Hi everybody. I have a Kodak OG7.2 installed at an office in April '23 with a Pylon Tech 3,5 Bat. It's been running smoothly until I installed 2 x strings of 5 each, JA Solar 550W panels lately. I set the inverter to Solar first (grid support). Ever since the Inverter dips quite often, causing the 4x desktop computers in the office to shut down every time. I suspect it happens during interface when the solar switches over to the grid when there's not sufficient PV available. If I switch the panels off, the problem disappears. Is there a way to solve this issue?

Have you any way of monitoring your solar feed for consistency?
Could be a bad MC4 connection somewhere that causes intermittent loss of solar energy? That may lead to a melting connector under high loads eventually.
You state "Solar first" option is selected. What are the other setting options available? Have you got an option for Solar-Battery-Utility? If so, try that for a test

@Steve87may be able to provide additional thoughts as he has done Kodak installations in the past

 

Edited December 6, 20232 yr by zsde

Hi guys, 

Some basic questions to ask before we can try to troubleshoot. Are the Pylontech batteries communication established to the Kodak Inverter OG7.2? To identify if this is the case: does the battery symbol flash on the inverters display? 

 

7 hours ago, Tertius vd Merwe said:

I have a Kodak OG7.2 installed at an office in April '23 with a Pylon Tech 3,5 Bat.

I note that a single 3.5 kWh battery is very small for a 7.2 kW inverter. This may be affecting the problem somehow, especially since it seems that mode transitions seem to be the problem.

I agree that SBU output source priority may well alleviate your problem, at least until you can get more battery modules.

Edited December 7, 20232 yr by Coulomb

10 hours ago, Tertius vd Merwe said:

Hi everybody. I have a Kodak OG7.2 installed at an office in April '23 with a Pylon Tech 3,5 Bat. It's been running smoothly until I installed 2 x strings of 5 each, JA Solar 550W panels lately. I set the inverter to Solar first (grid support). Ever since the Inverter dips quite often, causing the 4x desktop computers in the office to shut down every time. I suspect it happens during interface when the solar switches over to the grid when there's not sufficient PV available. If I switch the panels off, the problem disappears. Is there a way to solve this issue?

Have you tried to disable the 2nd new string of 5 panels on a day with clouds to see if reduced PV during transitions keeps the desktops running without them shutting down? 

@Coulomb if the battery was low/too small would the desktops not shut down as well if the PV is switched off?

It is indicated they stay on when running on battery only. 

What is the switching-over time of your inverter?

There are fast switching models (Zero transfer time) to avoid that issue with computers, ATM machines, etc...

9 hours ago, Scorp007 said:

if the battery was low/too small would the desktops not shut down as well if the PV is switched off?

I was thinking that with the PV connected, it may be switching from line to and from battery mode, or someone suggested that. It may be that this involves surges of power that a small battery can't  handle, and the battery's BMS may be disconnecting it from the inverter. That's a wild guess, I'll admit.

As for why the presence of PV would encourage mode changes, I don't know. My 2016 inverters operate a bit differently to these later models.

We still need to see what the OP can provide as the route @Steve87 wants to take is the better option. 

I think Getting the inverter comms established & also knowing what is programmed as USE settings if no comms are in use & most importantly for this small battery a discharge limit to help save this battery from where the inverter can potentially take it. The OG7.2 has a discharge limit that can be programmed in menu option 41. So I know @Coulombis spot on by saying the battery is not an adequate match but given the opportunity to run a small load & programming the discharge limit there is some way such a small battery & large inverter can go. 

We need more info to assist or troubleshoot...

A simple workaround would be putting basic little UPS's on the PCs.

Hie I have a kodak invetor installed 5 days ago yesterday came home and it's showing the 32 error code the solar system isn't working checking on the error code it's saying communication error.