zanydroid
Solar Wizard
What is the AWG on this branch circuit/feeders to the service? The voltage drop on grid tie inverter output circuits shows up as a rise at the inverter
New Install Solar Edge 3800A with S440
- Thread starter Chyguy1
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Chyguy1
New Member
12 AWG from Inverter to Meter/panel. 4/0 to Utility transformer
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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Mine also have a settable wattage limit. One I picked up was set at around 80% of nameplate power.
Not sure, but Ethernet comms might be used in mine to dynamically change that value, to implement zero or limited export.
Apparently updated to NVM on occasion.
Whatever you're experiencing right now is probably operator error. I'm sure the company's products normally come up delivering the proper amount of power. It is just their reliability record that concerns me.
I've been happy with SMA. But they've recently discontinued some products, new model isn't available yet, and looks like price will be up significantly, especially compared to the street price previous model had been going for.
Here in California, only battery systems will make sense for new installs. You're probably aware if such rule changes are on the horizon in NJ.
Not sure, but Ethernet comms might be used in mine to dynamically change that value, to implement zero or limited export.
Apparently updated to NVM on occasion.
Whatever you're experiencing right now is probably operator error. I'm sure the company's products normally come up delivering the proper amount of power. It is just their reliability record that concerns me.
I've been happy with SMA. But they've recently discontinued some products, new model isn't available yet, and looks like price will be up significantly, especially compared to the street price previous model had been going for.
Here in California, only battery systems will make sense for new installs. You're probably aware if such rule changes are on the horizon in NJ.
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Chyguy1
New Member
Yeah, I heard a lot of bad things about solar edge but i figured i’d give it a shot.
Definitely feel like it’s on my end. I’ve been going at this for three days. I started from over from scratch at one point.. disconnected everything, tested everything, factory reset the inverter. The whole thing. I know this comes up as a common topic. what Happens if i hook this up with optimizers ? will it just not turn on? I know it says “ALL PV MODULES MUST HAVE POWER OPTIMIZERS” kinda wanna try it. Especially when i’m any second from ripping this off the side of my house.
Yeah, NJ is the Little California at this point. Batteries just make me nervous. Could just be my ignorance about them. i Don’t install them here …Yet.
zanydroid
Solar Wizard
Probably will draw very little power with no optimizers installed. There's no MPPT in a SolarEdge inverter so it doesn't know how to deal with the power curve on a bare solar panel.
Chyguy1
New Member
Good To Know. Always curious about that.
400bird
Solar Wizard
You said you tested the optimizers before installation. What was that procedure?
What is the string voltage when the sun is up but inverter off? Should be 1 volt per optimizer.
Can you double check you've got the string wired up correctly? It would be hard to have some panels/optimizers hooked up reverse polarity, but I think it's worth double checking.
It's probably also work triple checking for bad connections through the entire string.
At this point, I think your right, it's operator error, but considering your experience it may be you have a faulty inverter. If, after double checking everything, you still don't find anything, I'd ask Solar Edge for some warranty replacement parts.
What is the string voltage when the sun is up but inverter off? Should be 1 volt per optimizer.
Can you double check you've got the string wired up correctly? It would be hard to have some panels/optimizers hooked up reverse polarity, but I think it's worth double checking.
It's probably also work triple checking for bad connections through the entire string.
At this point, I think your right, it's operator error, but considering your experience it may be you have a faulty inverter. If, after double checking everything, you still don't find anything, I'd ask Solar Edge for some warranty replacement parts.
Chyguy1
New Member
So first I check for Ohms on the input and output sides on the optimizer. according to Solar edge, if under 100ohms, replace. All tested above.
Next I connected the panel to the optimizer. While the sun was hitting panel, I tested output voltage. All fell with range. all read 1.01Vdc.
Next I hooked them all together and tested total output, which came to 14.1Vdc.
Only thing I will say is that at inverter I'm getting 15.4Vdc. Solar edge told me that could be due to wire size from inverter to first opt. I used 10AWG from inverter to Opt about 25 ft.
I ended up remaking connections with new MC4 and was still reading 15.4. All optimizers are reporting correctly and all proper voltages/ Amps for S440.
400bird
Solar Wizard
Ok, I thought maybe you had some way to function test the optimizers. Checking for shorts is a good idea.
That's odd, I don't know what higher voltage means, if anything.
Mine doesn't do that. When I had 20 panels/optimizers it was pretty close to 20 volts. Now with 24 panels/optimizers it shows roughly 24 volts.
I was sort of hoping you'd say 12 volts from your 14 optimizers, or something similar.
Given all your testing, I'd request a warranty replacement from Solar Edge. It doesn't make sense what's going on.
When you did the factor reset. Did you try just connecting the panels, pairing the optimizers and turning it on? Not messing with any settings?
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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Wire gauge isn't going to affect voltage at zero amps.
Capacitor in inverter could change voltage read from DC/DC circuit that has ripple, if that is how they deliver 1V.
Can you reduce number in series until the wattage output decreases? (Binary search reduces number of steps.)
Determine if that matches expected watts from that number of panels, or if you dropped below minimum voltage.
Thus far, removing a panel has maintained same output, correct? Starting to look like optimizers are working, but inverter is capping output.
Removing many would confirm this.
Capacitor in inverter could change voltage read from DC/DC circuit that has ripple, if that is how they deliver 1V.
Can you reduce number in series until the wattage output decreases? (Binary search reduces number of steps.)
Determine if that matches expected watts from that number of panels, or if you dropped below minimum voltage.
Thus far, removing a panel has maintained same output, correct? Starting to look like optimizers are working, but inverter is capping output.
Removing many would confirm this.
Chyguy1
New Member
Thats something that is bothering me. Cause everyone says however many panels is the voltage.. but solar edge is telling me ok.
Solar edge is telling me all is operating normally. one tech said i should add another string of 14 and ill get the Kw out of it lol. dude must have been just hired and no experience with solar.
When i did factory reset. i messed with settings again. Thats a good idea though. Might do this.
Chyguy1
New Member
So when the tech told me string was over sized by 80 Watts. I removed 1 panel. my Voltage on string topside was 13.1 but readying 14.4 at inverter.
I did play around with disconnecting each panel and no matter what I was always 1Vdc higher.
I didnt do that but when the sun comes out tomorrow, Im gonna hookup the Minimum amount of power opts on a string and see what happens.
First Im gonna disconnect the existing solar so that there is no other backfeed. Also gonna run my double oven electric stove. (pulls about 9000 Watts.)
zanydroid
Solar Wizard
I interpreted your previous message as saying you also tested the panels before putting them into the optimizer.
Do you have something recording and plotting voltage at the panel side of the inverter circuit, as you change stuff? Besides the voltage monitoring reported by the SE.
Chyguy1
New Member
Yeah. Panels were tested i
I have a sense monitor that feeds me info like high and low voltages.
Chyguy1
New Member
So the sun peaked its head out for a little. I jumped on the roof and cleared the snow off the panels.
Reconfigured some of the settings that Hedges attached to the one post. My system wasnt configured to USA31 or 34. So i Changed that.
Also some of the Active power control numbers P(v) were not correct.
I am past peak sun with some clouds and the system was hitting 2.7Kw. Highest number since installed. Hoping it was something stupid like this. Will find out tomorrow. Its gonna be a nice sun day.
Reconfigured some of the settings that Hedges attached to the one post. My system wasnt configured to USA31 or 34. So i Changed that.
Also some of the Active power control numbers P(v) were not correct.
I am past peak sun with some clouds and the system was hitting 2.7Kw. Highest number since installed. Hoping it was something stupid like this. Will find out tomorrow. Its gonna be a nice sun day.
Chyguy1
New Member
Update.
Still only hitting 2.66 Kw at peak. I turned off other system, turned on almost everything in my house.
All Panels are hitting 190-200. One is hitting 212w.
however adding them up is close to 2800watts. System only giving me 2600.
panels and system are still under performing. Don’t know what else to do. Messed with settings yesterday. hit 2.7kw off peak, Had hope but must have just been luck.
Generating good Kw overall but I Think at this point i’m gonna get rid of solar edge.
Still only hitting 2.66 Kw at peak. I turned off other system, turned on almost everything in my house.
All Panels are hitting 190-200. One is hitting 212w.
however adding them up is close to 2800watts. System only giving me 2600.
panels and system are still under performing. Don’t know what else to do. Messed with settings yesterday. hit 2.7kw off peak, Had hope but must have just been luck.
Generating good Kw overall but I Think at this point i’m gonna get rid of solar edge.
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400bird
Solar Wizard
Sounds frustrating, I've never heard of anyone having an issue like this with Solar Edge. There aren't many Solar Edge installs here, so that's not a great data point.
Did you buy this all new? If so, request some warranty replacements from SE. If not, maybe there's a reason they were being sold...
I just punched your array into PVwatts. It should hit 3500 ish at something like 10 am, then drops down for the afternoon.
Can you post your daily graphs?
Did you buy this all new? If so, request some warranty replacements from SE. If not, maybe there's a reason they were being sold...
I just punched your array into PVwatts. It should hit 3500 ish at something like 10 am, then drops down for the afternoon.
Can you post your daily graphs?
Chyguy1
New Member
yeah, All New products. Will they give me warranty replacement when they are telling me nothing is wrong on their end?
Yeah That’s what i was showing too.
here are the days where i had mostly sun. I just installed this system last week. This is all the data i have.
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Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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If short string delivers same watts to grid, operates PV panels closer to MPP. But long string doesn't deliver any more power, just harvests less per PV panel, that proves inverter is throttling output.
A-B-A-B-A-B comparison several times in the middle of the day without clouds would be pretty conclusive.
Chyguy1
New Member
Good Morning
So I messed around with this thing Yesterday. I hooked up only 8 panels just to see what would happen. Maybe id get the full potential out of each one. that didnt happen. Barely hit 1000 watts total.
Then i thought about it. If the system wants to keep everything at 380 Vdc with 6 amps, what if i connect 2 rows of 7 in series parallel..
the voltage will still be 380 but ill double my amps.
Didnt work. still regulating the 380v at 6 amps. As of right now (10am EST) I am getting 2.68kW with this configuration
What if I run 2 separate strings of 8? (Ill have to get 2 more panels due to the POs needing min of 8)
Anybody wanna buy this equipment off me for pennies on the dollar? lol
So I messed around with this thing Yesterday. I hooked up only 8 panels just to see what would happen. Maybe id get the full potential out of each one. that didnt happen. Barely hit 1000 watts total.
Then i thought about it. If the system wants to keep everything at 380 Vdc with 6 amps, what if i connect 2 rows of 7 in series parallel..
the voltage will still be 380 but ill double my amps.
Didnt work. still regulating the 380v at 6 amps. As of right now (10am EST) I am getting 2.68kW with this configuration
What if I run 2 separate strings of 8? (Ill have to get 2 more panels due to the POs needing min of 8)
Anybody wanna buy this equipment off me for pennies on the dollar? lol
Chyguy1
New Member
Oh also I had one error code which im not sure what it means. Never seen it before. it showed up on 2/15 just once.
Grid line to Neutral over Voltage Fault
Grid line to Neutral over Voltage Fault
400bird
Solar Wizard
The fault means exactly what it says. One line to neutral measured high voltage. I'd check the neutral connection.
400bird
Solar Wizard
If you want to ship the inverter to California (and back) I can hook it up to a (12 x 325) 3900 watt string or two, for a test.
I'm surprised Solar Edge isn't any help. But, they may need to see more sunny days to gather good data.
I'm surprised Solar Edge isn't any help. But, they may need to see more sunny days to gather good data.
Chyguy1
New Member
I am not opposed. Ill see what estimated cost is. Guessing you would need POs too.
I am also thinking i might buy a SE3800H Wave HD. Seen some open box ones on ebay for cheap. Just to see if there is a difference
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