Inverter on new sbu / sub / sol / uli functions

[sasa']

Hi Friends, I wanted advice on a new inverter to buy because my opti solar 5000 brilliant creates problems for me, around the web I saw some models of the must that have new solar priority and grid functions in the sense that if the energy solar is not enough to feed the loads the network integrates the rest of the power, sbu / sub / sol / uli functions.
Do you know if yes what would be the model?
Thank you very much

[Coulomb]

5 hours ago, sasa' said:

some models of the must that have new solar priority and grid functions

Answered (as best I can) here.

[SagieN]

Hi @Coulomb

 

Bit of a newbie so please excuse any "stoopid" queries.

 

I have a very simple setup with 1 x Dyness 3.6KwH battery, 6 x 330w panels in 2 strings of 3 panels and an Axpert 5KVa inverter.

Geyser is EV tubed solar, Gas stove and bypass geyser via Eishkom for early morning hot water.

I have been trawling through various forums and trying to find the optimal settings for my battery as i get no joy from the installers and their suppliers.

I have recorded my panels maxing out at 2.2KW on a very sunny day with a decent load running.

My issue....and it may not really be one, is that my battery does not seem to be charging efficiently via solar.  By this I mean,  during the day, the battery does not draw a lot of power from the panels to charge itself  .... it normally only draws about 50watts above what the load is requiring at a moment in time.

My nighttime load is normally around 700watts up until around 23H00 and then varies between 150 and 350watts until morning with just the freezer, fridge, modem and 2 led lights running continuously. I know I will need another battery at some point but i cannot afford it right now. Now I assume with a fully charged battery at around 18H00, the battery should get me through to at least 06H00 the following morning, provided I don't add unnecessary draw on the battery during the night.

I stagger the load during the day with the washing machine and pool pump running at different times. I have changed my pool pump to a 450watt pump as my pool is around 35000 litres and the draw is around 600 watts when running.

My question is..... are there any settings on the inverter that would allow me to have a fully charged battery by 18H00....?????

Here are some screenshots from the ICC software... I can provide more info if needed...

 

[SagieN]

Also....... I am confused as to what constitutes a "cycle" on the battery. I see from the ICC dashboard, that my system pulls from the grid numerous times. Does each draw from the grid mean that the load is being supplemented from the grid or is each one a cycle of the battery....????

[GVC]

Try Changing "Charge source priority" to "Solar Only". This will draw max from the panels to charge the batteries and to supply the load.

[SagieN]

Thanx GVC.....  Will try that as soon as I'm home....  Will monitor and then feedback if there is a change... 

[SagieN]

Done..... 

Cloudy day in Joburg South.... But seems to work. 

I changed setting [01] to SOL  and setting [16] to OSO... 

Will see how long the battery lasts before drawing from the grid tonight... 

 

Thanx again. 

[Jaco De Jongh]

5 hours ago, SagieN said:

I am confused as to what constitutes a "cycle" on the battery.

Cycle is when you discharge the battery to a spesific point and then recharge it. If you for example discharged your battery to 80% SOC and recharge it you'll have 2000 cycles which means you can discharge the battery to that point and recharge it 2000 times before the battery should fail, Discharging it to 50% SOC might only give you 1200 cycles for example. Both are seen as a cycle. I will personally say discharging it to 90% SOC and lower will count as a cycle. 

5 hours ago, SagieN said:

that my system pulls from the grid numerous times. Does each draw from the grid mean that the load is being supplemented from the grid or is each one a cycle of the battery....????

In my opinion no.  The typical discharge graph on the data sheet from your battery manufacturer looks like the one below. They start decreasing cycles expectancy after 10% discharge. 

 

5 hours ago, SagieN said:

My nighttime load is normally around 700watts up until around 23H00 and then varies between 150 and 350watts until morning

 

5 hours ago, SagieN said:

Now I assume with a fully charged battery at around 18H00, the battery should get me through to at least 06H00 the following morning,

Not with the battery you have. You have a 3.6kwh battery and you should ,I guess only use 80% of that. leaving you with 2880wh usable power. Taking no losses into consideration, running 700 watt from 18H00 to 23H00 will require 700wh x 5 hours = 3500wh. Even if you can discharge the battery 100% you will not get pass 23H00.

With your current load the battery should be depleted by 22H00 if you start discharging it at 18H00 at the given 700wh load.

[SagieN]

Eish....  Thanx for the number crunching. 

This means at least 1 more battery in the new year.  I will check when it pops over to eskom tonight and gauge from that. 

I already have 6 more panels to go up.... Just waiting to save up for the mounting brackets.. Wiring is already in place.. If you know where I can get them for a decent price,  then I'd appreciate the info. The mountings cost around R5 500. 

 

Thanx a million Jaco. 

[Jaco De Jongh]

2 hours ago, SagieN said:

f you know where I can get them for a decent price,  then I'd appreciate the info. The mountings cost around R5 500. 

 

I can supply them at a much better price for 6 panels. 

Please pm me your roof type and panel size and i will send you a quote. 

[SagieN]

@GVC Did not do what I expected........

Seems during the daytime, it worked until the PV output dropped.  The load was then powered for the whole night by the grid.....did not go to battery as i expected.

I have changed the Axpert setting [01] back to SBU this morning and left the setting [16] on OSO and will monitor today...

 

This screenshot is from the time I made the changes to around 05H00 this morning.

 

Edited December 31, 2019 by SagieN

[GVC]

Yes, If you set 01 on SOL, then as soon as the panels stop producing it changes back to grid. SBU is much better as it will run on the batteries once the panels stop producing. I would recommend that you set your SOC to control the batteries as well....say "back to grid" at 30%.

EDIT: Only use SOC control if you have a BMV that gives an accurate SOC reading, or if your inverter reads the SOC directly from the batteries. The Axpert is notorious for its inaccurate SOC reading.

Edited December 31, 2019 by GVC

[SagieN]

1 hour ago, GVC said:

Yes, If you set 01 on SOL, then as soon as the panels stop producing it changes back to grid. SBU is much better as it will run on the batteries once the panels stop producing. I would recommend that you set your SOC to control the batteries as well....say "back to grid" at 30%.

EDIT: Only use SOC control if you have a BMV that gives an accurate SOC reading, or if your inverter reads the SOC directly from the batteries. The Axpert is notorious for its inaccurate SOC reading.

Thanx for that....  Don't have a BMV yet.....  Trying to source a cable for the dyness as there seems to be no one who knows how to get it to talk to the Axpert. I have spoken to Riaan from ICC and he says he needs the Dyness comms protocol to check if the Pylon cable would work...... No idea where to get that from. 

 

Will post the screenshot of the performance tomorrow morning.... 

Thanx again. 

Edited December 31, 2019 by SagieN

[Jasonrogervango]

Anyone know a good universal app to use with my system.please