Zappi 2 issues

DrPhilG

My Zappi has taken to conking out overnight. First off had an over voltage error, then it's been tripping the fuse in the garage every other night.

I'm currently sat in Derry paying 92c a feckin unit because the charger crapped out again overnight.

Gumbo

One thing I’ve noticed since the V5 update from Zappi, they are very sensitive to voltages and load balancing etc.

I get multiple notifications that mine has stopped charging but in the time it takes me to check, it’s back charging.

zg3409

If you have a granny cable you can charge at 2kW/h at home. If charger is new installer may repair for free under warranty. Myenergi have good phone support and warranty so if they agree it's a faulty charger they may pay to replace it for free but they may want it sent to UK to be fixed and returned. Either way I would be charging at home on granny all day or resetting the zappi to get as much home charge as possible.

DrPhilG

So definitely a Zappi fault rather than a house/fuse issue?

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121533193#Comment_121533193

No its not definitely a zappi issue. It could be quite zappi issue but equally could be a board / circuit issue. Needs and electrician to look at it.

Is the unit inside or outside, what's the potential water ingress

DrPhilG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121533243#Comment_121533243

Inside the garage, zero water ingress risk.

I've logged a ticket with myenergi, and I'll get a spark to have a look.

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121533316#Comment_121533316

It sounds then like the unit is both having difficulty determine voltage use across the mains, your board looks like a garage install. Where is the CT clamp for the zappi located? Is it back to the meter or back near the house consumer unit.

electricus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058328205/zappi-2-issues

I had much the same issues after the latest firmware update. Initially Myenergi support said it was a voltage issue but ESB networks couldn’t find any problem. After that, I had the Zappi replaced under warranty, support said a lot of the older units are failing after the upgrade.

DrPhilG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121533342#Comment_121533342

No idea where the CT is, I'd have to ask the installer.

Charging away happily right now.

DrPhilG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121534387#Comment_121534387

I think mine may be out of warranty...

zg3409

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121534689#Comment_121534689

Just note myenergi often replace or repair out if warranty if it's a known issue as they value their goodwill and they may also pay the electrician cost but you need to check all that with them in advance before calling an electrician as they will want you to do some basic checks first and they may want their trained electrician to check it out. Myenergi have an Irish office now although I am not sure if the Irish office offers support or if it all goes to UK anyway.

Voltage errors could be a bad connection or a fault on your esb supply to your home, but quite likely the zappi itself.

eagerv

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121534689#Comment_121534689

Our plug developed cracks, looked like was damaged by sun exposure. About a year out of warranty, but whole cable and plug was replaced, no questions asked. They also arranged their installer to replace foc. A great company to deal with

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121534688#Comment_121534688

I'd be inclined to have a good look around in the meter box or around your house consumer unit.

If this is your garage CU pictured?.. then the CT clamp shouldn't be anywhere near that. It's meant to assess the load coming into the building on your tails from the meter. I've no doubt it's probably done fine but tbh equally from reading around not all installs.. installers know what they're doing.

DrPhilG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121535316#Comment_121535316

Sorry yeah, there is a CT on the main line from the meter, inside the box at the back door.

Sorry I misread your previous post.

electricus

Did you try a factory reset? Then configure pairing, grid ct, etc. again. That was one of the things support got me to try.

If the issue is not related to supply voltage but is something to do with the new firmware, there’s a good chance they’ll replace it out of warranty as it’s such a common problem.

electricus

something else worth a try… When mine started acting up, it was slaved to my Eddi which had wired CT connections.

I found that when I unpaired the zappi, made it a master on another channel (4 worked) and Paired the m harvi and hub I used pre eddi, it could charge without errors.

The downside was 2 hubs in the app, but it was ok as a temporary solution until the replacement was fitted.

DrPhilG

I've got a job logged with Myenergi anyway, will see what happens.

It seems to be charging OK, but then trips at the end. Hence my deduction that it's crashing every other night. It actually trips after each charge, I just wasn't realising and checking the fuse.

DrPhilG

First question from Myenergi was "when was it installed", so establishing warranty status...

Next, as predicted, contact ESB to check the voltage, if my Zappi reading is below 199.4v.

I already took that reading though...

Well over their prescribed minimum.

DrPhilG

Zappi and Eddi firmware updated. Readings of the minimum voltage taken before and after. Turned on a boost charge briefly and then recorded the voltage after.

It's set for a 3hr boost tonight, which normally results in a fuse trip, but we'll see.

DrPhilG

Well it has shat the bed entirely now...

Night before last it still tripped at the end of the charge, but also it maxed out at around 4kW even though there was plenty of capacity for more in terms of total house load.

Last night, total breakdown. I was still up at 2am so watched the meltdown live. Started, stopped, bounced from stop symbol (solid square), to waiting for EV, to waiting for surplus, all without me changing anything. I even tried putting it in fast mode but still it showed the solid square.

Interestingly, I did find a visitor in the plug...

Anyway creepy crawlies removed, reset and rebooted everything, no difference. I was briefly full of hope and optimism that his corpse was blocking the connection and was the cause of all my issues, but sadly no.

So I faffed around til 3am, up again for work at 8, and now I'm very tired and grumpy.

DrPhilG

Latest advice from Myenergi tech support was to reset the Zappi and pair it afresh.

Having done that, it seems to have lost grid CT connection.

Any suggestions? I'm guessing I need to adjust the CT config?

listermint

I think you have to set the meter limit so it can know what the CT should be setting itself against.

https://www.myenergi.com/wiki/zappi-v2/13650-2/

DrPhilG

Got it sorted. Found the old CT config and amended.

Up and running again. Set a timed charge for 6pm earlier to test and it kicked in OK at full power.

Just need to wait and see if it works overnight, and it if still trips the fuse.

DrPhilG

And after all that...

A new MCB solved the problem.

So far anyway, it's been charging away for a few hours on a timed boost, also tested it on fast mode and manual boost.

It completed the timed boost without issue and has gone back to awaiting surplus, so I see no reason it won't survive the overnight 2-5am session. Only thing that's different then is that it'll be load balancing due to the house battery also charging at full pelt.

listermint

Unless I'm mistaken your supply is 2.5 sqmm cable and your zappi 6 sqmm . Shouldn't have larger rated cable than what is feeding the garage distribution board. Has the feed from the house consumer to this board been sized appropriately. Cause for overheating and fire.

slave1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121599365#Comment_121599365

Have you Zappi set to 63a to max charge off 12kVa connection (assuming that's what you have)?

DrPhilG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121605183#Comment_121605183

Interestingly, Myenergi told me that due to the regulations in Ireland, their system should be set to a max of 50a. I had it at 60a just to keep a wee bit below the max but they bumped it down to 50a when I was speaking to them.

And in other news, the charger started playing up again last night. Not as bad as before, but still not right. Yesterday overnight was fine, the dips were due to the 50a limit and everything else that was running. But I had to boost it yesterday evening as I have a long trip today, and it started out fine before devolving into the same behaviour, status icon changing from the triangle that indicates charging, to the square for stop even though it was still charging. Going from 7kW down to 1.5, up to 4, back up to 7 etc. Eventually I stopped it and just set it for the normal overnight charge 2-5am which it did, but again at weird levels and with loads of "local comms lost" errors in the event log.

And now my app status looks like this...

slave1

MyEnergi relaced my Zappi twice, last time (just over a year ago) they had their guy replace it and he set grid to 58a, I only picked this up recently and set to 63a myself. The legislation piece sounds like BS. I find ME very good to deal with, once you do as they ask and try multiple fixes and the issue remains I would politely but fimly say enough is enough and request replacement.

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121605207#Comment_121605207

Have that supply cable looked at. Genuinely don't think that board is meant for anything other than sockets as it visually looks to be 2.5mm.

DrPhilG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121605286#Comment_121605286

It's out of warranty sadly. They've said that if it's buggered, they offer a reconditioned unit with a new 3yr warranty for £350.

DrPhilG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121605376#Comment_121605376

Will do, I'd be surprised though as the spark who fitted my Rolec nearly 9 years ago is a stickler for the regs, and my Zappi fitted 3.5 years ago was a grant install by a well known installer who has done solar installs for quite a few on here