Skip to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.

Power Forum - Renewable Energy Discussion

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.

RCT axpert 8k max in SBU Mode

Featured Replies

How can i force the inverter to use more solar (3.5kw available on 1 MPPT) The unit is set to SBU and the two 2.4 pylontechs are set to charge via solar only. It does not seem to use the batteries if there is a shortfall of solar, only if i turn off the utility the system works via the batteries if needed. The system stays in bypass mode 99% of the time. I am going to put in more solar and batteries in the future. I would like to see the system using solar and batteries during peak solar time, say 11 am to 3 pm. Any ideas? 

Screenshot_20210817_115515_wifiapp.volfw.watchpower.jpg

Screenshot_20210817_115527_wifiapp.volfw.watchpower.jpg

Screenshot_20210817_113720_wifiapp.volfw.watchpower.jpg

Screenshot_20210817_113630_wifiapp.volfw.watchpower.jpg

5 hours ago, Kieftus said:

I would like to see the system using solar and batteries during peak solar time

I see that your battery is at 53.2 V, are you using the battery type = PYL setting? If not, you are probably using the Pylontech recommended voltages, which are too high for Axperts. However, I'm not sure that this would result in your problem.

5 hours ago, Kieftus said:

The system stays in bypass mode 99% of the time.

It's in Line mode, which is what you'd expect for SUB output source priority. In your example with the grid connected, the 509 W of load is mostly (82%) supplied from PV (ignoring losses), so only 100 W or so (plus losses) is coming from the utility. I have no experience with SUB mode, so I don't know if that's normal or not. It may be that in SUB mode, the inverter can't have less than ~100 W coming from utility, though I'd hope it would have better control than that.

21 hours ago, Coulomb said:

It's in Line mode, which is what you'd expect for SUB output source priority.

My apologies, you did say SBU; somehow I was thinking SUB. Sigh.

On 2021/08/17 at 8:11 PM, Kieftus said:

The system stays in bypass mode 99% of the time.

Yes, that is the problem. But with the battery voltage at 53.2 V, which is well higher than the 51 V in setting 13 (Back to Discharge voltage), it should be switching back to battery mode.

All I can think of is that your battery, which is very small for an 8 kW inverter, is dipping too low in voltage at the slightest load, and that's causing the inverter to switch back to line mode. Can you measure the voltage at the inverter battery terminals when a moderate load comes on? Preferably with a multimeter that has min and max reading capability. Perhaps repeat the reading at the battery terminals. If the two readings differ significantly, you may have excess resistance in your battery cables (a bad crimp, poor contact with a fuse, etc). Another way to find excessive resistance is with a non-contact thermometer, checking all the terminals. If there is excess resistance, then when running a moderate load from battery power, the place with the excess resistance will heat up several degrees more than other terminals.

I suppose it could alternatively be a firmware problem. What main firmware version are you running? Not that I've seen any 8 kW firmware versions.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

Account

Navigation

Search

Search

Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.