RhysMcW

okay, so I changed the timer settings to the below, the last line being 19:20 with 50% SoC and watched the inverter's clock change over to 19:20 but it didn't start using the batteries to power the load... you can see in the flowchart shows that it's not using the batteries but the values don't add up. PV is zero (correct as the sun is down) but the reading at the CT shows 56W but the "UPS" (inverter load) is 1061W which would've been about correct. So where is it getting the power to supply the "UPS" load? I have a digital amp meter on the line from the grid supply to the inverter and it was showing 4.7A which is about correct for the load of 1102W at 228V.

Question regarding InfluxDB... I had added MariaDB to HA when I was pulling data via MQTT from ICC, does InfluxDB replace that as the DB now? I don't need the historical data in MariaDB so not worried if I lose the data.

yeah, saw they are developing a new one, I especially like the idea of being able to completely configure the inverter via the web interface, not that's it's something that normally needs to be done often but definitely more convenient.

I found it on Facebook but actually got screwed a little. The post stated it was one of the i5 models but when I got it home and powered it on I discovered it was actually the Celeron version, so if you do look at one second hand make sure you get the model number off it's base sticker and Google that model to confirm its spec. Even though it's only the Celeron CPU (with 4Gb RAM) it is significantly better performing than the Pi 4 (with 4Gb RAM) so still very happy with it, I may just upgrade the RAM to 8Gb though as I see HA likes using RAM so want to give it some more. It's not super heavy on RAM but if you drop into the shell in the OS and run "top" you can see it uses what it gets, which is not a bad thing (Linux based OS's handle memory great compared to crappy Windows) but I'm sure it would benefit from some more.

I previously had an Infinisolar that could not do what the Sunsynk does with feeding to the house but not the grid, by using the CT coil, so to use more of the PV during the day, but not drain the batteries if no grid, I put things like my pond pumps and fridge via the contactors driven by Eskom power... I guess all that is no longer needed but seeing as it's in place I'll probably just leave it as is.

Thanks @Sc00bs, yeah I've been running HA for a while now, previously on a Pi 4 but changed to the NUC about a month back, with NodeRed. I use NodeRed for the logic and HA for the pretty UI with buttons etc to trigger NR flows. It also took me a while to get into HA and NR but really like it now so looking forward to having some decent inverter data do do more. My previous Infinisolar and ICC was very flaky and the MQTT from the ICC was down more than up so couldn't do much with the data. I did read through the thread you started and saw the mention of the Github by @jacauc which I have downloaded, thank you @jacauc for putting that together.

thanks @YellowTapemeasure, will go adjust the settings accordingly😊 Of course that whole setup would've been easier, and logical, if it had a start and end time per line...

I have two arrays both 2kW, one east and one west facing (roof availability). I have some of the load, form the inverter load, setup with contactors that are off when Eskom is off so that I can keep more battery power for the important things in the house, like lights, TV and our offices. With my old Infini inverter the batteries would last until around 22:00 (now in winter) when they reached 50%.

Great, thanks @jacauc will continue with the setup. Yeah, I got the same RS485 that was mentioned to have issues, before I found the mentions of the issues, going to give it a try anyway but will get another one if it is a problem, will short connect it to a Pi if needed for testing to confirm if it works or just my long USB cable as a problem.

Hi Nexuss Thank you for the reply. Batteries: I have two Pylontech US3000's, connected via the CAN port to the Sunsynk. I do have a pre-paid meter. My understanding with the "Solar Export" was that if that is ticked then the excess PV (after charging the batteries) will be pushed to the grid, but limited to the "Zero Export Power" value to always be pulling from the grid, hence the requirement for the working CT coil. This part seemed to be working today as I was seeing the House watts value fluctuating during the day but the Grid watts was only lower than the 100w setting when the house was pulling less from the grid, then the inverter seemed to throttle the PV so as to not push to the house when it shouldn't be. If "Limit to Load Only" will prevent the excess PV from feeding to the House then I'd rather let the batteries just feed that in the evening, down to only 50% SOC though, as at the end of the day I guess it's 6 of one or half a dozen of the other whether the battery supplies the House (non-essential load) as well as the inverter load and then switches back to using grid for all just earlier than if it was just supplying the inverter load...

If I may jump into this thread... I have a similar need to setup my new Sunsynk 5kW 1P that has just been installed... I have PV and Pylontech batteries and the inverter is connected to the grid feed. I would like the batteries to be charged from PV every day until they are 100% then the PV should feed the inverter load and if still excess PV then feed it to the house (CT coil installed and working). The batteries also need to be charged from the grid but only up to 50% SOC, just to ensure enough battery to get through another load shed should it happen (or just a general power failure). (I think I've currently got this set to only charge from grid from 18:00 to 08:00 which is fine if it's correct) The batteries should never be used to supplement the house load, only ever the inverter load (UPS is looks to be referred to on the flow chart display). Then from 18:00 until 08:00 the batteries need to supply the inverter load, until they reach 50% SOC, to allow for a possible load shed during the night. After reading this thread, and a few others around, I've come up with the following that I have set this afternoon only so don't know yet whether it's correct. Please could those in the know check this and let me know if I'm correct or not and if not what I need to change. (the last two lines are just fillers but may need changing)

adding this for anyone that may have been following this thread for the CT extending discussion... I've just recently purchased a Sunsynk 5kW 1P and installed it but needed to extend the CT cable. My CT is about 17 meters from the inverter. I extended the cables using the same type of wire (0.5mm panel or flex wire) as the CT comes with, which I found at ACDC, and twisted them. I had to purchase 100m length of each colour as they don't sell that by the meter, but it's not that expensive thankfully. My CT appears to be working fine. The only "issue" I came across is the the CT readings on the Sunsynk did not show anything until I switched on the grid power to the inverter, which had me going for some time thinking the cable extension was not working.

I have just installed a Sunsynk 5kw 1P and came across this thread started by @Bloubul7 and the other one started by @Sc00bs and looks to be exactly what I'm after as I'm already running Home Assistant with some smart switches and lights around the house. Thank you to all who have been involved in this. I would like to get clarity on something please. Am I correct that I can plug-in the RS-485 to USB adapter into my HA box and do all this from the same device? I gather I would still run the MQTT output from the flows and then get HA to read the MQTT from itself so I use various values from the inverter to trigger things in HA? My HA is running on an Intel NUC, Celeron with 4Gb RAM, do you think it will cope with this extra load? I have a 20m USB cable, with signal booster in the middle, running from where my inverter is to the cabinet where the NUC is. I had that USB cable from my old Infinisolar inverter to a PC running Solarpower for a while with no issues so hoping it will work for the RS-485 so I don't have to try run a new LAN cable. I do have a Pi I could use closer to the inverter but am trying to avoid that if possible if I can just run it from the NUC...

on the topic of exporting or not... When I had to do the whole register my system thing here in Cape Town I looked into exporting but will not be doing so. As mentioned, they seem to come up with some BS scheme to make it financially not viable to export. Just to be able to export I have to have their "fancy" two-way meter, which you have to pay monthly for and seeing as you cannot be a net-consumer (export more than you draw) it would effectively cost me around R500 extra per month just to be able to export so definitely a non-starter there... I would even be willing to export, and not even get credit for it, as long as it didn't cost me to export, call it community service😉

Correct, whether your system is off-grid, on-grid, grid-tied or tongue-tied it has to be registered, so I discovered in July 2020 when I received a really snotty and threatening letter from the council stating they will disconnect my power unless I disconnect my system, and they didn't even know what type of system I had...

I have 4 x Sonic 250ah 12v Gel/AGM Hybrid Batteries batteries purchased in June 2015 so they are used but do still have some life in them looking for R6000 for all 4 battery stand, galvanised steel, included if all 4 are taken together also have some cables to link them in series on the stand. selling as I upgraded to Pylontechs late last year Collection in Strand (Western Cape)

I've had my new Pylontech batteries, thank you Power Forum Store, for 2 months now and they've been great. My Infinisolar (Mecer branded) has been running in Grid-Tie with Backup mode but with the feed into grid option disabled and I'd set it all up to only use the batteries to feed the load from 19:00 to 04:00 or until the SOC reaches 50% to keep a little in reserve in case of power failure. I'm still tweaking the settings to get it to stop at 50% of actual Pylontech SOC but it's been working okay so far. On Tuesday my new prepaid meter got installed and I had another look at the inverter settings and decided to try the Off-Grid option, mainly because it's then got no possibility of feeding back to the grid, or so I thought... First problem I noticed was that it did not use the batteries on Tuesday night at all. The other thing I noticed is that both in Off-Grid and Grid-Tie with feed to grid disabled I'm seeing the occasional negative watt values (using ICC) on the grid side, I've seen as much as -150W. Is this something to be concerned with? Here are my Off-Grid settings. Is there something I missed to get it to use the batteries at night? Here were/are my Grid-Tied settings that worked for using the battery at night. I'm currently back on the Grid-Tie settings and the batteries were used last night as they used to be. Can I just leave it set as Grid-Tie but with that "Allow to feed-in to the Grid" disabled? This seems to be working apart from that occasional negative grid watts, but I also saw that in the Off-Grid mode too...

I wonder if network cable, which is twisted anyway, would work or is the gauge too small? I seem to recall reading on the OpenEnergyMonitor site that they mention using network cable to extend the CTs and temperature probes. Network cable seems to vary from gauge 22 (0.63mm) down to 28 (0.33mm) so possibly could work, you also get STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) that has a nice aluminium shielding to reduce AC cable interference when you need to run a LAN cable next to an AC cable, but then @Stanley mentions the interference should not be an issue anyway so probably not necessary...

Thanks @JustinSchoeman, that's good news, will just need to find a route away from the AC cables which will prove a challenge, but doable...

how far can the CT be run from the inverter? I would need the CT to be about 15m from the inverter to get to the cable between my meter and my non-essential load DB. Would this be doable?

Big thanks to Steve for the efficient and great service and fast delivery... I ordered two Pylontech US3000's and a cabinet for them, got to install them yesterday, now looking forward to using them.

forgot to add the size: 92mm x 92mm x 25mm

So I went rummaging through some stuff and found the old main board and fans from the replacement done in 2019. Here are the specs of the original fans used in the Infinisolar 3kW Plus Make: ADDA Model: AG09212MB257310 Supply Voltage: 12VDC Max curent: 0.3A Air flow: 56.126CFM (82.912m3/h) Fan speed: 3000RPM Duty cycle: 50000H Noise: 36.2dB(A) It seems this particular model is a little difficult to find at the moment, found one on Aliexpress for $47 plus $40 shipping, so I guess I'll try find something close to that spec...

@plonkster, good point there. I originally had the load RCD after the changeover but thought the second RCD in series with the grid RCD was causing/adding to the grid side RCD trips so rewired the output RCD to be before the changeover, thereby only having the one RCD in play at any time. I understand what you're saying about the standing leakage currents so may move the output RCD back to be after the changeover, although I thought the first RCD in the series would typically detect the total leakage anyway, but the "more sensitive" RCD would end up tripping...

so, I've installed a new main switch with overload protection and a new RCD, after the main switch, and connected the inverter grid input from before the RCD and have been running the inverter load for a few days and all seems good now with no more grid side RCD trips. Thank you all for the tips etc... For those new to reading this post, here is my new basic wiring diagram...