Hi guys

We have the above setup with the master inverter set to start the generator and charge the batteries if SOC drops below 30%.

This setup was installed on Friday last week.

Problem we are now having is that the generator starts up at four to six times each night / early morning, regardless of SOC as seen by the master inverter.

It starts as commanded by the master inverter, and then the master inverter shuts it down again after two to three minutes.

This always occurs around 23:00 at night (2 starts last night) and then around 02:00 the next morning (3 starts from 01:48 to 02:23).

The times are never exactly the same, but the false starts are always around 23:00 and 02:00 but the precise time can vary by minutes (sometimes ten minutes or more, night to night.)

The generator is an AKSA-AP110C 110kW unit with a DSE-6020 controller that is wired via UTP cable into the master inverter connector block.

Obviously this is wasting diesel and with starter cranking sometimes 6 times a night is causing a lot of unnecessary wear. Also, the engine never reaches operating temperature so wear is even worse.

This happens irrespective of whether there is loadshedding or not, and irrespective of SOC as seen by the inverter. It is set to start the generator at 30% SOC, but last night the starts were at SOCs of above 90% , then at 70%, then at 62%, 79% etc. - totally random except for it always being around 23:00 and always being around 02:00.

Any idea or suggestions WHY the master inverter in our 5 inverter parallel set is randomly starting the generator over and over for no SOC reason, and then shutting it down almost immediately?

The DSE-6020 enforces a 2 minute cooldown, for each start after being "told" by the master Sunsynk to stop running, so I'm wasting lots of diesel too.

Any ideas?

Thanks

2 hours ago, rylan76 said:

Hi guys

We have the above setup with the master inverter set to start the generator and charge the batteries if SOC drops below 30%.

This setup was installed on Friday last week.

Problem we are now having is that the generator starts up at four to six times each night / early morning, regardless of SOC as seen by the master inverter.

It starts as commanded by the master inverter, and then the master inverter shuts it down again after two to three minutes.

This always occurs around 23:00 at night (2 starts last night) and then around 02:00 the next morning (3 starts from 01:48 to 02:23).

The times are never exactly the same, but the false starts are always around 23:00 and 02:00 but the precise time can vary by minutes (sometimes ten minutes or more, night to night.)

The generator is an AKSA-AP110C 110kW unit with a DSE-6020 controller that is wired via UTP cable into the master inverter connector block.

Obviously this is wasting diesel and with starter cranking sometimes 6 times a night is causing a lot of unnecessary wear. Also, the engine never reaches operating temperature so wear is even worse.

This happens irrespective of whether there is loadshedding or not, and irrespective of SOC as seen by the inverter. It is set to start the generator at 30% SOC, but last night the starts were at SOCs of above 90% , then at 70%, then at 62%, 79% etc. - totally random except for it always being around 23:00 and always being around 02:00.

Any idea or suggestions WHY the master inverter in our 5 inverter parallel set is randomly starting the generator over and over for no SOC reason, and then shutting it down almost immediately?

The DSE-6020 enforces a 2 minute cooldown, for each start after being "told" by the master Sunsynk to stop running, so I'm wasting lots of diesel too.

Any ideas?

Thanks

@Scorp007, can you relate to this? 

 

2 hours ago, BritishRacingGreen said:

@Scorp007, can you relate to this? 

 

For starters I would say the genny has not been tested to observe the SOC % to start and to stop. This is essential for correct operation. I don't know the genny controller so of no help. 

Battery page should have gen charge and gen signal ticked. 

On System page limit to load, zero Export and priority load ticked. 

Aux load page Gen input ticked. 

G-V and G-S as well as ATS are contacts that can start the genny. 

Setup is not something I can provide an answer for unless one works from a point. A way of checking is to set start like at 40% SOC on and 55% SOC off. This must 1st work to know the right settings are used. 

Because of starts at 90%SOC when set to start at 30% shows things are not working as it should. The regular starts during the night could just be because of a certain SOC that just happens to be at a certain time. 

I doubt one can easily sort this out on a forum without being at the system. 

 

Hi Thx for the reply.

Thing is, it does work correctly. To test over the weekend during the day after the install was done, I brought down mains and turned off all PV input and let batteries drain to 30% SOC.

Generator controller got the start command from the master inverter and started up. Charged the batteries to capacity, then the inverter turned the generator off via the controller, exactly as it should.

So everything is working correctly as regards the actual "seeing", by the master inverter, of a low SOC, starting the generator, charging up to full, then turning the generator off.

The issue is now on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, always around 23:00 and 02:00 the master inverter issues meaningless start commands for 2 or 3 minute runs at a time, up to 6 times during a 24 hour period, always around 23:00 and 02:00, with the then  SOC % up to 40% and more above the generator activation threshold of 30% SOC.

That's the puzzle - everything works correctly except spurious start signals coming from the master inverter, being logged by the genset's DSE-6020 Mk. 2, and which then obediently starts the generator - only to be told within 120, 180 or 240 seconds to shut it down again by the master inverter... and so on, always around 23:00 and 02:00 at SOCs 30%, 40% or 50% higher than the generator start threshold of 30% SOC.

But thanks alot anyway!

Kind regards

Stefan

46 minutes ago, Scorp007 said:

For starters I would say the genny has not been tested to observe the SOC % to start and to stop. This is essential for correct operation. I don't know the genny controller so of no help. 

Battery page should have gen charge and gen signal ticked. 

On System page limit to load, zero Export and priority load ticked. 

Aux load page Gen input ticked. 

G-V and G-S as well as ATS are contacts that can start the genny. 

Setup is not something I can provide an answer for unless one works from a point. A way of checking is to set start like at 40% SOC on and 55% SOC off. This must 1st work to know the right settings are used. 

Because of starts at 90%SOC when set to start at 30% shows things are not working as it should. The regular starts during the night could just be because of a certain SOC that just happens to be at a certain time. 

I doubt one can easily sort this out on a forum without being at the system. 

 

 

Edited March 15, 20232 yr by rylan76

I can't comment from a reason perspective,but from alternate solutions you could look at having a NC powered relay connected to Eskom power to prevent signal from the Inverter unless power is actually off

4 minutes ago, PsyWulf said:

I can't comment from a reason perspective,but from alternate solutions you could look at having a NC powered relay connected to Eskom power to prevent signal from the Inverter unless power is actually off

Thx PsyWulf I'll discuss this with my system integrator. As is implied by your statement (e. g. ignore signals if mains isn't -actually- off, at night) it appears the generator control function is highly variable and unreliable for Sunsynk inverters?

1 minute ago, rylan76 said:

Thx PsyWulf I'll discuss this with my system integrator. As is implied by your statement (e. g. ignore signals if mains isn't -actually- off, at night) it appears the generator control function is highly variable and unreliable for Sunsynk inverters?

I would have a call logged with Sunsynk,they've been able to solve for software issues in the past. As you say it is sending spurious signals

1 hour ago, Scorp007 said:

doubt one can easily sort this out on a forum without being at the system.

Yep, I feel that that type of pain

59 minutes ago, rylan76 said:

Hi Thx for the reply.

Thing is, it does work correctly. To test over the weekend during the day after the install was done, I brought down mains and turned off all PV input and let batteries drain to 30% SOC.

Generator controller got the start command from the master inverter and started up. Charged the batteries to capacity, then the inverter turned the generator off via the controller, exactly as it should.

So everything is working correctly as regards the actual "seeing", by the master inverter, of a low SOC, starting the generator, charging up to full, then turning the generator off.

The issue is now on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, always around 23:00 and 02:00 the master inverter issues meaningless start commands for 2 or 3 minute runs at a time, up to 6 times during a 24 hour period, always around 23:00 and 02:00, with the then  SOC % up to 40% and more above the generator activation threshold of 30% SOC.

That's the puzzle - everything works correctly except spurious start signals coming from the master inverter, being logged by the genset's DSE-6020 Mk. 2, and which then obediently starts the generator - only to be told within 120, 180 or 240 seconds to shut it down again by the master inverter... and so on, always around 23:00 and 02:00 at SOCs 30%, 40% or 50% higher than the generator start threshold of 30% SOC.

But thanks alot anyway!

Kind regards

Stefan

 

Sorry to hear of this problem. You obviously have done the basics and all worked fine and not this problem. 

I take it you are off grid? 

On 2023/03/15 at 9:09 AM, rylan76 said:

Hi guys

We have the above setup with the master inverter set to start the generator and charge the batteries if SOC drops below 30%.

This setup was installed on Friday last week.

Problem we are now having is that the generator starts up at four to six times each night / early morning, regardless of SOC as seen by the master inverter.

It starts as commanded by the master inverter, and then the master inverter shuts it down again after two to three minutes.

This always occurs around 23:00 at night (2 starts last night) and then around 02:00 the next morning (3 starts from 01:48 to 02:23).

The times are never exactly the same, but the false starts are always around 23:00 and 02:00 but the precise time can vary by minutes (sometimes ten minutes or more, night to night.)

The generator is an AKSA-AP110C 110kW unit with a DSE-6020 controller that is wired via UTP cable into the master inverter connector block.

Obviously this is wasting diesel and with starter cranking sometimes 6 times a night is causing a lot of unnecessary wear. Also, the engine never reaches operating temperature so wear is even worse.

This happens irrespective of whether there is loadshedding or not, and irrespective of SOC as seen by the inverter. It is set to start the generator at 30% SOC, but last night the starts were at SOCs of above 90% , then at 70%, then at 62%, 79% etc. - totally random except for it always being around 23:00 and always being around 02:00.

Any idea or suggestions WHY the master inverter in our 5 inverter parallel set is randomly starting the generator over and over for no SOC reason, and then shutting it down almost immediately?

The DSE-6020 enforces a 2 minute cooldown, for each start after being "told" by the master Sunsynk to stop running, so I'm wasting lots of diesel too.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Hi @rylan76,

I am trying to assist my father-in-law integrating his DSE with his Deye inverter. Can you maybe tell me who did yours?

Thanks

 

 

The key must be in the exact times you mentioned. Carefully check each inverter for the program charge and discharge times. The days and times you mentioned have to be incorrect and different to the other times.