How to wire an extension lead into the AC output of a Hybrid Invertor

NobodyImportant

So, I have a 5kw Solis Invetor connected to a 5KW Battery. If the electricity goes out, the power in the house too, even though there is a fully charged battery there.

There is an AC output on the invertor. Is it as simple as getting a connector and wiring in say a short extension lead and - hey presto - you have a working socket in case the power goes out?

Link for the plug that goes into the above - Wieland AC ENCHUFE-SMA-Samil-goodwe más Solar PV inversores RST20i3 Sunnyboy | eBay

and then wire in an extension lead without the 3 pin UK plug into the adapter above?

reklamos

Instructions are in the manual https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118121864/#Comment_118121864

Also the plug should have came with inverter. Mine did ask your installer.

irishchris

If not solartricity sell them for about a tenner. I had misplaced mine and ordered replacement from them. Be careful when wiring it and make sure you have it breaker protected too

NobodyImportant

Thanks for the help, will make sure the extension lead has its own circuit breaker in it.

spacetweek

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058216984/how-to-wire-an-extension-lead-into-the-ac-output-of-a-hybrid-invertor

NobodyImportant, just a point - the link you posted to the plug above "Wieland AC ENCHUFE-SMA-Samil-goodwe más Solar PV inversores RST20i3 Sunnyboy | eBay" is the wrong plug. That's the female. My system (which must be the same as yours) has a female socket. So you need the male plug, like this link:

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/184825493322?hash=item2b0875374a:g:O3YAAOSwKcdgl4oi

Am I right about this, everyone? (Don't know much about electrics)

reklamos

I took a picture of mine and it looks close but different

According to the markings on the plug it is rst25i3s and here is the one I found on ebay

https://www.ebay.com/itm/275027644298?hash=item4008eccf8a:g:tDsAAOSwqfJhkT4R

bullit_dodger

I wonder what the logic is for the unusual connector. Usually there is a reason, albeit in this case I can't figure it out. Out of curiosity, does anyone know?

reklamos

Well I do not know the logic behind but the connector is there to meet a specific standards. Solis inverters can be mounted outside and meet IP65 rating so the connector must meet that standard and also specific power rating.

spacetweek

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118173388#Comment_118173388

Thanks. Same item on ebay.ie

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/184297718204?hash=item2ae90001bc:g:cYkAAOSwJt5f8HxO

Yep. You're right, the link I posted is 20i3 the one you posted is 25i3. Also I checked my own AC-Grid connector and it's 25i3.

Solartricity were out of stock so I'm going to buy the 25i3

Thanks for help.

spacetweek

Can a regular household electric flex be used? The instructions go on about "10-12 mm diameter, 2.5-6 mm^2 cross section".

irishchris

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118181464#Comment_118181464

Depending on the power you are pulling from it I would be using a 6mm cable and not just some extension lead 2.5/4mm flex

reklamos

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118181464#Comment_118181464

You can pull 3kW from Solis through that port, that is 13A. Use the cable that is able to handle that much and a bit more. 6mm^2 is more than capable of dealing with 13A. Even 1.5mm^2 can do more than 13A but there is no point in saving on safety. The are multiple other factors like length connection types. If your goal is to run a single 10W bulb then you will be fine with standard extension lead cable.

I have it wired with 4mm^2 cable but the length is less than 2m and the load does not go above 150W

spacetweek

No dice.

I bought the Chinese plug off ebay and got a surge-protected flex. Plugged into AC Backup and confirmed that devices could be powered on.

Then I went down to my front door and turned off the main fuse for the house, and the Solis inverter shut down, no power at all to inverter or devices on the AC backup.

Did I miss something here?

reklamos

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118242242#Comment_118242242

For this to work you need to configure backup mode and make sure that you have some juice left in the battery.

spacetweek

Followed the instructions here, the menu options were named a bit differently but I figured it out.

https://ginlongsolis.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/36000245198-16-of-20-backup-power-operation

No dice, inverter still completely shut off when I turned off the house power. The inverter shuts down with a motor noise and loud click. I think this is called a Fireman's Switch.

My PV installer company said it's not possible in Ireland to power anything from the inverter battery but it's allowed in the UK. They may have configured my setup to disallow what I'm trying to do here.

Any of this sound right to you lot? Are your setups not the same as mine perhaps?

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118247335#Comment_118247335

A lot of hybrid inverters are installed with a double socket on the backup power supply. That's the first I've heard of that.

But It's not straight forward to power lights etc, making sure grid is isolated etc.

You can test it without killing the power to the whole house. You can just turn off the main isolator beside the inverter, that will have the same effect.

What state of charge is your battery?

Motor noise is unusual, you sure it's coming from the inverter? The fireman switch should be a box near where the PV panels enter the house.

reklamos

Go to advanced setting>storage energy set>storage mode select>backup

Select on(lighter blue color), set backup SOC value. It must be higher than your SOC value set for battery. If your battery when empty is at 10% then set SOC to 20%. Set allow to charge from grid and save settings. If your battery was empty you should see it charging from grid till it reaches backup SOC and it would stop.

Connect some load to backup AC output. You should see on the screen how much power it is using. Switch of isolator switch. The power should still be flowing to the load connected backup AC output and you should see that it is using battery for that.

spacetweek

"You can test it without killing the power to the whole house. You can just turn off the main isolator beside the inverter, that will have the same effect."

Thanks for the tip.

"Motor noise is unusual, you sure it's coming from the inverter? The fireman switch should be a box near where the PV panels enter the house."

The motor noise is coming from what I think is the fireman switch.

"Go to advanced setting>storage energy set>storage mode select>backup"

When I follow these steps it does not say Backup, it says "Reserve Battery". I often find that my menus/names of things in my setup are not the same as what other people are quoting. This was not a self-install.

"Connect some load to backup AC output. You should see on the screen how much power it is using. Switch of isolator switch. The power should still be flowing to the load connected backup AC output and you should see that it is using battery for that."

Is this indicated on the screen by the arrow going into the lightbulb? It does work, but I'm not satisfied that this is the same as when a general power failure in my area occurs. When I turn off the main fuse beside the front door, the whole inverter and AC Backup devices shut down.

reklamos

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118308868#Comment_118308868

What SOC value do you have set for reserve battery? It must be higher than your over discharge SOC.

The main thing is that the Reserve/backup mode needs to be enabled and I had a problem with older firmware where I could not do that. So it could be a firmware problem. What firmware version you are on? Judging from menu item it seems old.

spacetweek

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118309906#Comment_118309906

Model: F5

Software Ver: 27001B

The manual shows a screenshot of F8/090009. So mine looks pretty old. Will I need to get on to tech support to upgrade the firmware?

reklamos

Looks like version 27. I got 33 I think there is 34 or maybe even newer. You can ask tech support to do OTA upgrade if inverter supports it. I think only 5G models support OTA. Otherwise you will need upgrade stick. I might be able to help you with stick if it comes to it.

Jonathan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118317126#Comment_118317126

V35 exists as Solis did an OTA upgrade for me. I believe V36 exists too but I don't have a changelog.

jkforde

thread resurrection..

so with mutterings of potential winter blackouts, I'm back considering this AC backup option to power router, chargers, LED lamps, etc. (Solis 5G)..

so I realise that others on here have done it so just to confirm that it's a matter of wiring up a suitably strong extension cable and surge protector to the inverter adapter and plug that into the AC Backup socket, then enable Backup mode (inverter manual Appendix Mode 3), and set Backup SOC higher that Self-use SOC

@spacetweek did you get the AC backup to work?

spacetweek

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119548598#Comment_119548598

No the electrician said that that is blocked on my system. It was policy to block it (so he said) when it was installed in July 2020. He could have changed things to unblock it but said with my small battery that I would only be able to run the house from the battery for a short time.

Though blackouts only last a short time so I'd prefer if my system was changed to allow this.

poker--addict

Hi all,

is a battery required, or can the backup run some small items through an extension lead if there is enough juice coming from panels?

2 plug extension lead seems to be what I have observed, is anything beyond that pushing it? Or it’s simply a function of not exceeding 3kw?

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119751816#Comment_119751816

You need a battery for it to work during a power cut because the fireman switch kills power entering the house when the power goes. If you mean running something off it while you have power I think you can.

SD_DRACULA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119753195#Comment_119753195

Wouldn't risk it without battery because what happens when you get a cloud that goes over the house (happens literally in 95% of days) and you don't have enough juice coming from PV to run whatever you have connected to the backup port?

It also probably won't even work because of that?

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119756738#Comment_119756738

I meant running stuff off it like you do with yours. I'm assuming the poster has a battery.

toledobastos

Did anyone have a problem connecting the plug to the Solis inverter? I’ve ordered 2 cables by now. The first broke when I was wiring an extension lead to it, the latter is properly installed but the plug won’t click inside the inverter. Here’s the cable that I’m trying to plug (to no avail):

https://www.distrelec.biz/en/mains-cable-plug-poles-16a-250v-wieland-96-232-3034/p/14341738

cherryghost

Sorry to drag up this thread, but would be an MCB be sufficient or should I just get an RCBO?

allinthehead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121250847#Comment_121250847

It should have rcd protection so yes an rcbo would be the way to go, or a socket with rcd protection built in(would still require overcurrent protection).

One important thing to remember is you still need an earth/neutral bond that only connects when in off grid mode.