Growatt SPF 5000TL HVM-WPV Does not switch over to SBU

[SamSA]

We have 2 X Growatt SPF 5000TL HVM-WPV parallel connected inverters with 2 X 5.2Kwh Lithium batteries and 22 X 280w solar panels (array of 12 connected to inverter 1 and 10 on inverter 2)

Normal use: setting 1 - 'SBU' : power from solar during the day, switches over to battery / solar as the sun drops, then battery only and switches to grid once battery is depleted.

If there is expected grid outage at night we switch setting 1 to 'UTL'  one or two hours before sunset to conserve the battery power. This gives Grid power with battery charge until grid is off and continues with battery power.
Previously we could change setting 1 to SBU in the morning and it would automatically start utilizing solar and disconnect from grid if solar/battery was enough for load. 

This no longer works. Now the only way to get SBU working correctly is to shut down and restart the whole system.
Auto switch to UTL works but not from UTL to SBU

see attached

[LumexClipsal]

What's defined in setting 12 and 13?

[SamSA]

5 hours ago, JoeyhZA said:

What's defined in setting 12 and 13?

Setting 12: 46
Setting 13: 54

[SamSA]

Anyone know of Growatt experienced repair/fault finding services in the Gauteng / Pretoria area ?

System was installed by Solar SA in 2019 / 2020. They are not an option for service.

[LumexClipsal]

Do you have a PV isolator/disconnect? Would be interesting to see if, as opposed to restarting the inverter, disconnect the PV for a minute, then reconnect. See if that forces SBU mode to kick in. 

I run on SOL and actually did have a similar issue in the past It was isolated to a day though and not as persistent as yours. What firmware version are you currently running?

[SamSA]

Hi Joey

Yes, there is a PV isolator.
Have tried that and it has no effect.
When changing to SBU it will either not change at all or infrequently will only use the battery and despite the available PV input value showing at bottom left the solar input line in does not display - implying it is not using solar.

Not exactly sure of the Firmware version: 
Info displayed for the both inverters shows build number 008.00/009.00 

The info for both dataloggers show Firmware version: 1.7.7.7 

[KjA]

I have 2 SPF5000TL HVM-WPV inverters in parallel. 16 panels to each inverter. Fully off grid. 

As soon as the panels become active in the morning battery capacity drops instantly to 10% until solar output equals demand, at which point capacity restores to pre dawn value. The same occurs in reverse at the end of the day when solar output becomes less than demand. Once solar output is 0, the bat capacity restores to 100%.

Any ideas why? 

[Buyeye]

7 hours ago, KjA said:

I have 2 SPF5000TL HVM-WPV inverters in parallel. 16 panels to each inverter. Fully off grid. 

As soon as the panels become active in the morning battery capacity drops instantly to 10% until solar output equals demand, at which point capacity restores to pre dawn value. The same occurs in reverse at the end of the day when solar output becomes less than demand. Once solar output is 0, the bat capacity restores to 100%.

Any ideas why? 

Lead acid or lithium batteries?

[Givenaxe]

On 2021/11/07 at 10:14 AM, SamSA said:

We have 2 X Growatt SPF 5000TL HVM-WPV parallel connected inverters with 2 X 5.2Kwh Lithium batteries and 22 X 280w solar panels (array of 12 connected to inverter 1 and 10 on inverter 2)

Normal use: setting 1 - 'SBU' : power from solar during the day, switches over to battery / solar as the sun drops, then battery only and switches to grid once battery is depleted.

If there is expected grid outage at night we switch setting 1 to 'UTL'  one or two hours before sunset to conserve the battery power. This gives Grid power with battery charge until grid is off and continues with battery power.
Previously we could change setting 1 to SBU in the morning and it would automatically start utilizing solar and disconnect from grid if solar/battery was enough for load. 

This no longer works. Now the only way to get SBU working correctly is to shut down and restart the whole system.
Auto switch to UTL works but not from UTL to SBU

see attached

Hi. I have the same problem with the Axpert Mercer inverters 2 in parallel. If doesn’t use solar power even if there is enough sun available. It will utilise the batteries (2x3.5kwh pylontech). Has any found a solution to this SBU problem as yet?

[Scorp007]

On 2022/04/10 at 11:11 PM, Givenaxe said:

Hi. I have the same problem with the Axpert Mercer inverters 2 in parallel. If doesn’t use solar power even if there is enough sun available. It will utilise the batteries (2x3.5kwh pylontech). Has any found a solution to this SBU problem as yet?

Have you tried using Solar priority instead of SBU to see if more power is used from panels 

[Bilal mortada]

On 2022/04/10 at 1:23 PM, KjA said:

I have 2 SPF5000TL HVM-WPV inverters in parallel. 16 panels to each inverter. Fully off grid. 

As soon as the panels become active in the morning battery capacity drops instantly to 10% until solar output equals demand, at which point capacity restores to pre dawn value. The same occurs in reverse at the end of the day when solar output becomes less than demand. Once solar output is 0, the bat capacity restores to 100%.

Any ideas why? 

The one is drop is the soc not the battery capacity. Soc is the state of charging it mean that the charging of the battery is about to end and once its ended it goes back to show the real battery capacity, so it's normal thing u can still check the battery voltage during that time and it will show u a hight voltage and mean a high battery capacity. 

I have growatt spf 5000 and the same so don't panic.