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Schneider XW Pro dumping way more energy back to the grid than battery

DeadSparky

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Joined
Jul 30, 2024
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Texas
I have a 100% AC coupled system going into a Schneider XW Pro, which is connected to an EG4 Powerwall Pro. Right now, the system is working great but I don't understand why, even on sunny days, I end up exporting a ton of energy yet my battery doesn't fully charge. Case in point:
Screenshot 2025-01-18 at 12.50.25 PM.png
Of the 4.7 kW of power I am making from my solar, only 0.1 kW is going to charge the batter… why? I've gone through the configuration files of the WX Pro and I can't figure out which one needs to be adjusted. I block selling back to the grid (does nothing) and I have turned off peak load shave during the day (also does nothing). So, I'm at a loss…
 
You blocked selling battery power to the grid in the settings.

Getting AC coupled solar to automatically charge the battery when grid tied is not a feature Schneider supports. It's incredibly frustrating, I understand your pain. Luckily, if your slightly tech savi, there's a solution.

There's a few instructions on here about how to get Node-Red set up to command the XW to charge with that excess PV. I run it on a Raspberry Pi. Another member does the same thing with a PLC.

I can dig up a links to share those posts if your interested.
 
You blocked selling battery power to the grid in the settings.

Getting AC coupled solar to automatically charge the battery when grid tied is not a feature Schneider supports. It's incredibly frustrating, I understand your pain. Luckily, if your slightly tech savi, there's a solution.

There's a few instructions on here about how to get Node-Red set up to command the XW to charge with that excess PV. I run it on a Raspberry Pi. Another member does the same thing with a PLC.

I can dig up a links to share those posts if you’re interested.
Yes, I’m very interested. I don’t have red node set up but I’ve figured out how to control modbus via Home Assistant, and hopefully I can figure it out based on whatever red node setup you can find.
IMG_1637.png
 
If you've got Home Assistant figured out, Node-red should be easy!
That said, if you've got Home Assistant running with modbus outputs, you can likely manage it without node-red.

This thread is the best example:
 
I have a 100% AC Coupled system also. Currently I have peak load shave enabled from 4pm - 12pm (next day). My system pushes all excess solar into the battery until the noon cutoff at which time I start a bulk charge to top off before 4pm PLS start. Haven’t used Node-Red yet, been starting the bulk charge manually until I figure out how the XWPro works with different settings.
 

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I have a 100% AC Coupled system also. Currently I have peak load shave enabled from 4pm - 12pm (next day). My system pushes all excess solar into the battery until the noon cutoff at which time I start a bulk charge to top off before 4pm PLS start. Haven’t used Node-Red yet, been starting the bulk charge manually until I figure out how the XWPro works with different settings.
I'm a bit confused by this sentence I bolded. If you're pushing excess solar into the battery before noon, what changes at noon? The ring happening before noon sounds like bulk charging.

Are you adjusting the charge current through the day?
 
I picked 12 noon out of thin air, no reason. I am trying to figure this beast out. So many interactions between settings with little to no documentation is frustrating. I am not sure what the inverter charging state is, doesn’t show a state (bulk, absorption), see attachment. I should have said the excess solar generation”flows” to the batteries not pushed.

I have the current set to 60A and don’t adjust it.

When I have a better understanding of the operation I would like to pick your brain on node-red. You have a very elaborate setup, I will be doing a much simpler implementation but it’s all Greek to me at this point.
 

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I picked 12 noon out of thin air, no reason. I am trying to figure this beast out. So many interactions between settings with little to no documentation is frustrating. I am not sure what the inverter charging state is, doesn’t show a state (bulk, absorption),
In mine, the charger status only shows up when the charger function is doing something. In your screenshot it says you are PLS, not charge.
1737928204842.png
I have the current set to 60A and don’t adjust it.

When I have a better understanding of the operation I would like to pick your brain on node-red. You have a very elaborate setup, I will be doing a much simpler implementation but it’s all Greek to me at this point.
I'll help out however I can.
 
Next time you can check in in charge mode, click on "Advanced" on the upper right side. It gives more info. Due to the heavy clouds and rain, I had to set mine to grid charge a bit, here is the status right now.
XW-Stat-01-26-25.JPG
Charging at 30% (42 amps) in Bulk mode. My battery voltage is at 53.3 volts with over 2,200 watts going into the batteries.
I also have some power coming in from the DC charge controllers, but it was basically just matching the loads and battery state of charge was not changing. It did go up from 50% to 57%, but then it was dropping again when we started the laundry going. I want it over 65% before 4 pm to make it at least past 9 pm on battery power.
 
That is correct, it only shows PLS, I did not tell it to charge. The charge amps are based on the excess amperage after main panel needs and only does this with PLS active. No idea, yet, if battery voltage or SOC have any impact on operation. Turn PLS off and it exports excess to grid. Could not find any documentation on this but was a welcome find.
 
Next time you can check in in charge mode, click on "Advanced" on the upper right side. It gives more info. Due to the heavy clouds and rain, I had to set mine to grid charge a bit, here is the status right now.
View attachment 273399
Charging at 30% (42 amps) in Bulk mode. My battery voltage is at 53.3 volts with over 2,200 watts going into the batteries.
I also have some power coming in from the DC charge controllers, but it was basically just matching the loads and battery state of charge was not changing. It did go up from 50% to 57%, but then it was dropping again when we started the laundry going. I want it over 65% before 4 pm to make it at least past 9 pm on battery power.
out of sun today but I will look at the advanced view tomorrow. I kick off a bulk charge (manually so far) at noon to make sure batteries are fully charged for the night. I don’t have enough solar at this time to fully charge 560Ah during daylight.
 
I guess I don't understand the question.
The XW (and any inverter/charger) can only do one thing at a time (invert or charge) so when it is inverting (PLS) it is by process of elimination, not charging. I feel like previous software versions did show the charger status, even when it was inverting, but it can't be powering loads (PLS or sell as examples).

As far as it selling to the grid when you turn off PLS, I think that means you are above the grid support voltage setting and within the time window.
I don't use PLS and don't recommend it for most users, as the real world benefit applies to a petty narrow band of possibilities. There aren't many residential power companies/plans that charge for peak grid load. For example, many commercial customers are charged a flat monthly fee (big money) for their largest 15 minute load. Not the peak rates we (as consumers) pay from say 3-10 pm.

Instead of randomly clicking on stuff, how about you define how you want the system to function and maybe we can help you figure out the settings?

All of the settings are documented, but the problem is they are spread through hundreds of pages of manuals and sometimes (often for me) easy to overlook and not realize the implication.
 
I guess I don't understand the question.
The XW (and any inverter/charger) can only do one thing at a time (invert or charge) so when it is inverting (PLS) it is by process of elimination, not charging. I feel like previous software versions did show the charger status, even when it was inverting, but it can't be powering loads (PLS or sell as examples).

As far as it selling to the grid when you turn off PLS, I think that means you are above the grid support voltage setting and within the time window.
I don't use PLS and don't recommend it for most users, as the real world benefit applies to a petty narrow band of possibilities. There aren't many residential power companies/plans that charge for peak grid load. For example, many commercial customers are charged a flat monthly fee (big money) for their largest 15 minute load. Not the peak rates we (as consumers) pay from say 3-10 pm.

Instead of randomly clicking on stuff, how about you define how you want the system to function and maybe we can help you figure out the settings?

All of the settings are documented, but the problem is they are spread through hundreds of pages of manuals and sometimes (often for me) easy to overlook and not realize the implication.
You are correct, I am changing settings without any plan. At this time I am just trying to figure this thing out so I will have an idea of how much external (node-red, etc.) manipulation will be required.

Agree the inverter can only do one thing at a time. If I have more solar than I am using, the xwpro is not inverting so charging can happen - I spitballing since none of this is documented.

This is not my thread so I will start my own and include my end state goals.
 

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