cpbotha

Update: Thanks to the GeyserWise manual switches I have just now established that indeed one of the geysers was accidentally moved to the backup circuit during the 60A -> 80A upgrade work. One of the uber patient electricians will hopefully remedy this tomorrow.
By the way, GoodWe with BMS and correct SOC works substantially better than out.

I would like to report back on my post-March 2019 model GoodWe GW5048-ES + PylonTech US3000*2 adventures:
It turned out that firmware 151507 had a bug w.r.t. the BMS communication with these batteries.
After a quite painful process of getting the thing upgraded, we the BMS communication working perfectly.
Here also Segen was super helpful.
Notes to others: Although the manual says explicitly that one should NOT use EzFlash on post-March 2019 versions of this inverter, and only to use DataSend, the advice we got from Segen was that sometimes, if a flashing procedure went bad, one HAS to do the whole procedure: EzFlash master.out, EzFlash slave.out, datasend .bin, wifi firmware upgrade, reset to factory. In my case, this took the inverter from red fault led always on, to an almost 100% working state.
I say almost, because at the moment, the WiFi went a bit wonky (it's mostly up, but sometimes mysteriously down), and the PV Master app is reporting my non-backup-circuit loads as being on the backup circuit.

Congratulations TTT, well done!!

I guess this can be fixed by updating the firmware. 
Nope, it actually goes to the Can port.
Please ensure the end marked Battery goes to the battery.If you turn the cable around, it wont communicate. 

 

@Rautenk can you shed some more light on #2?
My application for the 80A was approved, I've paid the people, and work is about to be scheduled.
I didn't mention anything about SSEG on my application, although it is in fact the plan to integrate the GoodWe 4.6kVA ES. However, there are 6 people living on my premises, so maybe that helped the request?

After more than a month of waiting, and repeated contact with CoCT (during these occasions they were always friendly and helpful, the whole process just takes so long), I finally received my quote for the 60A to 80A upgrade. The quote is identical to that of @Niel: 7231.95 in total, consisting of the R5k shared network charge, and the single phase split prepayment meter. (the wording is also identical)
I did not mention *anything* about SSEG in my application, I only requested the 60A to 80A upgrade.
My only reason for doing this is indeed the sign-off of a soon-to-be-installed GoodWe 4.6kVA inverter. The planned system is zero feed-in.
I am going to pay, because I want to have my system signed-off, but this does leave a bitter taste in one's month.

Just in case anyone else was also searching for this, here is the NRS 097-2-1: 2017 certificate of the Victron MultiPlus II: https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Certificate-NRS-097-2-1-17-18-320-00-MultiPlus-II-and-MultiGrid-II.pdf
Thank you very much @plonkster for that webinar, it really increased my understanding of how the Victron works, and just in general what my options are with battery-backed solar PV: 
 

I'm just trying to keep things in perspective.
If this is the same prepaid meter than the one CoCT would have put in any way (at my cost), then indeed the upgrade cost is "only" the R5k SNC.
In the end we pay, that we don't have much control over. We do have some degree of control over how we feel about that. (that's true about many things in life.

Hi there @The Terrible Triplett - when you completed this form in Oct / Nov, did you fill in your own details under D. INSTALLER DETAILS AND DECLARATION, or were you working together with someone at that point?
I'm considering doing this myself as well, as I can't seem to find an installer who has time to help me at the moment.
(I am exploring the idea of finding a talented electrician and roof climber (for example) so we can install the whole thing together.)

If what exactly is out of the range? Maximum rated total inverter output, or output to the grid?
Also, do you have experience with the "asking special permission" bit?
If you can share anything with regard to your CoCT sign-off experiences, I would be most grateful to hear!

Based on my initial reading of Cape Town's "Requirements for small-scale embedded generation" [1] (see page 18 for the limits) I interpreted the maximum inverter output limit (3.5kVA for a 60A breaker) as holding even when ZERO feed-in / export was configured in a grid tied system.
However, when I read through NRS 097-2-3 [2] (see around 4.2.2 for example), I'm starting to doubt my earlier assumption. Could it be that the "generation limit" does refer to what is fed back into the grid, and NOT to total inverter output?
Does anyone have actual experience with successfully signing off an inverter with a rated output larger than 3.5kVA on a property with a 60A breaker, where the feed-in to the grid has been limited using an approved mechanism?
[1] http://resource.capetown.gov.za/documentcentre/Documents/Procedures%2c guidelines and regulations/Requiremenst for Samll-Scale Embedded Generation.pdf
[2] http://pqrs.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/NRS-097-2-3-final-2014.pdf

That's just a sign that you should rather spend your time here and on the Victron forums where you are unreservedly appreciated.

That's just a sign that you should rather spend your time here and on the Victron forums where you are unreservedly appreciated.

So on this topic of approved inverters and not... I just noted that Sokolic Solar has blocked me on Facebook because I kindly noted, as respectfully as I could, that they must check the list as Cape Town rejects everything including blue stuff. Which is fine... let their customers scream at them later 🙂

I think we have moved far beyond the point of what the correct interpretation is (because CoCT also does not know) and more into the regions of what will get signed off.
Also in the definition that you quote, there is still the utter mystery of what is meant by "the storage can be used to REDUCE the effective size of the generator", only underlining my observation above.
 

I think we have moved far beyond the point of what the correct interpretation is (because CoCT also does not know) and more into the regions of what will get signed off.
Also in the definition that you quote, there is still the utter mystery of what is meant by "the storage can be used to REDUCE the effective size of the generator", only underlining my observation above.
 

Hi,
I'm trying to get my SSEG application moving - so I have completed Cape Town's SSEG grid-tie form and made a diagram of my proposed install.
Are there any kind people here who'll take a look for me and see if what I've put in looks reasonable and acceptable?
@The Terrible Triplett I know you've done this application.  @Fuenkli too.
 
PV overview.pdf Application for connection of Small Scale Embedded Generation completed anonymized.pdf

I continued the conversation with GoodWe, and now have more clarity.
The 27.8% oversizing they claim, is on the nominal PV input of 3600W, bringing the maximum to 4600W. In other words, the maximum PV input they state in the specs, already has the oversizing calculated in. The 3600W nominal PV input is not mentioned in the manual anywhere, but can be derived from the 36 in the model number 3648.

I continued the conversation with GoodWe, and now have more clarity.
The 27.8% oversizing they claim, is on the nominal PV input of 3600W, bringing the maximum to 4600W. In other words, the maximum PV input they state in the specs, already has the oversizing calculated in. The 3600W nominal PV input is not mentioned in the manual anywhere, but can be derived from the 36 in the model number 3648.

The ES units are advertised as supporting 30% PV oversizing, so the total Wp of your panels can be up to 30% more than the rated PV input maximum. If you google around, you'll see that oversizing is often recommended, this is indeed to fatten out the power generation curve during the day.
Just be careful, the MPPTs on that GoodWe have a 550V maximum (each). For your second string, rather get panels with a higher power output (Wp) so that you can keep the total voltage below 550V (i.e. not adding MORE panels), with a bit of safety margin.
 
 

How is PE handling issues like:
- max PV 3.5kW on a 60A main breaker?
- sign off by an engineer?
- Axpert type inverter connection?
- Inverter anti islanding requirements?
- connection of a GTI with batteries?
etc

Eish folks, let's all enjoy the weekend first!
All of this is certainly quite frustrating, but we do seem to find ourselves on the cutting edge of the regulatory side of these developments. CoCT is moving, just extremely slowly, and they're unfortunately not doing the best job of communicating.
Let's see what happens the coming weeks, especially with the new German regulations expert they have contracted for the coming two years. I'll try and get more info the coming week on the where and the when and the how.
 
 

That's not a bad price. I recently had three modules couriered to me (Triton) and that was around R600, so you could probably expect around 1k-1.5k for delivery.
For large amounts from faraway places, I find it easier to use a freight company, eg K & H freight. Costs a fraction of a courier... but then you usually have to pay a courier to fetch it at the depot... and that may end up costing just as much.  But a good plan if you have a towbar+trailer or a bakkie.

@plonkster I have found the document from which your block diagram was taken. It's the TÜV Rheinland certificate of conformity to NRS-097-2-1 2017 for the GoodWe EM series, and it's quite insightful to read through.
You can find a PDF at https://solaradvice.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/EM-SA-test-report.pdf
(I could not attach the 3.5MB PDF due to the 3MB attachment limit here.)
In the document, you can find how the certification authority directly handles each of the NRS requirements where it concerns the inverter being investigated, for example:
NRS clause 4.2.2.2.1 "The embedded generator shall be equipped with a disconnection device, which separates the embedded generator from the grid due to abnormal conditions" ... with the response "PV inverter provided two relays in series used in each line and neutral as disconnection devices" and verdict "P" for pass. That easy.
You'll probably find section 4.2.2.4 on anti-islanding interesting.
 
(With regard to my own plans: I have decided that it's going to take too long for CoCT to catch up with us, and am going to bite the bullet with the GoodWe EM 3.6. It's on the 2017 list, and it satisfies the max power output requirement.
In other more interesting news: The director of SARETEC has told me that CoCT is flying in an expert from Germany who will work for them for the coming two years, also to help with the applied regulatory aspects of PV Solar SSEG. I also suggested to him that CoCT should have a workshop with a number of the most knowledgable and trained folks from this forum, to help disseminate CoCT regulatory information. Watch this space...)
 

@plonkster I have found the document from which your block diagram was taken. It's the TÜV Rheinland certificate of conformity to NRS-097-2-1 2017 for the GoodWe EM series, and it's quite insightful to read through.
You can find a PDF at https://solaradvice.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/EM-SA-test-report.pdf
(I could not attach the 3.5MB PDF due to the 3MB attachment limit here.)
In the document, you can find how the certification authority directly handles each of the NRS requirements where it concerns the inverter being investigated, for example:
NRS clause 4.2.2.2.1 "The embedded generator shall be equipped with a disconnection device, which separates the embedded generator from the grid due to abnormal conditions" ... with the response "PV inverter provided two relays in series used in each line and neutral as disconnection devices" and verdict "P" for pass. That easy.
You'll probably find section 4.2.2.4 on anti-islanding interesting.
 
(With regard to my own plans: I have decided that it's going to take too long for CoCT to catch up with us, and am going to bite the bullet with the GoodWe EM 3.6. It's on the 2017 list, and it satisfies the max power output requirement.
In other more interesting news: The director of SARETEC has told me that CoCT is flying in an expert from Germany who will work for them for the coming two years, also to help with the applied regulatory aspects of PV Solar SSEG. I also suggested to him that CoCT should have a workshop with a number of the most knowledgable and trained folks from this forum, to help disseminate CoCT regulatory information. Watch this space...)