Please help save my sanity - sunsynk inverter/ db power problems

[ovisser1]

Its me again, straight up tagging @Confucius because he's the resident expert and I'm way out of my depth by now.
I know its more suited for power forum, but if I dont come right here, I'll go ask there.

Long problem short;
If I change the DB cutover from inverter to eskom, my house load is still being pulled from batteries/solar.

Exact DB status;
Inverter/Eskom cutover set to eskom
Inverter ouput turned off

Actual photo of the state;

Proof its still running from inverter;

According to my (limited) knowledge, it should not be showing any solar or ac load - only grid ?

To help troubleshooting, I have changed the min SOC on the batteries to 100%, as I learnt about this problem after running the oven from batteries for 4 hours, and I would prefer not destroying the batteries.
I turned the cutover to eskom, turned on the stove and only realized the problem once the battery depleted notification came through.

I have double checked the CT clamp, it is installed, it is the right way round.

The only settings I can think of is the export settings, so I'll list them;
It is set for zero export, but its NOT set to limit to load.

According to this thread, and if I understand correctly;

Deye 5KW - Please help me understand Zero Export and its monitoring

I recently finally got my solar panels and have a few questions when it comes to zero export and feeding PV back into non-essentials. From my understanding so far: Zero Export Load = Delivers PV to essentials and battery, doesn't export to grid or non-essentials Zero Export to CT = Delivers PV to...

powerforum.co.za

Zero export to CT, means no power pushed back into the grid, but the excess power would be pushed into the DB to feed non-essentials
Zero export to load, means no power to anything not directly run from the inverter (unless its being pulled from grid)

Since mine is set to export to home, I assume this is what its doing ? Feeding excess solar into the house to run non essentials - but what I dont understand is how does it do it if the inverter output is off and the cutover is on eskom ??

 

[DTBA]

Its me again, straight up tagging @Confucius because he's the resident expert and I'm way out of my depth by now.
I know its more suited for power forum, but if I dont come right here, I'll go ask there.

Long problem short;
If I change the DB cutover from inverter to eskom, my house load is still being pulled from batteries/solar.

Exact DB status;
Inverter/Eskom cutover set to eskom
Inverter ouput turned off

Actual photo of the state;

Proof its still running from inverter;

According to my (limited) knowledge, it should not be showing any solar or ac load - only grid ?

To help troubleshooting, I have changed the min SOC on the batteries to 100%, as I learnt about this problem after running the oven from batteries for 4 hours, and I would prefer not destroying the batteries.
I turned the cutover to eskom, turned on the stove and only realized the problem once the battery depleted notification came through.

I have double checked the CT clamp, it is installed, it is the right way round.

The only settings I can think of is the export settings, so I'll list them;
It is set for zero export, but its NOT set to limit to load.

According to this thread, and if I understand correctly;

Deye 5KW - Please help me understand Zero Export and its monitoring

I recently finally got my solar panels and have a few questions when it comes to zero export and feeding PV back into non-essentials. From my understanding so far: Zero Export Load = Delivers PV to essentials and battery, doesn't export to grid or non-essentials Zero Export to CT = Delivers PV to...

powerforum.co.za

Zero export to CT, means no power pushed back into the grid, but the excess power would be pushed into the DB to feed non-essentials
Zero export to load, means no power to anything not directly run from the inverter (unless its being pulled from grid)

Since mine is set to export to home, I assume this is what its doing ? Feeding excess solar into the house to run non essentials - but what I dont understand is how does it do it if the inverter output is off and the cutover is on eskom ??

Going out on the a limb here, My lux power pushes the power back on the incoming power to the inverter. So lets say that breaker for eskom/inverter is wired on the outgoing side. Its not going to stop your inverter pushing the power back.. To test this set the breaker to inverter/eskom one to ESKOM and the on breaker called INVIN to off aswell?

test again and report back

 

[iNteNsive]

Its me again, straight up tagging @Confucius because he's the resident expert and I'm way out of my depth by now.
I know its more suited for power forum, but if I dont come right here, I'll go ask there.

Long problem short;
If I change the DB cutover from inverter to eskom, my house load is still being pulled from batteries/solar.

Exact DB status;
Inverter/Eskom cutover set to eskom
Inverter ouput turned off

Actual photo of the state;

Proof its still running from inverter;

According to my (limited) knowledge, it should not be showing any solar or ac load - only grid ?

To help troubleshooting, I have changed the min SOC on the batteries to 100%, as I learnt about this problem after running the oven from batteries for 4 hours, and I would prefer not destroying the batteries.
I turned the cutover to eskom, turned on the stove and only realized the problem once the battery depleted notification came through.

I have double checked the CT clamp, it is installed, it is the right way round.

The only settings I can think of is the export settings, so I'll list them;
It is set for zero export, but its NOT set to limit to load.

According to this thread, and if I understand correctly;

Deye 5KW - Please help me understand Zero Export and its monitoring

I recently finally got my solar panels and have a few questions when it comes to zero export and feeding PV back into non-essentials. From my understanding so far: Zero Export Load = Delivers PV to essentials and battery, doesn't export to grid or non-essentials Zero Export to CT = Delivers PV to...

powerforum.co.za

Zero export to CT, means no power pushed back into the grid, but the excess power would be pushed into the DB to feed non-essentials
Zero export to load, means no power to anything not directly run from the inverter (unless its being pulled from grid)

Since mine is set to export to home, I assume this is what its doing ? Feeding excess solar into the house to run non essentials - but what I dont understand is how does it do it if the inverter output is off and the cutover is on eskom ??

What does the INV IN do?

 

[ovisser1]

Going out on the a limb here, My lux power pushes the power back on the incoming power to the inverter. So lets say that breaker for eskom/inverter is wired on the outgoing side. Its not going to stop your inverter pushing the power back.. To test this set the breaker to inverter/eskom one to ESKOM and the on breaker called INVIN to off aswell?

test again and report back

I have actually tried that, and it does help - i thought its a fluke (maybe i have a bridged N somewhere)

But it still doesnt feel right?

 

[DTBA]

I have actually tried that, and it does help - i thought its a fluke (maybe i have a bridged N somewhere)

But it still doesnt feel right?

Its how it should work, You just need to ask the people here how stop it from exporting your batteries empty.

That I can't help with as I don't own one of them

 

[ovisser1]

Its how it should work, You just need to ask the people here how stop it from exporting your batteries empty.

That I can't help with as I don't own one of them

Thats the zero export to load setting then.

Issue for me is then a logical one, if i break inverter out power, it should break all - not based on settings.

 

[DTBA]

Thats the zero export to load setting then.

Issue for me is then a logical one, if i break inverter out power, it should break all - not based on settings.

I can show you on paint how it its wired give me sec or let me look for db drawing cause I suck with paint

 

[ovisser1]

I can show you on paint how it its wired give me sec

I've had the db and inverter open tracing cables 10times since saturday, i know how they run

 

[DTBA]

Thats the zero export to load setting then.

Issue for me is then a logical one, if i break inverter out power, it should break all - not based on settings.

So the red arrows shows how if the inverter in switch is on it pushing power back to the main CT COIL and if you have it switched over to eskom it will run around to the other side of your load

 

[DTBA]

I've had the db and inverter open tracing cables 10times since saturday, i know how they run

When you are exporting solar ( aka GRID tied function) it sync to the eskom suppy ( why you always need eskom power for it to work it will not supply your house from that side if it does not see eskom) It will then send all the power back up the Inverter in AC connection up to the CT coil that stop it from back feeding to eskom meter or prepaid meter.

 

[ovisser1]

Okay, that creates more questions than answers;
1) how is okay to have power feeding into a DB when the source for that DB is labelled as in (should probably be asking SANBS this question)
2) how does this tie into the CT clamp ?
2.1) Please don't explain what a CT clamp does, I fully understand that. Let me rather ask why do I lose reporting on grid when limit to load is set ?
Set cutover to eskom, set limit to load to on (no feeding back via inverter input), then I dont see any grid load.

eg fridges are running, lights are on, TV is on, and the grid only shows its consuming 20w.

The 102W from panels are naturally due to inverter power consumption and the 45w going into the batteries.

 

[Confucius]

Its me again, straight up tagging @Confucius because he's the resident expert and I'm way out of my depth by now.
I know its more suited for power forum, but if I dont come right here, I'll go ask there.

Long problem short;
If I change the DB cutover from inverter to eskom, my house load is still being pulled from batteries/solar.

Exact DB status;
Inverter/Eskom cutover set to eskom
Inverter ouput turned off

Actual photo of the state;

Proof its still running from inverter;

According to my (limited) knowledge, it should not be showing any solar or ac load - only grid ?

To help troubleshooting, I have changed the min SOC on the batteries to 100%, as I learnt about this problem after running the oven from batteries for 4 hours, and I would prefer not destroying the batteries.
I turned the cutover to eskom, turned on the stove and only realized the problem once the battery depleted notification came through.

I have double checked the CT clamp, it is installed, it is the right way round.

The only settings I can think of is the export settings, so I'll list them;
It is set for zero export, but its NOT set to limit to load.

According to this thread, and if I understand correctly;

Deye 5KW - Please help me understand Zero Export and its monitoring

I recently finally got my solar panels and have a few questions when it comes to zero export and feeding PV back into non-essentials. From my understanding so far: Zero Export Load = Delivers PV to essentials and battery, doesn't export to grid or non-essentials Zero Export to CT = Delivers PV to...

powerforum.co.za

Zero export to CT, means no power pushed back into the grid, but the excess power would be pushed into the DB to feed non-essentials
Zero export to load, means no power to anything not directly run from the inverter (unless its being pulled from grid)

Since mine is set to export to home, I assume this is what its doing ? Feeding excess solar into the house to run non essentials - but what I dont understand is how does it do it if the inverter output is off and the cutover is on eskom ??

Hallo

As others have said, not really an issue. Remember it’s a hybrid / bidirectional inverter so it can also feedback on the input side.

Your inverter output breaker should be feeding in to the changeover so you are effectively creating 2 breaks on the same connection. You should rather switch the changeover and the inverter input which will isolate the inverter.

If batteries are full and you don’t want to use battery power, just rather disable time of use without changing any breakers. It should then keep the batteries at 100 and use Eskom to power/compliment loads if solar is not enough.

Your understanding of export to load / home is correct. Keep it to home and you then also power the non-essentials when the sun shines.

 

[ovisser1]

If batteries are full and you don’t want to use battery power, just rather disable time of use without changing any breakers. It should then keep the batteries at 100 and use Eskom to power/compliment loads if solar is not enough.

Problem with time of use, is I would use the oven exactly when the solar production is too low to feed it.

Am I then right in assuming there is no way to isolate certain loads to run off of solar when available and then off grid when not ?
Practically never touch batteries for extreme loads, but normal stuff continue like normal ?

 

[Confucius]

Okay, that creates more questions than answers;
1) how is okay to have power feeding into a DB when the source for that DB is labelled as in (should probably be asking SANBS this question)
2) how does this tie into the CT clamp ?
2.1) Please don't explain what a CT clamp does, I fully understand that. Let me rather ask why do I lose reporting on grid when limit to load is set ?
Set cutover to eskom, set limit to load to on (no feeding back via inverter input), then I dont see any grid load.

eg fridges are running, lights are on, TV is on, and the grid only shows its consuming 20w.

The 102W from panels are naturally due to inverter power consumption and the 45w going into the batteries.

Inv in should be the cable from the grid side to the input terminals on the inverter. It’s not really an input to the db but rather an output of the grid side. On my install, I put these breakers on the grid side db. Inv out is on my essentials load db.

I think the inverter not showing grid usage when changing to limit to load is probably a fault. I also experienced something similar but was afraid to log it with Sunsynk for fear of them breaking something else.

 

[ovisser1]

Inv in should be the cable from the grid side to the input terminals on the inverter. It’s not really an input to the db but rather an output of the grid side. On my install, I put these breakers on the grid side db. Inv out is on my essentials load db.

Correct, and that's my point.

I know people not qualified should not touch a DB (ie me), but very few people would expect power to be delivered to a grid from what is "supposed to be" an output from said grid.

I now understand its not a problem, just something I don't agree with

 

[ovisser1]

I think the inverter not showing grid usage when changing to limit to load is probably a fault. I also experienced something similar but was afraid to log it with Sunsynk for fear of them breaking something else.

Well that just saddens me, because I know sunsynk support has been on par with evetech the last few years as well.

 

[Confucius]

Problem with time of use, is I would use the oven exactly when the solar production is too low to feed it.

Am I then right in assuming there is no way to isolate certain loads to run off of solar when available and then off grid when not ?
Practically never touch batteries for extreme loads, but normal stuff continue like normal ?

I mean disable time of use, untick it. That will keep the batteries fully charged when you want to use the oven when the sun don’t shine. But it will also mean everything else runs from Eskom too. In this way, you don’t need to flip breakers.

Even if you move the oven to non essentials, it will still use battery according to the time of use schedule. Other option is to just set the time of use appropriately so that say at 5pm, batteries should be 90, 10pm, 70% etc. basically work back from the next morning and see how much you need to have in your battery at different times. Then it’s a sort of set and forget.

 

[Confucius]

Well that just saddens me, because I know sunsynk support has been on par with evetech the last few years as well.

I think you have better luck with Evetech to be honest. Installer friends no longer use Sunsynk and have moved to Deye. Better support, better turnaround for warranty / repairs.

 

[Confucius]

Correct, and that's my point.

I know people not qualified should not touch a DB (ie me), but very few people would expect power to be delivered to a grid from what is "supposed to be" an output from said grid.

I now understand its not a problem, just something I don't agree with

You can print a big label about bidirectional inverters and stick it on the inverter and db to remind you / whoever that it’s and input and an output.