Solar PV Hints, Tips & Troubleshooting

graememk · 11-02-2022 10:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118617941#Comment_118617941

As it only gets logged every 5 minutes the high ac voltage would be missed.

The inverter is behaving according to th standard, if it gets too high (or low) the inverter shuts down and then starts again.

championc · 11-02-2022 11:04pm

The only thing about going with USER DEFINED is that the inverter will then "guess" the SOC based on the voltage of the batteries rather than actually getting the SOC from the BMS

Jonathan · 11-02-2022 11:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118618461#Comment_118618461

@buzz11 Was talking about the grid spec rather than anything to do with the battery?

championc · 11-02-2022 11:27pm

Surely for the grid spec, you should be selecting a country selection for Ireland or EN50438IE ?

Jonathan · 11-02-2022 11:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118618659#Comment_118618659

That's exactly the point. The EN50438IE has been superseded by a variation of EN50549L, with some amendments which are unique to Ireland (linked in my previous post to buzz11). The amendments haven't been incorporated into the latest firmware yet.

So it's a case of entering them in as user defined settings. EN50549L is the closest setting defined in the firmware.

I raised a case with Solis about it two weeks ago and they said it would be implemented in a future firmware version but couldn't give a timeline.

buzz11 · 11-02-2022 11:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118618519#Comment_118618519

I don't have a battery and the inverter isn't a hybrid its a mini-2500-4g

@graememk I wonder why didn't the inverter in the house pick up the voltage issue? That one is a 6kwh hybrid (no battery either) and it has some gadget that monitors AC side.

@Jonathan The menu on the inverter does list EN50549L but not EN504381IE.

Jonathan · 12-02-2022 12:04am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118618885#Comment_118618885

Yeah. EN50438IE is the old Irish spec. EN50549L complies with the new EN50549-1:2019 spec. Ireland has implemented a variation of this, and this is what hasn't been implemented in Solis firmware yet. The new option, once implemented will be called EN50549IE presumably.

buzz11 · 12-02-2022 12:10am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118618958#Comment_118618958

ok makes sense, thanks for that.

do you think I should try and select EN50549L and the add the additional settings as I’ve been given? or just go with USER DEFINED and enter the settings

Jonathan · 12-02-2022 12:32am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118618990#Comment_118618990

Well what did your installer advise? I'd follow their advice. I have a Solis Hybrid so the config options might differ.

buzz11 · 12-02-2022 4:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118619094#Comment_118619094

They said USER DEFINED, best go with that so.😉

septicsac · 13-02-2022 2:51am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118616206#Comment_118616206

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118614781#Comment_118614781

No power cuts happen when error occurs. Rural setting, alarm comes up as a hint and self-resolves, Solis and installer said it is nothing to worry about.

spose · 14-02-2022 11:39am

I’m looking to add more panels to my set up. Currently 8 panels per string and have enough space to move to 12. My question is is there any concern with just adding more panels to the string even if different make and power rating?

AndyBoBandy · 14-02-2022 11:59am

they'd need to be the same power rating..

if your 8 panels are say 400w each, and you added 4 more 340w panels, then every panel on the entire string would be reduced to 340w

bullit_dodger · 14-02-2022 12:13pm

As Andy mentions......it depends. A good article to have a read which expands a little on it.

Mixing solar panels – Dos and Don’ts • SOLAR POWER SECRETS (solarpanelsvenue.com)

I guess a simple solution for you is to take 4 panels off your String2 and add then to string1, (assuming they are the same?) bringing you up to 12 there.....and then buy 12 "fresh" panels for string2. You'd have 4 panels left over which you could either flog on eBay or I'm sure someone here might take them off your hands.

So you'd have to buy 12 panels instead of 8, but you'd be able to recoup some of the extra 4 panels by flogging your "spares".

paulbok · 14-02-2022 4:57pm

Got another grid over voltage error today just before 2pm, this time is hasn't reset as of 4pm. 2 hours of glorious sunshine missed.

Rang the installer and he will have to call over later this week, as even resetting a breaker hasn't got it up again.

DC coming in, but not inverting by the look of it.

spose · 14-02-2022 8:29pm

Thanks Andy and bullit. Figured as much without the understanding of why.

MTK_1966 · 15-02-2022 3:10pm

Hi, Thanks to all who contribute to the board, fantastic learning for us newbies.

I have a 12 panel system arriving in May. To be installed on south facing roof of house. I am trying to figure out where to place the inverter, battery and eddi in a two story house.

Should I put them close to fusebox? Close to water tank? Or should I put all three in the attic and save space downstairs? If they are all in the attic can I assume I can control/monitor via the wifi dongle?

Or should I put them in the garage, which is a separate building but 5m from house with electricity supplied?

I also thought of putting 8 panels on my West facing garage roof. If I do that, then how do I manage to have one inverter shared between panels on both house and garage? Do I need a second inverter? A second battery?

championc · 15-02-2022 3:23pm

Depending on the number of panels on your main roof, they will either be on one string or two. A string is generally max 12 - 13 panels.

An inverter can have dual inputs. If the main roof only has one string, the garage could connect to a second.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with installation in the garage. It will mean that the cables from the main roof need to get there, and you may need a cable to have a CT clamp around the incoming grid to the house live cable.

If the main roof will have two strings, then you could do a DIY install on the shed roof into it's own inverter, and a CT clamp reading export to the grid would then grab that power for the battery connected to the "primary" inverter.

graememk · 15-02-2022 3:28pm

Eddi can go wherever is convenient, Be it beside the hot water tank or the consumer unit.

Is there any ducting to the garage? You could put the 12 panels on one string on the inverter and for the house and the 8 west panels on the second string, but you'd have to think of how you'd get the cables from the garage to the inverter.

the electricity supply to the garage might not be good enough for the inverter.

As for control of the inverters, out of the box there isnt any, But you can monitor it wirelessly

otherwise, you can have a second inverter for the 8 panels in the garage too if you want to expand at a later date.

MTK_1966 · 15-02-2022 3:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118635101#Comment_118635101

There is a plastic pipe (maybe 4 inch diameter that runs underground from garage to house and it has electric and 10 BaseT cable in it. But I have no idea where it opens in the house, certainly it is not obvious and maybe it is tiled over.

graememk · 15-02-2022 4:05pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118635173#Comment_118635173

Obvious places to look is the shortest distance to the house or where the consumer unit is.

The garage supply I suppose would be 2.5 mm² minimum and that would support an inverter and 8 panels. - no CT or anything would be needed for that inverter, the hybrid would handle that. (Maybe even a east/, west array?)

Attic for hybrid inverter and panels is the norm, but have a thought of getting a cable back to the consumer unit.

slave1 · 15-02-2022 5:43pm

I'd place the EDDI somewhere convenient, it has a "Boost" button for when you want to override solar generation e.g. Winter or in darkness.

Although you can do this via the App it is just whoever has the App installed so other's in the house would have to make their way out to garage or into the attic which is not workable. The App is often down also. I put mine in upstairs hallway close to hot cylinder

MTK_1966 · 16-02-2022 10:25am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118635897#Comment_118635897

Thanks slave1.

Can I attach a regular air heater to the Eddi in order to heat air instead of water?

Or can I use it somehow to add heat to a heat recovery system?

Jonathan · 16-02-2022 10:27am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118639131#Comment_118639131

The Eddi works by modulating the voltage depending on the surplus solar available, so it would need to be a purely resistive heating load.

However, you could use the Eddi relay board to trigger a load at a given amount of surplus. There would be no voltage modulation on this, obviously.

MTK_1966 · 16-02-2022 10:30am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118635376#Comment_118635376

I kept photos of when the house was being built. I can see the electric cable coming in under the back door of the house. I presume I would have to break open the concrete step and add an extra electric cable and then redo the step. If I do that, and get the cable run out to the garage, then I can use a single inverter for the entire system.

I must get an EV to use up all of the power if I do add a west facing string on the garage.

Bobeagleburger · 16-02-2022 10:36am

For anyone with a ground mount... Just wondering if hows the cables from

shanemc30 · 16-02-2022 7:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118639203#Comment_118639203

I have a ground mounted system and cables run through an electrical ducting (same spec which is used for ESB power cable into house) . I put this ducting out to panels from my garage where the inverter is located.

Jonathan · 16-02-2022 8:44pm

New version of MyEnergi app coming this week.

https://myenergi.info/myenergi-app-version-2-0-x-t5070.html

AndyBoBandy · 17-02-2022 6:05pm

Finally got around to getting the post install BER assessment done yesterday..

We bought in 2014 as a C3 and did the following work: Removed open gas fireplace and replaced with an inset stove, all bulbs are LED, timber hall door replaced with composite door, attic converted and insulated, Nest smart thermostat installed, 5.78kWp solar PV installed + 5kWh battery.

House is now rated as a B3... though only 7 more kWh/m'yr and we would have been in B2 territory, but I'm not really complaining!!

Chuffed with that.

paulbok · 18-02-2022 10:37am

What was the ber requirement again for the grant before it dropped recently?

Solar PV Hints, Tips & Troubleshooting

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