Solar PV Hints, Tips & Troubleshooting

daughy

championc wrote: »

The Irish standard allows for 230v +/- 10%, so it indeed should shut down at 207v.

See section 2.2 of the Irish Regulations here - https://www.esbnetworks.ie/docs/default-source/publications/conditions-governing-connection-and-operation-of-micro-generation-policy.pdf?sfvrsn=ad5c33f0_8

If the inverter continued to work, you could be shut down by ESB Networks.

This inverter is definitely working as per en50438, it shuts down daily from this low voltage.
Maybe I'm mad but anytime a good burst of sun hits and I'm producing good power I get hit back with low voltage. And shut down. Have the esb the ability to lower the voltage at will to an area?

daughy

graememk wrote: »

Yeah that's nearly brown out territory isn't it?


The lowest I've seen mine go in the last month (from when I started recording it) is 228V ish, but that was when I was pulling nearly 10kW. The voltage around here runs a bit on the high side, currently sitting at 244V.

That's why alot of the time my production is so low, inverter gets shut down for great parts of the day.. Il call the esb after I get this electricians opinion.

garo

There may be some polarity issues with the way your solar is wired in? Have you seen a drop in bills since your solar install? Low voltage coinciding with good sunshine hints at something being wired with the wrong polarity.

You should check the voltage at the board after the inverter has shut down to see if it is still low or your inverter was causing it.

Could be the neighbour's jacuzzi too!

Voltage is set at the local transformer.
It will sag as the community increases load and rise as load is reduced.

Hence evenings are often the lowest and afterhours the higherest.
If it's outside ±10% 230v then you can get the ESB to tweak the traffo.

They'll often want to measure it first. Then claim it isn't. Then do nothing.

My SMA inverter is way more tolerant of small upsets than my previous special snowflake MasterVolt..that yolk was woeful...

daughy

garo wrote: »

There may be some polarity issues with the way your solar is wired in? Have you seen a drop in bills since your solar install? Low voltage coinciding with good sunshine hints at something being wired with the wrong polarity.

You should check the voltage at the board after the inverter has shut down to see if it is still low or your inverter was causing it.

An electrician did see the rcbo that the previous electrician wired up for the solar and said that's the wrong way around, he said he will fix it. Can't believe I payed a registered company to wire up a trip switch the wrong way, I'm not dissing young electricians, it's just he was young and I had to get them back to upgrade the cable from the inverter to main board from 2.5 to 6mm, I thought it was voltage loss, luckily they didn't charge me anything extra to upgrade it.. He actually seen the volts to the inverter when I switched it on and it read 219 volts and didn't say anything. Just quietly left..
I was thinking it could be old wiring.. I hope not as that's an expensive rewire.

daughy

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

Could be the neighbour's jacuzzi too!

Voltage is set at the local transformer.
It will sag as the community increases load and rise as load is reduced.

Hence evenings are often the lowest and afterhours the higherest.
If it's outside ±10% 230v then you can get the ESB to tweak the traffo.

They'll often want to measure it first. Then claim it isn't. Then do nothing.

My SMA inverter is way more tolerant of small upsets than my previous special snowflake MasterVolt..that yolk was woeful...

That's true Liam, I was researching today.
Tnx for your input. Much
Appreciated

KCross

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

If it's outside ±10% 230v then you can get the ESB to tweak the traffo.

They'll often want to measure it first. Then claim it isn't. Then do nothing.

Been there, done that.

The ±10% is not a hard limit. They are allowed breach that 5% of the time. Mine went close to 200V several times during their measurement but it didnt breach the guidelines set by the CRU to warrant a grid upgrade and that was that!

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=106706752&postcount=57

KCross

daughy wrote: »

Unfortunately it's a housing estate...

Two likely outcomes there...

- Others are having the same issue but it doesnt affect them.
- Its something internal to your house.

A good starting point is get ESB to measure it as per my previous post above. They stick a measuring device in your meter box for a week or two and then you'll know if its them or you and work from there.

If it's you then it's them too. Out of range is outtov range.

Now you could load it up with 15kW at peak times during the test period to influence a favourable result if you were so inclined.

graememk

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

If it's you then it's them too. Out of range is outtov range.

Now you could load it up with 15kW at peak times during the test period to influence a favourable result if you were so inclined.

Before my time, My Dad and neighbour had similar issue... Had the ESB out and everything and done nothing. Happened to run both our barley crushers at the same time one day. Made them change the transformer (magic smoke got out). Must have been in the late 80's or early 90's.

unkel

KCross wrote: »

The ±10% is not a hard limit. They are allowed breach that 5% of the time. Mine went close to 200V several times during their measurement but it didnt breach the guidelines set by the CRU to warrant a grid upgrade and that was that!

Maybe they are allowed to go 7.5% over the 5% over the 10% limit for 2.5% of the time?

You couldn't make this stuff up!

BTW I did a quick check on mine and it seems the grid voltage here is pretty much always between 230V and 240V

gomamochi1

DrPhilG wrote: »

If you go into the Eddi icon on the myenergi app and check the total power used, does it still give you a high figure? In the consumption history?



The myenergi app does sometimes throw up odd numbers but 5 minutes later they're settled. Like in my screenshot you can see a few little wobbles around 10am, but the total consumed is still 0kWh.

If your consumption history shows that you DID actually consume a large amount then I'd contact myenergi support. Their phone support is very good in fairness.

No it's showing high energy use in the morning even though I have set the hybrid inverter not to discharge until after 2PM when we are home. The eddi is reading like there is solar gain excess that is not being used and being diverted to hot water tank approx 5 low per day .....dooh any suggestions

gomamochi1

championc wrote: »

Do you have two separate CT Clamps reading your Grid , with both of them on the same cable from the meter to your main board ?

You SHOULD have two CT Clamps on that cable. However, your readings appear to say different.

yes 2 ct clamps on the main fuseboard after the meter one from the Zappi which is master and one for the Solis hybrid inverter. I note from that video that my battery is DC coupled (I think).
Thanks in advance

graememk

gomamochi1 wrote: »

No it's showing high energy use in the morning even though I have set the hybrid inverter not to discharge until after 2PM when we are home. The eddi is reading like there is solar gain excess that is not being used and being diverted to hot water tank approx 5 low per day .....dooh any suggestions

There is for sure something wrong with the ct or the communication.

Is the ct the wrong way round?

Something must be seeing "excess" so it tries to absorb it.

Would the cut off be because your hot water tank got hot?

garo

With a DC coupled battery and hybrid inverter it is impossible for the Eddi to tell whether the power is coming from solar panels or the battery. Once it starts drawing power it will keep going and the hybrid will keep drawing the battery.

Have you set an export margin on the Eddi?

gomamochi1

graememk wrote: »

There is for sure something wrong with the ct or the communication.

Is the ct the wrong way round?

Something must be seeing "excess" so it tries to absorb it.

Would the cut off be because your hot water tank got hot?

Will check that out this evening when home thanks

gomamochi1

garo wrote: »

With a DC coupled battery and hybrid inverter it is impossible for the Eddi to tell whether the power is coming from solar panels or the battery. Once it starts drawing power it will keep going and the hybrid will keep drawing the battery.

Have you set an export margin on the Eddi?

No not sure how to do that

gomamochi1

gomamochi1 wrote: »

No not sure how to do that

Do I do that on app or Eddi device or the zappi which is the master. Thanks

garo

I think if the Eddi is doing the draining you do it on the Eddi.


https://myenergi.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/eddi_manual_v2.3_english.pdf


Set it to 100W or something. It will make sure Eddi isn't draining anything until you have at least 100W excess. You can reach it via the Advanced Menu. Passcode 0000

The idea is that the Eddi will leave 100W exporting at all times there is an excess. if it starts draining the battery, there will be a 100W excess which will cause the hybrid inverter to export 100W less - as it senses an export so reduces battery output. The eddi will then consume 100W less and so on until there is a genuine excess and no battery drainage.

garo

PS: You can set an export margin the the Zappi too to stop it from draining the battery if you are having that problem. But I think you need the Zappi to be in Eco+ mode with 100% green for that to stop the Zappi from discharging the battery.

gomamochi1

garo wrote: »

I think if the Eddi is doing the draining you do it on the Eddi.


https://myenergi.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/eddi_manual_v2.3_english.pdf


Set it to 100W or something. It will make sure Eddi isn't draining anything until you have at least 100W excess. You can reach it via the Advanced Menu. Passcode 0000

The idea is that the Eddi will leave 100W exporting at all times there is an excess. if it starts draining the battery, there will be a 100W excess which will cause the hybrid inverter to export 100W less - as it senses an export so reduces battery output. The eddi will then consume 100W less and so on until there is a genuine excess and no battery drainage.

Is that in the advanced menununder supply grid=device limit? Is says its off at the minute.

gomamochi1

gomamochi1 wrote: »

Is that in the advanced menununder supply grid=device limit? Is says its off at the minute.

Also readout is in amps and not watts

gomamochi1

gomamochi1 wrote: »

yes 2 ct clamps on the main fuseboard after the meter one from the Zappi which is master and one for the Solis hybrid inverter. I note from that video that my battery is DC coupled (I think).
Thanks in advance

One of the ct clamps was opened so will wait till the morning to see if its draining again and also adjuster the zappi as mentioned above. Watchful waiting.

graememk

gomamochi1 wrote: »

One of the ct clamps was opened so will wait till the morning to see if its draining again and also adjuster the zappi as mentioned above. Watchful waiting.

I think you might have found it, that would give weird readings triggering false "excess"

garo

gomamochi1 wrote: »

Is that in the advanced menununder supply grid=device limit? Is says its off at the minute.

Yes that's the one. The default is Off or 0W. If fixing the CT clamp doesn't work set it to 100W.

gomamochi1

garo wrote: »

Yes that's the one. The default is Off or 0W. If fixing the CT clamp doesn't work set it to 100W.

Seems to have worked folks thanks. The eddi only drew 1.5kw this morning instead of the whole battery and the house is draining the battery now when the gang are there. I changed the setting in the solis inverter advanced menu to only discharge from 2PM onwards and only charge from 12.00 midnight to 2PM so this seems to be the only way to stop eddi thinking that there is solar excess at 9am on a winter's morning!! I Tried to get through to myenergie as did my installer and he said that they can't do anything in the eddi setup. Seems mad as I can't be the only one with a dc coupled battery solar pv setup which I thought was the norm with the myenergie gear? Rather than the Tesla Powerball ac coupled setup which appear to be rarely used due to higher costs etc. Thanks

garo

That's not the only way as I explained above. Setting an export margin is probably more effective. But different strokes for different folks.

graememk

There still is something not right. In October you would rarely get 2kw excess at 9am or do you?

Correct me if I'm wrong but the eddi only needs to see the amount exported.

When running on battery does the house run on a slight import (as not to export anything stored in the battery)

garo

graememk wrote: »

There still is something not right. In October you would rarely get 2kw excess at 9am or do you?

Correct me if I'm wrong but the eddi only needs to see the amount exported.

When running on battery does the house run on a slight import (as not to export anything stored in the battery)

Good point! The Eddi drew a 1.5kWh from 9:30 to 10:30. If it does that every day you lose 12c (or more depending on how you normally heat water) due to this incorrect drain.

gomamochi1

garo wrote: »

That's not the only way as I explained above. Setting an export margin is probably more effective. But different strokes for different folks.

Will set the export margin this evening when home on the zappi as its master. Done now so to wait till the morning to see if it drains again. Thanks