Bushtracker

Is there a program such as WatchPower to control settings with a computer for the MECER : SOL-I-AX-8M2

Thank you so much, that is clear and I understand.👍

Thank you for that, I agree there is confusion with the term Hybrid. Can you define the difference between Hybrid and Bi-directional inverter? A friend of mine starting out is looking at The MECER : SOL-I-AX-8M2 that was sold to him as a hybrid and told him I'd try to get clarity from the forum. I have a Goodwe 4.6 ES inverter which does indeed export excess solar power to non essential loads if there is extra power coming in and if we wish to use a non essential item eg Airconditioner, stove, etc. If there is not sufficient power available it will of course draw from the batteries or the grid, depending on the Mode settings.

Thank you @GreenFields have had a quick look and they appear to be a hybrid.

Can anyone confirm that a MECER : SOL-I-AX-8M2 sold as a hybrid inverter is actually a proper hybrid? I understand that a true hybrid can combine power from solar, mains and batteries to supply its rated output? In so doing the hybrid inverter can export excess solar power to non essential loads? The hybrid also has the ability to export power to the grid - if this is permitted? Some of the more popular true hybrids on the market in SA I believe are: Victron, Goodwe, Sunsync, Deye I would be grateful for comments Thank you

As the CT meter is clamped at the point of entry from the utility on the main DB, the only way to isolate (exclude) prepaid meter and the tenants sub DB , is to draw power for the tenant directly from the house-side of the Utility meter, via the prepaid meter.

Thanks everyone - issue resolved! We connected the Prepaid meter directly from the house side of the utility meter(Eskom), and then on to the subDB main for the granny flat, thus separating the tenant completely from the inverter, and so too, the CT meter.

Thank you I am going to look into separating the tenant from the inverter completely.

Thanks for your inputs GreenFields and Bobster - much appreciated, this issue is not yet resolved, and has come down, I think to completely isolating the tenant non-essentials from the inverter, and wonder if this is actually possible?

Hmm will run that by the installer? thanks

I'm not sure yet but there is a setting to prevent exporting to the Grid, which is set so.

OK thanks, Bobster, as I understand and know by experience is that in Back-up mode the battery is not discharged unless to support back-up loads when the grid is unavailable. I have mine set not to export as well. I have checked during the day when solar is active and found that the Aircon, and geyser , which have their own breakers, do not draw from the batteries but only the appliances on the plug circuit draw from the batteries i.e. stove, kettles, microwave fridge etc.

I am so sorry, this post was sent in error. The issue is not "drawing power during load-shedding". I tried to edit and remove but failed. Please see the post below. I have recently replaced a 5kW backup inverter with a 4.6 kW Goodwe es hybrid inverter and a 5kW Freedom Won e Tower battery both working very nicely. I have 2 strings of 6 PV panels generating about 4 kW during midday hrs on a good day I have a granny flat wired with a sub DB and a prepaid meter with the light circuit on the inverter as essential load so that during load-shedding the client can have lights. The non-essentials (aircon, stove, geyser, kettle etc ) are not energised during load-shedding of course. However during normal operation when there is no load-shedding in the hrs of darkness or when PV input is low I have noticed that the non-essentials from the granny flat, draw power from the batteries. This is not desirable because during hrs of darkness or low PV input, the client could trip the system by utilising the non-essentials excessively without the main house realising. Can anyone advise if or how this issue can be resolved? I presume it is a matter of wiring the sub-DB and or the granny flat non-essentials? Thank you

Prepaid meter drawing from battery during loadshedding

Thank you, my point is whether it is harmful for the batteries to only use 25 - 30% DOD every day?

May I ask a question about battery care. I have a 5 kVa Mecer and 4* 200Ah AGM batteries and 12 PV panels, my objective is to use as little utility power as practically possible and care for the batteries as best I can. There are 3 inverter settings for setting program 01 to configure load source priority viz: SOL - Solar energy provides power to the loads as first priority SbU - Solar energy provides power to the loads as first priority also Utl - Utility provides power to the loads as first priority Considering the first two options, and the difference between them as far as battery usage is concerned: When on SOL, at dusk the inverter switches to standby mode and the utility charges the batteries to 100 % and keeps them at 100% until dawn or until there is sufficient solar energy to cope with the loads Whilst on SbU, at dusk the inverter remains on battery to provide power for the night time loads, and in my case, usually draws the batteries down to 70 odd % My question is, what is better for the health of the batteries To keep the batteries at 100% during the night or Allow the batteries to draw on the storage during the night, albeit using only the top 25% of the battery storage, and allow solar energy to restore the batteries to 100 % during sunshine hrs I would be most grateful for your comments Thank you

@Cef, Thank you for that, my 4.6 kW Goodwe is not installed yet so I can't check with PV Master however I'll bare that in mind before purchasing the batteries. Much appreciated.

OK thank you for that, that clarifies my query.

Thankyou P1000, however on closer inspection of my photo of the pylontech I see displayed 3000 on the battery when I am wanting to buy a 4.8 kW UP 5000? So that would mean I'd be able to draw more than 4 kW, is that correct? I was lead to believe that the Pylontech was a Lithium Ion battery and the BlueNova was a Lithium IronPhosphate battery? The Owners Manual stipulates that this unit is compatible with the lithium ion batteries and leads to my original query viz : is the Goodwe SE series compatible with LiFePo4 batteries as well?

Thank you Bobster, however my inverter is not powered up (has not been installed) so I wont be able to connect PV Master ?

Hi everyone, I have acquired a Goodwe ES 4.6 kW Hybrid inverter and to avoid an expensive mistake, I would like advice from the forum experts on which battery is best for the system? I have been looking at the Pylontech 4.8kW UP 5000 Lithium Ion battery, but I am aware there are other types of lithium batteries namely the lithium iron phosphate battery and would be grateful for advice on the difference and suitability for my inverter? Thank you

Hi Treschen I am thinking of a similar application, and wonder if anyone has used the relay in the Axpert 5kVA inverter to switch on the geyser when the inverter senses that there is a given amount of power coming from the panels and switch off when the incoming power falls below a given amount? Is this a possibility? I am not au fait with the raspberry pi at all, but it may be a good project for my 18yr old grandson, to help me with? At the moment I use a CB at the sub DB next to the Inverter to manually switch on and off the geyser depending on the power available. I have reduced the geyser element down to 1.5 kW and have up to 3 kW available from the panels during the 5 hrs (10-1400hrs) on a normal cloudless day. Your comments and advice would be most welcome Thank you

I have conferred with the supplier of my AGM batteries and they said they too should/not necessary to be equalised? On another angle, I believe my batteries have lost a significant amount of storage capacity despite the fact that my monitor records show that the average consumption over the last 22 months is 87 Ah/Day - with one incidence of a draw of 103 Ah (51.5 DOD) on one day. I have recorded 405 synchronisations and Nil total discharges. Can anyone advise how I should present an argument to the supplier that the batteries have not performed as expected? My 4 x 200 Ah AGM batteries can only deal with my night time load of average 315 watts from dusk until midnight! Thank you

Hi Coulomb, While I've been navigating the Q's and A's and contemplating upgrading my firmware, I have been given the latest version, 74.50 by the supplier here in SA! If you would like it I will send it to you with pleasure. This was modified 3 months ago. There are two files AxpertMKS5K74.50.rar and a .zip file. If interested please tell me how you would like me to send them. They are about 1.5 Mb each. I have not used it yet -wondering if my old laptop with Windows Vista will handle it?

Thanks very much for this @Coulomb, I will let you know how I get on, in due course!