Blowdart18

@Bruce K What was the outcome after you flashed the firmware? 

@Blowdart18, the firmware upgrade did the trick.

Glad to hear that all is OK after the advice from @Jaco P Bloem
I get the impression we see a numbers of problems due to wrong connections by????

As far as I know they do; use WEC or SOL protocols. A colleague hasn't been able to get this going, but there are many ways it can go wrong. I've even gone to the length of patching up a removable display firmware that turns on a segment when the CAN system is initialised, and another when a CAN interrupt is received. Alas, my patches seem to crash Task 0, and I haven't had a chance to debug it yet (debug the debugging, sheesh).
See this post for my thumbnail sketch of the WEC and SOL protocols.

Battery Brand/Model: CALB cells, mixture of 160 Ah and 100 Ah
Installation Date: December 2016
Cycles: Unknown. About 5 years (1800 days) of partial (50% to 80% DOD) cycles.
Performance: SOH about 55%. Cells manufactured mid 2009 (12.5 calendar years old). Some are ex-EV following a high current incident. The majority of cells are from an "EV kit" that was never used. Charged to 3.45 VPC, floated at 3.36 VPC. Never discharged beyond 80% DOD (20% SOC), or below 3.21 VPC. Home-made BMS. BMS disconnects charge sources or loads if single cell voltage is too high or too low. Max load about 0.31C (of nominal capacity; that's about 0.57C using present capacity). Considering the hard life of some cells, and the considerable calendar age, I think they're doing OK.

Well funny enough the guy finally managed to come have a look today, it was not the inverter but rather one of the fuses from the batteries that popped. 
When it popped it obviously switched off the inverter. 
But apparently research said that some of the suppliers offer 2 year warranty on the Axpert King. 

Mine died over the weekend as well, using the microwave the lights in the house flickered on and off before the house was plunged into darkness. 
Don't want to play too much with the box but everything is dead, no lights or anything, it has also been a year since install. 

Your title is confusing, because it combines energy and power. But your questions seem to relate to power.
It depends on the model, but an Axpert MKS III 5K-48 for example can transfer up to 40 A from AC-in to AC-out. That's about 9 kVA.
The headline 5 kW rating is for battery and/or solar to AC-out, the basic inverting process.
When power blending in an MKS III, AC-in is connected to AC-out, so the above applies.
When utility charging, some of the 40 A input current limit is diverted to charging the battery. So if charging the battery at say 1.5 kW, there would be some 7.5 kVA left over for the loads.

I have just completed my solar setup, after several months of planning and purchasing, and I must say, I am very happy with the results!
My system:
1x Axpert 7,2kW Inverter 14x Canadian Solar 435W panels 2x US3000C batteries 1x Raspberry Pi running ICC This includes all of the relevant protection boxes etc.
I have spent the past week completing the installation, and now that all of the hardware is in, the tweaking of all of the settings and timing etc. can begin!
A nice surprise being that the unit seems to work as a "semi-hybrid". While in grid mode, it is able to make use of PV to supplement loads, but it isn't a complete hybrid, in that it only makes use of batteries and solar when in "solar mode"
I have been running off-grid since Saturday morning and couldn't be happier! I will need to add another battery at a later stage, as I'm presently not making full benefit of the available PV, despite running my pool pump and geysers during the course of the day. The current 2 batteries just gets me through the night, but we are being mindful of what equipment we are using after hours - an additional battery would really help here - will need to first wait for a few more pay days (don't want my wife to kill me!)

Good afternoon Tsa
As per SANS 10142:2006 the maximum allowable current for PVC insulated cables in a single phase installation when the cable is enclosed in conduit fixed to a wall or trunking fixed to a wall are as follows. For Multi-Phase the currents are lower.
For GP cable - That is the individual Black, Red, Blue, White, Yellow, Yellow and Green cables which are not bundled together with a second insulation over the individual cores and with 1 solid core or multiple thick strands
1.5 mm2: 17.5A, 2.5 mm2: 24A, 4.0 mm2: 32A, 6.0 mm2: 41A, 10.0 mm2: 57A, 16.0 mm2: 76A, 25.0 mm2: 101A
For Surfix and Twin and Earth  - A cable with more than 1 cores with 1 solid core or multiple thick strands individually insulated with a second insulation over the individual cores
1.5 mm2: 16.5A, 2.5 mm2: 23A, 4.0 mm2: 30A, 6.0 mm2: 38A, 10.0 mm2: 52A, 16.0 mm2: 69A, 25.0 mm2: 90A
The maximum cable operating temperature are not allowed to exceed 70 degree Celsius, if the temperature exceeds 70 degree Celsius a thicker cable must be used.
Cabtyre -A flexible cable with thin strands used for appliances, power tools, extension leads etc are not allowed in a DB.
The gap between the clamp of the MCB and the start of the insulation may not exceed 2mm.
There is also a limit of the number of cables entering or leaving an MCB and that limit is 3.
Another point that is misunderstood is that the MCB protects the cable and not the load supplied by the cable.
If a cable leaving the DB is joined and the cable that is joined is thicker or thinner than the other cable then the MCB must be rated for the thinner cable, for example a gate motor is to be installed and the cable leaving the house is 2.5 mm2 but you cannot get a 2.5 mm2 cable only 1.5 mm2 is available then the MCB must be rated for the 1.5mm2 cable.
Circuits are not allowed to be mixed on the MCB's eg Lights and Socket outlets on the same MCB.
Open spaces in the cover of the DB must be closed off so that you are protected from a electric shock and to keep insects, bugs, spiders, bees and wasps out of the DB.
MCB's must be marked with indelible ink or a proper label which is not easily removed.
If a DB is supplied by another DB then the sub DB and the supplying DB must be properly marked the same way MCB's are marked.
A Switch Dis-connector (isolator) must disconnect both L & N for single phase installations and all P's & N for multi-phase installations.
A 2 pole or 4 pole MCB are not allowed to be used as a switch dis-connector (isolator).
A MCB must trip all P's for multi-phase installations if there is a over current in any of the phases.
An Earth leakage must disconnect both L & N for single phase installations and all P's & N for multi-phase installations
PS CB is short for Miniature Circuit Breaker.

Not always, from time to time you can get a intermittent earth fault, but in most cases it will progressively get worse over time to a stage where you can not reset it anymore. I saw that a lot with outside or garden light circuits and outside plugs. One of my worst cases at a clients house were ants walking over an exposed neutral wire in a damaged Surfix cable. The ants created a path for the current to flow between neutral and the screening of the cable. Took me weeks to find because it was intermittent. Another example was a Gecko in an outside plug and once i had a Millipede  under the PC board in the power supply of a gate motor doing the same. Its back end was fried to the PC board where the 220V came in but dried out from the current, but as it tried to move, it made contact and tripped. Found it after 2 days and the Millipede was still alive. 
Secondly. You might have a neutral breaking through on a light circuit or plug circuit creating a very small leakage, and then when a heavy load like a geyser  or  Stove switches on the amps in the neutral wires increases and aggravates the situation, causing the leakage to increase and subsequently trip the EL. I think this might be the reason, it will also explain why the El trips as the Power is restored after an outage. Powering up everything together is quite a load and the change of a small leakage showing itself is good. 
Thirdly , Earth leakage  units does pack up from time to time and start giving you nuisance trips. Please dont just replace it, as this might not be the case in your situation . They are pretty expensive and replacing them just to find out the problem persist, is not nice. 

I managed to load the units by bridging the batteries.

One makes me think you might be the installer considering you have been on the forum for 3 years and this is your 3rd post. 
 
Coming out of the block you attack OP, calling him a "-- deleted by moderator---" and that he should let grown-ups sort it out. Clearly you might be the one going about doing stuff the wrong way to be honest, as this forum is used as a platform to help and educate people on these matters and put them in touch with people that can assist. 
 
Also your comment here: "-- deleted by moderator---" - Unfortunately if you want to run a business you should be able to take the punches, regardless if you on holiday or not, it is still your business and decency would dictate you respond to your clients and keep to your word of sticking to an appointment. 
 
What recourse do consumers have when business owners cannot be held accountable, if OPs house burnt down because the installer did not correctly install the equipment what would you say? Even after a year you can still be held accountable for an install if the incorrect equipment was installed.
 

I have turned up the temps on the Geyser as well, using peak solar times to heat up the geysers with enough hot water being produced for evening use. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basslink#:~:text=The Basslink electricity interconnector is,mainland to the George Town

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basslink#:~:text=The Basslink electricity interconnector is,mainland to the George Town

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basslink#:~:text=The Basslink electricity interconnector is,mainland to the George Town

We have some new pictures. ;)) Will post today. J

Not sure if I should be worried here or not 😉

(Yes the post title is spelled as intended 😀)
So, after several weeks of planning, and getting the basic gear from mecerinverter.co.za, and a bit of a hackathon this weekend, I'm finally starting to disconnect from the grid. Well, becoming less dependant on it, shall we say.
Ordered a 5kw Mecer Axpert King, and 3 x Pylontech US3000's from Devan @ EnwayPower/MecerInvert.co.za
My order was fulfilled within 2 days, and Devan is definately highly recommened. Their google star ratings show it, and I was happy to give them a 5 star rating too. In fact my colleague ordered the day after me, and was also fulfilled in 2 days.
As it goes in the current economic climate, and budget constraints, my plan was to first just get rid of loadshedding, so --basically I have an inverter, and 3 x Pylontech US3000's setup just to avoid having to run outside to startup the portable generator during loadshedding (which I installed around 2008 with the firsrt loadshedding bouts).
My general critical load including fridges, TV's, a boatload of PC's, TV's and some lights and plugs is generally around 1200watt. I split my DB board for the critical load back in the generator days.
I used surfix 2.5mm rated at 23Amps for connecting the mains feed to the Axpert King, as well as back to the critical load DB. I put the surfix inside PVC conduit as well, as it's easier to manage/get straight (Yes, a bit OCD). I used some basic 20Amp breakers to protect the Surfix  wires from my City Power feed, to the Axpert and from the Axpert to the critical load DB. When I redo the main DB I'll add some changeover switches to be able to augment City Power with the generator, but for now, the generator is out of the loop. I'm loathe to reconnect it until I've confirmed what I can do about the potential VOV situation and earthing issues. I haven't installed any DC fuses yet between the batteries and the inverter yet, but that's next. 
The Axpert didn't want to communicate with the Pylontech batteries using the supplied cable, so I went through the firmware upgrade process via USB On-The-Go, and a flash drive. Bricked the unit when I thought the upgrade had hung, then booted back up into Error Code 32, nothing else showing. Used the USB OTGagain, and realized finally that the upgrade does take some time. Simply press the OTG button a couple of times until the upgrade option show again (Had a bit of a freakout).
The inverter came with a BMS (RS485) cable for the batteries, but the pinouts were simpply straight-thru. After some digging on these forums (thanks guys!) I recrimped the RJ45 to create a crossover cable, and eventually with the 71.86 firmware flashed, and the proper pinned out RJ45 cable, the batteries and the inverter were talking.
Then cabled everything up, and working now on batteries or mains, depending on the AC input.
I've also ordered ICC software for my Raspberry PI2, and am busy flashing it as we speak. Thanks for this great local product, and happy to support local dev's and expertise!
I really want to thank everyone on this forum for sharing their experiences, and creating such a body of knowledge which is google-able, and for everyone taking the time to answer questions. It really reminds me of the old days of MyBroadband.co.za.
The next steps for me would be to get a PV array up, convert some of my geysers to GeyserWise with DC/AC elements and panels, as well as a smaller inverter setup for my fishpond.
Soon, I will be able to cut the cord entirely, and keep a basic prepaid City Power service available in case of emergency.
Herewith some PIC's, and once again thanks to people like @Coulomb and numerous others that makes this such a great forum.

 

 

Don’t have a suitable roof ( only double storey ) to mount the panels , so decided to us the car port structure 
. Thanks to Jaco and Plonkster’s advice, decided to learn from their experience and go with the Renusol system, instead of using aluminum channel and bolting the panels to the rails, having to drill precision  holes while laying on your back
   Tariq 

"Hot water system". Sometimes, perhaps more formally, "water heater". Never "boiler" or "geyser".
I try to speak the language of where I am visiting, even if virtually.

Just some feedback for you guys, especially since @Plaashaas asked about it in another topic. 
I am not experiencing these problems yet, however I don't make use of the Pylontech batteries, I use the Narada AGM batteries.  

Sooooo . . . . Before blaming ICC make sure to check your inverters   
 
I had a sneaky suspicion that something else was causing my problem, after posting above that everything was sorted it started doing its same issues of not keeping to the charging priority that I selected. 
 
I than decided to troll the forum to see where I might be doing wrong, and I saw that @Coulomb posted the recent update for the Axpert display firmware - some people actually call this the "controller" and not the display. 
 
I went to check my versions and bobs you uncle, it is different versions. Updated both of them to 02.49 and have not had an issue this whole weekend. 
Hopefully this will help some poor soul if they have the same problem as me. 
 
 

Sooooo . . . . Before blaming ICC make sure to check your inverters   
 
I had a sneaky suspicion that something else was causing my problem, after posting above that everything was sorted it started doing its same issues of not keeping to the charging priority that I selected. 
 
I than decided to troll the forum to see where I might be doing wrong, and I saw that @Coulomb posted the recent update for the Axpert display firmware - some people actually call this the "controller" and not the display. 
 
I went to check my versions and bobs you uncle, it is different versions. Updated both of them to 02.49 and have not had an issue this whole weekend. 
Hopefully this will help some poor soul if they have the same problem as me.