'Non Growatt' Eastron SDM230 Modbus V2 with Growatt SPH3600

[radiomean]

Yours is also only for up to Imax 90A hence designed for the smaller 16mm sq cable and not 25mm sq which is required for 100A supply. I think you have got the wrong CT Clamp?

Well, that was the CT that the installers supplied and fitted...My main cutout is 100A actually. Will search for your ATO-125 CT

Edit, Farnell sell it (£38 or so...)

 

[Capt Kitch]

I know we are unlikely to get to the 90-100A flow on a regular basis but if current gets towards the max then it saturates the clamp and becomes inaccurate.

 

[radiomean]

I know we are unlikely to get to the 90-100A flow on a regular basis but if current gets towards the max then it saturates the clamp and becomes inaccurate.

Yep but it's inaccurate anyway so it's a bit of a moot point. And we are both hoping the Eastron will solve the problem. I plan to ring Octopus tomorrow to ask for an isolator to be fitted...

 

[Capt Kitch]

Indeed!

 

[radiomean]

This is the CT Clamp for my Growatt SPH3600.

There is one new on eBay so I've made an offer! Thanks for the help.

 

[Capt Kitch]

Available from Farnell as well - but according to the data they should have an accuracy of 1% as opposed to the Eastron of 0.5%. But this doesn't include wiring lengths which will affect the clamp more.

 

[radiomean]

Available from Farnell as well - but according to the data they should have an accuracy of 1% as opposed to the Eastron of 0.5%. But this doesn't include wiring lengths which will affect the clamp more.

Yep, I posted up the thread it's £38 plus vat, so will try for the eBay one...

 

[FVScimitar]

I’m more concerned about Grid import @ 43p Peak at 2-3kWh per day than over reading CT clamp (which is the same as my original Solax Eastron CT clamp same rating for my Solax X1 AC 3.6kW inverter and my two high voltage LFP Solax batteries at 230v float)

My solax x1 Boost is solar only.

My first month import was the daily house load with monthly total of 85kWh which wasn’t right imho at the time.



Now last months Grid import is 15kWh equal to the 450w per day withstanding the Ramp up and down between Battery and Grid voltage when using heavy loads ie kettle 300w, microwave 1800w, oven 300w
you will see tiny spikes 0.003kWh at 1p from Octopus monthly daily Bill or if you use Octopus API with Octopus Watch and Octopus Compare.

So why spend the extra money on a selected CT which I did without another Solax Eastron CT clamp at overpriced £58 from ITS in Stockport

 

[FVScimitar]

My 100A DNO fuse copes fine with both CT clamps
Reads Hypervolt 2.0 (Load Management) EV charger at 7.4kWh Hypervolt and also iBoost + (1400kWh consumed) from reading the iBoost Buddy in my hallway not look at the iBoost+ since installation

14kW loads plus some nights on Octopus Go Off Peak, all the real time data is shown on the Octopus Home Mini at instant glance updating every 10 seconds.

My Solax X1 AC Batteries inverter has very little control over export at 0W so it’s set to compensate at 5 - 10 watt setting to be negative export for my Octopus SEG of 0.041p (better than importing) which surprisingly was £3.40 credit for Jan/Feb 15th bill time period.

 

[FVScimitar]

Charging Solax batteries HV to 100% daily at Octopus Go Off Peak tariff in winter Jan/Feb

 

[FVScimitar]

House monthly usage Plus EV charging and 11.6kW of batteries

 

[FVScimitar]

The above show now the CT clamp has taken on House average load of 250 - 350 watts with monthly import now at 15kWh over 31 days before 2.4kWh at 31 days was 75kWh at Peak tariff prices quite a saving if your inverter has been setup correctly in the first place, which mine wasn’t by MSC certified installer which in my opinion should of been done on day one.

 

[FVScimitar]

Will be interesting in the spring/summer period when I will not use Octopus Go Off Peak charging my batteries to 100% but instead rely on Solar?? to really understand the potential savings to charge the batteries and HW using iBoost+ (currently used 1400 kWh by solar in last year, will use less as battery is prioritised first then HW.

Wish you guys good luck in your own endeavours to be Green and save money
in you solar/battery adventures.

 

[radiomean]

I got Octopus to fit a new main isolator after the main meter as there wasn't one originally and I couldn't therefore change the consumer unit myself.

Many thanks for this. I have just rung Octopus and their engineers will ring in a few days to fit an isolator for me also foc!

Compare this with my clueless previous supplier who took ages to understand and then would have charged me £250 to 'test and re-seal' the cutout...

 

[radiomean]

will use less as battery is prioritised first then HW.

Thanks for all your info. Not quite clear why you are importing so much but is it a CT issue?

My setup also has battery charged first, then hot water as I also have Solar iBoost.
We don't charge battery from Intelligent Octopus (10p / kWh for 6 hours overnight) as solar usually fully charges it (6 kW battery but am considering getting more battery).
Cheers!

 

[Capt Kitch]

Think we have success! Have left Eastron in CU. Checked lan wires between meter and Inverter - correct. Set address on meter to 002/baud rate 9600 and inverter to meter measurment. Now sits around -10 / +10 grid export / import. Think first time I powered it up I had shut the whole system down - PV off, AC off & Batteries off so system was doing a cold boot with wrong date/time (not that it should affect it - only connection to server) and perhaps I didn't give it enough time to settle.

 

[Capt Kitch]

Many thanks for this. I have just rung Octopus and their engineers will ring in a few days to fit an isolator for me also foc!

Compare this with my clueless previous supplier who took ages to understand and then would have charged me £250 to 'test and re-seal' the cutout...

Good news! It also got me the opportunity to verify I had a 100A main fuse as there were no markings on it and it had to get pulled to fit the new isolator.

 

[Capt Kitch]

Make sure that when they fit it you are left with enough space to fit the meter & box and run the tails accordingly. If needed get Doncaster Easi-Fit meter tails - https://www.toolstation.com/doncaster-cables-easi-fit-flexible-meter-tails-kit/p14797 - far easier to bend to fit!

 

[radiomean]

Think we have success! Have left Eastron in CU.

That's great! I was obviously worried my Eastron would not work properly also, but am glad to hear it is working. When I get mine connected I would fully power off the Solar PV and battery just to be on the safe side...

The business about buying from Growatt because they configure it must just be getting the baud rate and address etc correct?
Cheers...

 

[radiomean]

Doncaster Easi-Fit meter tails

Ahead of you there ... got 1 meter each of the 19 strand so-called flexible tails (blue and brown from TLC). Still pretty hard to bend! But thanks anyway...

 

[Capt Kitch]

That's great! I was obviously worried my Eastron would not work properly also, but am glad to hear it is working. When I get mine connected I would fully power off the Solar PV and battery just to be on the safe side...

The business about buying from Growatt because they configure it must just be getting the baud rate and address etc correct?
Cheers...

I think it just means that they have preset the address to 002. The default out of the box is 001. Mine indicated comms on both addresses but although it is communicating it might not be seeing the right information. The default baud rate - 9600 is correct.

 

[radiomean]

Well, I've just received my CT, supposedly the ATO-125-b1i-d16. However the idiot on eBay has sent the wrong CT - TOP-90 S10 - with a 10mm hole, like the one I have! Not impressed, so I will immediately return it... Oh well.

 

[Capt Kitch]

Doh!

If it is any help I am really impressed with the meter and the way it allows the inverter to control the import/export much more accurately. Mine now sits around 0 to -10W which although I am exporting from the batteries at times it is only a tiny amount at 7.5p/KWh (or free from solar) as opposed to an original import of around 50 -100W continually which works out at least 1KWh/day at 40.13p/KWh which soon adds up and has easily paid for the meter!

 

[radiomean]

Doh!

If it is any help I am really impressed with the meter and the way it allows the inverter to control the import/export much more accurately. Mine now sits around 0 to -10W which although I am exporting from the batteries at times it is only a tiny amount at 7.5p/KWh (or free from solar) as opposed to an original import of around 50 -100W continually which works out at least 1KWh/day at 40.13p/KWh which soon adds up and has easily paid for the meter!

Thanks! I've returned the wrong CT, which has just arrived at the seller so I'm waiting for my refund.

I decided to order the right one from Farnell, which should arrive in a couple of days (I know I will shortly hopefully have my meter but I'd like the right CT as a backup. I can eBay the 'wrong' one the installers fitted).

Also, my isolator should be fitted in 10 days so I hope I can get the meter going soon. Thanks for your info the your meter is working well!

 

[FVScimitar]

My CT clamp is working fine only 12.3kWh for Peak Import on Octopus Go average 0.439 per day averaging 18-20 watts per hour
Ramping up and down with house loads over the period of 28 days.

Very pleased with the results of the Solax X1 AC 3.6kW inverter and Solax Master & Slave batteries 11.6kW have performed; output of inverter at 3600W discharging/ charging @ 14.9A on 6mm2 battery cables covers all household heavy loads,