Growatt SPF 5000ES firmware update

[radurus]

The increasing slope is more aggressive on the older FW. 40.05.A09 but the production dome is limited at the top because of 18A limitation.
I cannot figure out what caused the power drop at 10:00. I have to observe today it it happens because of the load.
If it happens again, there is no point to stay with the older fw and I will switch to the 2022 version (40.06) and take care about the load variation.

Based on the production numbers, it looks almost the same but it is not in perfect conditions.

Last 30 days​

	Load	Solar PV	Battery charged	Battery discharged	Grid used	Grid exported
Oct 21	5.2 kWh	9.0 kWh	4.4 kWh	1.9 kWh	0 kWh	0 kWh
Oct 20	29.9 kWh	29.6 kWh	7.8 kWh	10.2 kWh	0 kWh	0 kWh
Oct 19	21.4 kWh	26.9 kWh	9.3 kWh	5.1 kWh	0.0 kWh	0 kWh
Oct 18	24.7 kWh	30.0 kWh	10.1 kWh	6.4 kWh	0 kWh	0 kWh
Oct 17	28.6 kWh	30.4 kWh	9.1 kWh	9.2 kWh	0 kWh	0 kWh
Oct 16	26.7 kWh	30.9 kWh	8.1 kWh	5.7 kWh	0 kWh	0 kWh
Oct 15	28.6 kWh	30.9 kWh	6.8 kWh	5.8 kWh	0 kWh	0 kWh

Edit:
It seems the fw 40.05.A09 throttles down too in specific conditions.
I just tested having 4.3kw PV power and jump the load from 3.1 to 4.6kw.
The PV power dropped for few seconds to 3.6kw.
I will load the version 40.05.701 when I have time.

 

[lifebatteryonthego]

Hello guys

My SPF 5000 ES is with new comm board but I have this firmware so as rudurus mentioned I want to try 40/41.05


I feel like mine is limited to 18A and have the throttling issues etc so want to try other firmware so would it be safe to use other driver for this new comm board and try 40/41.05.

 

[skylink]

It looks like all has gone pretty silent here.

 

[radurus]

Right now I am doing fw downgrade to version 40/41.05.619 which was initially on the inverter when bought.

One thought just crossed my mind.
Wouldn't be possible to do some combination of fw?
I mean to use 40.05.619 for MCU (which does not throttle) and 41.06.104 for MPPT (which has 22A limit)

 

[skylink]

Right now I am doing fw downgrade to version 40/41.05.619 which was initially on the inverter when bought.

One thought just crossed my mind.
Wouldn't be possible to do some combination of fw?
I mean to use 40.05.619 for MCU (which does not throttle) and 41.06.104 for MPPT (which has 22A limit)

Sounds like that may be an option, I am not sure where the override of the 18amps takes place. when these units first arrived on the market not one of them worked in SUB mode, I only got involved after they had been on the market for almost 2 years , and that was around Nov 2020, spent a lot of time fighting with the factory telling them that as soon as the battery got to 100% the unit would not use solar,they thought I was crazy these units have been sold for over 18 months, anyway I got them to put a unit in the R&D dept and Do the test and not long after that they said OMG you right, it took them about a month or so to sort out a working firmware, however, had seen some posts on the forums a few months later some guys also trying to figure what the problem was, and some had tried to upgrade the firmware, but did only one of the bin files, could clearly see on the display the two bin files had not been done, advised them to redo the firmware with both files and they were happy, so I know the unit will work with two different versions as you suggest, problem is with this crowd they will not release the "change log" for the firmware, so you never know what has been fixed or .....broken

 

[sunsboy]

The increasing slope is more aggressive on the older FW. 40.05.A09 but the production dome is limited at the top because of 18A limitation.
I cannot figure out what caused the power drop at 10:00. I have to observe today it it happens because of the load.
If it happens again, there is no point to stay with the older fw and I will switch to the 2022 version (40.06) and take care about the load variation.

Based on the production numbers, it looks almost the same but it is not in perfect conditions.

Last 30 days​

	Load	Solar PV	Battery charged	Battery discharged	Grid used	Grid exported
Oct 21	5.2 kWh	9.0 kWh	4.4 kWh	1.9 kWh	0 kWh	0 kWh
Oct 20	29.9 kWh	29.6 kWh	7.8 kWh	10.2 kWh	0 kWh	0 kWh
Oct 19	21.4 kWh	26.9 kWh	9.3 kWh	5.1 kWh	0.0 kWh	0 kWh
Oct 18	24.7 kWh	30.0 kWh	10.1 kWh	6.4 kWh	0 kWh	0 kWh
Oct 17	28.6 kWh	30.4 kWh	9.1 kWh	9.2 kWh	0 kWh	0 kWh
Oct 16	26.7 kWh	30.9 kWh	8.1 kWh	5.7 kWh	0 kWh	0 kWh
Oct 15	28.6 kWh	30.9 kWh	6.8 kWh	5.8 kWh	0 kWh	0 kWh

Edit:
It seems the fw 40.05.A09 throttles down too in specific conditions.
I just tested having 4.3kw PV power and jump the load from 3.1 to 4.6kw.
The PV power dropped for few seconds to 3.6kw.
I will load the version 40.05.701 when I have time.

What is this monitoring software you got the graph from?

 

[radurus]

It is solarAssistant.

Real-time solar monitoring from a Raspberry Pi | SolarAssistant Software

Real-time charts, analytics and power management from via a Raspberry pi - the most powerful, cost effective device on the planet.

solar-assistant.io

 

[B-Mod]

It is solarAssistant.

Real-time solar monitoring from a Raspberry Pi | SolarAssistant Software

Real-time charts, analytics and power management from via a Raspberry pi - the most powerful, cost effective device on the planet.

solar-assistant.io

How many inverters do you have running on solar assistant. I have 5 and I can't get them to work. I know another guy who can't get them connected either. Everytime solar production ramps up over 14k, SA locks up. SA is no help. In fact they will not answer emails now. They did tell me they have other users with the same issue, but now have gone silent. Their product is useless to me now.

 

[radurus]

Just one inverter and 3xpylontech.
I know some guys with 2 inverters paralel.

I do not need so much power.
I am ok with 5kw, maybe 8kw.

 

[B-Mod]

Just one inverter and 3xpylontech.
I know some guys with 2 inverters paralel.

I do not need so much power.
I am ok with 5kw, maybe 8kw.

I tried and bought all solutions they tried to come up with, hubs, power blockers for usb, no help. I am down to only my smartshunt from victron plugged in, waste of my time and money right now.

 

[radurus]

I announce you I flashed successfully this evening the inverter with
MPPT fw 41.06.104
CPU fw 40.05.619

Let's see the next day how it works.

 

[skylink]

I announce you I flashed successfully this evening the inverter with
MPPT fw 41.06.104
CPU fw 40.05.619

Let's see the next day how it works.

Ok good one, will be nice to see the results, depending on the weather being good

 

[radurus]

Tested today because it was sunny.
That "throttling" is really annoying andvI did not see any MPPT current over 17A.
It is possible the 22A limitation is in the MCU firmware.
I labeled in my mind the file F030 as MPPT fw because that's what I have read somewhere.
It may or may not be true.

I switched the versions in between.
41.05
&
40.06

Let's check the next days how it behaves.

 

[skylink]

Tested today because it was sunny.
That "throttling" is really annoying andvI did not see any MPPT current over 17A.
It is possible the 22A limitation is in the MCU firmware.
I labeled in my mind the file F030 as MPPT fw because that's what I have read somewhere.
It may or may not be true.

I switched the versions in between.
41.05
&
40.06

Let's check the next days how it behaves.

I wonder if you not expecting too much from your setup? You have 6000w PV given the 375 X 16 thats @ STD ratings, given the NOCT ratings you would only at a guess have maybe 4500w PV, now if anyone quoted you a solar install they would be looking at these values and tell you that you will be saving around 21kwh/per day, 5250w X 4 hours. STD+NOCT/2 giving say 5250w, I see you are getting up to 30kwh per day, very good going I would say, and the reason you not seeing 20+ amps is due to your voltage being maybe 80-90 volts higher than those that only have 12 panels, the guys with 12 panels are running around the 220vdc mark under load and you at a guess around 280vdc hence you amps being lower. what part of the world are you in? it does look like your inverter is doing well, let me know what you think.

 

[radurus]

As you have figured out, I can say the setup outputs easily 5500-6000w peak in sunny days.
I can prove with cloud data.

Highest power peaks are on April and May (favorable angle, cool ambient temperature)

So that NOCT/STD matter is discutable.
STD specs are rated @1000W/mp while NOCT (NMOT) are @ 800W/mp

 

[skylink]

As you have figured out, I can say the setup outputs easily 5500-6000w peak in sunny days.
I can prove with cloud data.

Highest power peaks are on April and May (favorable angle, cool ambient temperature)

So that NOCT/STD matter is discutable.
STD specs are rated @1000W/mp while NOCT (NMOT) are @ 800W/mp

To me your setup it doing very well mate.

 

[lifebatteryonthego]

I also had 6kw in summer until september I think but now I can't go over 4500w...somehow inverter throttles or voltage of panels drops from 310v to 250-280v so I hit amp limit etc.
I had before Epver Charge Controller so I can't be sure if its now angle of panels and winter time coming or just this Growatt SPF 5000ES can't do its job 100% since its integrated with MPPT Charger.

 

[skylink]

I also had 6kw in summer until september I think but now I can't go over 4500w...somehow inverter throttles or voltage of panels drops from 310v to 250-280v so I hit amp limit etc.
I had before Epver Charge Controller so I can't be sure if its now angle of panels and winter time coming or just this Growatt SPF 5000ES can't do its job 100% since its integrated with MPPT Charger.

Sure the winter and angle of panels can downgrade performance, I have a mate down the road from me with a Sunsynk Max 16kW unit that is always under full load 3 mppt each with 5520w, I have his login details, and can monitor his system, I have the SPF5000ES with 4980w and during the day I will compare what any one of his mppt's are doing and then check how mine compares to his and they both doing about the same within a few watts at times he is a little higher or a little lower, given that he has 460w mono perc and I have 415 mono perc, I would expect him to be
doing better, but not.

So I think this little inverter is doing pretty well.

 

[remus74]

I have one more problem with my Growatt SPF 5000 ES. Every now and then I see very high energy consumption between 15,000 - 20,000W on the energy chart. Certainly at this time I do not download so much because I do not have devices that can charge so much on the AC side. I have 11 Jinko 455W panels with a voltage of 41.33V connected. Everything works fine but every now and then these increases worry me. Is it dangerous for the inverter. Whether it is a problem on the inverter or recorder side.
I have the software 067 and 068.

 

[skylink]

I have one more problem with my Growatt SPF 5000 ES. Every now and then I see very high energy consumption between 15,000 - 20,000W on the energy chart. Certainly at this time I do not download so much because I do not have devices that can charge so much on the AC side. I have 11 Jinko 455W panels with a voltage of 41.33V connected. Everything works fine but every now and then these increases worry me. Is it dangerous for the inverter. Whether it is a problem on the inverter or recorder side.
I have the software 067 and 068.

Things look crazy here , but tell me about your panels you say 11 ? how are these wired?

 

[radurus]

It is datalogger error.

 

[remus74]

Rzeczy wyglądają tu szaleńczo , ale powiedz mi o swoich panelach , mówisz 11 ? jak te są podłączone?

The panels are connected in series in one string. The power grid is connected to the inverter. I don't have a battery.

 

[remus74]

It is datalogger error.

There is some advice for this. Maybe the internet is too weak.

 

[skylink]

Panele są połączone szeregowo w jeden ciąg.

This inverter would like the voltage to be no more than 405v and you must be over the 450vdc mark, buy another panel and do 2s6p or remove one and do 2s5p , you will kill the unit if left as is.

 

[remus74]

This inverter would like the voltage to be no more than 405v and you must be over the 450vdc mark, buy another panel and do 2s6p or remove one and do 2s5p , you will kill the unit if left as is.

But my PV system has 11 panels with a total voltage of 11 * 41 = 451V but it is actually 445V (inverter max. 450VDC) and power 5005W. The maximum I was using from PV was 3100W and the average is 1000-2000W. The easiest way for me is to test one panel off and leave 10 panels on one string. I will see how the inverter will behave then.
Does the Growatt SPF 5000 ES have 2 x MPPT?
These load spikes are like the sun is no longer shining.