Can Solar Assistant control Dry Contacts on (Growatt) Inverter?

[magnet creek]

I just Installed SA 2 days ago and love the interface and the functionality. Not going back to the Growatt server page or Shine anytime soon.

I have a question. It looks like Solar Assitant can change a lot of settings in the Inverter, but is there a way to get SA to open and close the Dry Contact at certain settings (like SOC<40%)?

I know you can set these values (12&13) in the Growatt Inverter, but the logic in the Inverter does not seem to work (It closes the NO contact at SOC<40% but opens the dry contact again as soon as there is Generator Power)

 

[timselectric]

I know you can set these values (12&13) in the Growatt Inverter, but the logic in the Inverter does not seem to work (It closes the NO contact at SOC<40% but opens the dry contact again as soon as there is Generator Power)

I'm not sure why yours is doing that. Mine works correctly.

 

[Brett V]

What are your voltages in 12 & 13 set at? What size is your battery? What priority setting are you using? SBU or SUB?

 

[timselectric]

What do you have #13 and #14 set at?
And #1?

 

[magnet creek]

#1 SBU
#12 40% (LI)
#13 80%

2x200AH 48V LiPO battery

I realize now that I do not know what value I set for #14 ( Charger source priority: ) Does that need to be set to any specific value for the dry contact to work properly?
I was going to check remotely, but I lost power this afternoon due to a snowstorm here in the PNW and Starlink is offline and I am no longer on site. Note to self: Invest in a separate UPS to keep Starlink up when the power goes down. I am going to wait for the storm to pass and hopefully there is less than 3ft of snow to dig out..... Solar Panels do not charge that well if they are covered in snow..

 

[timselectric]

I realize now that I do not know what value I set for #14 ( Charger source priority: ) Does that need to be set to any specific value for the dry contact to work properly?

It matters for charging. But doesn't have anything to do with dry contact operation.

 

[timselectric]

Another thing that can revert the dry contacts. Is reaching float stage on the charger.
What are your settings for #19 and #20?

Are you sure that the dry contacts are reverting?
Could the generator be shutting down for a different reason?

 

[magnet creek]

Thanks, @timselectric, I will look at #19 and #20, but I though they only mattered if a User defined charge profile is chosen in setting #5 and I am on LI. The generator is brand spanking new so doubt that that's the issue, but I'll measure resistance on the two wires next time (If I can even get to the site with all this snow).

 

[timselectric]

I will look at #19 and #20, but I though they only mattered if a User defined charge profile is chosen in setting #5 and I am on LI.

They always matter. You just have no control over them, with BMS communications connected.

 

[magnet creek]

The question remains whether Solar Assistant is able to control the dry contact settings.
My assumption is that they can write values on all fields/values that can be set in the settings page you see on the US.server page.
The Dry contact setting does not seem a value you can set individually; that logic is dicated by other settings, so I assume SA cannot directly set the dry contact settings.
Would love to hear confirmation on that.

It drives me crazy that the settings that can be changed via the Growatt server page do not line up with the settings in the menu on the inverter itself.
Does anybody know where to find documentation on the Growatt inverter settings that can be set via the server page access?

 

[timselectric]

Solar Assistant can change the settings that control the dry contacts.
But it can't directly control the dry contacts.
Which is why we are trying to figure out why the dry contacts aren't functioning as expected.

 

[magnet creek]

I am not getting nearer to any sort of understanding of how my Growatt inverter actually works it looks like.
If I look at the Screen on my Inverter the settings that should trigger the Dry Contact are
#1 SBU
#12 40%
#13 80%

If I look at the Inverter Config Page in Solar Assistant, it shows values of 0% for "Back to battery capacity" as well as " To Grid battery capacity". I THINK those mean the same thing right?

Back to Battery capacity = Setting #13 (Setting voltage point back to battery mode)
To Grid battery capacity = Setting #12. (Setting voltage point back to utility source)

Any idea where this discrepancy comes from?

 

[timselectric]

Do you have more than one Growatt?

 

[magnet creek]

Yes, But not connected and only one is running SA

 

[timselectric]

Strange, that the information is not showing up on SA.