New Lux Power LXP-LB-US 12k / GSL-H-12KLV-US with 200A AC Passthrough Current (US Market)

[fromport]

If anyone has the updated firmware on a grid-tie setup + clamp meter, could you please confirm idle power usage with PV disconnected and no charge/discharge activity? I measure 1.09A, which is the same as what was reported earlier in the thread. I'm wondering if newer firmware improves this. GSL support says it "is actually not that high", but the external meter doesn't lie...

power = amp x volts x power factor
240 volt x 1.09 amp would be 261.6 watt if the power factor is 1.
We don't know if that is the case.
I don't have the equipment to measure that.
if the _idle_ powerfactor is 0.5 it would only be 131 watts which would be reasonable imo

 

[elusivesd]

power = amp x volts x power factor
240 volt x 1.09 amp would be 261.6 watt if the power factor is 1.
We don't know if that is the case.
I don't have the equipment to measure that.
if the _idle_ powerfactor is 0.5 it would only be 131 watts which would be reasonable imo

Good point - I can test this tonight as my whole house metering does report power factor. I will need to shut off every other breaker in the process, which should be fun... I might as well label my breakers while I'm at it.
However, I do notice an average change of ~200W+ (pf already accounted for, reading from main meter/how I get billed) when the inverter breaker is switched off/on, which is what prompted me to check the circuit independently to begin with.

 

[fromport]

Good point - I can test this tonight as my whole house metering does report power factor. I will need to shut off every other breaker in the process, which should be fun... I might as well label my breakers while I'm at it.
However, I do notice an average change of ~200W+ (pf already accounted for, reading from main meter/how I get billed) when the inverter breaker is switched off/on, which is what prompted me to check the circuit independently to begin with.

That would be interesting experiment! thanks for willing to do that in advance.
When I look at the power graphs:
After sunset it shows it is using up to 90+ watts that is at that point imported from the grid and then suddenly it seems to go into deep sleep mode after about 1 hr or something.
Keep that in mind when you are measuring.

 

[elusivesd]

Hey @fromport - you're exactly right! Very interesting measurements from my initial test...

All breakers on:

• Real power: 581W
• Power factor: 0.63
• Apparent power: 933VA
• Phase angle: 317
• Clamp meter on inverter L1: 1.09A

All breakers off, except inverter and router circuit:

• Real Power: 120W
• Power factor: 0.29(!)
• Apparent power: 398VA
• Phase angle: 300
• Clamp meter on inverter L1: 1.09A

All breakers off, except router circuit:

• Real power: 113W
• Power Factor: 0.70
• Apparent power: 164VA
• Phase angle: 325
• Clamp meter on inverter L1: 0A

Note - as I require access to the network for data capture, I had to leave the router breaker on. I will repeat this soon with the router on battery for full isolation. The actual power factor of the inverter alone during standby is likely even lower.

Despite the 1.09A "idle" reading on the clamp meter, true wattage is far less than I would have ever predicted.

 

[fromport]

Hey @fromport - you're exactly right! Very interesting measurements from my initial test...

All breakers on:

• Real power: 581W
• Power factor: 0.63
• Apparent power: 933VA
• Phase angle: 317
• Clamp meter on inverter L1: 1.09A

All breakers off, except inverter and router circuit:

• Real Power: 120W
• Power factor: 0.29(!)
• Apparent power: 398VA
• Phase angle: 300
• Clamp meter on inverter L1: 1.09A

All breakers off, except router circuit:

• Real power: 113W
• Power Factor: 0.70
• Apparent power: 164VA
• Phase angle: 325
• Clamp meter on inverter L1: 0A

Note - as I require access to the network for data capture, I had to leave the router breaker on. I will repeat this soon with the router on battery for full isolation. The actual power factor of the inverter alone during standby is likely even lower.

Despite the 1.09A "idle" reading on the clamp meter, true wattage is far less than I would have ever predicted.

Thank you so much for testing this.
That is excellent news for all owners.
I am getting more positive about these devices as I learn.
What equipment do you use to measure that if I may ask?

 

[elusivesd]

Thank you so much for testing this.
That is excellent news for all owners.
I am getting more positive about these devices as I learn.
What equipment do you use to measure that if I may ask?

The main part is a “CircuitSetup” energy meter, which is basically a fancy ADC which performs near-realtime energy calculations. This communicates over SPI to an ESP32 running custom code to read/parse data, which then publishes to webserver and RS485/Modbus RTU accurately simulating an Eastron SDM630 modbus meter. Yes, this is how my LP inverter receives power information in place of its own CT clamps.

 

[fromport]

The main part is a “CircuitSetup” energy meter, which is basically a fancy ADC which performs near-realtime energy calculations. This communicates over SPI to an ESP32 running custom code to read/parse data, which then publishes to webserver and RS485/Modbus RTU accurately simulating an Eastron SDM630 modbus meter. Yes, this is how my LP inverter receives power information in place of its own CT clamps.

This one ?

Split Single Phase Real Time Whole House Energy Meter v1.4

The CircuitSetup ATM90E32 Split Single Phase Energy Meter can monitor the energy usage in your entire home in real time. It can easily be hooked up to an ESP8266 or ESP32 to wirelessly transmit ene…

circuitsetup.us

 

[elusivesd]

This one ?

Split Single Phase Real Time Whole House Energy Meter v1.4

The CircuitSetup ATM90E32 Split Single Phase Energy Meter can monitor the energy usage in your entire home in real time. It can easily be hooked up to an ESP8266 or ESP32 to wirelessly transmit ene…

circuitsetup.us

Yep, that’s the one. I was going to make my own, but for a one off, this makes far more sense.

 

[summit]

Hey @fromport - you're exactly right! Very interesting measurements from my initial test...

All breakers on:

• Real power: 581W
• Power factor: 0.63
• Apparent power: 933VA
• Phase angle: 317
• Clamp meter on inverter L1: 1.09A

Despite the 1.09A "idle" reading on the clamp meter, true wattage is far less than I would have ever predicted.

so the GS idle draw is 261.6-watt x 0.63PF => ~ 165-watt then ?

 

[fromport]

so the GS idle draw is 261.6-watt x 0.63PF => ~ 165-watt then ?

Would kind of be confirmed by these numbers.
I currently only have PV & grid hooked up and it is just exporting to the grid
This is the moment before it starts exporting:

133 watt from PV is being all consumed by the inverter.

Next moment on the graph:

293 generated by PV and by that time it exports and own usage is down to 44 watt.

So idle draw of the inverter of 131-165 watt seems fairly reasonable imo

 

[elusivesd]

The 0.63 power factor is for my entire house. Will need to repeat this test with the inverter fully isolated for proper numbers during the day while inverting, and at night during standby.

 

[fromport]

The 0.63 power factor is for my entire house. Will need to repeat this test with the inverter fully isolated for proper numbers during the day while inverting, and at night during standby.

I gathered some more info from yesterday.
According to my LP my PV generated 16.2 kWh yesterday.

The inverter exported to the grid 15.2 kWh

So 1.1 kWh was last during inverting ?
That would be 94.4% efficient
But there is another reading:

Energy inverter.
15.4 is between input from PV (16.1) and output to the grid (15.2)
Anyone have any idea what that value could be and if we somehow distract 2 values and we can assume the inverter itself used 0.2 kWh in 24 Hours?

 

[elusivesd]

Does the new bar start at midnight? Maybe we can see if it starts counting without any generation.

 

[fromport]

Does the new bar start at midnight? Maybe we can see if it starts counting without any generation.

There is an export of DATA available on the webpage of the monitoring website of LP.
I did a screen shot from the XLS file

basically everything zero till sun rise

 

[Hrschk]

My system working really well now and I am confident enough in it to leave the grid on. I'm out of town right now with my two exotic kitties at home, so I felt like I needed to leave the central heating system on while away. It's taking the appropriate amount of power out of the batteries and supplementing with the utility grid. And, no reports saying it was feeding back into the utility grid like before. Seems like one of the CTs had the arrow stickers pointing the wrong way, but the other one was correct. Finally got it sorted out. Super happy with the performance of this inverter, especially as compared with the megarevo I had previously.

 

[fromport]

My system working really well now and I am confident enough in it to leave the grid on. I'm out of town right now with my two exotic kitties at home, so I felt like I needed to leave the central heating system on while away. It's taking the appropriate amount of power out of the batteries and supplementing with the utility grid. And, no reports saying it was feeding back into the utility grid like before. Seems like one of the CTs had the arrow stickers pointing the wrong way, but the other one was correct. Finally got it sorted out. Super happy with the performance of this inverter, especially as compared with the megarevo I had previously.

Congrats. I agree that the unit is much more advanced than the MR. I now have both and within limits I am still happy with the MR as well.
Both are a lot cheaper than name brands etc. I see your url is still using "server.lux*" mine has switched to "na.lux" which I assume is the server for North America. I lost my old data when I was transferred though

 

[Hrschk]

Congrats. I agree that the unit is much more advanced than the MR. I now have both and within limits I am still happy with the MR as well.
Both are a lot cheaper than name brands etc. I see your url is still using "server.lux*" mine has switched to "na.lux" which I assume is the server for North America. I lost my old data when I was transferred though

I wouldn't mind losing part of my old data since the utility grid data was wildly inacurate

 

[elusivesd]

Speaking of data capture, does anyone know how to enable encryption on the SSID it broadcasts? Having an AP with no authentication, while also joined to my WiFi network sounds like a recipe for disaster.

 

[fromport]

Speaking of data capture, does anyone know how to enable encryption on the SSID it broadcasts? Having an AP with no authentication, while also joined to my WiFi network sounds like a recipe for disaster.

In the AP point you can either choose for encryption


When you switch to "enable" it will ask for a password.
If you forgot to change the admin password, it will actually show the password to connect to your (encrypted) ssid
I changed the admin password to not "admin" and disabled the AP all together


from "AP and station" to "Station Mode"

 

[elusivesd]

In the AP point you can either choose for encryption

View attachment 121667
When you switch to "enable" it will ask for a password.
If you forgot to change the admin password, it will actually show the password to connect to your (encrypted) ssid
I changed the admin password to not "admin" and disabled the AP all together

View attachment 121668
from "AP and station" to "Station Mode"

I didn't realize the password was retrievable in the clear. Now I need to consider the network it was joined to as compromised
Oh well, more cleanup, and one step closer to 'complete'! Thanks for the tip!