Sunsynk query - splitting of the loads

[Rkootknir]

I have no house icon? Does this suggest that the inverter is incorrectly set up, somehow?

And the oven was on. Inverter is an 8kW Sunsynk.

If the house icon is not showing you probably have "Limit to Load Only" ticked in the "System 2" screen under System in the settings. That means excess solar will not be used to power non-essentials but only "Load" which is your essentials.

 

[RoganDawes]

If the house icon is not showing you probably have "Limit to Load Only" ticked in the "System 2" screen under System in the settings. That means excess solar will not be used to power non-essentials but only "Load" which is your essentials.

This is 100% correct. Thank you!

I changed this setting, and now I have the house icon as well. Unfortunately, it was showing 0W while the oven was on, which suggests that the oven is connected between the CT and the meter. My CurrentCost meter installed at the meter box on the road was reading 2.5kW at the same time, so I'll probably have to get my sparky out to fix that.

 

[RoganDawes]

Put the oven on and take a screenshot.

The oven was on when I took the above picture.

Also why is aux showing load of 2W, do you have something connected to it?

Yes, I have my geyser connected to it, via a Sonoff THR320, an ATTiny85, and a Geyserwise thermostat. Sonoff is flashed with ESPHome, and acts as a fully controllable thermostat.

 

[RonSwanson]

This is 100% correct. Thank you!

I changed this setting, and now I have the house icon as well. Unfortunately, it was showing 0W while the oven was on, which suggests that the oven is connected between the CT and the meter. My CurrentCost meter installed at the meter box on the road was reading 2.5kW at the same time, so I'll probably have to get my sparky out to fix that.

Good necro, what it also shows is that some installers still do not understand too much about Sunsynks.

 

[AchmatK]

Good necro, what it also shows is that some installers still do not understand too much about Sunsynks.

I really don't understand how it's so hard for them to understand.

I recall when looking at what inverter to get over 2 years ago there was absolutely zero local knowledge or support for sunsynk and I managed to figure it out on my own just by reading the manual and watching some US Sol-Ark videos as it was the closest to the sunsynk.

 

[Snyper564]

Bit of a thread necro here, but wanted to check if you are able to see the power drawn by your non-essential loads? i.e. if you compare the "grid power" and "grid CT power" readings can you see a difference when the geyser or oven is on?

I'm trying to make sure that my installer has done this properly, but at the moment, my grid power and grid CT power readings are basically identical.

Others can comment i ended up going full essential no split.

My solar thread is here https://mybroadband.co.za/forum/threads/snypers-solar-farm.1161046/

 

[neoprema]

Others can comment i ended up going full essential no split.

My solar thread is here https://mybroadband.co.za/forum/threads/snypers-solar-farm.1161046/

I've got a 12KW, and 12 panels but the installer would not configure the sunsynk to run non-essentials on solar only when there's no Eskom power connected as well (it does run them off solar but only if Eskom is still connected too) I can only imagine its because the draw could exceed available capacity of solar?

 

[Speedster]

I've got a 12KW, and 12 panels but the installer would not configure the sunsynk to run non-essentials on solar only when there's no Eskom power connected as well (it does run them off solar but only if Eskom is still connected too) I can only imagine its because the draw could exceed available capacity of solar?

You can't power non-essentials when the grid is down. That's one of the big drawbacks of going this route. You are able to configure this by using the aux port, but easiest is just to put everything on essential with timers on the high current devices.

 

[neoprema]

You can't power non-essentials when the grid is down. That's one of the big drawbacks of going this route. You are able to configure this by using the aux port, but easiest is just to put everything on essential with timers on the high current devices.

Yeah but i dont understand why lol.

Eskom is now connected/online

If I turn on my oven - it will pull 1500W from SOLAR - not Eskom

Turn off Eskom

Oven goes off lol. But Solar could still be giving gthe 1500W it needed...

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

I've got a 12KW, and 12 panels but the installer would not configure the sunsynk to run non-essentials on solar only when there's no Eskom power connected as well (it does run them off solar but only if Eskom is still connected too) I can only imagine its because the draw could exceed available capacity of solar?

It's not his fault, it can't be configured that way. Non-essentials is connected to the grid, so if grid goes down then they also go down. From the manual:



Grid is a separate connection into the inverter...

 

[neoprema]

It's not his fault, it can't be configured that way. Non-essentials is connected to the grid, so if grid goes down then they also go down. From the manual...

View attachment 1514033

But they not on the grid - see above. When I turn on non-essentials and the house idling, its uses SOLAR not Eskom? But it will only do that when Eskom is connected too...

 

[AchmatK]

But they not on the grid - see above. When I turn on non-essentials and the house idling, its uses SOLAR not Eskom? But it will only do that when Eskom is connected too...

The sunsynk and deye inverters can supply loads on the grid from solar or batteries but only if the grid is up.

Your stove is connected to the grid and the inverter, via settings and correctly installed CT coil, is sending solar power to the stove.

 

[Mike Hoxbig]

But they not on the grid - see above. When I turn on non-essentials and the house idling, its uses SOLAR not Eskom? But it will only do that when Eskom is connected too...

Look at the diagram. On-grid home load (non-essentials) is on the grid connection to the inverter.

When the grid is up you can push power in the direction of the grid, therefore powering non-essentials. The CT stops it from going into the actual grid.

When grid is down, it takes non-essentials with it. There's nothing to push power into...

 

[neoprema]

Look at the diagram. On-grid home load (non-essentials) is on the grid connection to the inverter.

When the grid is up you can push power in the direction of the grid, therefore powering non-essentials. The CT stops it from going into the actual grid.

When grid is down, it takes non-essentials with it. There's nothing to push power into...

Aah ok I understand now.

So the “sell back” functionality is what is powering the non essentials when possible even though there is Eskom power? But the inverter can’t switch that into the circuit when Eskom is not there (because it’s basically sending it down the Eskom line?)

 

[RoganDawes]

I think of it in two ways.
1. You have a boat at the mouth of the river. Tide is out, and the boat is grounded on the bottom. Try emptying your swimming pool into the river so you can float your boat. The water just runs away, and the boat doesn't move.
2. The inverter needs to generate a sine wave at 50Hz. It may have a good idea of what the grid's wave looked like when the power went off, and can generate a matching wave (in phase) for a while, but eventually, it might drift a bit. However, if the waves are not in phase when the Eskom power comes back, the grid will be fighting against the inverter to get the waves back in phase. And the grid will absolutely win, potentially damaging the inverter in the process. (The inverter likely switches a relay off when the grid disappears, leaving just a sensor or two to monitor when it comes back, and check the phase angles, and switches the relay back once necessary adjustments have been made.)

 

[RonSwanson]

But the inverter can’t switch that into the circuit when Eskom is not there (because it’s basically sending it down the Eskom line?)

Yes, for safety certification reasons.
But there is nothing preventing you from using the Aux port for your stove, which remains up when the grid goes.

 

[Speedster]

Yeah but i dont understand why lol.

Eskom is now connected/online

If I turn on my oven - it will pull 1500W from SOLAR - not Eskom

Turn off Eskom

Oven goes off lol. But Solar could still be giving gthe 1500W it needed...

When Eskom is down it would be very dangerous to push power back on that cable. For all you know someone turned off your local grid to do some form of maintenance and now they get a nasty surprise due to your inverter keeping the line live.

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