Sunniest January for 5 years

[akaPABLO01]

Good kit SolarEdge if you have multiple roof or hard shading but pricey.

 

[D14]

Get a laptop with Bluetooth.

Go to
https://www.sma.de/en/products/monitoring-control/sunny-explorer.html

Download sunny explorer and install it.

Communication mode Bluetooth

Use installer log in with password 1111

Note all serial numbers of each inverter and their location, string numbers. See if all inverters have equal numbers of panels (power)

On the left will be a list of serial numbers.

Click the top one

At the top on the right a few tabs will be listed, you want “Events”

Select a start date February 2018 and end date now

Untick “info”

You’ll be left with dated reports on issues, you may see a lot of “time adjusted”

Once you’ve looked through the first inverter, click the next serial number inverter and the list will populate for issues on that.

Once you’ve done this, then compare monthly generation of each inverter identify any anomalies.

Post results

Connected in the first instance. Then lost communication with 3 out of the 5, even though the Bluetooth light on the inverter is lit up.

Prior to that happening the date range thing doesn’t work as it alters both first and second date collectively so it’ll only look at one day.

That said in the ‘month’ graph reading the two inverters that are communicating are saying as per the picture. Note the side scale difference so the first one is producing more than the second.

Both these inverters event list if you select ‘display all events’ have the odd message as shown on pics 3 and 4 but there’s hardly any from when there were first installed.

 

[D14]

Couple of error messages previously on the inverters has been ‘check generator insulation resist’

 

[ifindoubtflatout]

Hi
Am I right in thinking that with SolarEdge each panel is connected to their inverter individually.
So that if one panel has a fault then the whole system still performs, just the one panel drops out

My system was dear 2 x 4KWh
I got 3 quotes and this was the middle quote c £10000 5 years ago
Have the SolarEdge, fancy reporting App and the excess electric diverted to hot water tank before export and a little gizmo that shows if its happy sad or indifferent.

The guy who fitted it really knew his stuff and I was impressed by his technical knowledge.
Sadly went out of business due to the Reg changes

I’m happy with my system

 

[akaPABLO01]

Connected in the first instance. Then lost communication with 3 out of the 5, even though the Bluetooth light on the inverter is lit up.

Prior to that happening the date range thing doesn’t work as it alters both first and second date collectively so it’ll only look at one day.

That said in the ‘month’ graph reading the two inverters that are communicating are saying as per the picture. Note the side scale difference so the first one is producing more than the second.

Both these inverters event list if you select ‘display all events’ have the odd message as shown on pics 3 and 4 but there’s hardly any from when there were first installed.

loss of connection is strange, i guess they are all on the same network ID 2?

There is a way around this by separating every inverter network ID you just need allen keys and a small flat head? I am assuming the inverters are all in range (next to each other)?
If there is a padlock next to the serial number they may have an installer password or if there are three dots its out of range?

The date range usage is quite pitiful for user interface, the way i master the dates is to quickly set the start date to a year before then set the end date to today, there is a "nack" to it you just need to master the timing.

The errors you are getting are to do with possibly a slightly loose connection on earth and neutral with the inverter registering an imbalance. Switch the DC and AC off, disconnect the solar switch, switch off the breaker in the board, leave 10 minutes. Un-bolt the bottom inverter display panel, tighten all connections, TIGHT. Check the cables in the DB at the breaker.

 

[akaPABLO01]

Hi
Am I right in thinking that with SolarEdge each panel is connected to their inverter individually.
So that if one panel has a fault then the whole system still performs, just the one panel drops out

My system was dear 2 x 4KWh
I got 3 quotes and this was the middle quote c £10000 5 years ago
Have the SolarEdge, fancy reporting App and the excess electric diverted to hot water tank before export and a little gizmo that shows if its happy sad or indifferent.

The guy who fitted it really knew his stuff and I was impressed by his technical knowledge.
Sadly went out of business due to the Reg changes

I’m happy with my system

SolarEdge uses DC bypass technique, it measures each panel and if the load is different it'll bypass the panel reporting lower voltage. They do work similarly to microinverter but whereas as Solaredge completes the circuit in DC microinverter transfers to AC on the roof. All the panels are connected in a series to complete a string of multiple panels but they have DC optimizers under each panel with a unique serial number to help identify which panel is which or which suffers shading.

 

[D14]

loss of connection is strange, i guess they are all on the same network ID 2?

There is a way around this by separating every inverter network ID you just need allen keys and a small flat head? I am assuming the inverters are all in range (next to each other)?
If there is a padlock next to the serial number they may have an installer password or if there are three dots its out of range?

The date range usage is quite pitiful for user interface, the way i master the dates is to quickly set the start date to a year before then set the end date to today, there is a "nack" to it you just need to master the timing.

The errors you are getting are to do with possibly a slightly loose connection on earth and neutral with the inverter registering an imbalance. Switch the DC and AC off, disconnect the solar switch, switch off the breaker in the board, leave 10 minutes. Un-bolt the bottom inverter display panel, tighten all connections, TIGHT. Check the cables in the DB at the breaker.

Same network I think because initially I could see all 5 of them and access them. Then as I was checking info on Inverter 1, inverter 2, 4 and 5 disconnected. I can see their serial numbers but its greyed out with a padlock, where as the other two inverters I can access and see.

I did that with the dates. Set the start one a year ago so 04/02/18 but this changed the end date and then so on. Ive tried multiple times and it won't seem to hold separate dates in each box. They want the same date for some reason.

 

[akaPABLO01]

Same network I think because initially I could see all 5 of them and access them. Then as I was checking info on Inverter 1, inverter 2, 4 and 5 disconnected. I can see their serial numbers but its greyed out with a padlock, where as the other two inverters I can access and see.

I did that with the dates. Set the start one a year ago so 04/02/18 but this changed the end date and then so on. Ive tried multiple times and it won't seem to hold separate dates in each box. They want the same date for some reason.

Very quick way would be to turn off all inverters except the one you want to connect with. If that fails change the network id, do not use 0 or the one it’s on which maybe 2, use id 3. If this works swap the others that don’t connect to the same. You’ll have 2 options when you connect offering the net ids.

 

[D14]

Very quick way would be to turn off all inverters except the one you want to connect with. If that fails change the network id, do not use 0 or the one it’s on which maybe 2, use id 3. If this works swap the others that don’t connect to the same. You’ll have 2 options when you connect offering the net ids.

The wires are push in fittings so we’ve checked all them and they look ok and how do you change the net id?

 

[akaPABLO01]

The wires are push in fittings so we’ve checked all them and they look ok and how do you change the net id?

There are 3 penny dials. Get a flat head and turn the furthest right one. Do not touch the left or middle and don’t put the dial on 0 or 1

Check the ac isolator to tighten up cables

 

[D14]

There are 3 penny dials. Get a flat head and turn the furthest right one. Do not touch the left or middle and don’t put the dial on 0 or 1

Check the ac isolator to tighten up cables

Done that and it’s locked them all out now. I’ll give the installer a call I think.

 

[akaPABLO01]

Done that and it’s locked them all out now. I’ll give the installer a call I think.

Maybe your installer put an installer password in instead of the 1111

If this is the case then you need to apply for a POK from SMA. Takes about 2 days