Hi all,

So finally upgraded from my desktop Mecer to a 5kw Luxpower SNA5000 with a Volta Stage 1 battery (48v 100Ah). PV will have to come later, finances permitting. After installation I was skimming through the settings and noticed that the inverter was set to lead acid battery as opposed to lithium. Was worried by this and immediately contacted the installer who assured me that it made no difference as the BMS overrides this setting and takes care of itself.

Does this sound right? Maybe it's just OCD but seeing "lead acid" on the display sticks in my eye! Plus that battery type option should surely be there for a reason right?

Also I've noticed that my electricity consumption has gone up a fair bit. Normally overnight I'd use about 3ish but last night it consumed 6 units. Both readings took into account a 2 hour loadshedding stint.

Lastly, is it normal for the inverter's fan to spin up periodically? Maybe 3 or 4 times an hour for about >5 minutes each. This is during normal conditions where utility is present and supplying full load.

Hope you guys can help with these questions.

1 hour ago, BamBam said:

Hi all,

So finally upgraded from my desktop Mecer to a 5kw Luxpower SNA5000 with a Volta Stage 1 battery (48v 100Ah). PV will have to come later, finances permitting. After installation I was skimming through the settings and noticed that the inverter was set to lead acid battery as opposed to lithium. Was worried by this and immediately contacted the installer who assured me that it made no difference as the BMS overrides this setting and takes care of itself.

Does this sound right? Maybe it's just OCD but seeing "lead acid" on the display sticks in my eye! Plus that battery type option should surely be there for a reason right?

Also I've noticed that my electricity consumption has gone up a fair bit. Normally overnight I'd use about 3ish but last night it consumed 6 units. Both readings took into account a 2 hour loadshedding stint.

Lastly, is it normal for the inverter's fan to spin up periodically? Maybe 3 or 4 times an hour for about >5 minutes each. This is during normal conditions where utility is present and supplying full load.

Hope you guys can help with these questions.

You can change the battery type in the inverter settings. Select 03 on the LCD to do so, check your manual. 

These units self consume a lot of power. I also noticed it before I installed my panels. My monthly usage also went up.

As for the fans starting up occasionally - that is normal. As the unit starts charging or inverting, the temperature goes up as well.

Thanks Eugene,

Last night I timed the frequency of the fan switching. Seems that every 20 minutes it runs for 5 minutes. Does this seem normal - is this the inverter constantly "topping up" the battery? The inverter isn't really doing any inverting so to speak seeing that utility is present and set as priority.

Also is this where the extra consumption comes from perhaps?

Unfortunately I can't pull any diagnostics. Still trying to confirm but according to the manual a data logging wi-fi dongle was supposed to be included but it wasn't. It enables real time monitoring via app or desktop - speaking to the supplier to get an answer.

I would put pressure on the supplier if I were you. As far as I know, the WiFi dongle is supposed to be included. Unless the supplier sold you the inverter expressly stating that it was not included.

I am not 100% sure, but I assume that the inverter is  topping up the battery from time to time, thus using the fans. Mine does the same, only difference is mine runs a lot more now that I am on solar and the whole house draws power from the inverter. I would worry if the fans stop running altogether. Intermittent running is normal.

1 hour ago, BamBam said:

Thanks Eugene,

Last night I timed the frequency of the fan switching. Seems that every 20 minutes it runs for 5 minutes. Does this seem normal - is this the inverter constantly "topping up" the battery? The inverter isn't really doing any inverting so to speak seeing that utility is present and set as priority.

Also is this where the extra consumption comes from perhaps?

Unfortunately I can't pull any diagnostics. Still trying to confirm but according to the manual a data logging wi-fi dongle was supposed to be included but it wasn't. It enables real time monitoring via app or desktop - speaking to the supplier to get an answer.

By the way, the dongle does give you access to more info, but not a whole lot. I was very disappointed when I got things running, so I bought Solar Assistant to get some real data. I wanted to know what the inverter was doing, all the time, in real time. But even with Solar Assistant, you will still need the dongle.

20 hours ago, eugenedp said:

You can change the battery type in the inverter settings. Select 03 on the LCD to do so, check your manual. 

These units self consume a lot of power. I also noticed it before I installed my panels. My monthly usage also went up.

As for the fans starting up occasionally - that is normal. As the unit starts charging or inverting, the temperature goes up as well.

Any inverter without panels will use more power. The batteries use more power than they can put out. All the electronics also have a constant draw. Further @PsyCLown reported that the fans run all the time at low temps and only switch off at higher temps.

Normally the self use is around 60-90W I would guess. 

My 3kVA Axpert has a 25W self use. 600Wh per day. 

Data dongle normally does come with .

Some inverter use more than otheres up to 100w self use . The more batterys you have the more it will use .

This is why we advice people that just want an load shedding solution to also install minimum pv just to keep the batterys charge through the day to reduce the systems running cost as most have noticed an increase in units  used after inverter instillation . 

16 minutes ago, GMAC said:

Data dongle normally does come with .

Some inverter use more than otheres up to 100w self use . The more batterys you have the more it will use .

This is why we advice people that just want an load shedding solution to also install minimum pv just to keep the batterys charge through the day to reduce the systems running cost as most have noticed an increase in units  used after inverter instillation . 

I run only 1x420W panel on my 24V Axpert as I only cycle it for 2 fans in summer and the dual electric blanket in winter. 

Then during LS lights and micro only to heat food. Laptop during LS. Fridges only on inverter during 4hrs LS cycles and if the power does not come on as per schedule. 

It works for us. 

My Luxpower(I assume all of them) self uses quite a lot. Even more since I added the panels. Granted, a lot of that is due to inefficiencies and heat loss outside of the inverter. Fortunately I do not pay for all the lost power, but it is a lot. But have a look at the difference between my load and the power generated from solar.

 

@GMAC Adding a small PV as you mentioned sounds like a good idea. I didn't expect the inverter to be so thirsty other than when it's charging the battery after an LS session!

Switching the unit off when there's no imminent LS isn't maybe an option is it?

7 hours ago, eugenedp said:

My Luxpower(I assume all of them) self uses quite a lot. Even more since I added the panels. Granted, a lot of that is due to inefficiencies and heat loss outside of the inverter. Fortunately I do not pay for all the lost power, but it is a lot. But have a look at the difference between my load and the power generated from solar.

 

I guess you also need to look at the battery discharge power. 

Part of the PV went to the battery so I see it that you can't just look at the difference between the 2 figures for PV and load. 

4 hours ago, BamBam said:

@GMAC Adding a small PV as you mentioned sounds like a good idea. I didn't expect the inverter to be so thirsty other than when it's charging the battery after an LS session!

Switching the unit off when there's no imminent LS isn't maybe an option is it?

You should be able to say give the inverter Eskom power for say 2-3 hours to charge. Then measure the power used from battery while the grid and inverter are off. 

If it works like one thinks then the grid AC can be switched via a smart switch. The last thing that you don't want is for the battery to discharge with the grid off. 

30 minutes ago, Scorp007 said:

I guess you also need to look at the battery discharge power. 

Part of the PV went to the battery so I see it that you can't just look at the difference between the 2 figures for PV and load. 

Yep, you may be correct. I assumed that the load value included the amount that went to the battery, but that may not be the case.