1 minute ago, Scorp007 said:

A very good point. On the Solis you can adjust the ratio from 100-3000/1

Also R110 bucks as apposed to the R500+ for the brand names is a no brainer 😇

On 2020/09/28 at 6:57 PM, Gnome said:

Hi I'm using 5.5kw single phase Sunsynk inverter,  the feed to building is 3 phase how do I connect the CT correctly 

 

4 hours ago, shazis said:

 

You put the CT on the same phase that will feed the Sunsynk with its grid input. The CT does not care what the other phases are doing even if they feed the same building. 

5 hours ago, shazis said:

On 2020/09/28 at 6:57 PM, Gnome said:

Hi I'm using 5.5kw single phase Sunsynk inverter,  the feed to building is 3 phase how do I connect the CT correctly 

Haha I didn't say that.  This quote system just allows anything 😛 

In the datasheet for the 8.8kW inverter, under "installing the CT Coil", we find the attached diagram.  And the instructions in this diagram seem to indicate that the arrow on the CT coil can EITHER point in the direction of the inverter (bottom right), or towards the Grid (bottom rectangle) So I think this might be the cause for a lot of confusion.   I first installed pointing towards the inverter, but am receiving negative current flow, when current is flowing from the grid to the inverter.  So I assume then, that the CT coil is pointing in the wrong direction?

What is even more confusing, is that the diagram indicates an arrow on the CT coil (encircled in blue dashes) pointing towards the left, yet the CT coil with the Live wire going through it would have the arrow pointing towards the right (I assume).  If so, why make instructions so ambiguous Sunsynk?

Does anyone know if swapping the white and black wires at the inverter will also change the direction of current flow?

Thanks in advance,

Ryan

 

 

Edited April 12, 20233 yr by ryanb

47 minutes ago, ryanb said:

Does anyone know if swapping the white and black wires at the inverter will also change the direction of current flow?

Thanks in advance,

 

Yes that would also fix it

Hi Gents

I see lots of talk about extending the CT coil with with various types of cable, CAT6 being the most common. I've tried extending with CAT5 with limited success. What is the difference between CAT5 and CAT6 and is one better than the other for this application?

CAT6 is a little thicker and has higher bandwidth and frequency specs, presumably helpful to carry the CT signal over longer distances. I extended mine with speaker cable rather than lan cable, on advice of installer.  However only needed a short run...

47 minutes ago, Bruce K said:

Hi Gents

I see lots of talk about extending the CT coil with with various types of cable, CAT6 being the most common. I've tried extending with CAT5 with limited success. What is the difference between CAT5 and CAT6 and is one better than the other for this application?

Also make sure it's the shielded, solid copper cat cable. Best to use linkbasic outdoor rated shielded solid copper.

https://scoop.co.za/linkbasic-100m-shielded-uv-protected-cat5e-cable.html

Hi,

 

I have a 12kW Sunsynk, and the installer never fitted the CTs (but I have them). Is it required?

I see that under "Grid", my total for the day, month, year just says zero. Do I need to install the CTs to add that data?

Thanks.

Assuming the 12kW works on the same principle as the 5kW inverter, yes you need it.  It is used to monitor current flow, and to control if you feed electricity back into the grid or not.

Edited July 4, 20233 yr by gimme_power

Thanks. The inverter feeds the entire DB, so the CTs could probably be installed at the inverter's grid supply?

On 2023/01/18 at 9:13 PM, RiazM said:

Hi All,

Can somebody explain as to why my CT coil reading is so high on Sunsynk 8KW. Installer says it’s normal but looking though some videos, the watts supposed to match the grid wattage. 

CT: 30000+ watts

 

Did you get an answer to this issue?
Does anyone know?
I've got the same issue now with my own installation. Will check tomorrow if the CT is sitting on the UPS load side and not the feed from the grid.
Or did RiazM return his inverter to the supplier and I got given that faulty one instead? ( Yes, I'm that cynical..! )

On 2023/01/18 at 9:13 PM, RiazM said:

Hi All,

Can somebody explain as to why my CT coil reading is so high on Sunsynk 8KW. Installer says it’s normal but looking though some videos, the watts supposed to match the grid wattage. 

CT: 30000+ watts

 

Did you get an answer to this issue?
Does anyone know?
I've got the same issue now with my own installation. Will check tomorrow if the CT is sitting on the UPS load side and not the feed from the grid.
Or did RiazM return his inverter to the supplier and I got given that faulty one instead? ( Yes, I'm that cynical..! )

On 2023/04/12 at 10:29 PM, ryanb said:

In the datasheet for the 8.8kW inverter, under "installing the CT Coil", we find the attached diagram.  And the instructions in this diagram seem to indicate that the arrow on the CT coil can EITHER point in the direction of the inverter (bottom right), or towards the Grid (bottom rectangle) So I think this might be the cause for a lot of confusion.   I first installed pointing towards the inverter, but am receiving negative current flow, when current is flowing from the grid to the inverter.  So I assume then, that the CT coil is pointing in the wrong direction?

What is even more confusing, is that the diagram indicates an arrow on the CT coil (encircled in blue dashes) pointing towards the left, yet the CT coil with the Live wire going through it would have the arrow pointing towards the right (I assume).  If so, why make instructions so ambiguous Sunsynk?

Does anyone know if swapping the white and black wires at the inverter will also change the direction of current flow?

Thanks in advance,

Ryan

 

 

My feed to the inverter is about 30 metres. From the feed, a direct 16mm2 cable feeds an outbuilding. If the CT coil is installed in the main house, the sunsynk won't supplement power to the outbuilding. Can the CT coil cable be extended by 30 to 40 metres?

1 hour ago, Moe Joe said:

My feed to the inverter is about 30 metres. From the feed, a direct 16mm2 cable feeds an outbuilding. If the CT coil is installed in the main house, the sunsynk won't supplement power to the outbuilding. Can the CT coil cable be extended by 30 to 40 metres?

If the distance is too long, maybe this solution will work for you:

https://www.sunsynk.org/post/eastron-meters-do-you-need-one

2 hours ago, Moe Joe said:

My feed to the inverter is about 30 metres. From the feed, a direct 16mm2 cable feeds an outbuilding. If the CT coil is installed in the main house, the sunsynk won't supplement power to the outbuilding. Can the CT coil cable be extended by 30 to 40 metres?

Is the outbuilding not fed from the main house DB?

Does the main grid connection not come to the main house DB? 

On 2023/07/12 at 9:13 PM, Scorp007 said:

Is the outbuilding not fed from the main house DB?

Does the main grid connection not come to the main house DB? 

No it's fed from the Eskom feed at the boundary.

The main Grid connection does come to the house.

 

I see that some have extended it using CAT 5e shielded cable, have you any experience doing this ?

20 minutes ago, Moe Joe said:

No it's fed from the Eskom feed at the boundary.

The main Grid connection does come to the house.

 

I see that some have extended it using CAT 5e shielded cable, have you any experience doing this ?

Yes the 1st try is with Cat 5/6 cable. 

If no luck then as per the link provided earlier by @PowerUser

Just don't use 2 pairs to get a thicker wire as the 2 pairs will loose the essential twisted affect. 

Another installation, another CT Coil related issue  
I've read just about every forum (including this thread), sunsynk manual, literature and video I could find relating to this topic and tried to follow every advice I could find, but I just can't seem to get a correct CT reading...

At least not based on my understanding - The CT Coil should be reading the amount of current coming from the grid.

System Mode - Zero Export only selected.

In my mind, this means that the reading should show more or less the same KW usage as what my eskom "smart" meter shows - But as you can see it is waaay off - In the test, I was drawing a combined load of 1.9 KW while my DC/panels are off and system timer is off which I believe is best practice while testing - 1kw was attributed to a non-essential pool, and the rest was essential load. 

Should the CT reading show 1.9 kw as that is what is flowing through the CT?

The CT is installed in the box on the outside of my house's wall  on the main feed line - The arrow is pointing towards the inverter (as documented) and the white wire is connected to port 3 and black to port 4 - Using a Sunsynk 5.5kW inverter, so believe this is correct - Also when switching either around, the reading becomes negative so pretty sure everything is the right way around. 

I did extend the cable - The total length for the testing cable is just about 10m +- a couple of centimeters. 
I used CAT6e cable and only one pair - I also matched the twist direction (i think) as suggested. 
It is currently lying along the floor to eliminate any other interference. 

Attached is all other settings I though might be relevant. 

Is the CT Coil model and specs correct?

Is there something wrong in my understanding?
Any settings that should change?

How do I as a non-electrician test that the CT coil by itself is working correctly?

Last question to check my understanding - When you change the system mode to "Limit to load", it then uses an internal CT coil and does not need the external one, right?

 

Try 5&6

4 hours ago, Chockies said:

port 3 and black to port 4

 

See page 1 of this thread for more info. 

1 hour ago, ZaydS said:

Try 5&6

 

AFAIK 5 &  6 are used for the 8kW inverter. To me 3 & 4 seems right as well as all the statements you made.

Only 2 comments. It might not matter but why do you have the inverter as slave and not master?

When all is working well I would use different % settings on the timer which you are not using right now.

 

One of the videos from Sunsynk also mentions that PV must be off when putting on or changing the CT coil.

 

3 hours ago, ZaydS said:

See page 1 of this thread for more info. 

What part of the first page am I missing?
The suggestion to use 5&6 ?

From reading the 5.5 kw Sunsynk inverter manual, 3 & 4 is for the CT coil and 5 &6 is for Gen Startup Relay.
I can try 5&6, but it sounded like everyone has come to the agreement that for the 5.5 KW inverter it should be 3&4. 

1 hour ago, Scorp007 said:

AFAIK 5 &  6 are used for the 8kW inverter. To me 3 & 4 seems right as well as all the statements you made.

Only 2 comments. It might not matter but why do you have the inverter as slave and not master?

When all is working well I would use different % settings on the timer which you are not using right now.

 

@Scorp007 Unfortunately my installer hasn't been great at configuring the inverter - I was also wondering about slave vs master, but a very quick google landed me on a forum where they say to leave as is (slave) with one inverter.
Also changed it to master and it caused a fault and alarm bells ringing, so changed it back. 

Yes, I agree on the timer settings - First want to stabilize the system before starting with optimization. 

@ZaydS - Yes I watched that video a couple of times, which is why I tested with PV off. There is a brief moment in the video where it shows a CT and LD reading which are very close to each other, which added some fuel to my fire thinking I am right in what the readings should show, but I haven't been able to find solid examples with different scenarios of what the CT reading should be. 
If you can share any, I would be greatful!