Hi all, I have an 8kw Sunsynk inverter and started feeding back to the grid a week ago. Exciting times! However, the grid at times is being fed from my batteries which I don't want. Does anyone know how to adjust the inverter settings to prevent this? I would like the first priority of the pv generation to cover our load requirements, then charge batteries, then feed the grid but not from batteries even if they are fully charged. Any ideas?

You need to change your work mode settings. I only know the setting mode names in terms of the Deye-brand inverter, but right now you are in the "Selling First" mode.

You should best change over to the mode "Zero Export to CT," and then tick the "Solar Sell" box, and tick the "Load Priority" box. Or whatever the equivalent name is for the work mode settings in the Sunsynk-brand inverter. 

Thanks for your feedback. Hopefully Sunsynk as something similar. 

Edited September 11, 20241 yr by Alex Stewart

10 minutes ago, Alex Stewart said:

Thanks for your feedback. Hopefully Sunsynk as something similar. 

They do, it's the same inverter basically with the same hardware and functions, just a different interface.

11 minutes ago, GreenFields said:

They do, it's the same inverter basically with the same hardware and functions, just a different interface.

apologies for this perhaps stupid question: will the system with this setup still be feeding excess power to the grid ?

Not my business really, but is your system registered with your utility? Most places you will need a special meter to sell back, and the regular meter will either trip when the current starts going the wrong way, or will bill you as if you were drawing the same amount from the grid.

Certainly in Johannesburg if you are serviced by City Power you need to first register your system with them, then switch to the reseller's tariff which carries extra admin fees and which requires a special meter - at your expense. Which is why I don't sell back: I wouldn't even break even, I can only lose on the deal.

Edited September 11, 20241 yr by Bobster.
punctuation

6 hours ago, Alex Stewart said:

apologies for this perhaps stupid question: will the system with this setup still be feeding excess power to the grid ?

Yes, once your battery is full, it will send surplus solar power to the grid. But no battery power goes to grid.

If you choose the selling first priority, coupled with the Time-of-Use timer, you will be selling solar and battery power. As @Bobster. said, I assume your municipal approval to export to the grid is granted, but that's your business.

17 hours ago, akash3995 said:

Feeding power back to the grid presents several challenges, especially with renewable sources like solar or wind. The variability in energy generation due to weather conditions and the need for grid compatibility are major issues. Additionally, upgrading infrastructure, managing bidirectional energy flow, and ensuring grid stability during energy transfers are crucial hurdles. Addressing regulatory and financial barriers is equally important for successful integration. For more insights on energy management, feel free to check out FESCO.

It’s really not that big an issue and we have NRS that limit capacity export.     The variability in a minute of my solar is LESS than the variability in a minute of my loads.     The grid handles fine my loads ranging eg between 200 and 250kw in a minute, it handles exact same way, my solar export ranging between 200 and 250 kw.

As long as users stick to decent equipment and connect correctly, distributed generation actually IMPROVES the distribution grid because we help lift voltage in the street.    When they get smart, we will get to stage where I only export in peak time of use when they have a big need but then they need to pay me properly.   Then I’ll export from battery a constant kVA value.

There are far too many people spreading doubt, uncertainty, fear.     Usually those councils that don’t like losing revenue, or people selling solutions that need to pretend things are difficult.

On 2024/09/28 at 10:15 AM, macafrican said:

It’s really not that big an issue and we have NRS that limit capacity export.     The variability in a minute of my solar is LESS than the variability in a minute of my loads.     The grid handles fine my loads ranging eg between 200 and 250kw in a minute, it handles exact same way, my solar export ranging between 200 and 250 kw.

As long as users stick to decent equipment and connect correctly, distributed generation actually IMPROVES the distribution grid because we help lift voltage in the street.    When they get smart, we will get to stage where I only export in peak time of use when they have a big need but then they need to pay me properly.   Then I’ll export from battery a constant kVA value.

There are far too many people spreading doubt, uncertainty, fear.     Usually those councils that don’t like losing revenue, or people selling solutions that need to pretend things are difficult.

It's very common for homes to sell excess to grid - read up on Australia and California and Europe.
Not so common in South Africa for homes to grid feed due to:

• registering process is is tedious (red tape) - needs streamlining
• registration process is costly due to consultants - needs streamlining
• bi-directional meter can be expensive - need cheaper meters
• limited to "net-zero" - can only receive money for what you consume - allow to sell all generated PV electricity
• rates paid to consumers are low making cost recovery difficult - better rates (eg CT has better rates)

Most of us just give up and only self-use.
This is a real pity as lots of excess home PV electricity power goes to waste.

Not sure why Metros don't encourage electricity from home users.
1kWh from the my PV system is the same as 1kWh from Eskom and mine is much cheaper.

If the grid-feed was encouraged, then new installs would be built and sized for that.
Instead they sized home PV for self consumption.

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa needs to push Nersa, Eskom, Metros to fix the process for the benefit of the country.

As far as I understand, tick "Selling first" and "Solar export" on the Sunsynk app

If you do export, register and follow the authorities requirements, in which case a new meter is required.

Be aware that some meters handle exported power as if it is being imported and you get charged as if you are using it.

Other meters do not like exporting and trip out

I am not sure of this, but I heard that the very old rotating disc meters can run backwards on export.

2 hours ago, IanO said:

I am not sure of this, but I heard that the very old rotating disc meters can run backwards on export.

Yes that is true but some very old  and old meters do have a ratchet that prevents reversing of the disc. It all boils down the the specific design of the meter. 

5 hours ago, IanO said:

As far as I understand, tick "Selling first" and "Solar export" on the Sunsynk app

If you do export, register and follow the authorities requirements, in which case a new meter is required.

Be aware that some meters handle exported power as if it is being imported and you get charged as if you are using it.

Other meters do not like exporting and trip out

I am not sure of this, but I heard that the very old rotating disc meters can run backwards on export.

Selling first shouldn't be ticked, it will even send battery power into the grid then

13 hours ago, abd7 said:

Selling first shouldn't be ticked, it will even send battery power into the grid then

Thank you for that clarification

https://www.sunsynk.org/es/8kw-hybrid-inverter

On 2024/10/03 at 8:35 PM, system32 said:

It's very common for homes to sell excess to grid - read up on Australia and California and Europe.
Not so common in South Africa for homes to grid feed due to:

• registering process is is tedious (red tape) - needs streamlining
• registration process is costly due to consultants - needs streamlining

I know that in some states in Australia you need to buy from an approved installer. In that case the price you pay has everything factored in already, and whatever registration process there is will go easily because the approved installers use a consistent method of connection. 

On 2024/10/03 at 8:35 PM, system32 said:

• bi-directional meter can be expensive - need cheaper meters
• limited to "net-zero" - can only receive money for what you consume - allow to sell all generated PV electricity
• rates paid to consumers are low making cost recovery difficult - better rates (eg CT has better rates)

Most of us just give up and only self-use.
This is a real pity as lots of excess home PV electricity power goes to waste.

Not sure why Metros don't encourage electricity from home users.
1kWh from the my PV system is the same as 1kWh from Eskom and mine is much cheaper.

If the grid-feed was encouraged, then new installs would be built and sized for that.
Instead they sized home PV for self consumption.

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa needs to push Nersa, Eskom, Metros to fix the process for the benefit of the country.

Australia and California are changing their regulations all the time because they both hit the same problem - too much electricity on the grid when they can't use it. 

Where feed in does make sense is Cape Town, because they have Steenbras. Johannesburg, for example, has no way to store all that extra juice they will get during the day for release in the evening. Battery farms would do the same job. I've read about using big flywheels, or weights going about down abandoned mineshafts (down is turning a generator), but this all takes one thing the City is short of - money.

Actually Eskom are going this route now, with farms that generate PV during the day and charge batteries which are, in turn, discharged into the grid when demand starts growing.

On 2024/10/03 at 8:35 PM, system32 said:

If the grid-feed was encouraged, then new installs would be built and sized for that.
Instead they sized home PV for self consumption.

My system is registered with the City. I don't know how tedious it was because I signed a letter empowering the engineering company to act as proxy for me. Then they took care of everything, right up to arranging the visit by the City's inspection team. I figured this was worth doing because, in fact, the requirement to register has been on the books for some years, and whilst the City aren't paying a lot of attention right now, and are being lenient about retrospective registrations, this won't last and eventually they will get around to enforcement. 

Anyway, I still don't sell back. And it is a pity. I wouldn't have a large excess, but I would give it away as long as doing so was cost neutral to me. But I can only lose in Johannesburg under the City's current tariffs.

Edited December 2, 20241 yr by Bobster.
Grammar