Solar PV Hints, Tips & Troubleshooting

garo

And the forecast is promising tomorrow.

DrPhilG

Just wait til May @AndyBoBandy lol

You'll be losing your marbles when it's generating 30-40kWh a day.

Not a bad day here myself either.

AndyBoBandy

The OH now as my first day of Solar PV generation slowly tapers off……

Though now attention will turn to the battery, and to see if that will get us to midnight!!!!

And based off residual usage of about 0.4kW, I think it should easily get me there!!! With hopefully enough left to run a dishwasher….

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118049344#Comment_118049344

This time of year, dishwasher goes on night rate!

yankinlk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118047012#Comment_118047012

Very similar to you... I think we even used same installer. I jumped from a c1 to a b1. Happy days

AndyBoBandy

Does this look right?

PV 1 is the front and side string (11 panels all with optimisers). 4 of the panels are facing southeast, so the sun is about to hit them, yet the power is still 0. PV 2 are the rear string facing WNW

is it a case they need a direct burst of sunlight to kick them into life? To maybe burn off the condensation on them? The voltage is steadily rising, just still not producing any power yet!!

AndyBoBandy

Never mind…. They just kicked into life!!

SouthWesterly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118051790#Comment_118051790

Mine are west and didn't kick in till 8.45

garo

Winter is coming.

AndyBoBandy

Winter is here!! was baltic this morning.... yes it's 9:34am and the house is running 100% from Solar PV

I absolutely love it!!!!!

MAULBROOK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118051968#Comment_118051968

Today is going to be a good sunny one

SouthWesterly

If I put in a 2nd array and inverter do I need a 2nd nc6.

Don't know if my post 2 days ago was missed. Would love an answer on it😉

idc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118052242#Comment_118052242

Personally if i got a second inverter I'd figure on sending in an updated form with existing and additional inverter on it. Form has space for 3 devices. With CRU planning to temporarily work out an approx export baaed on NC6 form (as we don't have or want a smart meter yet) it would make sense to ensure its accurate. ie no point having a 6kW inverter but you originally told them it was only 2kW!!

SouthWesterly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118052324#Comment_118052324

I'm going to have a 2nd inverter

Saas put a, 3kw in the attic for the 3.24kw array in roof facing west.

I'm putting another array in the back field and a 2nd inverter. Am I limited to a combined 6kw of inverters. Makes the 2nd one a 3kw or could I get a 6kw solis and just limit it to 3kw export or am I wasting my money? I'm planning on a minimum 4kw second array facing south

AndyBoBandy

Jaysis she’s sucking daysul now……..

will need to plug the car in soon!!!

idc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118052496#Comment_118052496

When I've asked my installer about extra panels / bigger system hes only ever mentioned that they've added a second 1kW inverter alongside the 5kW they normally supply to any install. Even though the 5kW inverter has the capability to limit its export (for the first 2-3 months it was set at 0% export by mistake when i contacted the inverters online support helpdesk for help with another setting!)

On the other hand mp3guy has 2 inverters (5kW and 6kW) - see https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058169884/my-16kwp-domestic-system#latest

championc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118052548#Comment_118052548

What type of EV charger is it ? If the inverter is a hybrid, then the only way of car charging would be to use a non-smart or granny charger

AndyBoBandy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118052799#Comment_118052799

Its a Tesla (dumb) charger. I plug in and dial the car down to 5 amps (1kW), and manually start the charge. I'm sure I'll have to eventually get a Zappi, but in the Tesla, I can manually manage it. I can only dial the car down from inside teh car, but an upcoming software update will allow me do this from the app.

Right now I'm generating ~2kW, The house is using .4kW, the car is taking 1kW, and the other .6kW is topping up the battery (currently at 50%).

Could I not then get a Zappi with my Inverter? (Solis Hybrid 6kW)

When the battery gets full, I'll probably up the car to 7-8 amps, and then let any excess go to the Eddi. If there are dips in generation, the battery can be the buffer to stop pulling from the grid..

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118052859#Comment_118052859

yeah zappi will work fine, what he means is that the car wont start charging until the battery is full (or battery is charging at full rate) eg battery is charging at 3kw, panels are producing 6kw, then there is 3kw of excess to go to the eddi/car

but plugging in the car now will slow the battery charge and appear as normal house load.

slave1

Andy, I've stopped EV charging our EVs, the gain is little this time of they year and in the next week or so will be zilch, I just let excess go to hot water.

You need to wait until end of March and then April when you'll see worthwhile EV PV i.e. 4kW+

AndyBoBandy

I get ya now, a hybrid inverters first priority with 'excess' is to fill the battery, then afterwards the Eddi/Zappi will get any excess..

I kind of prefer my 'manual way' (based on current production), as I'll be heading out here and there, so then the battery can take the full excess when I take the 1kW car charging load off the house...

^^you'd swear I've been at it years the way I'm going on.. and I'm only just 24 hours in!!

batmanzed

Greetings all,

I got a day/night meter in during the week and I am trying to get my settings right on my solis inverter. I have logged a ticket to request the firmware update to allow for multiple charge /discharge settings.

What's stumping me at the moment is that when I run the time charging option and set a discharge time after charging the battery on the night rate, the battery discharges alright, but it's like turning on a tap and it ends up exporting the battery power to the grid. Is there another setting I'm missing? Any help would be appreciated

idc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118053135#Comment_118053135

Don't have a Solis inverter but why would you set a discharge time? You just want the inverter to supply demand or feed any excess to the grid so don't set a discharge time. Discharge is really the opposite of charge time and will literally discharge the battery.

Only time i can see discharge making sense is in summer and we have a time based FIT. Say for example peak evening you get 30c for every kWh exported. Thats the time you'd want to export lots and not care if you have enough to get through the night when you'd be on cheap night import rate.

Thats my understanding based on on my inverter which has charge and discharge times.

DrPhilG

30c for export?

Lol

MAULBROOK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118053557#Comment_118053557

Yes discharge is possible but I can't see why ya would.

I us the charge time alright and thats helpful.

Bobeagleburger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118053565#Comment_118053565

I assume he means 3c !!

yankinlk

So while we are talking about soli inverters... I have one. There is a Battery, a House, a Grid and a Panels icon... but what is the "Light Bulb" icon and why does it occasionally draw power? IS that the Backup Supply that AFAIK is not connected... should i disable that

AndyBoBandy

Is it just me or is teh connection from the app to the Solis Inverter fairly patchy? Seems to be showing as offline now on both the Soliscloud & Solishome apps!! Then earlier on, one of them would be connected, and the other not, and then vice versa...

I'm wondering is the distance to my router having an effect?

MAULBROOK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118053828#Comment_118053828

Leave it, its doing nothing or connect a socket into it for emergency power during a black out. Just run an extension lead to it to power the essentials.

Or option two disable it if it makes ya feel happy.

batmanzed

I see now where I was going wrong in my thinking. I assumed that if I was setting a time for the battery to charge at night, then I'd have to set the discharge timer to tell the inverter to use the battery during the day 🙈. I have cancelled the discharge timer and all is well. Except that for 2 nights I have paid Bord Gáis to charge the battery off the grid and then given it all back for free the next morning.