All things Sunsynk (Deye, Inge, etc...)

[Kosmik]

I'll add to the confusion for you. You can add your geyser to non essentials, Auxiliary port or load. The auxiliary port is often talked about as having the option specifically for geysers.

There is also a smart switch on the way for the sunsynk inverters. You can then add some rules directly on the inverter to switch on or off the geyser or other devices.

I'm assuming this is mainly for those who are fully wanting off grid? Because with my grid setup, they geyser etc still gets power from panels and batteries via the feedback, only not during grid failure.

 

[warrenpfo]

Thanks for the comments. I am not questioning the fact ones solar only produces what is needed my question is regards the fact that a sunsynk hybrid system from what I understand without a battery should not pass through power when there is no eskom and no battery connected.

 

[B-1]

I'm assuming this is mainly for those who are fully wanting off grid? Because with my grid setup, they geyser etc still gets power from panels and batteries via the feedback, only not during grid failure.

I'm not using the aux port myself so don't know it well. I have one geyser on load and one on non essentials and both on home automation.

From what I understand though is that if you have it on aux it dumps any extra solar into the geyser once the batteries are between the set points and can function similarly to non essentials.

So as an example you would set the SOC range for 100%-80% and PV to 3000w as an example.
The aux port would then switch on when the batteries are between 80 and 100% and your PV panels are outputting more than 3000w.

 

[lkpat]

Thanks for the comments. I am not questioning the fact ones solar only produces what is needed my question is regards the fact that a sunsynk hybrid system from what I understand without a battery should not pass through power when there is no eskom and no battery connected.

I'm not sure I'm following the logic. What do you mean by pass-through?

 

[Renier]

I had some fun this weekend brushing off my programming skills.

Created my own little dashboard using SunSynk logger, Eskom Se Push API and a free Weather API.



I just wanted showing the values I look at most, combined with loadshedding and weather forecast (and I don't have Solar Assistant or Home Assistant). Of course a free weather API is probably not that accurate, but better than nothing. It even shows the expected wattage from solar (after I defined the size of my panels).

This is very much just a first draft though. I should prettify it still.

 

[Kosmik]

I'm not using the aux port myself so don't know it well. I have one geyser on load and one on non essentials and both on home automation.

From what I understand though is that if you have it on aux it dumps any extra solar into the geyser once the batteries are between the set points and can function similarly to non essentials.

So as an example you would set the SOC range for 100%-80% and PV to 3000w as an example.
The aux port would then switch on when the batteries are between 80 and 100% and your PV panels are outputting more than 3000w.

It still seems the same to me on aux/non essentials. Both would have excess power fed until you hit the soc limit. Or that's how mine works, it will feed everything until a certain point , then it maintains the soc in case of shedding and the home is grid fed. Grid failure would only run the load circuit.

Fully off grid would be a differant story as you may want heavy stuff up to a lower discharge then essentials for the remainder of the battery until next solar cycle.

 

[Deanoblado]

great information, thank you all, I did not know about the 11.5kw passthrough limit and didn't think about the 8kw limit. I now see why managing is so important and why everyone has HA and home assistant etc. It all staring to come together.

I will load test my house this weekend and see.

So, for the guys with everything on essential, what are your pain points of the 8kw limit?

Ok so i did some loads tests this morning. Switched on the geyser and the stove. Noticed the stove is not heavy when the power is 50%. when you crank it up to 100% the consumption jumps. but its still under 8kw, even 2 plates at 50% is under 8kw with the geyser. The stove only consumes up to 2kw at full tilt so not a heavy consumer at all. So to me the stove/oven has to be on essential.

Took it a bit further, added a load to the washing machine. to my surprise, its not a heavy consumer. At this point i had a geyser, stove at 50% and washing machine running. still under 8kw.

At one point i boiled a kettle of water and i also tested my 24btu aircon with geyser.

All the tests i did i never reached 8kw. which gives me hope i can run everything on essentials with managing the load. The wife was with me so i can show her all these stats and that she also has an idea of what can be done together and to think about managing load.

I bought the cbi astute today and messing around in HA. Just need to confirm that my load will not be limited by batteries as discussed yesterday.

Sitting in darkess as I write this post because of ls. Bring on next week!

 

[B-1]

It still seems the same to me on aux/non essentials. Both would have excess power fed until you hit the soc limit. Or that's how mine works, it will feed everything until a certain point , then it maintains the soc in case of shedding and the home is grid fed. Grid failure would only run the load circuit.

Fully off grid would be a differant story as you may want heavy stuff up to a lower discharge then essentials for the remainder of the battery until next solar cycle.

The big difference is the non essentials being off during LS. A 4 hour slot right in the middle of the peak solar times may mean you are wasting solar generation and using grid to heat the water.

 

[AchmatK]

I'm not sure I'm following the logic. What do you mean by pass-through?

The sunsynk should not be producing anything from the solar panels if the grid is down and there are no batteries connected to the system.

He's saying that his sunsynk without batteries is powering his house from the solar panels during load shedding.

 

[lkpat]

The sunsynk should not be producing anything from the solar panels if the grid is down and there are no batteries connected to the system.

He's saying that his sunsynk without batteries is powering his house from the solar panels during load shedding.

Ah got it. I dont think it will just stop working but it will reboot as soon as the power output is too low. Definitely not recommended to be operated without grid like that. Sounds like it should be wired differently:

It just operates as a grid tied inverter then.

 

[Kosmik]

The big difference is the non essentials being off during LS. A 4 hour slot right in the middle of the peak solar times may mean you are wasting solar generation and using grid to heat the water.

Ok that makes a bit more sense.

 

[warrenpfo]

The sunsynk should not be producing anything from the solar panels if the grid is down and there are no batteries connected to the system.

He's saying that his sunsynk without batteries is powering his house from the solar panels during load shedding.

Spot on.

I will get the installer out to take a look. I can't work out if it's wiring or a setting issue. I have everything on essential

 

[B-1]

The sunsynk should not be producing anything from the solar panels if the grid is down and there are no batteries connected to the system.

He's saying that his sunsynk without batteries is powering his house from the solar panels during load shedding.

If there is grid and solar but no batteries and the grid disappears it seems to stay on. It just throws a low battery warning.

But I don't believe its recommended to run without batteries.

 

[lkpat]

Spot on.

I will get the installer out to take a look. I can't work out if it's wiring or a setting issue. I have everything on essential

As grid tied it should only have the grid connected to the grid connector. Nothing on load (essentials). That grid connector is both input and output.

 

[warrenpfo]

I then suspect the installer has jumped the gun whilst waiting for the batteries to arrive and has put the house DB on essential.

The batteries arrive in 2 weeks I will just turn the system off for now

 

[Fcon_Vpro]

I then suspect the installer has jumped the gun whilst waiting for the batteries to arrive and has put the house DB on essential.

The batteries arrive in 2 weeks I will just turn the system off for now

If you turn it off then you will have no power at all ?

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

If you turn it off then you will have no power at all ?

There should be a changeover switch installed to run on grid only...

 

[RonSwanson]

Thanks for the comments. I am not questioning the fact ones solar only produces what is needed my question is regards the fact that a sunsynk hybrid system from what I understand without a battery should not pass through power when there is no eskom and no battery connected.

This is plausible with low current draw, only problem is that the MPPT controller is very slow to ramp up. If your loads suddenly increase, the MPPT won't ramp up in time to service it. Could cause all sorts of issues.

 

[Fcon_Vpro]

There should be a changeover switch installed to run on grid only...

Forgot about that... I do have that installed as well, but I only ever thought of it's use to be for inverter failures. His system is technically working so I would keep using it because rather have power when possible than no power at all during loadshedding.

This is plausible with low current draw, only problem is that the MPPT controller is very slow to ramp up. If your loads suddenly increase, the MPPT won't ramp up in time to service it. Could cause all sorts of issues.

Or when load exceeds potential solar supply.

 

[Katelknaap]

Took it a bit further, added a load to the washing machine. to my surprise, its not a heavy consumer.

My washing machine runs of the battery often during loadshedding. Just note that there is times during the cycle, when it does use a chunk of power. I'm assuming it's when it heats up water as it's only connected to a cold water line. It's not for long periods though, but still something to take note of. (I have a Bosch series 4 front loader).