GrootBaas' Solar

GrootBaas said:
Yeah charged from grid. Very strange. Should not have dropped below 35%. No errors on the system that I can see either.
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Had a similar experience last week. (Description in my thread). Turns out the Eskom Phase that feeds the Inverter had died, so even though I had Battery Set to off Grid SOD at 20%, it appeared to drain the battery to 0%.
Once the Phases were swopped out and Sun came up later, it started the inverter up and charged the battery. SOC jumped from 0% to 20%, then charged all the way to 95%, by day 3 it charged to 100% as normal.
 
So I've barely seen the same behaviour since my last posts, but on 30 December it happened twice on one day. See the battery SOC drops. I've reached out to the installer who wants to upgrade the software so going to schedule that. Seems that's the answer to anything!30.12.2024 charge graphic.jpg
 
Then, instead of creating a new thread, seeing some strange behaviour on my dad's system: inverter charge flatline.jpg
For the last hour or so in the graphic, the sun was completely out but it seems the battery charging is limited. The PV production adjusts according to the house load (see the red and blue line running in parallel). Asked him to switch the kettle on at the end, and again suddenly the PV can produce more to supply the additional house load, but still limiting the charge to the battery despite the battery SOC not at 100% yet.

He is reaching out to his installer.

Edit: Installer had him reset the system and now it seems to be charging correctly.
 
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GrootBaas said:
Then, instead of creating a new thread, seeing some strange behaviour on my dad's system: View attachment 1786180
For the last hour or so in the graphic, the sun was completely out but it seems the battery charging is limited. The PV production adjusts according to the house load (see the red and blue line running in parallel). Asked him to switch the kettle on at the end, and again suddenly the PV can produce more to supply the additional house load, but still limiting the charge to the battery despite the battery SOC not at 100% yet.

He is reaching out to his installer.

Edit: Installer had him reset the system and now it seems to be charging correctly.
Click to expand...
Reset the system?

So did he reset the batteries or did he shut off the inverter and restart it.

If if was a battery reset then the problem was with the charging MOSFETs that were in the closed position (they would normally close at full charge or to protect the cell). Resetting the BMS clears this and the MOSFETs would normally default to the open position after the reset. This is obviously only a temporary fix as there will be a reason why it was closed.

Not sure what battery this is, but if is has a PACE BMS you can change the status of of the charging circuit in PBMS tools as well.
 
Koosvanwyk said:
Reset the system?

So did he reset the batteries or did he shut off the inverter and restart it.

If if was a battery reset then the problem was with the charging MOSFETs that were in the closed position (they would normally close at full charge or to protect the cell). Resetting the BMS clears this and the MOSFETs would normally default to the open position after the reset. This is obviously only a temporary fix as there will be a reason why it was closed.

Not sure what battery this is, but if is has a PACE BMS you can change the status of of the charging circuit in PBMS tools as well.
Click to expand...
I'm not 100% sure, but he said he was asked to switch everything off in a certain order and then switch it back on. So I assume inverter and battery was reset.

It's a Volta battery. They have since done some software updates and I will monitor going forward.
 
Hi

I am seeking some advice and using this solar thread as it does not warrant my own entry.

I am looking at this inverter:

Deye 12KW Single Phase
(https://www.solarwaysuppliers.co.za/index.php/product/12kw-deye-single-phase-inverter)
(Data Sheet - https://www.solarwaysuppliers.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DEYE-12KW-SINGLE-PHASE-DATA-SHEET.pdf)

I am looking to get 15x Canadian Solar 610W bifacial panels
(https://www.solarwaysuppliers.co.za/index.php/product/canadian-solar-610w-n-type-bifacial-panel)
(Data sheet - https://www.solarwaysuppliers.co.za...OPBiHiKu6_CS6.2-66TB_v1.3_F67_EN_600-630W.pdf)

I see that the inverter has 3 channels, so my options for arranging my panels are:
  • All panels facing North, using 2 or 3 channels
  • Setting the panels up evenly with 5 per group facing East/North/West, where each string gets its own channel
I understand that spreading the generation across East and West will shift the energy production earlier and later in the day, resulting in a lower peak output. Is there a reason not to do this, or alternatively, a good reason to go ahead with it? My thinking is that, since I am away on weekdays during the day, I might benefit more from having some energy generation in the morning and late afternoon for my own use. While this setup would generate less total energy, the output curve might align better with my actual needs, or at least in my head is what I am thinking.

Or is this a bad idea, and should I stick with a 3x5 string setup facing all North?

Another question: is my combination and plan fine for installation? It all looks okay on paper, and the inverter can handle 3 channels. However, since the maximum current per channel is 26A, it seems I can’t connect any strings in parallel, as the panels have a potential max output of around 30A. Or is the 30A max only when the voltage is at 425V? Does the inverter limit depend purely on current, or is it more about the wattage (volts x amps per channel)?

Lastly, regarding bifacial panels—any thoughts on their use? My idea was to use them on the East- and West-facing strings to capture sunlight reflected from the opposite direction early and late in the day. This could provide a small boost when the sun is low. Since it doesn’t cost much extra, is it worth aiming for the 10-15% boost, or is this gain unlikely to happen in practice?

I’m not very experienced with solar systems, so thank you for taking the time to help. I’m trying to design a setup that fits my home usage and prepares me for future needs.

I appreciate any input!
 
Also, this is on a flat roof, meaning I will have to angle them all to what is the best option. So, do I let them face 3 directions or mount them all facing North, the cover from the east and west should be earlier than on a slated roof.
 
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Interesting thing happened today. My 8 panels usually generates around 3.2kw at noon (peak). However, today it only generated 2.4kw at that time. So it almost seems like 2 of the panels did not work.

Yesterday:
1762456661555.jpeg

Today:
1762456675179.jpeg


Will monitor tomorrow.
 
Peaking today at 3.0kw as opposed to 3.2kw the day before yesterday (also peaked at 3.2kw this time last year). At least much better than yesterday's 2.4kw.

There were some veld fires in the area a few days ago, will give the panels a spray down over the weekend and see what it does.

@DawieZA I believe you are in the same neighbourhood as me, do you see anything strange on your production?
 
GrootBaas said:
Peaking today at 3.0kw as opposed to 3.2kw the day before yesterday (also peaked at 3.2kw this time last year). At least much better than yesterday's 2.4kw.

There were some veld fires in the area a few days ago, will give the panels a spray down over the weekend and see what it does.

@DawieZA I believe you are in the same neighbourhood as me, do you see anything strange on your production?
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Veld fires can leave particles in the air, effecting panel production. That's why I asked what the AQI is as well, cause that can also drop the performance.
Over the years you'll stress less about peaks and such, cause sometimes you may even shoot over it.
 
Lupus said:
Veld fires can leave particles in the air, effecting panel production. That's why I asked what the AQI is as well, cause that can also drop the performance.
Over the years you'll stress less about peaks and such, cause sometimes you may even shoot over it.
Click to expand...
Sure. What was interesting is that I struggled a lot yesterday with my eyes burning, so maybe the AQI was not great. But a 25% drop seems crazy to me.

I almost feel like spraying the panels down now, but I don't think cold water hitting the panels now (it's like 36 degrees outsit) is a good idea.
 
GrootBaas said:
Sure. What was interesting is that I struggled a lot yesterday with my eyes burning, so maybe the AQI was not great. But a 25% drop seems crazy to me.

I almost feel like spraying the panels down now, but I don't think cold water hitting the panels now (it's like 36 degrees outsit) is a good idea.
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Yup it is possible, especially if the panels are a bit dusty already.
How pollution impacts solar panels
  • Reduces sunlight and efficiency: Airborne pollutants scatter and absorb sunlight, decreasing the amount of solar radiation that reaches the panel's surface. This directly lowers the panel's energy conversion efficiency.
Try do the hosing down around 4pm or when it's cooler
 
GrootBaas said:
Peaking today at 3.0kw as opposed to 3.2kw the day before yesterday (also peaked at 3.2kw this time last year). At least much better than yesterday's 2.4kw.

There were some veld fires in the area a few days ago, will give the panels a spray down over the weekend and see what it does.

@DawieZA I believe you are in the same neighbourhood as me, do you see anything strange on your production?
Click to expand...
I had a quick look at my PV production for Wednesday, yesterday and today. Wednesday had the highest production of the three days. Most likely due to it being the cooler of the three days. Nothing out of the ordinary on my side.
 
DawieZA said:
I had a quick look at my PV production for Wednesday, yesterday and today. Wednesday had the highest production of the three days. Most likely due to it being the cooler of the three days. Nothing out of the ordinary on my side.
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Thanks! That confirms that my Thursday issue was something on my system. Will keep my eyes on it.
 
Noticed the same issue today where the PV is performing as it should. Tried to contact the installer but couldn't get ahold of him. So I switched off a few breakers, including the PV isolator and switched it back on. Seems to have sorted out the issue for today:

1763029683097.png
 
GrootBaas said:
Noticed the same issue today where the PV is performing as it should. Tried to contact the installer but couldn't get ahold of him. So I switched off a few breakers, including the PV isolator and switched it back on. Seems to have sorted out the issue for today:

View attachment 1862953
Click to expand...
Hmmm could be that there are issues with the breakers.
 
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