrical circuit.  It is the best battery powered unit I have seen and heard.  

[KingRex]

For anyone thinking of building their own battery system, keep this in mind, built wrong, one can be dangerous on multiple levels.  You should have a thorough understanding of NEC Articles 230, 240, 250, 480 and 690.  And probably 700 through 705. Remember, when someone tell you, do this, and your house burns down, or someone is electrocuted, and what you did was not code compliant and inspected by the authority having jurisdiction, do you think you will have insurance coverage?  I doubt it.  

 

Doing it right is difficult.   What battery, what inverter, integration into the electrical system, charging systems, fire protection, overcurrent protection, fusing, service disconnects, grounding, branch circuits, NEC and utility compliance.   It's not a project to take lightly.  When I considered it, I based my goal on exceeding the quality of a Stromtank.  Otherwise,  buy a Purepower.

 

I personally stopped as I did not have an engineer to design a proper filtration system.  And the rub with inverters is no company post the distortions or noise created by the inverter.  Non of the technicians at Outback, Sunnyboy or other manufacturers I contacted could provide any data as such.  As stated in this thread, how much noise does an inverter make?  

 

And it has to be remembered, all secondary power supplies need to be bonded to the primary grounding system on the premises.   So you still have all the dirty neighbor common mode noise to contend with.  Unless you use a Pure Power or Stromtank and disconnect it from the utility.  Or truly build a stand alone, sit it on the floor in your listening room battery bank, charging system, inverter, disconnects, branch circuits protection system etc.  And again, if it fails and burns, you probably have no insurance coverage.

 

Designing and building a hobby system that can not be repeated is all fine, but again, Pure Power, PS Audio, Stromtank have UL listed and labeled solutions already.  And all of these have been reviewed with mixed success.  How many threads have we read where the OP and posters have strong opinions in either direction.   Why is that?  

[fas42]

5 hours ago, KingRex said:

Designing and building a hobby system that can not be repeated is all fine, but again, Pure Power, PS Audio, Stromtank have UL listed and labeled solutions already.  And all of these have been reviewed with mixed success.  How many threads have we read where the OP and posters have strong opinions in either direction.   Why is that?  

 

It's the System, Stupid!   Yes, unfortunately any stock answer will have little value - because of all the variables in any particular system. Currently, it's a dance to find the right combination of accessories, tweaks, and the specific way that it is all implemented which ensures a best outcome, for SQ.

 

It shouldn't be that way ...

 

Why it is so, is because the industry just doesn't do the research, to get the data so that they can fully test the products they produce - to make sure that all this crazy band aid nonsense is not necessary. Smart design internal to an audio component is going to be far more effective in ensuring best isolation from noise interference; as compared with fiddling around on the outside, trying various barriers to hopefully find the one which does a good enough job - so that one can then forget that aspect of securing best sound, .

[KingRex]

FWIW, I am happy to hear another thumbs up for solar not being a detriment.  I wish Austin also had hungry power amps.  Its important to know.  

Austin also has 3 power walls.  Thay is a lot of battery.  I am not intimate with the whole of the install, but lots of battery says to me the platform supporting them is probably fairly robust.   Robust is generally a benefit lending low impedance, hign current power.  Something most every audio system benefits from.  

I really wish therr was a way to hear the results without the Gateway.  That type of equipment has shown itself to be an issue in my experience.   But no one I know of has inserted and tested gateways/inverters across brands, models and rating.