Solar PV Hints, Tips & Troubleshooting

idc

Whatever way my system was setup there was no need to remove the firemans switches. Once I use changeover to disable grid and only use backup, the backup power opens the firemans switches allowing solar to power house and fill battery as normal.

SD_DRACULA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120319787#Comment_120319787

Sounds like the fireman switches are wired to the backup port? Which means you never lose AC so they stay open all the time?

Let me know how that works, I was thinking of wiring in a changeover switch in the future once I do some renovation works.

idc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120319958#Comment_120319958

Not exactly, the backup port must be connected directly to the changeover switch and the grid is the other connection. hence normally backup is never powering anything. In a grid outage the firemans switch do close. But when I turn the switch to backup mode that applies power back to the entire house and thus reopens the fireman switch.

@graememk comment about not feeding back into the inverter itself is interesting, as obviously if the inverter detects power from its primary electrical connection then it would go back into on grid mode, thus I'm not exactly sure how the inverter is wired to avoid that or if the inverter itself has a way of detecting the difference between grid vs electricity it generates on backup!

silver_sky

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320042#Comment_120320042

I had the issue with it feeding back to itself and myself and installer were scratching our heads a bit. Solis advised to kill power at consumer unit to inverter alongside changeover. So I flip the switch for the inverter (on consumer unit) and then flip changeover to backup. It means the inverter does not get power via the consumer unit then.

idc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320101#Comment_120320101

Fair enough, I guess it may depend on the inverter as well as to how this is setup. Mine is an Alpha ESS Smile5 so maybe it handles this scenario differently. I have always been curious to how exactly its all wired up between the old consumer unit and the new sub unit with most of the PV stuff and Eddi is.

Not an electrician so no idea on wiring rules but would this work -- you have your house main fuse, next is inverter, then changeover switch with choice of either grid/inverter or backup port. That way the backup port when enabled and changeover in that position would need feed back into inverter grid connection?

DrPhilG

Spoke to the installer, he's coming in the next few weeks to fit a switch. As with the others it'll open up the whole house but only for moderate use as it's a 13a supply.

Fine by me, no electric showers, using the oven, charging the car etc but normal base load will be fine. And the panels will still generate so happy days.

Anyone have a picture of their setup, especially if done by my installer (from Enniskillen)?

I'm just figuring out a way to switch it over remotely if I'm not home. Obviously WiFi would be out but I could use a phone with a hot-spot and then something like a switchbot to flick the switch.

silver_sky

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320392#Comment_120320392

I don't think a switchbot would flick it. Quite a bit of force needed. It's a Hager SF 263 that they put in mine.

DrPhilG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320559#Comment_120320559

Yeah I was wondering that. I'll do some digging.

idc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320569#Comment_120320569

Different installer but mine is also Hager (can't see model number!) its like 4 MCBs in one but with 3 positions up, down and also a middle position. in the middle neither grid or backup power is available

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320392#Comment_120320392

Here's mine, the change over is the brown one on bottom right. You can get fully automated change over switches but he said he doesn't do them.

silver_sky

@DrPhilG here you go, same installer. I've been meaning to put some proper labelling on instead of his sharpie but it'll do for now.

silver_sky

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320687#Comment_120320687

Same here. Top is grid+inverter, middle nothing, bottom is inverter no grid.

jasgrif11

@silver_sky what is the make, model and name of the switch?

If I call my electrician I’m just wondering exactly what im asking him

oaklands

Hager SF263 from the image posted

Black_Knight

What's a typical running power consumption from a solid hybrid inverter? Mine seems to always be consuming 200W+. That is to say, it's saying 410W out of my battery right now, and 200W into the house. Thus 210W of "losses". Seems like a lot to run a BMS and convert DC to AC.

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120327005#Comment_120327005

My Solis uses about 100w-140w all the time as well as the house base load.

silver_sky

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120327005#Comment_120327005

Mine is using about 50W right now. I asked them before on a call and they said about 70W but probably less.

Black_Knight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120327347#Comment_120327347

My 210W seems to be the highest I've heard anyone report

championc

Hi all,

I'm trying to reset the Wifi SSID of my old spare inverter. If I connect to it directly, I would user 10.10.100.254 to access it, or since it's currently connected to one SSID, I can get to it via the WLAN.

The problem is with the Username and Password. I just cannot remember what it was, but it's NOT admin / admin or admin in one and blank the other. Anyone any suggestions ?

The PWD on it was for accessing it directly via AP mode

spose

You should still be able to connect to the AP and use that password on it. When you go in to 10.10.100.254 it should connect you straight to the settings with no need for another log in

championc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120328188#Comment_120328188

SHOULD maybe, but that's not the way this one is. I also tried admin / password with no joy. There is a little button to the right, which is supposed to maybe turn the AP mode on - but it's already on anyway, so I can't see any point pressing that. And besides, I don't need AP mode because I have WLAN access anyway - so just need the right creds

yankinlk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120328513#Comment_120328513

maybe its a reset to default button. id hold it down for 10 seconds and try again

Conorkcp

Apologies if this was covered elsewhere but I can't find it. My recently installed inverter is powering off when there is no solar generation from the panels. This means the data logger is also powering off and so is not accurate as it's not tracking grid import / consumption when we have no solar power. I found a reference to switching on 24 hour monitoring in the Solis documentation but can't seem to do this with my inverter:

https://www.ginlong.com/us/documentation/36055.html

I have a Solis RHI-5G inverter.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to achieve 24 hour monitoring?

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120360527#Comment_120360527

Easiest way is something external, eg emonpi, Shelley EM, Owl, efenergy to name a few

silver_sky

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120360527#Comment_120360527

RHI-5G is a hybrid inverter. Do you have a battery attached to the inverter? This would mean that it can stay on when the generation has stopped.

cherryghost

Lads, I have a 5.7kw setup and today it started reporting 6.8kw generation in Solis. I'm assuming there is some reporting delay causing this? Has anyone seen similar?

smax71

Looking to confirm a couple of issues that have cropped up on the quotes thread but I dont want to clutter that thread with technical questions. I've just realised that it wont be possible to install most 6kw invertor post end May as their max output is over the ESBN max 25amp limit. I have just locked in a price on an 8.4kwp system with a 6kw Solis invertor which has a 27amp max output. All the quotes I received were for same system and no one mentioned this issue. I only stumbled across the issue on here when trying to clarify which invertor was best for charging batteries (it seems the Solis can only charge at 100amps for 15 minutes, thereafter it drops to 70amps).

It now looks like I have to go back seeking a revised quote for a 5kw invertor but I'm concerned that this will mean I wont be able to instal the 8.4kwp of panels as they will exceed the max voltage for the invertor. I was wondering if I go ahead with the 5kw invertor will I be able to subsequently install an additional invertor in parallel set to zero export to cater for additional generation above 5kw? Or am I just better off installing 6kwp of panels and just accept I missed the boat. So much for encouraging people to max their solar generation potential.

idc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120365735#Comment_120365735

If you read the ESBN description for micro generation they don't care if your inverter CAN limit export to zero. Basically they state for micro generation they only care about total size of all your inverters. So if you install 5 Kw + 3Kw inverter == thats 8Kw total. Even if you can set 3Kw to zero export they don't allow that. The next level up mini generation (via NC7 and 1000 euro just to apply) does allow for export limitation.

Now on the other hand I'm sure there plenty of people on here who already have multiple inverters and use export limitation to 6kW to ensure they don't exceed that even though they only submitted a NC6. Not sure if most of the those have been DIY or DIY add on installs -- ie installer does initial 5/6kW inverter system and then they add on after that. Its a bit crappy to be honest forcing us to pay 1000 euro just to be allowed install more inverters and use export limitation.

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120365735#Comment_120365735

Just get your installer to send in the NC6 prior to May 31st and confirm ESBN received it.

cherryghost

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120365603#Comment_120365603

My inverter tripped. Have to figure out why now.