Dries le Grange Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Please help. Being off-the-grid, I have to use a generator to "top-up" the 2 X 5.12kWh Li-Ion batteries maybe once a week due to weather conditions. Standard 6.5kW single phase generator. The inverter will only "accept" the generator (as utility) as an input to charge the batteries if I switch the inverter to "by-pass" mode (the small black switch bottom right on the inverter switched to off). Inverter settings are set to accept charge from PV and "Utility". Max charge current from "utility" is set at 10A. Charging from the PV side works flawless. I installed the spare inverter with the same result. The spare inverter had the latest firmware installed. I appreciate your help in this regard. Dries Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonio de Sa Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 19 minutes ago, Dries le Grange said: Please help. Being off-the-grid, I have to use a generator to "top-up" the 2 X 5.12kWh Li-Ion batteries maybe once a week due to weather conditions. Standard 6.5kW single phase generator. The inverter will only "accept" the generator (as utility) as an input to charge the batteries if I switch the inverter to "by-pass" mode (the small black switch bottom right on the inverter switched to off). Inverter settings are set to accept charge from PV and "Utility". Max charge current from "utility" is set at 10A. Charging from the PV side works flawless. I installed the spare inverter with the same result. The spare inverter had the latest firmware installed. I appreciate your help in this regard. Dries I think the solution would be to install a change over switch where you can switch to Gen once you have no mains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan-Henry Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 I have the 5000TL and if you are referring to setting 14 being in SNU, as far as I know the these inverters do not allow the charging of batteries from utility if they are in battery mode (supplying load from batteries). There is a note in the manual in the setting 14 block - "If this off grid solar inverter is working in Battery mode or Power saving mode, only solar energy can charge battery. ". Therefore to charge the batteries from utility, you have to be in bypass mode. If you set program 1 to Utl, it should charge batteries from utility and switch to bypass mode when utility is available (i.e. gen started) and back to battery mode when utility is not available (gen not started). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dries le Grange Posted January 19, 2022 Author Share Posted January 19, 2022 Antonio, there is a change over switch and used as you indicated. Johan, it seems you are onto something. I have the Off-Grid inverter model SPF 5000 ES. Setting 1 is SBU as we do not have a normal fixed utility supply. Setting 14 is set at SNU and the note you refer to is as you indicated. When I see in the afternoon that the batteries will not make it till the next day till 9am, I start the generator to charge the batteries to a pre determined level. I said before, my problem is sporadic. Earlier today when I started the gen for testing purposes, it charged the batteries without any problem. My thinking now given your note: Whilst loads are supplied by solar, the gen will also supply loads / charge batteries (like this morning). However, in the afternoon there is little solar supply meaning I am in battery mode. Starting the gen NOW will result in it not charging. But when I switch the inverter into stand-by mode, the gen comes on line. Do I understand it correctly? Thanks Dries Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dries le Grange Posted January 25, 2022 Author Share Posted January 25, 2022 After a number of tests I can confirm that Johan-Henry had it spot on. Appreciate the help. Very kind of you. Dries Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jp.s Posted April 18, 2022 Share Posted April 18, 2022 Please help. So we have a 3x 5kw growatt inverters installed in a three phase configuration with 6 lithium battery's 2x for each inverter used as a backup so it has no solar panels.The problem is that the inverters gets power in from grid side but doesn't give it out at the load side, and even on the display it shows that its not giving any power out to load terminals across all 3 inverter so i'm not sure if its just a communication problem or a harware problem because it was working fine before for a long wile. I would realy appreciate it if anyone can help. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buyeye Posted April 19, 2022 Share Posted April 19, 2022 14 hours ago, Jp.s said: Please help. So we have a 3x 5kw growatt inverters installed in a three phase configuration with 6 lithium battery's 2x for each inverter used as a backup so it has no solar panels.The problem is that the inverters gets power in from grid side but doesn't give it out at the load side, and even on the display it shows that its not giving any power out to load terminals across all 3 inverter so i'm not sure if its just a communication problem or a harware problem because it was working fine before for a long wile. I would realy appreciate it if anyone can help. Thanks There is a button on the bottom on the right side, switch it off and on to restart the inverters. They don't always restart themselves after low voltage shutdown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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