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

Archie1 said:
But that's why the "max sell power" option is set to 0, no? What settings should be used if I want to power both the critical and non-critical loads, but not send it out of my premises?

Regarding the flow chart, unfortunately I have no idea what mine looks like, but looking at your flow chart, I can definitely see why it would be a problem if the CT coil is placed on the essential DB side.
Click to expand...

The sell value is what the inverter is selling to the house(non essential) and not to the grid. I've set mine to max for my inverter.

The electrician needs to understand what a CT coil is. It's should be part of his basic knowledge.

The CT coil is a current transformer that measures the current and direction of the current through the wire it's coiled around.

What the sunsynk does is it reads this value as either coming from the grid or going to the grid. Positive or negative respectively. Negative means that the current is flowing to the grid. If the CT coil is placed after the non essential loads then the sunsynk does not know what is being drawn from the grid for these loads. It has to be installed at the mains.

When it picks up negative readings then it will stop the inverter from pushing any excess past the CT coil.
 
Fcon_Vpro said:
@AchmatK is correct.
Here is a screenshot of my settings that powers both my essentials and non essentials
View attachment 1457339
Click to expand...

AchmatK said:
The sell value is what the inverter is selling to the house(non essential) and not to the grid. I've set mine to max for my inverter.

The electrician needs to understand what a CT coil is. It's should be part of his basic knowledge.

The CT coil is a current transformer that measures the current and direction of the current through the wire it's coiled around.

What the sunsynk does is it reads this value as either coming from the grid or going to the grid. Positive or negative respectively. Negative means that the current is flowing to the grid. If the CT coil is placed after the non essential loads then the sunsynk does not know what is being drawn from the grid for these loads. It has to be installed at the mains.

When it picks up negative readings then it will stop the inverter from pushing any excess past the CT coil.
Click to expand...

Ok cool, thanks for clearing up these settings :) Will make that change.

So looking at where the mains are going, the CT coil seems to be near that, but in the DB. I think it may just be a matter of it being the wrong way around. Will call out the electrician to have a look at this again.
 
Archie1 said:
Ok cool, thanks for clearing up these settings :) Will make that change.

So looking at where the mains are going, the CT coil seems to be near that, but in the DB. I think it may just be a matter of it being the wrong way around. Will call out the electrician to have a look at this again.
Click to expand...
If you can, get a pic of the system flow chart on the inverter. It should show a pic of the house and the CT coil and also the Watts going to the essential loads and what is going to the house.

Tap the bar chart on the inverter to show the system flow chart.
 
AchmatK said:
If you can, get a pic of the system flow chart on the inverter. It should show a pic of the house and the CT coil and also the Watts going to the essential loads and what is going to the house.

Tap the bar chart on the inverter to show the system flow chart.
Click to expand...
Ok I will do so in the morning. Currently load shedding so it won't give a complete overview of everything.
 
Archie1 said:
Ok I will do so in the morning. Currently load shedding so it won't give a complete overview of everything.
Click to expand...
As per @AchmatK , the system flow chart / status page. If the CT is correctly placed, then the easiest way to see if the CT is installed the correct way around is to look at this.
1673668330230.png
 
AchmatK said:
The electrician needs to understand what a CT coil is. It's should be part of his basic knowledge.
Click to expand...
Yep, quite shocking that companies send electricians out that have no idea how a bi-directional inverter works. :-|

We should have a sticky for this thread of common rookie mistakes to avoid.
 
So I created this, after seeing and hearing about some horrific installations. Not being a qualified electrician myself, I could be wrong, but at the same time there are many qualified electricians that appear to have messed up pretty badly, so here we are. Comments, additions and criticism welcome, that's why it is in draft. If we agree, then we can make it a sticky.

Initial Draft: Sunsynk / Deye Installation Safety checklist
version 0.1​

  • On all hybrid installations,:
    • Earth Neutral Bridge Relay / Earth Bond Relay:
      • If your installer does not have this as a line item on your quote, ask him why, and how they will ensure that your installation has working earth leakage when the grid is down (the bond between earth and neutral is usually in the street box).
      • Make sure that it is installed correctly. Test it by switching the grid off and and checking that the earth leakage (on the essential loads side) trips by creating a short (live to to earth) at a plug point, or use a tester.
        • If the earth leakage / RCD does not trip when the grid is down or during load shedding, then it is not installed correctly.
        • If using the Aux to power a Smart Load, then this will also need an earth leakage / RCD that needs to be tested.
    • AC breaker: A proper AC breaker between the grid and your inverter, separating both positive and negative poles.
      • If this is not a line item on your quote, ask your installer how they will ensure that you can isolate the system from the grid in an emergency or a shutdown for maintenance.
    • Surge protection: Proper surge protection installed on the incoming grid feed:
      • If this is not a line item on your quote, ask the installer how the system will be protected from incoming surges from the grid (typically after load shedding).
    • Bypass switch: A properly installed bypass switch allows the entire inverter installation to be bypassed and still power the home from the grid.
      • If this is not a line item on your quote, ask your installer how they will ensure that the entire inverter system can be bypassed and returned to normal in event of failure of a component, emergency or shutdown for maintenance.
    • Non-essential loads: If you have non-essential loads / loads before the inverter, that you want to power with excess PV (only possible when the grid is up), it is essential to have a properly installed CT Coil.
      • The coil needs to be installed on the positive at a point between the incoming grid feed and the non-essential loads before the inverter.
        • The CT Coil can be monitored from the status screen. If its value is constantly negative, then it is incorrectly installed and its connectors need to be swopped around, or the CT coil itself be turned around.
      • Non-essential loads will also need circuit breakers and earth leakage (RCD).
  • On installations with panels:
    • Earthing rods: There is a line item for 3x 1.2m copper coated earth rods and cabling, to ensure that panels are earthed.
      • If this is not a line item, ask your installer how the system will be protected in the event that panel frames can pick up induced voltage from a nearby lightning strike.
      • The earth rods need to be driven into the ground at the nearest possible point of the building, 1m apart, and all three need to be connected to the earth cable attached to the frames.
    • DC breakers: There is a line item for at least 1 DC breaker for each panel string.
      • This needs to be a DC breaker, an AC breaker is not good enough.
      • If this is not a line item, ask your installer how they propose that you isolate the string in an emergency or shutdown for maintenance, or protect the cabling and inverter from overvoltage .
    • DC Surge protection: There is a line item for at least one surge protector or fuse per string.
      • If this is not a line item, ask your installer how they plans to protect the cabling and inverter's MPPT from surges.
    • Photo Voltaic Cable: There is a line item for proper PV cable of suitable thickness and length;
      • Suitable thickness means that it meets or exceeds the voltage and amperage requirements of your proposed string (and perhaps 2nd phase).
      • If this is not present on your quote, ask your installer how they plan to get the DC power to the inverter using a suitable cable that is designed and tested for PV use;
        • designed and tested for PV use means something like Helukabel Solarflex and others, which has the necessary chemical, mechanical and thermal properties suitable for use on a PV installation.
    • Panel mounting: Some installers fashion their own from bits and pieces of galvanised iron / aluminium. Undoubtedly the best panel mountings are from companies that have engineered and certified mounting solutions that can withstand the elements, especially wind. Companies like Renusol and Schletter come to mind, they guarantee their products and their distributors and wholesalers actually have and provide tools to model and assist in planning. Local companies like KD Solar also offer 10 year guarantees along with attractive pricing. Check that the planning has been properly done, and that panel mounting recommendations by the panel mount as well as the panel manufacturers have been followed in respect of mounting height above the roof and roof / panel overlap etc.
      • If your installer does not specify the brand of mounting structure, ask for it, and ask to see the modelling, planning, tech specs and warranty terms and conditions.
  • On installations with batteries:
    • Battery cabling: There is a line item for suitably thick quality copper cable between the battery/ies and inverter
      • Suitably thick means that it meets or exceeds the voltage and amperage requirements of your batteries (and perhaps 2nd phase).
        • If this is not a line item, ask your installer how they propose to get DC power from the batteries to your inverter in a safe manner.
    • DC breakers: There is a line item for suitable DC breakers between the inverter and batteries.
      • These need to meet the voltage and amperage requirements of your batteries and inverter, and to isolate both positive and negative circuits.
        • If this is not a line item, ask your installer how they propose to isolate the batteries from the inverter in an emergency or a shutdown for maintenance.
    • DC fuses: Suitable DC fuses on both positive and negative circuits.
      • If this is not a line item, ask your installer how they propose to protect the cabling, batteries and inverter from over current conditions.
 
AchmatK said:
If you can, get a pic of the system flow chart on the inverter. It should show a pic of the house and the CT coil and also the Watts going to the essential loads and what is going to the house.

Tap the bar chart on the inverter to show the system flow chart.
Click to expand...

RonSwanson said:
As per @AchmatK , the system flow chart / status page. If the CT is correctly placed, then the easiest way to see if the CT is installed the correct way around is to look at this.
View attachment 1457375
Click to expand...

This is what the inverter shows. Does that mean that the CT Coil is installed at the correct place, only that it is the wrong way around?

IMG_4627.jpg

IMG_4628.jpg
 
Your other figures do not match up either though.

Switch off all non-essentials and check it again?
 
Archie1 said:
This is what the inverter shows. Does that mean that the CT Coil is installed at the correct place, only that it is the wrong way around?

View attachment 1457453

View attachment 1457455
Click to expand...
Looks like the CT is installed incorrectly and after the non essential loads.

Anything on the house icon would be your non essential loads. That image is showing that you are exporting to the grid.

What municipal electric meter do you have? Prepaid or one of those older spinning disk meters?
 
AchmatK said:
Actually none of it makes sense.

How can you export over 2kw but almost no pv being generated?
Click to expand...
If he simplifies it by limiting to loads, then we can see if it stabilises, and only then troubleshoot the non-eseentials. But if it's poked, then even essentials will be crazy values, may need a factory reset.
 
AchmatK said:
Looks like the CT is installed incorrectly and after the non essential loads.

Anything on the house icon would be your non essential loads. That image is showing that you are exporting to the grid.

What municipal electric meter do you have? Prepaid or one of those older spinning disk meters?
Click to expand...

I have the old spinning disk meter.

AchmatK said:
Actually none of it makes sense.

How can you export over 2kw but almost no pv being generated?
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly. Not sure where it's coming from. Unless it's actually showing what the grid is pulling but in reverse... or something.
 
Archie1 said:
I have the old spinning disk meter.



My thoughts exactly. Not sure where it's coming from. Unless it's actually showing what the grid is pulling but in reverse... or something.
Click to expand...
The spinning meter helps in that we can see the direction that it rotates and there is no risk to a smart meter going into anti tamper mode.

The flow chart gives a better picture than the screenshot from the app.

At this point it looks like it's installed facing the wrong way.

Two ways to fix that.

1. Turn the physical CT coil
2. Swap the wires from the CT around inside the inverter.

Check what ports the CT wires are connected to on the inverter itself. I can't recall now where they should be connected on the 5kw sunsynk.
 
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