Inverter using battery even though there is grid/PV

Adeptus Mechanicus

Adeptus Mechanicus

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Inverter (Kodak OG6.2) displays some odd battery discharge behaviour.
  • Before I had PV I would have a constant 20-60w drain on the batteries.
  • With PV this behaviour is now increased while I'm generating out of the panels
  • Output is set to SUB and charge priority to use solar to charge battery first and allow utility to charge battery. SBLUCB

2 examples:

1) Boiling a kettle (top is load and bottom is battery draw in watts at same time)
  • Why would it be pulling 419w out of the battery when there should be sufficient PV and grid?

image.png.99c575dd3a7149ea1ba6bd41046430fc.png


image.png.347728bb91541935b975f2e5177e9d4a.png


2) Idle household usage (top is load and bottom is battery draw in watts at same time)
  • Almost no grid being used, enough PV to cover load, but battery being discharged by 250-ish watts
  • image.png.51256fe08eb34fc45179d56bb181059a.png

  • image.png.1276bcef589bd15f320fcf41515a7819.png
 
Last edited:
Iwojima said:
Inverter (Kodak OG6.2) displays some odd battery discharge behaviour.
  • Before I had PV I would have a constant 20-60w drain on the batteries.
  • With PV this behaviour is now increased while I'm generating out of the panels
  • Output is set to SUB and charge priority to use solar to charge battery first and allow utility to charge battery. SBLUCB

2 examples:

1) Boiling a kettle (top is load and bottom is battery draw in watts at same time)
  • Why would it be pulling 419w out of the battery when there should be sufficient PV and grid?

image.png.99c575dd3a7149ea1ba6bd41046430fc.png


image.png.347728bb91541935b975f2e5177e9d4a.png


2) Idle household usage (top is load and bottom is battery draw in watts at same time)
  • Almost no grid being used, enough PV to cover load, but battery being discharged by 250-ish watts
  • image.png.51256fe08eb34fc45179d56bb181059a.png

  • image.png.1276bcef589bd15f320fcf41515a7819.png
Click to expand...
How much PV do you have?
 
Iwojima said:
View attachment 1546741
View attachment 1546745
Click to expand...
I'm not seeing anything obvious which will cause the inverter to draw from the battery when you're pulling high loads.
You could try setting the Operation Logic to Online and see if that does something. If it works, I wonder if the ECO mode option is preferred by the inverter when there is sufficient battery available, when in Automatic.

What is Program 23, which the manual refers to?
 
LCBXX said:
I'm not seeing anything obvious which will cause the inverter to draw from the battery when you're pulling high loads.
You could try setting the Operation Logic to Online and see if that does something. If it works, I wonder if the ECO mode option is preferred by the inverter when there is sufficient battery available, when in Automatic.

What is Program 23, which the manual refers to?
Click to expand...
1687799362249.png
I have it on default (bypass allowed)
 
Iwojima said:
View attachment 1546701

View attachment 1546703
(ignore the 10A max charge current...this changes as the Pylontech BMS decides)
Click to expand...
Try reducing the AC charge, and see if it doesn't use more solar for charging. Also change the solar and utility simultaneously setting, it could be dropping solar unnecessarily due to some bug, not sure what other options are there.

But that will only address the charging part, are you sure there are no issues with the solar wiring? I would set everything to use solar only on a good sunny day to have a feel of just how much power can you draw from solar
 
TheChamp said:
Try reducing the AC charge, and see if it doesn't use more solar for charging. Also change the solar and utility simultaneously setting, it could be dropping solar unnecessarily due to some bug, not sure what other options are there.

But that will only address the charging part, are you sure there are no issues with the solar wiring? I would set everything to use solar only on a good sunny day to have a feel of just how much power can you draw from solar
Click to expand...
So far I've seen around 3100w peak on a good day around 12ish
 
LCBXX said:
Yoh I am stumped @Iwojima. You could try searching/asking on powerforum.co.za for advice on this one.
Click to expand...
Way ahead of you ;)

Unfortunately nothing solid there yet.

More oddness:
@11:30am - Bearing in mind I have SUB set the question is why is it trying to pull from the battery rather than grid to make up for the deficit in PV?
@11:16am to 11:17 - More than enough PV to cover load, but battery still takes a hit


1687858868629.png
 
Last edited:
Iwojima said:
Way ahead of you ;)

Unfortunately nothing solid there yet.

More oddness:
@11:30am - Bearing in mind I have SUB set the question is why is it trying to pull from the battery rather than grid to make up for the deficit in PV?
@11:16am to 11:17 - More than enough PV to cover load, but battery still takes a hit


View attachment 1546985
Click to expand...
Is the inverter a hybrid or an off grid type

Many simply can't blend solar and eskom

ie it blends solar and battery and
Has to physically switch yo utility disabling solar relegating it to battery charging only

Some hybrids can , normally you find that those that can, often have a grid feed function and those that can't don't
 
I am wondering if there have been any further insights into this type of inverter behaviour?
 
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