Allen Hobson

HI hellooo..
I have 8x 3000 pylon batteries and 3x Axpert 5KvA which I used to control through ICC on Pi, and now I got a LV-Hub for various reasons.
I got the batteries on 2 groups of 4 connected to the LV-Hub, but I don't know how to connect the hub to the Pi??
I used to connect to the batteries through the console port, but can't do that with the hub obviously.
Has anybody done this, that can give advice?

Thank you in advance... :)

Are you running a hybrid setup? In which case what does the inverter do when there's a mismatch between grid and the gennie output?

Also have you mentioned the gennie output? My inverter disconnects from grid if voltage falls too low (the lower bound acccording to our standards is 207, Goodwe confirmed that when setup for SA the inverter disconnects at 195 and reconnects only at 200). 

I would try to find out what the gennie is actually putting out under load.

Two things you would need IMO to successfully use a generator are:-
 A decent waveform from the generator which an inverter generator would give you as mentioned earlier in this  post. We put a decent generator, a Honda  with AVR on the oscilloscope and the waveform was horrendous - so bad that the APC UPS would stay on battery.  Make absolutely sure that you limit the power you will draw from the generator to a fair amount below what the generator specs are. Remember that if you are at altitude you need to de-rate the power output. If your solar inverter overloads the inverter gen then it will trip. Also, not flogging the engine and inverter to death will hopefully ensure a decent life from the generator.  Unfortunately the inverter generators are available in small to mid sized power ratings only. They are also more expensive per kVA or kW compared to normal gennies as they are more complex. It uses the petrol engine to make DC and the DC is fed to an inverter (hence the name inverter generator) to make nice clean AC which your solar inverter will be happy with. 

looking at putting an adendorff gennie onto a goodwe ES/pylontech offgrid system.
was going to use the gennie as the "grid" and then when required in mornings run it through the inverter to charge the batteries/provide power
but now I'm going through the manual again, and page 5 tells me no no.
https://www.goodwe.com/Public/Uploads/sersups/EM USER MANUAL.pdf

 
i suppose the only other way is to charge batteries directly, but how would you do that (they are 48VDC and the gennie is 220V AC)

looking at doing the same before winter arrives properly- got 2 pylontechs with a goodwe.
am hoping to run the generator for maybe 90 minutes in the morning to run an office and charge 2 batteries.
will be on a dedicated manual switch on system,
 
any advice from those who've done this before welcome 

I have a similar solution, cheap 7.5kva Grip petrol genny linked to the AUX on my Sunsynk. Would prefer something smaller, but it's what I had.

My Plan B (rainy day plan) is a 3kW Honda genny attached to my Deye 8kW. I set the Deye to only draw 2kW from the genny. It charges my batteries and supplements the feeble sunshine perfectly... uses relatively little petrol vis a vis my 6KVA Plan C (when the inverter fails ) fallback.

I currently use a Ryobi 6700k with AVR on my Axpert 4048 inverters. I have to set both to appliance and they pickup the generator and charge the batteries. The other inverter I use is a 2000w turner morris inverter generator. I can only charge one inverter at a time using this but I can leave the inverter set to UPS mode. This is underpowered so if the load increases the inverter takes over until the load is decreased and then the generator continues charging. 
Overall I think an inverter generator is the solution but I need one a lot bigger than what I have. The ryobi works in bypass but you expose your appliances to the generator ac waveform which is admittedly nuts. 

I also use a very old 3.5KVA Yamaha on a clone 4KW Axpert the only thing is I have to set the battery charging current down on the inverter to about 10A so that the generator could run my small house loads and still have bit of power to charge the batteries otherwise the inverter will just draw too much charging current and trip the generator.

The easiest way would to look at the inverter itself does it have two PV inputs and therefore has 2 MPPTS
ICC reports 2 MPPTS but this does not necessarily mean your inverter has 2 MPPTs. It means that ICC is able to report data from inverters with dual MPPTs.
 
I might be mistaken but I don't think the dual MPPT Axperts have been imported to this country. 

It happens even if home work is done . Suppliers disappear with your money and some installers take us machanical people for a ride . In the end we sirvive .

HI Allen
Welcome to the forum.
That second hand Trojan bank would to my mind be the answer to your predicament.
We probably distantly related. My great grandfather was the eldest of 17 children. Where everyone else has a family tree I have a family thicket.
 

The Goodwe, Imeon and Voltronic and i am sure others will run without battery as they are true hybrid - not the Axpert / RTC / Mecer type - they need to see dc voltage incoming on the battery circuit

Hey Everyone,
I had a solar solution installed about 3 or 4 years ago now...
Lightning apparently hit the Axpert 5kVa Inverters and Insurance paid out so now replacing the 2 damaged ones (error 72 after 5 min running). Both Inverters have their own string of 9 X 250w panels.
Installing a Third Inverter with its own set of 9 X 275w panels now too while at it, to increase my daytime load capacity.
Batteries are tired though... I get maybe 5 min out of them  8 X 105?aH .. According to Invoice was supposed to be 150aH. But not marked anywhere on batteries, so not sure.
Installation was messy, where All NEutrals from Panels were wound together and taped. One String of panels did not seems to be producing well either... Also got taken for a ride on pricing for the entire lot... was too excited at the time and did not do my homework as I should have... Albeit , things were more expensive 3 or 4 years ago...
 
So anyway, long saga , short... the new installer is tracing everything and double checking all is well... And I am wanting to double check him  
So Hence I found you Guys! Already did some reading this weekend and lots to take in...
I will post questions and concerns in the relevant areas, Thanks All!
 
Regards
Allen