Solar, inverter, battery thread

[biometrics]

Wow, those settings are confusing but I think I get it now. I basically want to end each day with no less than 90% SoC and start the day with no less than 40% SoC. See my settings below:

 

[Tinuva]

Had my first inverter shutdown today when the SoC reached the 15% shutdown. I tried lowering the shutdown to 10% but it didn't switch on again. So googled and found out it will only turn on again at the 30% restart. Grid is back so we have power. But I've tweaked the settings for this continuous rain and load shedding to:

Preferred minimum SoC: 50% (it will use the grid if available when reaching 50% but use battery when not)
Shutdown: 15% (my installer recommended a maximum 85% DoD for my Magneto batteries)
Restart: 40% (inverter won't use battery after a shutdown until it gets here)
Low: 40% (inverter will charge battery from the grid if it goes below this, this was 30%)

I'd rather have power than not so I'm accepting I will use some grid under these conditions.

That is how I understand it anyway. What settings are you using? @Tinuva @Spizz @SauRoN

Mine is dynamic, managed by home assistant, based on the solar forecast. Dod that is. The auto charging I am still planning but will probably be based on the same, just when there are 2 days in a row with less than 10kwh forecasted.

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[SauRoN]

Wow, those settings are confusing but I think I get it now. I basically want to end each day with no less than 90% SoC and start the day with no less than 40% SoC. See my settings below:

View attachment 36039

View attachment 36040

That means from 21:00 - 1:00 you are basically going to be all on Eskom which seems a bit silly.

Use as much battery as you can is my mantra, that’s why I paid for it.

Otherwise half the benefit of your solar production goes away.

Basically reserve as much as I need to cover a 4-hour load shed.

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[biometrics]

That means from 21:00 - 1:00 you are basically going to be all on Eskom which seems a bit silly.

Use as much battery as you can is my mantra, that’s why I paid for it.

Otherwise half the benefit of your solar production goes away.


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The way I understand it is if it drops to 60% between 9pm and 1am then use the grid to maintain it at 60%. So I am using the battery but also making sure I never have a shutdown again.

 

[SauRoN]

The way I understand it is it drops to 60% between 9pm and 1am then use the grid to maintain it at 60%. So I am using the battery but also making sure I never have a shitdown again.

You have it set to 90% from 21:00-01:00.

Depending on time you probably ran out because you don’t have those two slots ticked in the afternoon, not because your values were bad.

And if you set it to 90% it’s going to charge it up to there from 60% first and then use Eskom all night because it won’t allow it to go below 90%, so you are basically using MORE Eskom than running directly to charge your batteries and then less solar.

Just take your base load and multiply that by 4 hours and set that as your reserve on top of the 15%.

10% = 1.44kWh for my array of batteries. So just need 20% maximum hence 15+20=35% when the sun doesn’t shine.

Of course this all assumes you don’t have geyser etc on during a Load Shedding.


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[biometrics]

You have it set to 90% from 21:00-01:00.

Depending on time you probably ran out because you don’t have those two slots ticked in the afternoon, not because your values were bad.

And if you set it to 90% it’s going to charge it up to there from 60% first and then use Eskom all night because it won’t allow it to go below 90%, so you are basically using MORE Eskom than running directly to charge your batteries and then less solar.

Just take your base load and multiply that by 4 hours and set that as your reserve on top of the 15%.

10% = 1.44kWh for my array of batteries. So just need 20% maximum hence 15+20=35% when the sun doesn’t shine.

Of course this all assumes you don’t have geyser etc on during a Load Shedding.


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Think you got those two the wrong way around.

Sunny days I end the day with 100%. The rule is that if it’s under 90% between 5pm and 9pm then use the grid to charge to 90%. Then allow for a gradual reduction with at least 40% at 9am.

Anyway after hours of trying to understand this, this is my thinking. Don’t want a shutdown again and with LS6 and winter this seems like a sensible configuration. Will see over the next few days.

 

[SauRoN]

Think you got those two the wrong way around.

Sunny days I end the day with 100%. The rule is that if it’s under 90% between 5pm and 9pm then use the grid to charge to 90%. Then allow for a gradual reduction with at least 40% at 9am.

Anyway after hours of trying to understand this, this is my thinking. Don’t want a shutdown again and with LS6 and winter this seems like a sensible configuration. Will see over the next few days.

It will not go below those values set at any time while there is grid power.

And if you tick the grid box and it goes below them due to load shedding then it will charge back up to those values.

So on a shittier day you will now charge from grid every day to get from 60-90% in that slot and then all night use Eskom because it won’t allow it to drop below 90%.


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[biometrics]

It will not go below those values set at any time while there is grid power.

And if you tick the grid box and it goes below them due to load shedding then it will charge back up to those values.

So on a shittier day you will now charge from grid every day to get from 60-90% in that slot and then all night use Eskom because it won’t allow it to drop below 90%.


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The 90% is only from 5pm to 9pm. Then 60% from 9pm to 1am. I’m confused by your description of what will happen, surely it will use the battery from 9pm to 1am unless it gets to 60%?

Anyway the 90% is probably a bit high, going to change it to 80%. As I understand it, if I didn’t get enough PV at the end of the day, 5pm to 9pm it will grid charge to 80%. Next four hours will go down to 60%, next four to 50% and finally to 40% by 9am.

What am I missing?

 

[SauRoN]

The 90% is only from 5pm to 9pm. Then 60% from 9pm to 1am. I’m confused by your description of what will happen, surely it will use the battery from 9pm to 1am unless it gets to 60%?

Anyway the 90% is probably a bit high, going to change it to 80%. As I understand it, if I didn’t get enough PV at the end of the day, 5pm to 9pm it will grid charge to 80%. Next four hours will go down to 60%, next four to 50% and finally to 40% by 9am.

What am I missing?

You are missing that the time on the left is the “from” time and therefore it’s 90% from
21:00 until 01:00 when it hits the next slot which is 60%.

So it’s going to charge up to 90% to be ready by 21:00 which is a waste of Eskom.

I’d make it 50% across the board and then grid on for every slot and then watch your battery percentage logs after each load shed to see how much room you have to play with.

****

Sorry ignore all this I’m clearly blind and I swear that screen has changed as it never had a left and right start and end time.

It always just had a left side start time and then the next slot was the end time so this must be a firmware thing.


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[biometrics]

Sorry ignore all this I’m clearly blind and I swear that screen has changed as it never had a left and right start and end time.

It always just had a left side start time and then the next slot was the end time so this must be a firmware thing.

Ah thanks, you had me very confused. You are right though, the videos and forums I saw had various UIs from different versions incl only having one time.

 

[SauRoN]

Fancy that. Sneaky, it used to always be hellishly confusing and I just assumed it’s still the same.

It’s a lot more sensible now.

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[SauRoN]

Ah thanks, you had me very confused. You are right though, the videos and forums I saw had various UIs from different versions incl only having one time.

Yeah see above I just found the last time I took a picture of it before making changes.

It’s a lot more useful now.

If only they could make the app version easier too.


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[biometrics]

Need to change those system mode time slots, btw they are also adjustable with the up/down arrows.

 

[Arzy]

Almost there......installer comes on Wednesday...

 

[Spizz]

Had my first inverter shutdown today when the SoC reached the 15% shutdown. I tried lowering the shutdown to 10% but it didn't switch on again. So googled and found out it will only turn on again at the 30% restart. Grid is back so we have power. But I've tweaked the settings for this continuous rain and load shedding to:

Preferred minimum SoC: 50% (it will use the grid if available when reaching 50% but use battery when not)
Shutdown: 15% (my installer recommended a maximum 85% DoD for my Magneto batteries)
Restart: 40% (inverter won't use battery after a shutdown until it gets here)
Low: 40% (inverter will charge battery from the grid if it goes below this, this was 30%)

I'd rather have power than not so I'm accepting I will use some grid under these conditions.

That is how I understand it anyway. What settings are you using? @Tinuva @Spizz @SauRoN

I have no shut down set. I'm not even sure where to set it and if my inverter or battery have such a thing I can't find it. Battery says max DoD is 100% so I guess that is the cut off. (Victron 8kW and 2 x LBSA batteries =10.2kWh).

So my tactic is to play with the SoC depending on the load shedding schedule, weather forecast and time of day. I check the load shedding schedule often and alter SoC to suit. So if I have a 4 and a half hour slot in the middle of the night I'll make my SoC 50%. Normal situation with a few 2 and half hour slots is to leave SoC at 30% though. At night that might go down to 23ish% with load shedding.

But basically if there are a few 2 and half hour slots in the day I'll keep SoC at 30% or 40% if dodgy weather and the PV is not helping, or 30% night time.

As @SauRoN says, I paid for the batteries so I'm gonna use them

 

[biometrics]

I have no shut down set. I'm not even sure where to set it and if my inverter or battery have such a thing I can't find it. Battery says max DoD is 100% so I guess that is the cut off. (Victron 8kW and 2 x LBSA batteries =10.2kWh).

So my tactic is to play with the SoC depending on the load shedding schedule, weather forecast and time of day. I check the load shedding schedule often and alter SoC to suit. So if I have a 4 and a half hour slot in the middle of the night I'll make my SoC 50%. Normal situation with a few 2 and half hour slots is to leave SoC at 30% though. At night that might go down to 23ish% with load shedding.

But basically if there are a few 2 and half hour slots in the day I'll keep SoC at 30% or 40% if dodgy weather and the PV is not helping, or 30% night time.

As @SauRoN says, I paid for the batteries so I'm gonna use them

/ponders

 

[satanboy]

New Romoss Power Stations Bring The Thunder To South African Load Shedding - Stuff South Africa

South African tech users have come to trust the power that Romoss power banks have provided over the years. It’s time for something bigger. Something more

stuff.co.za

 

[Rudolph Hart]

View attachment 36276

New Romoss Power Stations Bring The Thunder To South African Load Shedding - Stuff South Africa

South African tech users have come to trust the power that Romoss power banks have provided over the years. It’s time for something bigger. Something more

stuff.co.za

Not bad price wise for the output, would prefer faster AC charging and more than 800 cycles on the battery.

 

[biometrics]

Produced only 3.2kWh today, not nearly enough. But with the rules I set I am not concerned at all anymore, in fact extended it that it may not drop below 40% during the day.

 

[satanboy]

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