With the last few days' cloud coverage my batteries have finally run out last night. I'd like to be able to charge them from the grid in a situation like this. Can I do this by using PV-Master and selecting the "back-up" option there? Is there a specific time to do this? Somewhere I read that someone said to only do it during the day when there is solar.

Thank you.

 

Hi Beylie,

Yes, using PV Master application, go into the Basic Settings, then once on the "Work Modes" screen, select "Back up mode".

This in effect makes your system act like an UPS. If Eskom is available, the inverter will direct a portion of the grid power to charge up your batteries. If I set mine up during the evening, then roughly only 400W gets diverted to the batteries, but during the day, depending on PV inputs, this could be quite higher. Not at home currently, so cannot check how I set up my times.

You could also download the V Master manual, using the link below.

https://portal.segensolar.co.za/reseller/docs/PV Master OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS.pdf

Thanks you, Deon in ZA. I set it to backup mode. PV Master said it would need to restart the equipment, but it didn't seem to.  Charging from the grid now. Perfect!

1 hour ago, Beylie said:

Thanks you, Deon in ZA. I set it to backup mode. PV Master said it would need to restart the equipment, but it didn't seem to.  Charging from the grid now. Perfect!

My pleasure.

I also found that once you select the mode you need, you can simply return to the main screen without restarting and the app will still apply the requested changes. 

I have installed a Goodwe inverter GW5048 together with 5kw Pylontech Lithium battery around February2023 and set up on backup mode with 60% DOD. Everything was working fine until yesterday 19 April 2023 when everything changed: There was load eskom shedding in our area from 18h00 until 22h00. The SOC moved from 100% to 74% when the eskom power was restored and suddenly the SOC dropped to 41%. The batteries were charged until 46% when another bout of eskom load shedding came about around 02h00 am until 06h00 when the SOC moved from 46% until 41% but suddenly when the eskom power came back at 06h00, the SOC dropped to zero % and now it's been 1hour with eskom working but the batteries are not charging. All the power goes to the house and nothing goes to the battery. What could the problem be and how can I solve it?

trying to configure this too. (Goodwe 4.6 EH with 3x pylontech batteries.)

As I understand it goodwe will only charge batteries from excess PV under general mode.

I'd like to configure it to charge from grid when it is rainy so we have some headroom to get through loadshedding, so not sure which mode makes best sense but clearly it needs to be a manual thing to switch over the mode on these days.

BUT the wifi connection to the inverter from the app is incredibly temperamental. even when on site it just switches to and from the wifi directly and I have about a 10% success rate of updating any settings even when right next to it.

I'm trying to do it remotely too(using the SEMS portal app on android), with zero success. is this a goodwe thing or is my specific wifi module a potential problem?

Edited May 25, 20233 yr by Steven Burnett