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Solar PV Hints, Tips & Troubleshooting

DrPhilG

Well I've reached the point of driving everyone nuts on the PV quotes thread, and since I now have my system installed and running my endless questions no longer belong there.

So I figured I'd ask here, and also provide a home for others in the same boat, with general questions and advice on managing post-install.

My first question (of many) is how do people best manage their production in order to reduce grid export? Despite being overcast and miserable a fair bit of the day, I've produced 24kWh so far today, but ended up exporting 11.

Not too bad when we're home, as the wife did a few loads of washing and drying, put on the dishwasher etc.

But we're both at work tomorrow so other than a timed or remotely activated washer/dryer run we would end up exporting a lot more.

Extra battery capacity or a water diverter would help, but they don't tend to justify their costs in the long term.

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garo

championc wrote: »

In case you add more panels later, or upgrade their size, or depending on the length of cable run, consider 6mm cable (for the sake of a few quid). I personally have a DC disconnect at the wall below my panels AND at the inverter, but that could be overkill. AC loss detection is called anti-islanding and realistically, all grid-tied inverters do this. They basically stop working if the grid goes down. I also have a 63ah DC MCB between my batteries and my Storage Inverter. Again, a DC MCB is different from AC ones

Yes I have a very similar setup with dedicated DC isolation/shutdown devices between the panels and the inverter and between battery and inverter. Might be overkill but only adds a few quid to the install and is worth it for the safety IMO.

Also recommend 6mm over 4mm.

championc

Belt and braces stuff, but when doing a self install, the additional costs are minimal. And I earthed the fook out of everything.

There isn't an actual requirement for a sparks to do the AC connection.

As for FIT, it's quite possible that it would be granted to those with "registered with the ESB" systems (i.e. those who have completed the NC6 Form)

irishchris

championc wrote: »

Belt and braces stuff, but when doing a self install, the additional costs are minimal. And I earthed the fook out of everything.

There isn't an actual requirement for a sparks to do the AC connection.

As for FIT, it's quite possible that it would be granted to those with "registered with the ESB" systems (i.e. those who have completed the NC6 Form)

In terms of earthing is it a matter of attaching earth clips and bare earth cable to each of the panels and to earth rod or is there more to it than that?
I have a 2.88kw system installed last month by registered seai company so should get fit for that you would think should they be that stringent. However the 2.88 often doesn't produce enough for peak loads - cooking etc and also is a bit of project to do this new install.

idc

daughy wrote: »

Just a side note, I was watching a YouTube channel called spectrumgeeks and his video from 2018 said if you do a self install you can't get a fit...
This is in the UK.. So I'm not sure if a fit will ever come here and if us self installers will be entitled.

Thats really interesting, its something i'd thought of recently, we don't know what rules will be brought in when a FIT is announced.

For instance now a days you must use a RECI electrian to do major electrical work in the home, whereas prior to that it didn't matter. So whats to stop ESBNetworks or someone else saying here we have a list of registered installers lets make that a pre condition on getting a FIT.

If this was the US no doubt there would be a lobby group of installers ensuring that FIT only applied to installs by SEAI registered installers!

DrPhilG

Sorry for repeating, I know I've asked this before but I can't find where and the mobile site search function isn't the best.

Can a Solis hybrid inverter be set:
*to not discharge overnight
*to charge overnight for discharge in the morning

And if so, are these 2 separate options or is charging overnight the only way to prevent discharge?

I've had some directions from owners of different Solis inverters, and owners of other brands, but I'm not having much joy. Mine is the Solis RHI-5K-48ES.

I thought this screen would work, but setting times for discharge doesn't make a difference.

Again apologies, this has been asked and answered but I can't find the thread and if it was sent by pm, I might have accidentally dumped it during a recent purge (my inbox was full).

Guy on Facebook did supply instructions on charging up overnight but I don't want to do that year round, but I would want to restrict overnight discharge year round (although only really relevant in summer months)

championc

irishchris wrote: »

In terms of earthing is it a matter of attaching earth clips and bare earth cable to each of the panels and to earth rod or is there more to it than that?
I have a 2.88kw system installed last month by registered seai company so should get fit for that you would think should they be that stringent. However the 2.88 often doesn't produce enough for peak loads - cooking etc and also is a bit of project to do this new install.

I connected everything to everything with a dedicated earth cable, and brought it back to the main house earth busbar. I just needed self tappers onto the panels, into pre-drilled holes which had an earthing mark / sticker beside them.

With your 2.88, then only time that you will get that is when the sun is direct perpendicular to your panels. So with the sun so low in the sky right now, it's likely that at solar noon, you'll likely struggle to even see 2kw

championc

DrPhilG wrote: »

Can a Solis hybrid inverter be set:
*to not discharge overnight
*to charge overnight for discharge in the morning

And if so, are these 2 separate options or is charging overnight the only way to prevent discharge?

I've had some directions from owners of different Solis inverters, and owners of other brands, but I'm not having much joy. Mine is the Solis RHI-5K-48ES.

I thought this screen would work, but setting times for discharge doesn't make a difference.

Looking at your screenshot, you have an UP and DOWN option, which would appear to indicate that multiple schedules can be set. Therefore, you could set a schedule to Discharge at 0A (or maybe 1A if zero not possible) between two times.

I certainly cannot see you being able to charge and discharge at the same time, and your screenshot has no times set. You would need to set the start and stop times. It cannot charge or discharge on a schedule without knowing WHEN you want this to happen.

Just saying, but Sofar inverters have the added flexibility of adding dates or days of the week to schedules

MAULBROOK

Dr Phil

MAULBROOK

Dr Phil

unkel

MAULBROOK wrote: »

Dr Phil

What size is the battery and what's your reason for letting it discharge at twice the amps of your maximum charge rate?

MAULBROOK

unkel wrote: »

What size is the battery and what's your reason for letting it discharge at twice the amps of your maximum charge rate?

7kw battery

When is set to charge ie 1am to 6am its advised to charge at 25amp (manual mode) but when the discharge is not set the inverter is in automatic mode and takes care of it all

unkel

Ah grand, I've a similar setup where I charge from 11PM to 8AM @400W, so charges up to 3.6kWh into my battery overnight. All other charging and discharging is done automatically too

Would you not be better off spreading it also over the full night rate period? In your situation your battery is fully charged and will start discharging at 6AM effectively losing you money as it is cheaper to use night rate directly instead of from the battery?

MAULBROOK

unkel wrote: »

Ah grand, I've a similar setup where I charge from 11PM to 8AM @400W, so charges up to 3.6kWh into my battery overnight. All other charging and discharging is done automatically too

Would you not be better off spreading it also over the full night rate period? In your situation your battery is fully charged and will start discharging at 6AM effectively losing you money as it is cheaper to use night rate directly instead of from the battery?

Good point and its easily done.
Back out to the garage to flute around again with the solar toy, as the wife would say

:D:D:D

championc

MAULBROOK wrote: »

Good point and its easily done.
Back out to the garage to flute around again with the solar toy, as the wife would say :D:D:D

I personally do 00:00 to 08:00 because I want to see that charge I put into my batteries and how much I discharge within the same 24hr period. If you charge up from 11:00, then this will put an hour of charging into the previous days' figures. I haven't sorted it out yet but I'll trying to add a second timing event to charge 0A from 23:00 to 00:00, which should stop the batteries discharging during this hour.

slave1

I charge battery 1am to 5am and discharge from 9am, in this weather not getting it charged by solar at all at all

DrPhilG

slave1 wrote: »

I charge battery 1am to 5am and discharge from 9am, in this weather not getting it charged by solar at all at all

You don't have a Solis inverter I take it?

slave1

BPE Inverter

It's a doddle to "configure", very user friendly

championc

DrPhilG wrote: »

You don't have a Solis inverter I take it?

So are you still struggling to configure it ?

DrPhilG

championc wrote: »

So are you still struggling to configure it ?

Haven't got around to trying yet, but slave1 said he had settings for charging and discharging as 2 separate things. Which the Solis seemingly can't do. It can only be stopped from discharging, by charging.

I wish I could say I'll get around to it this week but I'm 3 days into a run of 25 straight days working so no guarantees...

irishchris

Just wondering if anyone knows how long after seai grant site says claim under review does it take for them to finalise and pay out?

garo

Installed August.

All paperwork completed October.

Inspection January.

Payment March.

Had a call a few times to prod the application along/find out what was holding it up.

irishchris

garo wrote: »

Installed August.

All paperwork completed October.

Inspection January.

Payment March.

Had a call a few times to prod the application along/find out what was holding it up.

Was this getting installer to hurry up or the seai?

garo

Bit of both but in fairness it was mostly SEAI. Installer was very responsive. For example, they didn't upload one photo that SEAI wanted. SEAI never told them or me about it. I call up four weeks after the install and SEAI tell me this piece is missing. There was no mention of it on the grant website. Installer gets it done next day.

slave1

Oh Jazuz, sounds like I'm going to get very cosy with these SEAI guys, you were waiting best part of 6 months!

unkel

That's why it is best practice to agree a price with the installer net of the grant, and only pay them that. So it's the installers responsibility to get the grant and if failing to do so, it won't make any difference to you.

slave1

I don't think that makes sense, if an installer is busy, lets say two installs a week then he could have numerous claims outstanding, that's a huge cashflow burden on any business.
Better to spread the claims across all the individuals rather than one company.

Proof of full payment to installer should be part of Grant process.

graememk

slave1 wrote: »

Proof of full payment to installer should be part of Grant process.

That's the process for any agri grants, and the invoices have to be marked paid and stamped/signed.. along with safety courses, tax clearance, etc etc.

daughy

So anyone with the Eddie, a firmware download has been released.

https://myenergi.info/eddi-firmware-update-3-048-10-11-2020-t2650.html

garo

slave1 wrote: »

Oh Jazuz, sounds like I'm going to get very cosy with these SEAI guys, you were waiting best part of 6 months!

Mine was under the old process. You must be in the new process with some pre-approval steps. In the old system you had to get the full install done and then apply. Also, I got unlucky with the inspection which added a month or two.

cubatahavana

just visited my new build yesterday and saw the solar control panel. its a white box with Omnik on it. I have zero idea ablout solar. We have 5 PV panels facing south on the roof. Does anyone know if theres an app to control them or have any other tips?