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

[Renier]

Does "Grid" include the little that trickles back to the grid? The meter counts it as usage.

I'm using the "Import" figure from the Sunsynk stats. I don't know how they handle those small spikes back into the grid. They might subtract it from the usage by mistake, but I doubt it would have a big effect.

Interesting observation though.

 

[RonSwanson]

I'm using the "Import" figure from the Sunsynk stats. I don't know how they handle those small spikes back into the gird. They might subtract it from the usage by mistake, but I doubt it would have a big effect.

Need to add import and export, that's what your meter does.

 

[lkpat]

Moving house and taking your inverter, batteries and panels with you is pretty crazy IMHO. Firstly, it's a whole lot of trouble to remove, and there is risk of damage during transport and reinstall. It's also a great opportunity to upgrade the old to newer tech.

That said, for me personally, I would probably rip out someone else's install and sell the kit in the classifieds. I don't want someone else's 2nd hand solar install, but that's just me I guess.

I have no problem with taking over someone's system, provided the value is there. Value hinges heavily on warranty.

 

[Renier]

Need to add import and export, that's what your meter does.

Yes, that makes sense.

I did it now:


Made a small difference.

PS. Made no difference in the first two rows, because I didn't have solar panels installed yet.

 

[Tradezzz]

As noticed before, there is always a small discrepancy between the kWh the inverter reports and your pre-paid meter.

So I saved all the data from the Sunsynk dongle and compared it to my pre-paid meter readings.

View attachment 1572736
So it looks like it under reports by about 15%, but recently more around 8%.

Note June/July is not so accurate because I had an internet outage on 30 June because of Vox.

Some of this might be due to cloud outages. So it would be interesting to compare it with someone using Solar Assist.

I'm having the exact same issue, still monitoring but prepaid meter always showing more usage than the inverter (import+export). Not a major difference, probably also around 15%, will check later today again.

 

[sgs]

The CT clamp isn't perfect. It will very likely under- or over-read slightly, and it is also less accurate at lower currents than at higher currents. Distance between the inverter and CT will further decrease the accuracy. Voltage drop on the incoming AC to the inverter will also have an impact.

All you can do is make sure your CT cable is as free from interference as possible (e.g. using a good shielded twisted pair cable or similar) and to keep the run as short as possible. If your readings are consistently out by a similar small percentage, then you're doing pretty well.

 

[Tradezzz]

The CT clamp isn't perfect. It will very likely under- or over-read slightly, and it is also less accurate at lower currents than at higher currents. Distance between the inverter and CT will further decrease the accuracy. Voltage drop on the incoming AC to the inverter will also have an impact.

All you can do is make sure your CT cable is as free from interference as possible (e.g. using a good shielded twisted pair cable or similar) and to keep the run as short as possible. If your readings are consistently out by a similar small percentage, then you're doing pretty well.

This could be it. Pretty sure my CT clamp is in the wrong place but right direction. And the db is a good 15m away from the inverter. But my issue is that my usage is all on the essential side, so there's no need to even read from the CT to gather what's the total import, right? I could even use my system without the CT since I limit to UPS load only.

 

[RonSwanson]

Then you have the Cape Town situation. The whole registration process with the municipality might make it unattractive for the buyer (I doubt it, but it might), In which case you have to remove it.

Yes, that itself is another reason to leave it as a fixture.

 

[Speedster]

This could be it. Pretty sure my CT clamp is in the wrong place but right direction. And the db is a good 15m away from the inverter. But my issue is that my usage is all on the essential side, so there's no need to even read from the CT to gather what's the total import, right? I could even use my system without the CT since I limit to UPS load only.

If you have no non-essentials the CT serves no purpose. Switch to zero export to load (deye) / limit to load (SunSynk).

 

[RonSwanson]

I have no problem with taking over someone's system, provided the value is there. Value hinges heavily on warranty.

For the kit it's relatively easy, I would assess value based on what I could get for it on a second-hand market. I would be more worried about the quality of the installation.

Got myself one of these yesterday to help with my 6 monthly maintenance, based on @soulie recommendation, at R567 I didn't even think twice:

 

[lkpat]

For the kit it's relatively easy, I would assess value based on what I could get for it on a second-hand market. I would be more worried about the quality of the installation.

Got myself one of these yesterday to help with my 6 monthly maintenance, based on @soulie recommendation:

I got one of these recently... second hand. Paid a grand and am replacing battery and screen:

 

[Tradezzz]

If you have no non-essentials the CT serves no purpose. Switch to zero export to load (deye) / limit to load (SunSynk).

It is currently set like this.

Still monitoring the inverter's reporting of import vs the actual usage from the eskom prepaid meter. Over a full 4 weeks have 100kwh import and 0.6kwh export, but around 107kwh eskom used. Not a big deal, closer than I thought. The eskom does include some minor testing I was doing before the inverter.

 

[acp]

If you have no non-essentials the CT serves no purpose. Switch to zero export to load (deye) / limit to load (SunSynk).

Have the same issue with grid usage reported by inverter about 15% to 20% less than City Power prepaid units tracked.

All loads on essential, limit to load/zero export always been selected, CT installed close to inverter, AC cable run about 40-50m, trickle feed set to 0W. Total Export recorded/reported for past 6 months : 2.9kW

All I can think is

1) AC/DC conversion losses, but are they not theoretically supposed to be included in measured grid import numbers reported by inverter?

and/or

2) more losses due to the longish AC cable run?

(or the little LED connected to the grid that turns off to notify the household when Eskom fails is a Halogen Monster from hell...)

 

[Tradezzz]

Have the same issue with grid usage reported by inverter about 15% to 20% less than City Power prepaid units tracked.

All loads on essential, limit to load/zero export always been selected, CT installed close to inverter, AC cable run about 40-50m, trickle feed set to 0W. Total Export recorded/reported for past 6 months : 2.9kW

All I can think is

1) AC/DC conversion losses, but are they not theoretically supposed to be included in measured grid import numbers reported by inverter?

and/or

2) more losses due to the longish AC cable run?

(or the little LED connected to the grid that turns off to notify the household when Eskom fails is a Halogen Monster from hell...)

The common factor I've seen in most posts about this is the longer distance between the inverter and the db. Just an observation, not clued up enough to know if that could make a difference.
It does seem like a consistent fixed amount difference per day as well, will have to check this over time. Maybe a firmware update could do the fix as well? Im not keen on that yet, as generally happy with the system.

 

[Kosmik]

Have the same issue with grid usage reported by inverter about 15% to 20% less than City Power prepaid units tracked.

All loads on essential, limit to load/zero export always been selected, CT installed close to inverter, AC cable run about 40-50m, trickle feed set to 0W. Total Export recorded/reported for past 6 months : 2.9kW

All I can think is

1) AC/DC conversion losses, but are they not theoretically supposed to be included in measured grid import numbers reported by inverter?

and/or

2) more losses due to the longish AC cable run?

(or the little LED connected to the grid that turns off to notify the household when Eskom fails is a Halogen Monster from hell...)

Grid import should be measured via the ct so no conversion factor should be at play, it's the same as if you had a multimeter taking a reading at that point.

Maybe a faulty or poor ct?

 

[Gordon_R]

The common factor I've seen in most posts about this is the longer distance between the inverter and the db. Just an observation, not clued up enough to know if that could make a difference.
It does seem like a consistent fixed amount difference per day as well, will have to check this over time. Maybe a firmware update could do the fix as well? Im not keen on that yet, as generally happy with the system.

Interesting train of comments! Our installer said nothing specific about efficiency losses with a UPS installation. I had a 'disagreement' about the length and thin/thickness of the AC supply and load cables, but was told to 'mind my own business'. Our load usage is marginal (lights mostly), but all these losses add up eventually, and are 'invisible' unless you are finicky about details. Our BC has a postpaid meter, so no easy way to verify actual consumption.

Edit: Voltage drops/efficiency losses of 3-5% are considered acceptable in domestic wiring, but that is a tradeoff between capital cost of installation versus running costs. I guess inverters and UPSs by their nature are not models of rationality and efficiency...

 

[acp]

Grid import should be measured via the ct so no conversion factor should be at play, it's the same as if you had a multimeter taking a reading at that point.

Maybe a faulty or poor ct?

Would CT coil being installed close to the inverter in the garage and not by the main DB in the house 40-50m away potentially be the cause? I often see this cited as an issue, but my understanding is that it relates more to systems with non-essential loads of which I have none - all loads on essential.

So could the long cable run affect grid import measured? I.e. by the time the AC reaches the CT @ inverter-side, losses already materialised and CT only records what remains post-loss?

Never paid much attention to how the CT connects and communicates to the inverter. Does it need its own 'connection' to the inverter or will it somehow still 'talk' to the inverter if installed in the house by main DB where AC is dispatched to the inverter?

 

[Tradezzz]

Would CT coil being installed close to the inverter in the garage and not by the main DB in the house 40-50m away potentially be the cause? I often see this cited as an issue, but my understanding is that it relates more to systems with non-essential loads of which I have none - all loads on essential.

So could the long cable run affect grid import measured? I.e. by the time the AC reaches the CT @ inverter-side, losses already materialised and CT only records what remains post-loss?

Never paid much attention to how the CT connects and communicates to the inverter. Does it need its own 'connection' to the inverter or will it somehow still 'talk' to the inverter if installed in the house by main DB where AC is dispatched to the inverter?

This is my current thinking as well, not even sure where the installer has placed the CT. He says on the live eskom feed but I'm starting to think otherwise. Also only have essentials, which could work without the CT altogether, but maybe the inverter then only reads the 'import' after the losses from the meter regardless of the CT.

The CT connects to the inverter with a long thin twisted pair wire. A Google search will show you some examples. It is meant to do some distance and the twisting minimizes interference. But it is prone to interference and the like. And I don't think all installers fully understand how to extend the distance properly, does seem a little more complex. Most still don't even install correctly even when no need to extend it!

 

[lkpat]

Would CT coil being installed close to the inverter in the garage and not by the main DB in the house 40-50m away potentially be the cause? I often see this cited as an issue, but my understanding is that it relates more to systems with non-essential loads of which I have none - all loads on essential.

Nothing wrong with installing the CT coil inside the inverter, provided it's before any loads including the inverter.

Never paid much attention to how the CT connects and communicates to the inverter. Does it need its own 'connection' to the inverter or will it somehow still 'talk' to the inverter if installed in the house by main DB where AC is dispatched to the inverter?

Its connected to the inverter as it's a low current analogue measurement that is transmitted over twisted pair.

Using a CT Coil

Basic understanding of using a CT coil it is used to control the export or import of the power from the grid this is very important and care must be taken when using CT, to ensure it is wired correctly Note Black is NEUTRAL

www.sunsynk.org

 

[TheJman]

For the kit it's relatively easy, I would assess value based on what I could get for it on a second-hand market. I would be more worried about the quality of the installation.

Got myself one of these yesterday to help with my 6 monthly maintenance, based on @soulie recommendation, at R567 I didn't even think twice:

Tried to look through his posts... mind sharing purpose of this in terms of maintenance?