It's an off grid AIO.No idea but its an off-grid inverter capable of taking an ac input so seems to fit op's use case don't really care what they call it (magic sunshine machine)as long as it does what it needs too.
Energy delivered = (+P)import, energy received = (-P) export pretty much means net metering.
My first EAsuns 3kW (SRNE) units were called hybrid although they were grid as backup (GAB). No way to export and would act like a UPS. If battery or PV was insufficient a relay would pickup and the grid would bypass. Your loads were supplied by inverter or AC bypass but not both at the same time. While in AC bypass the inverter could operate as a battery charger alongside PV.
People are reading these with a raspberry pi and this tool.
github.com
ppcasm.blogspot.com
I wish they would just charge for export and shut up. That would make things much easier.. just set it for "zero export" and do what you want.
Interesting...I have a couple free pi's sitting around. Will put it on the project list.People are reading these with a raspberry pi and this tool.
GitHub - bemasher/rtlamr: An rtl-sdr receiver for Itron ERT compatible smart meters operating in the 900MHz ISM band.
An rtl-sdr receiver for Itron ERT compatible smart meters operating in the 900MHz ISM band. - bemasher/rtlamr
And here is a guy reverse engineering one (don’t try this at home):
Itron Centron C1SR Meter Reverse Engineering
I have started a project that involves tinkering with what some would possibly call a "smart meter", but I believe the proper noun would ...
. Thanks!My Emporia went in yesterday so I don't have hard numbers yet. My utility gives 15 minute interval kWh usage and my highest consumption hour in the last year was under 8kWh.
You’ll need an rtl-sdr usb dongle to receive the transmissions, and maybe a 900 mhz antenna, but the right length wire will do in a pinch.Interesting...I have a couple free pi's sitting around. Will put it on the project list.
It is a matter of understanding that supplying loads from your solar setup can work alongside the grid (not in parallel or grid tied) or it can work with the grid. For instance you can wire a standard DC to AC inverter directly to a load. It is not connected to the grid. No possibility of grid export exists. You can even wire that inverter to a transfer switch with one supply being the inverter and the alternative supply being the grid. From the Transfer switch (MTS or ATS) to your load is one or the other supply, so no chance of grid export. In the case of true Off grid AIO's the ATS is incorporated into the box. The AIO's brain measures voltages, frequency and load and decides if either the grid or the PV/battery should be supplying the load. It can transfer fast because it monitors the AC signal and is ready for rapid transfer. A standard value is ~ 10ms.
Any examples of what would cause a back feed on my off-grid AiO? This seems pretty interesting and since I have so many measuring devices on my home that should be able to measure down to 10mA I'd be interested and willing to experiment with my cheap Powmr AiO.
Examples often involved heavy inductive loads like transformers. In similar to the way that spark ignition works a collapsing magnetic field around a coil will induce a current. The other concern is speed of switching such that an inverter in parallel to grid carrying a portion of a load does not respond fast enough when load goes away and the level of production feeds back to grid. Example grid is carrying 100w of a 400w load, the grid tie is carrying 300w. The load shuts off and the grid and inverter has to balance out remaining loads. During this time the grid tie can export.
Ok so lemme wrap my head around this as a test procedure large inductive load on the aio, drop grid tie, drop load, measure input of aio with loads on that input circuit? I'll have to fit a twin pole on the AIO radial I guess but it should be possible to attempt atleast
Mines always in sub I think it's worth experimenting anyway even if the data has already been proven.
So are you saying there is no way to have grid assist or blending or whatever nomenclature AND not have the potential to backfeed?
Correct.
Just disconnect AC input from whatever inverter you want to use. Then hook a separate charger, like an EG4 Chargeverter onto your DC bus. Connect the charger to your grid AC. Now you can't backfeed, you have a dedicated, safe to use, 5000watt converted to DC grid feed. Only becomes an issue if 5000 watts, plus whatevers in your battery at the time isn't enough to power the loads of the inverter.
I'm pretty sure I want SBU mode as I want to limit the power from the grid. Are you saying if I get an off-grid and use SBU mode that I would have no risk of export?
Presumably, if it's designed properly and working correctly, yes. Safer to not have any AC hooked up to it at all though, and just use a Chargeverter if you are super paranoid about it.
I think I can visualize what you're saying. This is that double conversion thing. So the charger would charge the battery using grid power and my inverter would take that power as necessary for my loads. My only limitation would be how much power my inverter can supply on the AC out side.
No risk of exporting, in SBU mode. The inverter is never in parallel with the grid.
I would be interested in how it turns out. Theory and in practice are not always equal.
Right. You are limited to whatever your inverter can actually generate, AC wise. The plus side is, you have a 100% always on UPS.. with zero switchover time. You also get to use solar and batteries all the time that they are available, regardless of what tiny amount of it is available.
