Solar PV Hints, Tips & Troubleshooting

munsterfan2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122362508#Comment_122362508

Hi,

If you are using the solarman addon to talk directly to the wifi sticks on solis ( older version 2 stick ). The following automation should give you an idea

<code>

alias: Set Battery Discharge (Pause Zappi)
description: Discharge Excess Battery to Grid
trigger:

• platform: time
  at: "22:15:00"
  condition: []
  action:
• device_id: fd2123e941axxxxxxxxx - Zappi
  domain: select
  entity_id: 2e935353fxxxxxxxxxxx - Charge Mode
  type: select_option
  option: Stopped
• choose:
  • conditions:
    • condition: numeric_state
      entity_id: sensor.bms_soc
      above: 90
      sequence:
    • service: solarman.write_holding_register
      data:
      register: 43142
      value: 550
    • service: solarman.write_multiple_holding_registers
      data:
      register: 43143
      values:
      - 2
      - 0
      - 6
      - 0
      - 22
      - 30
      - 2
      - 0
  • conditions:
    • condition: numeric_state
      entity_id: sensor.bms_soc
      above: 70
      sequence:
    • service: solarman.write_holding_register
      data:
      register: 43142
      value: 550
    • service: solarman.write_multiple_holding_registers
      data:
      register: 43143
      values:
      - 2
      - 0
      - 6
      - 0
      - 23
      - 15
      - 2
      - 0
  • conditions:
    • condition: numeric_state
      entity_id: sensor.bms_soc
      above: 60
      below: 70
      sequence:
    • service: solarman.write_holding_register
      data:
      register: 43142
      value: 550
    • service: solarman.write_multiple_holding_registers
      data:
      register: 43143
      values:
      - 2
      - 0
      - 6
      - 0
      - 23
      - 30
      - 2
      - 0
  • conditions:
    • condition: numeric_state
      entity_id: sensor.bms_soc
      above: 40
      below: 60
      sequence:
    • service: solarman.write_holding_register
      data:
      register: 43142
      value: 550
    • service: solarman.write_multiple_holding_registers
      data:
      register: 43143
      values:
      - 2
      - 0
      - 6
      - 0
      - 1
      - 0
      - 2
      - 0
  • conditions: []
    sequence:
    • service: solarman.write_holding_register
      data:
      register: 43142
      value: 0
    • service: solarman.write_multiple_holding_registers
      data:
      register: 43143
      values:
      - 2
      - 0
      - 6
      - 0
      - 0
      - 0
      - 0
      - 0
• delay:
  hours: 3
  minutes: 45
  seconds: 0
  milliseconds: 0
• device_id: fd2123e941a96xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx - Zappi
  domain: select
  entity_id: 2e935353f794xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx - Charge Mode
  type: select_option
  option: Eco+
  mode: single

</code>

conor_mc

In the Solis app, go into your plant > three-dots at top right > modify info > tariff management.

conor_mc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122421197#Comment_122421197

I think your setup is working fine. Looking at my similar-sized setup albeit across 3 aspects where I generated 16.1 kWh on the 24th, in Dublin City.

I suspect you’re getting your kW, kWh and kWp’s a bit mixed up, coupled with the clipping that your oversized system is doing by design. The following two videos are great and will really help you better understand what to expect from your system.

https://youtu.be/IzBHs4878BY?si=vuSyEDdImiZg7FwT

https://youtu.be/5y2dJ8S6zDU?si=cUUXn0yvjNi5uQ6a

bilasy

both video were very enlightening thank you so much

Borax2709

Couple of questions for the real pros on here. Hopefully related/in the right place.

1 - If I get a hybrid inverter installed now - how easy is it to get a battery done later? I've gotten a v good quote on Panels/Inverter install but the company is looking for MAD money for a battery (same battery is 1.1k on solarb**s.ie and they are looking for 3k more for battery install). Is this in ANY way DIY-able? Or if it is not - would a RECI even do it as a standalone job? If someone told me that it was a €300 job for someone to get a battery added [ on top of battery cost ] that would swing the decision - but if it's €1200 and nobody will "touch another installer's work" then the opposite is true I think!?

2 - Are there any inverters / battery combinations I should stay away from if I do want the monitoring (local!!) as described above via solarman etc? I am well equipped with HomeAssistant at home, and I'd be looking to add monitoring in there [ not cloud based if possible! ]. Are there any combinations I should steer clear of? Quotes have come in for Sofar Invertor, Solis Invertor. And then Dyness battery is what I think is most likely (caveat above). Ideally I'd be able to do force discharge to take advantage of night rates etc.

championc

There's even a thread on here for a DIY battery build.

Controllable with HA would be a Sofar or Sunsynk / Deye

Jonathan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122458457#Comment_122458457

Or any inverter with Modbus, which is just about every inverter on the market.

conor_mc

Are there any settings/precautions to take when heading off on holidays for a couple of weeks? Obviously knock off any overnight charging, anything else?

Jonathan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122459951#Comment_122459951

Not really, no. Turn off your Eddi via the app if you have one.

championc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122459951#Comment_122459951

ABSOLUTELY Don't do that. Buy at cheap night rate, and have as much export as possible every day

Borax2709

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122458659#Comment_122458659

Am I going to have to get my hands dirty to integrate with the modbus or are there off the shelf solutions for connectivity?

Think I've been saved here already on this!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122475411#Comment_122475411

Jonathan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122475441#Comment_122475441

Should be no need for soldering or anything of that sort. Depending on whether the inverter supports Modbus RTU (most common), or Modbus TCP, you have a number of different options. For Modbus RTU, get yourself a good quality USB to RS485 adapter (FTDI or similar), and then connect to the RS485 port on the inverter. Within HA, you then add a config file which maps out the Modbus registers for your inverter. See this as an example for Solis Hybrid inverters. For Modbus TCP, the config is similar, but the hardware side is simpler - just connect the device to your LAN.

There are other solutions such as SolarAssistant, but you can nearly always achieve what you want with native Modbus and Home Assistant.

randombar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122458457#Comment_122458457

I'm controlling SolarEdge via HA too. Works very well.

mjatkey

Hi guys.

Ok so have been setting up my solar installation etc in HA (currently using Solis API data) but am pleased with how far I have come… I'll have load of questions on setting up the local data collection, currently reading up and looking at what is needed to get the data from the logger to HA.

In the mean time I've added all the Tuya devices I have dotted around the house to HA but am struggling with a couple of things?

Have a 30Amp switch on the immersion which integrates fine into HA except it doesn't give a running total of the power used, daily, monthly only power I can see is when it is in use and in the history graph.

On the Tuya APP running totals are shown, current, daily and monthly.

I've managed to extract the .Json data for the switch on HA, but thats about it.

The state is the only total I see and its not changed since the integration.

disabled": false,
"disabled_by": null,
"entity_category": null,
"device_class": null,
"original_device_class": "energy",
"icon": null,
"original_icon": null,
"unit_of_measurement": "kWh",
"state": {
"entity_id": "sensor.hot_water_clonee_consumption",
"state": "0.421",
"attributes": {
"state_class": "total_increasing",
"unit_of_measurement": "kWh",
"device_class": "energy",
"friendly_name": "Hot water Clonee Consumption"
},
"last_changed": "2024-08-13T15:42:24.685852+00:00",
"last_reported": "2024-08-13T15:42:26.369583+00:00",
"last_updated": "2024-08-13T15:42:24.685852+00:00"

Question, can the "code" be changed to display the correct running total, if so how or is it a non runner?

Thanks

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122499422#Comment_122499422

You can take the Watts sensor and make a kWh out of it using an integral in home assistant

https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/integration/

Dozz

I was away for a few days and kept getting email from my Solis inverter saying "No Battery"

Home today and I see the puredrive battery (5kw) showing the red led circle.

Have tried restarting both the inverter and battery but inverter still showing no battery.

Any ideas?

PXL_20240823_150403339.jpg

PXL_20240823_151531842.jpg

newhouse87

Is there anybody on here with mostly west orientated panels and generating good electric. I can get 12 west facing panels and 6 south on my roof. 1 Installer said my west would receive light early in day too(noon ish) as west roof higher then south facing bit. Just wondering is it worth it, we do use most electric in evening as of now but that may not always be the case. In winter west would have v little generated i would think.

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122537441#Comment_122537441

Yearly output is about 3.4MWh, for the west only,

On the non sunny days in winter, the west (per panel) will generate as much as the south. As

newhouse87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122537489#Comment_122537489

Cheers man, you are a fountain of knowledge. Ground mounting is an option for all south facing but its handier and cheaper to roof mount as my garage does not have power yet. Have you south panels aswell and do they do much better? I am on tou and 5-7 my most expensive time so may make sense to do 12 west 6 south. How many panels generate that 3.4MWh?

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122537503#Comment_122537503

That was done on 4.8kwp west only.

This website is where I got the info, have a play

https://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pvg_tools/en/#PVP

newhouse87

IMG_20240824_192549.jpg

IMG_20240824_192603.jpg

Would the roofs on the left(south facing) and on right/straight ahead in pic(west facing) in first attachment impact negatively on each other, shading etc? Installer wanted to put 12 on west facing roof in attachment 2 and 6 on south in attachment 1.

I was thinking putting 6 on both roofs in attachment 1 and remaining 6 on nearside west roof in attachment 2. Thinking that further over roof slots on west facing in attachment 2 will be last to get sun. Not sure if that makes sense.

mjatkey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122536118#Comment_122536118

Hi, I'm no expert but maybe turn all off leave for 5mins the restart or maybe check the battery setting is correct on the inverter, type etc, can be done on the web gui if needed.

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122540417#Comment_122540417

Roof Vents at the top could be a restriction, but 6 each on each of the south roofs, and 12 on the west, total of 24 😉

West gives a great last to the solar production, especially in the summer, on them long days

newhouse87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122540869#Comment_122540869

haha i will start with the 18.

Have only 1 south roof that will take 6, its beside small west roof at patio.

So would it make sense to put 6 on small west facing roof and 6 on big west roof rather than all on big west roof, was just thinking be later in day before main west roof on far side gets the sun?

Hopefully they will work around vents, none of them mentioned it yet as issue anyway.

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122540895#Comment_122540895

What about the roof beside the HP? That's South too isn't it?

newhouse87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122541212#Comment_122541212

Yes it's south but think it's bit shaded

newhouse87

Does it make sense that far side of main west roof would be last to get sun so I would be better put 6on small west roof above sliding door and 6 on nearside of main west roof rather then 12 on main west roof?

graememk

rough paint sketch of roof? not to scale!

I wouldnt be too worried about shadowing, Roofs generate hard shadows, Which are enough to activate the bypass diodes in the panels,so they just take themselves out, and not hurt the rest of the string.

Measure your roof yourself and see how much you can fit, most panels are around 1130mm with 20mm for the mount bracket, so id count 1150 for each panel (+ 500mm from the ridge and the edge)

If you can, do whatever you can do now, its a lot more bother to come back and add to the system later

Solis cloud app acting a bit funny for anyone?

championc

Utter crap. Use MyEnergi for Live data