Hi

I've just had an install done and am interested in getting the most from it. I am in the UK (so all the North/South/East/West and summer/winter discussions need interpolation  ) but have just completed an install - I'm wanting to learn so I can get the most of it and za seem to have a lot of deployments we can learn from ! 

so - my system is 19 x 410W panels - in 2 strings (8 and 11) connected to a Sunsynk 8.8 Hybrid Inverter. I also have 2 x 5KW Sunsynk batteries installed and unusually for the UK have also implemented the EPS function. My house faces 170 degrees - and the 8 panel string is facing south and the 11 East (for morning Sun). So far the system has wiped about 75% of my electric usage out - which is quite pleasing as it's the depths of winter with short days (sun - if we get any - rises about 8am, and disappears about 4pm) so I think that's pretty good. 

the main bit I've not got into yet - my electricity provider runs a time of day tariff, and a dynamic version of that that involves spot rate pricing. I fancy trying to link some home automation that  with the goal of being able to program off peak limited charging and export based around the weather with their dynamic pricing  .

so lots to go for - and I think lots to learn  

Mark

I am about 4 weeks ahead of you and believe the best way forward is with Home Assistant.
Although at the moment I am still investigating how best to communicate with the Inverter and what I can do with it, faverate option right now is https://solar-assistant.io/ but you are talking about £400+ when if you read here that can be done for £100+ using modbus and a raspberry Pi.
I am also looking at a https://shop.glowmarkt.com/products/display-and-cad-combined-for-smart-meter-customers In home display (IHD) and consumer access device. This will provide details from the smart meter every 6 second and allow you to trigger an automation when cost per KWh is less than 1p above your evening rate. You can also trigger another automation when cost per KWh is greater than your evening rate.

Please keep us all updated as to what path you go and your experience.

 

Edited November 24, 20223 yr by chris2172

10 hours ago, MarkR said:

Hi

I've just had an install done and am interested in getting the most from it. I am in the UK (so all the North/South/East/West and summer/winter discussions need interpolation  ) but have just completed an install - I'm wanting to learn so I can get the most of it and za seem to have a lot of deployments we can learn from ! 

so - my system is 19 x 410W panels - in 2 strings (8 and 11) connected to a Sunsynk 8.8 Hybrid Inverter. I also have 2 x 5KW Sunsynk batteries installed and unusually for the UK have also implemented the EPS function. My house faces 170 degrees - and the 8 panel string is facing south and the 11 East (for morning Sun). So far the system has wiped about 75% of my electric usage out - which is quite pleasing as it's the depths of winter with short days (sun - if we get any - rises about 8am, and disappears about 4pm) so I think that's pretty good. 

the main bit I've not got into yet - my electricity provider runs a time of day tariff, and a dynamic version of that that involves spot rate pricing. I fancy trying to link some home automation that  with the goal of being able to program off peak limited charging and export based around the weather with their dynamic pricing  .

so lots to go for - and I think lots to learn  

Mark

Welcome Mark. Glad you here!

16 hours ago, MarkR said:

the main bit I've not got into yet - my electricity provider runs a time of day tariff, and a dynamic version of that that involves spot rate pricing. I fancy trying to link some home automation that  with the goal of being able to program off peak limited charging and export based around the weather with their dynamic pricing

Technically if you use the time of day schedules you can change the times to match the off-peak of your provider and tick the charge from grid checkbox for that slot and set the battery percentage to 100% it should fill the battery without needing any integrations from home-assistant.

Unless the off-peak tariff times changes by the minute, then I guess you need home assistant. Do not bother with a raspi, use an old laptop, install homeassistantOS (proxmox if your laptop does not support UEFI), get a USB-RS485 converter and install the sunsync plugin.

Edited November 25, 20223 yr by iiznh

@chris2172 my inverter came with a Sunsynk dongle rather than the solar man one, but I was following the kellerza project on hconnecting to Home Assistant (which looks awesome !) https://github.com/kellerza/sunsynk and was thinking to get one of the RS485 devices mentioned there (much cheaper on AliExpress!) 

@iiznh I was planning to get a USB630 RS485 to wifi device (cheaper than a pior a laptop) as my HA install is in a different building! and whilst the ToD tariff does't change minute by minute -they release pricing in 30min blocks 24 hours ahead - so I think I need to be able to alter the schedule daily - and I don't trust the Sunsynk cloud service (it's not connected reliably yet!).

So - do you know if I can have the Sunsynk dongle connected to the RS232 connection at the same time as something else connected to the RS485 connection at the same time ? (is it either/or or and) are both conections active at the same time ?

and thanks for the welcome

You can use both at the same time. I have a Sunsynk dongle and I’m using the RS485 port to read data.

Hi slipx

Would you please share your Inverter config?
I am unable to communicate with my 8kW Sunsynk.
I have set my Sunsynk unit to ID 01.
I have tried setting the inverter to both Master and Slave without any success.

I am using this RS485 unit, - https://www.robotics.org.za/W17286?search=485&page=2 - that is used by other, without any success.
I presume i am doing something simple wrong.

Mine is setup as a Slave with ID 01. Have a look here and confirm you have the wiring correct https://github.com/kellerza/sunsynk

 

Thank you
Manage to get it working.