Good day

First off I am not an installer, nor competent on solar in any form or shape - so please excuse any nonsensical remarks or questions.

So the background as follows:

• I have 2 x 5kw Deye inverters, setup as slave and master
• Both were set before to draw 10W from grid at all times 
• This worked out to be around 30 w of continuous usage if the need for higher consumption from grid was not there

 

The master got damaged and replaced and since then:

• With the settings as before on 10W for both machines it now continuously draws around 300W, when no Eskom load is needed
• I have changed this to 0W, 30W, 50W - it makes no difference, it stills draws 300W
• I have checked every single setting I can find on both master and slave - and they all mirror each other
• Below the two setting (I think) which talks back to how much is drawn from grid when no Eskom load is needed

 

Master

 

Slave

 

Current load if no power is needed from Eskom

 

So the problem is that my installer does not seem to have an answer, Deye neither. We have confirmed that both run on the same version of firmware as well. My concern is that I have a very big installation and manage to be off-grid 80%+ of the time, however with this 300W continuous draw I now end up with something like (300W*20hours*30days) 180KW a month of Eskom power I am not in need of. And we did test the slave in isolation as well - it then draws no more than 30W

 

I hope this makes some sort of sense? Any suggestions please?

Regards

Jacques

 

 

Long shot: but I wonder if we're looking at self-consumption here? The inverters and batteries must each be drawing some power continuously...

So then what happens if you untick 'Grid Charge' in the time-of-use (System Work Mode) screen for a test timeslot (perhaps try it using the current timeslot) and drop the Batt % down a little bit to allow the battery discharge?

Does this force the system to use battery rather than grid, hence moving self-consumption to the battery (which would ideally be coming from Solar) instead of Eskom?

Can you give it a try?

 

13 minutes ago, JayMardern said:

Long shot: but I wonder if we're looking at self-consumption here? The inverters and batteries must each be drawing some power continuously...

So then what happens if you untick 'Grid Charge' in the time-of-use (System Work Mode) screen for a test timeslot (perhaps try it using the current timeslot) and drop the Batt % down a little bit to allow the battery discharge?

Does this force the system to use battery rather than grid, hence moving self-consumption to the battery (which would ideally be coming from Solar) instead of Eskom?

Can you give it a try?

 

Depending if you have selected load 1st. Then I feel it will come from PV if available before using the battery. 

From battery if no PV due to heavy load or cloud. 

Stand to be corrected? 

Ok so I tried what I think you asked. Untick the solar having to use Eskom if the battery is to low compared to setting - for a specific time slot

Did it and the load from Eskom remained unchanged - so even though I told it not to make use of Eskom it still took load. Then I did it the other way round, put the battery at 100% from grid for the time slot, but unticked the box, so it should not use Eskom? Again it did not consider the unticked state and started charging the battery.

With "use grid" unticked and thus not supposed to add to battery - even if just trickle

Still used Eskom

 

Then with battery supposed to charge from Eskom to 100% (but set not to use Eskom)

 

Not sure if this is what you suggested. Just another comment I forget before. The load of 300w (varies between (120and 300W - mostly above 250W) only comes from the slave - the master shows zero to 1W

1 hour ago, Scorp007 said:

Depending if you have selected load 1st. Then I feel it will come from PV if available before using the battery. 

From battery if no PV due to heavy load or cloud. 

Stand to be corrected? 

Yeah, 'Batt First' is selected in the first screenshot so we'd think that would be the case!

 

1 hour ago, Kalaharipro said:

Ok so I tried what I think you asked. Untick the solar having to use Eskom if the battery is to low compared to setting - for a specific time slot

Did it and the load from Eskom remained unchanged - so even though I told it not to make use of Eskom it still took load

 

 

Yup that's right - was hoping we'd get lucky and that would sort you out: here's my system running with Grid unticked and a battery SOC (indicated in blue) being allowed to drop (with a zero power value) - we can see it slowly diminishing despite not outputting power to any loads (so self-consumption)?

 

But alas, no such luck in your case.

At a loss. Also strange that:

• It's only the primary that seems to be doing this
• It only started when swapping out the unit. What could've possibly changed!

 

Edited January 29, 20242 yr by JayMardern

19 hours ago, Kalaharipro said:

Ok so I tried what I think you asked. Untick the solar having to use Eskom if the battery is to low compared to setting - for a specific time slot

Did it and the load from Eskom remained unchanged - so even though I told it not to make use of Eskom it still took load. Then I did it the other way round, put the battery at 100% from grid for the time slot, but unticked the box, so it should not use Eskom? Again it did not consider the unticked state and started charging the battery.

With "use grid" unticked and thus not supposed to add to battery - even if just trickle

Still used Eskom

 

Then with battery supposed to charge from Eskom to 100% (but set not to use Eskom)

 

 

Not sure if this is what you suggested. Just another comment I forget before. The load of 300w (varies between (120and 300W - mostly above 250W) only comes from the slave - the master shows zero to 1W

So took these pictures - not sure if they hold any clues. I have no idea what all the abbreviations mean. First one is the master, showing the 10W it is set at. Second the slave, also set at 10W but using 250W plus non-stop from the grid.

The original issue started as per the very first post in this thread

 

Morning

So 4 months later I still do not have a solution from the installer or the supplier. Unfortunately the situation has moved backwards - without me doing anything. The stats are showing I take zero power (0-1W) off the grid, that my consumption is around 1kw/h lower than actual - and yet I am using around 17units a day from ESKOM. That is with zero need to do so as my batteries(25kw) are more than sufficient to cary me thought the night and typically end up around 50-60% left when the sun starts to do its thing again. Fully charged again by 13:00/14:00 most days

So my situation has changed from (and it is supposed to be 1-2 for trickle feed) 8 units a day tot 17 units a day  - without having to use any ESKOM power. Not sure if one are allowed to ask it in this forum, but where can I get hold of an EXPERT that can come and have a look at the system. I am in desperate need of somebody who is truly knowledgable on Deye invertors and the correct setup for a Master/Slave hybrid system?

Regards

Jacques

 

 

 

Edited May 31, 20242 yr by Kalaharipro

16 minutes ago, Kalaharipro said:

The original issue started as per the very first post in this thread

 

Morning

So 4 months later I still do not have a solution from the installer or the supplier. Unfortunately the situation has moved backwards - without me doing anything. The stats are showing I take zero power (0-1W) off the grid, that my consumption is around 1kw/h lower than actual - and yet I am using around 17units a day from ESKOM. That is with zero need to do so as my batteries(25kw) are more than sufficient to cary me thought the night and typically end up around 50-60% left when the sun starts to do its thing again. Fully charged again by 13:00/14:00 most days

So my situation has changed from (and it is supposed to be 1-2 for trickle feed) 8 units a day tot 17 units a day  - without having to use any ESKOM power. Not sure if one are allowed to ask it in this forum, but where can I get hold of an EXPERT that can come and have a look at the system. I am in desperate need of somebody who is truly knowledgable on Deye invertors and the correct setup for a Master/Slave hybrid system?

Regards

Jacques

 

 

 

Looking at that graph, it seems like you are exporting, and as most meters are configured, you will be paying for that export the same as import. The fact that the grid power is measuring 0 means something is mis-configured/wired incorrectly.

Thank you. The system has been in for almost 2 years. Up to the Master been replaced in Jan, it worked perfectly. I am not aware of any system changes or setting changes, I never touch those myself. So from original installation to replacement of unit I ave about 3units a day (on whatever the settings was), then when unit was replaced it went up to around 8 (with supplier checking on three different occasions that the settings where the same as before). The suddenly 10 days ago (without me being aware of anybody changing anything - definitely not on site) the stats went crazy for actual usage as well as grid power, with me now using 17 units a day.

Below is a graph on the day it happened

 

For example it is not possible for me to use less than 700w at night as I have a oxygen unit running 24/7 for my mom that draws 620W

So it might very well be setting related, but I have not changed anything and those who have had a look recon all are set correctly - hence my request for some expert to come have a look

 

This will be tricky to diagnose remotely ,you might want to mention where you are located so someone close might be able to help.

I am in the East of Pretoria, close to Centurion

Try the following.

- Set the energy pattern to "Load First" and not "Battery First." Descriptions above don't sound right.

- Let your first time slot of the day start at 00:00.

- Can you try to show a SolarMAN graph of grid power, SOC and battery power on one screen. Wondering whether the grid-charge slots during the evening are interfering with drawing power from battery.

- Long shot, just speculation, wondering what type of PV voltage you are seeing from the panels at night.

- Call a real expert.

So I have set it to load first - it was on battery first. Also took 2 pictures just now of some settings - as well as what the dials are showing. Notice no usage in house - totally wrong, many things running, should be around 2kw+. Both investors shows the same - zero for house

 

Check that the ct is connected to pin 5&6 and not pin 4&5 on the unit that was swapped out. Also ensure the ct direction is correct.

Thanks, that's a bit too technical for me though. I am limited to operating the touch screen - but thanks anyway!

41 minutes ago, Kalaharipro said:

Thanks, that's a bit too technical for me though. I am limited to operating the touch screen - but thanks anyway!

Fair enough but ask your installer to pop around and just check. Something i remember i once picked up while commissioning, if you switch the utility off does it then show the house loads?

If you have everything on essential have you tried selecting zero export to load? I had this same issue after council replaced my pre-paid meter (I noticed my pre paid usage was not inline with what the inverter showed) I think something might not be right with my ct coil installation, but this helped me, as soon as my batteries are full now my pv production tapers down.

Also what @GreenFields said try to change it to battery first and check if this helps.

If my understanding is right zero export to ct is needed for the smart load function if you want to send excess power to non essentials? Can someone confirm? 

 

Edited May 31, 20242 yr by JacoG

2 minutes ago, JacoG said:

If you have everything on essential have you tried selecting zero export to load? I had this same issue after council replaced my pre-paid meter, I think something might be not right with my ct coil installation, but this helped me, as soon as my batteries are full now my pv production tapers down.

If my understanding is right zero export to ct is needed for the smart load function if you want to send excess power to non essentials? Can someone confirm? 

 

The Smart Load is something else, this topic here relates to the essential loads versus non-essential loads. The OP earlier in the thread had his settings on "Zero Export to Load" and now it's on "Zero Export to CT." If all the household loads are backed up by battery, then I'd also say to try this, switch to the Load, which may negate some effects of a CT coil if it's installed incorrectly.

4 minutes ago, JacoG said:

Also what @GreenFields said try to change it to battery first and check if this helps.

No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying to change it to Load priority. That means that the Solar power will go to the load first, and what's left will be diverted to the battery. If you've got the Battery Priority, then the solar will be diverted to the battery as first priority, and any excess power demand will be drawn from the grid.

It doesn't work like the SUB or SBU etc priority settings on the Axpert inverters where you select the order of priority of the energy source to supply load. Here you're selecting the order of priority of the energy demand.

Thanks for all the responses, so let me explain in another very simplistic way what is happening here. I am not technical at all, so apologies if I frustrate you.

So during autumn to spring my system is big enough to give me a 100% off the grid experience - I can literally disconnect Eskom power and not have a moment without electricity. Last year during the same period I went through 157 days of zero need for Eskom, but due to the importance of the trickle feed I obviously did attract some usage - something to the tune of 150w/h*24 = around 3-4 units a day.
Post the master being replaced that suddenly jumped to double that, and now in the last 10 days it jumped to 17 units a day - with still zero actual need for Eskom power, and zero change to any setting (that I am aware of)

The stats are also not reflective of what is really happening. The power usage patterns in my house has not changed but yet the stats for Grid usage, as well as Consumption in the house has dropped by between 700w and 1kw/h  - as per the stats. So having read my meter this morning compared to 10 days ago, I used 170 units of Eskom power. That is nowhere to be found on the stats and on the active displays, but the house is using it. So I am still using around 37-42 kwh per day, but the inverter stats recons its only  23-30.

In short my total usage per day has remained unchanged, but the stats shows differently - and Eskom is smiling.

Whatever is causing that to happen I have no clue, and that applies to Deye as well as my installer. 

So from the stats there are only 2 things that is factually visible - on 21 May at 13:30 my issue of 300w-350w trickle feed (original issue after replacement) suddenly went away and become 0-2w trickle feed, at the very same time my illustrated usage fell by 700w-1kwh. It looks as if the PV and battery stats remained accurate. 

 

UPDATE - Resolved

So this is very early days but it seems as if the solution was the adding of a CT device on the DB board/inverter.

In my limited technical understanding the setup of my solar system is as follows. 

20x455w panels

2x5kw Deye inverters

5x5kw Greenrich batteries

Setup to feed house 100% at all times - so nothing in the house excluded from getting electricity off the inverters. Only when battery and PV can't supply demand if would use Eskom

Worked perfect until the whole situation on this topic started happening. First it was the roughly 300w per hour it pulled from Eskom, even though the setting was at 10w. And then in the last 2 weeks I went totally belly up and randomly used Eskom power - although the system did not show it - between 17kw and 30kw a day on meter which was not reflecting on system.

So the simple solution was - install a CT on the board, and now everything works 100% as it should. I have almost zero movement on my Eskom meter, and the system does as it should. For the first time my "Power Purchased" stat is also accurate - used to show around 30-40% of what the meter showed I used.

After a bit of Googling it seems as if it is not uncommon practise to run a solar system without a CT. In my case, for whatever reason, it is actually very necessary.

 

 

1 hour ago, Kalaharipro said:

UPDATE - Resolved

So this is very early days but it seems as if the solution was the adding of a CT device on the DB board/inverter.

In my limited technical understanding the setup of my solar system is as follows. 

20x455w panels

2x5kw Deye inverters

5x5kw Greenrich batteries

Setup to feed house 100% at all times - so nothing in the house excluded from getting electricity off the inverters. Only when battery and PV can't supply demand if would use Eskom

Worked perfect until the whole situation on this topic started happening. First it was the roughly 300w per hour it pulled from Eskom, even though the setting was at 10w. And then in the last 2 weeks I went totally belly up and randomly used Eskom power - although the system did not show it - between 17kw and 30kw a day on meter which was not reflecting on system.

So the simple solution was - install a CT on the board, and now everything works 100% as it should. I have almost zero movement on my Eskom meter, and the system does as it should. For the first time my "Power Purchased" stat is also accurate - used to show around 30-40% of what the meter showed I used.

After a bit of Googling it seems as if it is not uncommon practise to run a solar system without a CT. In my case, for whatever reason, it is actually very necessary.

 

 

Deye and sunsynk inverters usually always require the CT coil (correctly Installed) for them to function correctly.
It is mentioned in the install guide.
Some of the comments above did question the correct installation of the CT coil.

Edited June 5, 20242 yr by WannabeSolarSparky

The take away as has been suggested a few times do the installation as per the instructions without taking short cuts. 

It becomes a self inflicted wound. 

Glad to hear that a problem present from Jan has been sorted out. I wish all installers would just follow the guidelines which are very well indicated and also in bold font in the manual. 

30 minutes ago, Scorp007 said:

The take away as has been suggested a few times do the installation as per the instructions without taking short cuts. 

It becomes a self inflicted wound. 

Glad to hear that a problem present from Jan has been sorted out. I wish all installers would just follow the guidelines which are very well indicated and also in bold font in the manual. 

Agree fully. I suppose they get away with it because the system does function, and unless you really look into the detail of what is happening then most wont pick it up. I now for the first time have a true view of actual usage and my stats makes sense, compared to the meter stats. Even before all of this started there was a miss match between what the stats said I used as "Power Purchased" compared to what the actual meter reading was. I thought the stats were just incorrect (indicated 30-40% of actual usage), but now the "Power Purchased" stats align 100% with what the meter says.

 

If you have all your load on the essential/UPS circuit and/or smart load (gen) circuits, then the external CT sensor is not required.
If you have load on the grid circuit (Home loads) then you will need the external CT sensor between the load and meter. HOME LOAD are appliances that you want to power from the inverter with excess Solar. The flow diagram will show if the CT is installed or not. If Limit to load only is ticked then it will work without a CT coil, but if Limit to load is unticked you need the CT coil to power Home loads with excess solar.

Edited June 6, 20242 yr by TaliaB
Spelling terrible