rylan76

Just thought I'd get back on this, turns out SunSynk pushed out a non-optional firmware upgrade back then and apparently did not publicize it.
To get it working again, the installer factory-reset the main inverter only, after also completely disconnecting and switching off (via the on-battery breakers) the two Freedom Won batteries.

The sequence was

- Batteries off, master and all slave inverters running on AC
- Factory reset master inverter with AC applied
- Switch off all inverters and turn off AC so master inverter and all slaves go dead completely once master back from its factory reset
- Turn on batteries, -then- switch inverter(s) on so they come back up on DC from batteries only
- Wait a few minutes, then turn on AC to all the inverters

Once this was done the SoC was again correctly displayed and you could see it decrease during loadshedding as the batteries drained from being used.

Generator automatic turn-on is now working again as the master inverter "sees" the batteries reach 30% and then sends the startup signal.
 

That could, with high winds, generate some static, but no...
does not seem right, unless your DC cables from the PV end are a couple of hundred meters long and there was something else inducing some serious current in those cables... a overhead powerline that runs for quite some length parallel above your DC PV cables and someone down the powerline's end shorting this out to cause major current to flow? Dunno, sounds suspect to me, specially if this happened at night with no weather to speak of...

Regarding the birds...a chat to people who normally rear chickens will guide you towards how to get wire mesh and to fully edge your panels so the birds do not nest under the panels at all. You could then do this yourself with a strong pair of pliers and wire cutters but just ensure you wear insulation gloves to safeguard against getting electrocuted should there be any power leaking onto the edge of the panels and this should then also be well grounded with your existing grounding. There's quite a lot of videos on youtube mostly for guys doing this in the UK, for instance. You could buy some on Amazon or just DIY (
)

You get flashings to cover the sides of panels. More crude way is some kind of wire mesh on the panel edges to close the gap. 

The left hand side surge arrester definitely has popped, it will need replacing, I guess, not sure what the 32A unit is, next to it, a fuse? you should probably check that unit as well, question would be, though, why only the one fuse? if there are two solar strings...

hungry Cats? 🙂

Actually.... there was a rotating mirrored unit, that looks like a small pyramid, that on rotation would flash and, I guess, seem like a bird of prey to the doves etc. they installed these units on larger buildings to try and keep the doves away, I've never seen one of these up close, but maybe this may be something to consider/investigate...

I think if you insert finger at the top of the fuseholder you should find that it does open up that way, hingeing down, but don't do this whilst the sun is shining/they are putting power into the MPPT...

I think the circuit breaker next to the fuse holders will disconnect the PV, thus if he switches that breaker off, he can open the fuse holder. At least that is how my system is wired.

True, but just to check that the fuse does indeed function the way I indicated, you may as well not interrupt power production and do this when no power is produced...

You are 100% right, don't take a chance, do it a night when there is no PV, opening that fuse with DC on will cause. a bid DC arc flash

Hi Thx for the reply.
Thing is, it does work correctly. To test over the weekend during the day after the install was done, I brought down mains and turned off all PV input and let batteries drain to 30% SOC.
Generator controller got the start command from the master inverter and started up. Charged the batteries to capacity, then the inverter turned the generator off via the controller, exactly as it should.
So everything is working correctly as regards the actual "seeing", by the master inverter, of a low SOC, starting the generator, charging up to full, then turning the generator off.
The issue is now on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, always around 23:00 and 02:00 the master inverter issues meaningless start commands for 2 or 3 minute runs at a time, up to 6 times during a 24 hour period, always around 23:00 and 02:00, with the then  SOC % up to 40% and more above the generator activation threshold of 30% SOC.
That's the puzzle - everything works correctly except spurious start signals coming from the master inverter, being logged by the genset's DSE-6020 Mk. 2, and which then obediently starts the generator - only to be told within 120, 180 or 240 seconds to shut it down again by the master inverter... and so on, always around 23:00 and 02:00 at SOCs 30%, 40% or 50% higher than the generator start threshold of 30% SOC.

But thanks alot anyway!

Kind regards

Stefan
 

I would have a call logged with Sunsynk,they've been able to solve for software issues in the past. As you say it is sending spurious signals

I can't comment from a reason perspective,but from alternate solutions you could look at having a NC powered relay connected to Eskom power to prevent signal from the Inverter unless power is actually off

For starters I would say the genny has not been tested to observe the SOC % to start and to stop. This is essential for correct operation. I don't know the genny controller so of no help. 
Battery page should have gen charge and gen signal ticked. 
On System page limit to load, zero Export and priority load ticked. 
Aux load page Gen input ticked. 
G-V and G-S as well as ATS are contacts that can start the genny. 
Setup is not something I can provide an answer for unless one works from a point. A way of checking is to set start like at 40% SOC on and 55% SOC off. This must 1st work to know the right settings are used. 
Because of starts at 90%SOC when set to start at 30% shows things are not working as it should. The regular starts during the night could just be because of a certain SOC that just happens to be at a certain time. 
I doubt one can easily sort this out on a forum without being at the system. 
 

It's proof that you're a real G
I'll see myself out 

In my case its just a single inverter. Was wondering whether its some kind of auto ground test? This might sound silly and give away my knowledge level, so apologies if this is wacked explanation. Hehe.

Problem I see with the above thinking is that UPS manufacturers have fallen behind in building UPS's that are clever. The Inverter companies with solar input "UPS" are a lot more intelligent these days, and in SA you now need to have UPS's that are clever to "dance" around our ever changing load-shedding schedules.
That makes the likes of Sunsynk/Deye a better choice, even if it is just to do UPS function. 
With lots load-shedding still available for the foreseeable future (3 - 8 years), you may as well invest in a system that you can add panels at a later stage.
A UPS with a flat battery when Eskom in Load-shedding = nothing. Add panels, and you actually have a solution that can survive Eskom.

I also would like to know. Previously it remained a mystery.