SolarEdge Monitoring

[mnhim001]

Hi everyone,

I've had my PV system installed for about 8 months now and can't seem to get my battery and consumption set up correctly. I have an 11kWp system with an LG Chem battery and SolarEdge Inverter. I've been monitoring the system through the SolarEdge app and I've done some comparison with what the app tells me how much I export and how much my utility company tells me that they receive from me, and it is way off. SolarEdge is telling me I exported 662.23kWh, and my utility company is telling me I sent to them 360kWh.

So, I contacted my installer, my installer contacted SolarEdge. They did some tinkering around with the battery and then this time it shows consumption and self consumption. Prior, it only showed consumption, so now self consumption was new to me. With self consumption, I also did notice my utility bill was lower.

But, with this came other issues. My battery was depleting, and would not get charged for 3-4 days. So, I contacted my installed, the installer contacted SolarEdge. They did some more tinkering around and now my battery charges every day, but I had to specify a time to start charging. It boggles me why the battery can't start charging as soon as the sun hits the panels. But, whatever its charging now.

But now, I no longer have self consumption. Its been 4 months that I've been working with my installer to get this right and they can't seem to get it right.

What I want is for the solar panels to charge my battery as soon as sun is available, and at the same time to power my house. Also, to start powering my house 100% from battery starting at 4pm until the battery is down to 20%, if extra energy is needed then import from the grid. At 20% do not charge from the grid, wait for the sun to charge. Any excess energy can then be exported to the grid for credit.

Is that too much to configure? It seems like I am collecting energy from the sun and charging my battery, but I am not consuming any excess energy to power my house and any excess energy is not getting exported to the grid.

I tried calling SolarEdge myself but they won't talk to me. They only work directly with the installer. Anyone know how how to deal with set up? Anyone from SolarEdge can assist?

 

[Yachtsman]

Did you manage to get the system set up sorted.
I initially had similar issues but eventually got it set up as I wanted it.

 

[mnhim001]

Did you manage to get the system set up sorted.
I initially had similar issues but eventually got it set up as I wanted it.

Not really. I ended up setting up my system to start charging the battery at 8am until fully charged. Then power my house from solar after the battery is fully charged, then discharge for self consumption at 4pm. I don't have any excess credit from the utility because it shows I don't send them any excess, but solaredge tells me I am sending excess energy. I kind of gave up on this fight. It's taking up way too much of my time and every one is telling me everything is set up correctly, but the numbers don't match up.

 

[Yachtsman]

Did you manage to get the system set up sorted.
I initially had similar issues but eventually got it set up as I wanted it

Not really. I ended up setting up my system to start charging the battery at 8am until fully charged. Then power my house from solar after the battery is fully charged, then discharge for self consumption at 4pm. I don't have any excess credit from the utility because it shows I don't send them any excess, but solaredge tells me I am sending excess energy. I kind of gave up on this fight. It's taking up way too much of my time and every one is telling me everything is set up correctly, but the numbers don't match up.

Hi,
I’m not where in the world you are, I’m in the uk & benefit from a Time Of Use (TOU) energy tariff. This gives me 4 hours (00.30 - 04.30) at one sixth the cost of peak outside of those hours.
I have two profiles set ( done by SE at my request). The summer profile mid March through to end of September runs “maximum self consumption”, I.E. any solar supplies the house, excess first tops up the SE battery & when full tops up the EV subject to a minimum of 1.4kW excess being available. This a car limit! If the EV is not available to accept charge then all excess goes into the grid for which we get paid.
When there’s no or insufficient solar the SE battery supplies the house. If the demand is higher than the inverter can supply then the grid supplements.
The second or winter profile commences October 1st through to mid March charges the SE battery starting at 02.00 until full while suppling the house needs. By the time peak energy charges begin at 04.30 the battery has been supplying the house & continues to supply the house right through until 02.00 again when it gets recharged.
Any solar generated during the winter profile supplies the house with excess charging the battery.
The profiles are set by SolarEdge support, however they have confirmed that we will eventually (2023) be able to tweak our own profiles live, so we can react to weather forecasts.
So your system can be set up for maximum reduction in energy charges, simply push SE support.
Hope this helps

 

[SolRay]

Hi everyone,

I've had my PV system installed for about 8 months now and can't seem to get my battery and consumption set up correctly. I have an 11kWp system with an LG Chem battery and SolarEdge Inverter. I've been monitoring the system through the SolarEdge app and I've done some comparison with what the app tells me how much I export and how much my utility company tells me that they receive from me, and it is way off. SolarEdge is telling me I exported 662.23kWh, and my utility company is telling me I sent to them 360kWh.

So, I contacted my installer, my installer contacted SolarEdge. They did some tinkering around with the battery and then this time it shows consumption and self consumption. Prior, it only showed consumption, so now self consumption was new to me. With self consumption, I also did notice my utility bill was lower.

But, with this came other issues. My battery was depleting, and would not get charged for 3-4 days. So, I contacted my installed, the installer contacted SolarEdge. They did some more tinkering around and now my battery charges every day, but I had to specify a time to start charging. It boggles me why the battery can't start charging as soon as the sun hits the panels. But, whatever its charging now.

But now, I no longer have self consumption. Its been 4 months that I've been working with my installer to get this right and they can't seem to get it right.

What I want is for the solar panels to charge my battery as soon as sun is available, and at the same time to power my house. Also, to start powering my house 100% from battery starting at 4pm until the battery is down to 20%, if extra energy is needed then import from the grid. At 20% do not charge from the grid, wait for the sun to charge. Any excess energy can then be exported to the grid for credit.

Is that too much to configure? It seems like I am collecting energy from the sun and charging my battery, but I am not consuming any excess energy to power my house and any excess energy is not getting exported to the grid.

I tried calling SolarEdge myself but they won't talk to me. They only work directly with the installer. Anyone know how how to deal with set up? Anyone from SolarEdge can assist?

You have a couple of things going on, generally, the inverter will allocate excess energy from panels to your battery at the time of day your panels are overproducing, you probably know this already. Depending on the size of your system, if your home is using all power generated from the panels it won't have a chance to fill your battery. You can look at the solar plans offered by your utility and see if they have a demand plan where you can charge the battery from the grid at night at a lower rate than you paid for your panels. The LG works well to shave peak Time of Use on-demand plans. Demand plans are tricky and need to be mapped out according to the plan but, many demand plans offer such a low rate off-peak that this is what you would charge your battery with. using your battery to send energy to the grid is not beneficial and not cost-effective. The batteries are designed as peak shavers and backups for low-consumption breakers. Use the grid to charge batteries, and shave your peak with the battery. In winter let the battery shave peak and continue into the night to lessen credit pull, in summer you will probably use most of the battery to shave peak demand(depending on where you are) charge the battery at night at a lower rate. Seems the installer is not directing you to the best plan to utilize your battery. You need to research the plan you are on to see which one is most beneficial for your battery setup. The way you want to configure seems to go against the design, making it ineffective and improbable. Have a discussion and be open to their suggestions as they should know how the system works best. Not saying you are but If you are overriding their suggestions, they may be like whatever, give him what he wants, and maybe why it is not working. If they are not giving you any suggestions on the plan and the most effective option that sucks and is going to take some research on your end. This is my take I may be missing a few details but happy to discuss

 

[SolRay]

another question did you receive a rebate from the utility company for the battery> sometime utility companies offer 1 rebate for your data and 1 rebate allowing them to discharge your battery at their will.

 

[mnhim001]

another question did you receive a rebate from the utility company for the battery> sometime utility companies offer 1 rebate for your data and 1 rebate allowing them to discharge your battery at their will.

I did get a rebate and they do discharge my battery at will.