Deye inverter setup assistance

[dash09]

I'm using a Deye 8kv hybrid inverter, SG01LP1.
I've set it to not touch the grid from 9am - 6pm to top up the battery, outside of these hours the grid tops up the battery to varying levels with max being 60%. Only during the day will the battery reach 100% during solar production.

I've noticed that when the battery is still charging, like at 9, the panels would be generating 1.8kw and the battery charges at a rate of 1.8kw, the house consumption would be around 500w and the grid feed would match the house consumption. So I'm assuming the solar is only charging the battery, and not distributing the power to battery and house.
This doesn't carry on all on the time, it did this from 9:00 - 9:30 and right now the grid usage is 0 and the battery is still charging

Is this normal?

 

[phenix456]

Under "System Work Mode" settings, have you selected Energy Pattern: Load first?

 

[dash09]

Under "System Work Mode" settings, have you selected Energy Pattern: Load first?

Nope, didnt touch these settings. This is under section "system work mode-1", its default with nothing configured

 

[phenix456]

I believe the default is battery first. Set it to load first and it'll first supply the load and charge the battery with the remaining available power.

 

[dash09]

I believe the default is battery first. Set it to load first and it'll first supply the load and charge the battery with the remaining available power.

https://imgur.com/a/wWCgc0s

To change this I have to change system work mode as well. What should I do here?

 

[CarboVan]

What is your work mode currently?
If I'm not mistaken, 'To Load' will only power what you have on the inverter side, and use its internal CT clamp to prevent pushing back to the grid.
"To CT" will push back up to your CT clamp (if installed, correctly) Thus should be able to help power geyser or whatever other DB load you have if you are generating enough solar. We can't run our like this due to complicated sub db's, so I am speaking under correction.

I'd suggest changing the setting on your inverter itself, rather than the web interface you are using currently, as it should just be a single checkbox you need to toggle.

 

[Valheru]

What is your work mode currently?
If I'm not mistaken, 'To Load' will only power what you have on the inverter side, and use its internal CT clamp to prevent pushing back to the grid.
"To CT" will push back up to your CT clamp (if installed, correctly) Thus should be able to help power geyser or whatever other DB load you have if you are generating enough solar. We can't run our like this due to complicated sub db's, so I am speaking under correction.

I'd suggest changing the setting on your inverter itself, rather than the web interface you are using currently, as it should just be a single checkbox you need to toggle.

Mine is set up to "Zero Export to CT" with Energy Pattern set to "Load First".

It is currently using fuckall Eskom and running the plugs, geyser & pool pump.

 

[dash09]

What is your work mode currently?
If I'm not mistaken, 'To Load' will only power what you have on the inverter side, and use its internal CT clamp to prevent pushing back to the grid.
"To CT" will push back up to your CT clamp (if installed, correctly) Thus should be able to help power geyser or whatever other DB load you have if you are generating enough solar. We can't run our like this due to complicated sub db's, so I am speaking under correction.

I'd suggest changing the setting on your inverter itself, rather than the web interface you are using currently, as it should just be a single checkbox you need to toggle.

I was going through that same guide, cant quite understand if mine should be set to zero to load or zero to CT. In the web interface this was all blanked out until chose the energy option drop down, system then defaulted to zero to load. To change the energy option I need to choose a work mode, which was not set before.
The web interface or the inverter itself would both require a work mode to be set

 

[dash09]

Mine is set up to "Zero Export to CT" with Energy Pattern set to "Load First".

It is currently using fuckall Eskom and running the plugs, geyser & pool pump.

Does it feed from the grid if your current consumption is higher than production? Does the grid also top up the battery when solar is not available?

 

[CarboVan]

Which setting you use would be determined by how they installed it. If your CT clamp was installed correctly, use Export to CT, which is likely how Valheru is running. So the inverter knows how much power is being pulled from the grid (via the ct), so it knows how much to 'push back' just to equalize the usage, but not too much as to prevent feeding back to the grid.

Yes, it will pull from all the sources as needed (and configured) if your consumption is higher.
Grid battery topup and usage will depend on your configuration. You will need to play with your "Time of use" settings in the System Work Mode menus. Which you would have had to do already when you set up your 9am - 6pm schedule?

Note that the Grid Charge checkbox on each time slot toggles a one way street:
Grid charge - 01:00am to 05:00 am - 2000 - 60%
^ Will charge from the grid, between 1 and 5 am. until the battery is at 60%, and will allow max 2kw (2000w) from the battery if needed (assuming your battery can sustain those draws)
if you take that same row, and untick Grid Charge, it will instead use the battery from 1 to 5am, until it depletes to 60%, up to a max of 2000w draw (grid will supplement if it goes over that figure, and if grid is available)

 

[Valheru]

Does it feed from the grid if your current consumption is higher than production? Does the grid also top up the battery when solar is not available?

Yes on both

 

[dash09]

Which setting you use would be determined by how they installed it. If your CT clamp was installed correctly, use Export to CT, which is likely how Valheru is running. So the inverter knows how much power is being pulled from the grid (via the ct), so it knows how much to 'push back' just to equalize the usage, but not too much as to prevent feeding back to the grid.

Yes, it will pull from all the sources as needed (and configured) if your consumption is higher.
Grid battery topup and usage will depend on your configuration. You will need to play with your "Time of use" settings in the System Work Mode menus. Which you would have had to do already when you set up your 9am - 6pm schedule?

Note that the Grid Charge checkbox on each time slot toggles a one way street:
Grid charge - 01:00am to 05:00 am - 2000 - 60%
^ Will charge from the grid, between 1 and 5 am. until the battery is at 60%, and will allow max 2kw (2000w) from the battery if needed (assuming your battery can sustain those draws)
if you take that same row, and untick Grid Charge, it will instead use the battery from 1 to 5am, until it depletes to 60%, up to a max of 2000w draw (grid will supplement if it goes over that figure, and if grid is available)

Yeah time of use I have setup correctly, 60% like you stated for those early hours to keep fridges running and from 9am it doesnt feed from grid at all.

Just to confirm, with "zero export to CT" I wont be feeding excess into the grid? I dont want to feed into it

 

[CarboVan]

Just to confirm, with "zero export to CT" I wont be feeding excess into the grid? I dont want to feed into it

In theory, no, as the CT clamp is there to prevent exactly that.
So assuming your setup is all 100%, it won't feed back. I'd hope that Deye would fallback to the internal CT clamp in the event that you don't have the external clamp installed, in which case it won't feed back anyways. But this is purely speculation and don't take my word for it

You can always just check your interface. A negative number on the Grid icon will indicate power being pushed back to the grid. If that stays 0 or positive, you should be good. Or can check the Grid detail screen if it shows anything in the "Sell" fields.

 

[Valheru]

Just to confirm, with "zero export to CT" I wont be feeding excess into the grid? I dont want to feed into it

You can always just check your interface. A negative number on the Grid icon will indicate power being pushed back to the grid. If that stays 0 or positive, you should be good. Or can check the Grid detail screen if it shows anything in the "Sell" fields.

As far as I know it is the seperate setting, mine is set to not feed back or sell to the grid.

 

[dash09]

So set to Zero export to CT and Load First my dashboard looks like this. Before even if the battery was 100% the production still had a value, now its on 0.
Battery isn't draining

https://imgur.com/a/4mGaAIY

 

[CarboVan]

I've never seen my consumption in the negative..
Production can drop to zero if there's no load and battery is 100%
What does the figures do If you change it to to export to Load?

 

[dash09]

This is export to load. The production is correct because theres basically no sunlight outside. Before today my consumption was always 0, I assumed the ups load and grid usage is my home usage

https://imgur.com/a/ggDau71

 

[CarboVan]

Ah. I suspect the CT clamp is the wrong way around.
From your earlier image, CT load from grid is 987W, identical to your UPS/inverter load, but because its flipped, it's reading it as a negative value incorrectly.

If you google a CT clamp, you will see it's just a little clip that goes over a power cable. So it just needs to be flipped the other way. EIther that, or its plugged into the inverter the wrong way. Should just have 2 wires I believe.

 

[Confucius]

So it just needs to be flipped the other way. EIther that, or its plugged into the inverter the wrong way. Should just have 2 wires I believe.

If disconnecting the ct on the inverter side, the mains should be turned off first so that there isn’t any current flowing through the coil else you could damage the ct.

 

[dash09]

I'm still in contact with the installer, I'll get in touch with him to come have a look at it and switch the clamp.
Was it normal that my production was at 0 though?

 

[Confucius]

I'm still in contact with the installer, I'll get in touch with him to come have a look at it and switch the clamp.
Was it normal that my production was at 0 though?

No. Even if it’s very overcast outside, you still should have some production as long as there is light even if it’s just the 20-50 watts to run the inverter.

 

[dash09]

Sooo from yesterday afternoon I left the inverter set to "Zero load to CT", at night there was 0 pv and 0 grid which is normal as its running on battery. Looked at the usage data this morning and from 6pm to 7am today there was 0 grid usage and my battery was discharging at like 1% every hour. It was still above the time of use percentage for the grid to top it up.
All appliances worked through the night.
I look at the prepaid meter and see that units have went down and it flashes indicating usage.

So I'm assuming that when set to zero load to CT my system is just straight using the grid, not even the battery. Does this confirm that the CT may be installed incorrectly?

 

[CarboVan]

🤔 Is the entire house on the inverter? If not, your geyser etc would still pull power through the meter, with grid showing 0 on the inverter side. 1% an hour is very low.. Think we do 5-10% an hour quite easily.
Another thing, is your "time of use" actually enabled? You can setup the schedules etc, but it needs to be ticked to be active.

My best guess is, because the CT thinks you are feeding back to the grid already (negative consumption) and you have export/sell disabled, everything is freaking out and it is shutting down your pv to prevent further generation/sell, which might explain the 0 pv. And because your ups load and ct amount is balancing out, it thinks your grid usage is 0 🤷‍♂️

Rate your installer needs to head back and confirm the CT is plugged in correctly, and installed in the correct orientation.

 

[dash09]

🤔 Is the entire house on the inverter? If not, your geyser etc would still pull power through the meter, with grid showing 0 on the inverter side. 1% an hour is very low.. Think we do 5-10% an hour quite easily.
Another thing, is your "time of use" actually enabled? You can setup the schedules etc, but it needs to be ticked to be active.

My best guess is, because the CT thinks you are feeding back to the grid already (negative consumption) and you have export/sell disabled, everything is freaking out and it is shutting down your pv to prevent further generation/sell, which might explain the 0 pv. And because your ups load and ct amount is balancing out, it thinks your grid usage is 0 🤷‍♂️

Rate your installer needs to head back and confirm the CT is plugged in correctly, and installed in the correct orientation.

Entire house is on it, geyser is on a switch set to 12pm so I can see that running now. During the evenings the only load would be the standard appliances running.
Time of use is the 1 thing I actually managed to do correctly, thats set up and working 100% because prior to yesterday I could see the soc at the levels I set.

I did ask that the installer come by to have a look when he drops off the coc. From what I've seen online the ct incorrect installation is pretty common

 

[abd]

If your entire house is on the inverter you don't need to use the CT actually.
So the correct setting will be "zero export to load".
Although if you had non essentials ie things not on the inverter, then the CT is essential.
I would still get the installer to change the CT direction.

 

[dash09]

If your entire house is on the inverter you don't need to use the CT actually.
So the correct setting will be "zero export to load".
Although if you had non essentials ie things not on the inverter, then the CT is essential.
I would still get the installer to change the CT direction.

Correction, I have 1 oven that is not on the inverter. I was told by the installer that using this would be straight from the grid.

 

[CarboVan]

Right. Then I wouldn't bother with export to CT. Set export to Load as Abd mentioned. Unless you are pumping hella solar, and baking cakes at the same time, you won't have any benefit

 

[Divan85]

It should be easy to check if the CT is installed correctly or not. There should be a page where it shows the CT measurement, if the value is negative it means current is flowing back into the grid. Positive means it is flowing into your house. If you know you are drawing energy from the grid and the measurement is negative then you know the CT is installed the wrong way round.

 

[lukekay]

I have the 5kw Deye and moved over to Solar Assistant (couldn't deal with the solarman crap ) - best time and money I've invested in a project to date.

It simplifies the management quite substantially with easier to understand terminology. Their FAQ is also really decent at explaining a lot of the basics for setting it up to operate how you want it. They recently introduced a scheduler for changing various settings based on various parameters without the need for Home Assistant which changed my life!

However, it all depends on how technical you are and how much effort you want to put in - you will most likely need to create a custom BMS cable to leverage both the battery coms as well as the usb RS485 dongle used for solar assistant pi to connect at the same time (unless you have a model with 2 ports which does makes it simpler).
- SolarAssistant

It is worth mentioning you can still retain solarman functionality so it's not an either or. If you don't care for solarman you can unplug the wireless dongle and just use the RS232 port with a usb adapter for solar assistant and connect that way... Endless possibilities. Feel free to PM me if you would like more info and I will happily share all I've learnt!