The Alternative Energy Thread - Generators, Solar, UPS, Wind

[chall3ng3r]

Hello all,

I installed a new solar inverter Fronus PV-2200, with 4x 570w panels and 200amp battery. It's been just over a month now, and inverter is working fine when power goes out.

During the day its default setting was to use solar and utility power shared for the AC load. I read through the manual and changed it to SUB (Solar - Utility - Battery) and it was still using shared grid power.

There's MKS option in priority setting, and I searched online for it and found out that if I set to MKS, the inverter will disconnect the grid when solar is generating enough power for AC load. I changed inverter to MSK and for next few days when there was bright day, it would automatically disconnect grid and run the load on solar until evening, then switch back to grid (switch back volts for battery were set to 13.1, so it will not use battery).

Now this stopped happening even on bright day, I see full 190v on panels and PV is making ~1.6amps generated, my load is under 25% of max capacity of inverter, and output load shows as such which remains in 400w range. (no fans yet due to cool weather).

Any pointers, why inverter is not disconnecting grind now when there's full sun and it only did it for 4 - 5 days.

Thanks in advance.

[sardarg]

sir @chall3ng3r please disconnect load and connect just 100 watt lamp and see what happens. there are 2 possibilities for such malfunction.
a. either the load (in amps) is more then generation from panels
b. a software upgrade is needed for the inverter.

incase of a - it will share the load with grid supply
incase of b - oem will help you

PV 2200 is 1600 watt (1.6 kw) system and with 2280 watts panels connected. On any sunny day from 8.30 till 3.30 it shall generate enough current (amps) to support your load of upto 1450 watts without any sharing.

please cross check your DC wire specs from Panels to inverter. in DC supply wire gauge is key element for optimum performance.

mr. tallal happens to be very kind in educating inquisitive customers.

[chall3ng3r]

@sardarg thank you for reply.

You are correct, the inverter is 1.6kw max load and I've measured current load using the clamp multimeter, which confirms it is under 400w and inverter always show it as 25%.

The inverter disconnected grid for few days perfectly during the day. But now it's more sunny days and disconnect is not happening anymore.

I will try to get hold of tech support of Fronus and see what they say about it.

[chall3ng3r]

An update on my issue,

I contacted the Fronus support, they told me to completely shutdown the inverter, then power it back on battery, then set the priority to SUB, and then change it back to MKS. Then I can turn on solar and grid power. I followed the steps and it worked for that day. Next day, its same.

I have to test it more few times to closely observe why this is happening.

[mrdeejay]

During the day its default setting was to use solar and utility power shared for the AC load. I read through the manual and changed it to SUB (Solar - Utility - Battery) and it was still using shared grid power.

Whats wrong with this? That's how most people use hybrid solar inverters. Its using Solar power first and then using Utility/Grid for remaining power needs. I don't see any benefit in disconnecting the grid.

[chall3ng3r]

Whats wrong with this? That's how most people use hybrid solar inverters. Its using Solar power first and then using Utility/Grid for remaining power needs. I don't see any benefit in disconnecting the grid.

Nothing wrong I guess. I am trying to utilize the feature provided in the product, which will help saving maybe few thousand on my bill.

I've installed solar panels which can take the nominal load I've put and when solar energy is enough, the inverter should be using maximum solar or better disconnect the grid.

The issue is, inverter is always keeping the grid's share more than solar energy, even when it could take more power from solar. For example, at noon, with no clouds, the solar share was only 1.6amps while from grid it's taking 1.9amps.

I will follow up with Fronus on this, and update here. Meanwhile, if others can share their hybrid solar and grid loads, that would be great.

[mrdeejay]

I've installed solar panels which can take the nominal load I've put and when solar energy is enough, the inverter should be using maximum solar or better disconnect the grid.

All hybrid inverters take maximum possible from Solar and then remaining requirement is fulfilled using grid. Just because its taking more amps from grid doesn't mean its not working correctly. Its just that you have more load on the inverter than panels are producing.

The issue is, inverter is always keeping the grid's share more than solar energy, even when it could take more power from solar. For example, at noon, with no clouds, the solar share was only 1.6amps while from grid it's taking 1.9amps.

How do you know that solar was able to provide more than 1.6amps but inverter didn't take it? Solar output depends on time of year and your panel angle & tilt etc as well. Which direction are the panels facing, South? what about angle/tilt? Are there any areas of panels that are not getting sunlight e.g. bird droppings, shade from AC outdoor unit etc?

To me it seems like your panels are not setup correctly so not producing full output.

[user-xxx]

where is Solar Panel Wholesale market in Rawalpindi or any Authentic shop address from where i can buy any of these original Panels ?

Longi Hi-Mo 5 545 watts
Longi Hi-Mo 6
Jinko N type

[ifadey]

Why is my bill not in negative?

[sardarg]

sir @ifadey if you go through the bill in detail there must be some previous adjustments which does not fall in the credit adjustment category.

sir @user-xxx please contact usman mehmood saheb 0308 5250061 in lahore, he can help you with a dealer in rwp selling genuine products.

[ifadey]

It's a new green meter installed 3 months back so, there isn't much history.

[chall3ng3r]

All hybrid inverters take maximum possible from Solar and then remaining requirement is fulfilled using grid. Just because its take more amps from grid doesn't mean its not working correctly. Its just that you have more load on the inverter than panels are producing.

I've tested it. My electrical load is as mentioned around 400 watts, inverter itself shows (load graph 25% load, output load ~400watts), also using the clamp multimeter. There's no possibility that load is more than panels can handle.

How do you know that solar was able to provide more than 1.6amps but inverter didn't take it? Solar output depends on time of year and your panel angle & tilt etc as well.

When I manually turn off the grid power, I see the solar production jumps to take all the load (PV power showing in inverter as ~400watts and ~2.2 amps) without consuming anything from battery. In my tests done on sunny day around 1pm, I added up to 800watts load (inverter showing PV making ~4amps), and I saw that solar was able to take all of it without using battery, which was floating at 13.5v.

This is where I see that there's something inverter is not calculating right. And grid share ratio during peak sun light is not optimal.

To me it seems like your panels are not setup correctly so not producing full output.

The panels are able to take all electrical load when grid is manually turned off, specifically from 10am to 3pm. The only thing is I have to manually turn off grid power to make it happen. MKS priority mode is for the same purpose, but it's kind of not working properly.

[ifadey]

Sharing here for information.
I asked my solar company, and they are saying the peak hour units are not deducted yet from export units.
Both remaining export and peak hour import is moved forward. This is why the bill is not in negative.

[AkbarGr8]

Excess units exported (i.e. not used in current bill) are carried forward and liquidated into pkr every quarter. You should find out your settlement schedule.

[hassannabeel27]

Bills are adjusted quarterly in IESCO. Your bill of march will have total units adjusted. You will get negative bill if total exported units cost offsets imported peak units cost.

[sardarg]

sir @chall3ng3r it may be some software error, you may request for upgrade from oem.

[ifadey]

Thanks for the clarification.
Should I pay this Rs 35 bill now, or wait for March to get the proper bill?

[mrdeejay]

Excess units exported (i.e. not used in current bill) are carried forward and liquidated into pkr every quarter.

At what rate are excess units converted into Rupees? Does any adjustment from off-peak units (excess generated) -> peak units (consumed) happens during each billing cycle?

[AkbarGr8]

Only off peak units are adjusted against off peak units consumed during each bill. We need to pay cash for peak units / criminal taxes.

Excess unit settlement every quarter is what creates cash / puts our bill in credit. These units are liquidated at 22rs / unit but there are strong rumours that this will be reduced due to govt missing revenue targets.

[AkbarGr8]

https://www.brecorder.com/news/40290871/rs7-per-unit-increase-in-january-fca-for-discos-notified

https://www.dawn.com/news/1817438/nepra-okays-record-fuel-cost-adjustment-after-govt-arm-twisting