Solax help- grid power used either instead of, or in conjunction with full batteries

[Jas0987]

Hello all. Complete newby here… so please put replies in very simple language please

My installer has been less than useless as I had an issue with my Solax system. After speaking to solax over a number of days they determined my battery was faulty. The battery was 4.5kwh and as they stopped manufacturing those batteries they sent me 2x 3kWh batteries.

The installer very reluctantly came to fit them but there has been silence from them since.

The system I believe I have is:
I have 5kw panels on my roof
I have a solax X1 AC inverter
I have 2 x solax 3.1kwh batteries (T4)
I have a growatt inverter (the installer said I have 2 inverters… one for the batteries and one for the solar)


The issue:
Since the batteries have come on line I have been using 50% MORE energy. As an example, on 2 similar days in terms of weather and usage… on day 1 I had no working batteries (prior to installation of replacement) my energy use was 14.08kwh that day. On day 2 the day after my new batteries were fitted I used a whopping 24.68kwh!!
I was in self use and to my little brain it appeared that the system was contestants charging my batteries to the grid. Spoke to solax and they said my inverter wasn’t online and they did something and put it into the correct mode which the installer hadn’t done.


Fast forward a week to today… energy still high, but now my issue is that I’ve managed to put it into force time to match my octopus flux tariff (it force charges my batteries at 2am to 5am to 100%).

My question is how to I prioritise battery use over grid as I am still using the grid despite having full batteries ? I haven’t got a pic but an example was my load in my house was say 2.5kw, my panels were generating 500w, my battery was at 98% providing 500w and the grid was providing the bulk?!

Thank you so much everyone

 

[kommando]

Where are you measuring your usage, the DNO meter or the inverter information. Have you info on when the usage is occurring such as a 24hr graph.

Common issues of fresh installs 'abandoned' by installers are CT clamps fitted the wrong way round or in the wrong position and the inverter settings left at default settings and no info left with the customer on how to change any of the settings.

Which Growatt inverter ?

Seems odd to install 2 inverters when Solax do a range of hybrid inverters, who made that decision ?

 

[SeaGal]

My installer has been less than useless

Sadly, this seems too common in the UK

As @kommando said, we need some more info to understand what is going on. Are batteries attached to Solax or Growatt (Solax I assume)?

I am guessing the Growatt is non-hybrid, connect to PV only; Solax is an AC coupled battery storage inverter only?

Sounds like the battery storage is getting discharged to the grid - once your batteries are full you can't draw more energy from the grid than you are using - it has to go somewhere.

 

[SeaGal]

Seems odd to install 2 inverters when Solax do a range of hybrid inverters, who made that decision ?

Could be the Growatt is on an old FIT and can't be changed and Solax was added for AC coupled battery?

 

[kommando]

Lots of different X1's, mine is plain PV Grid tie X1 Boost but there are AC to battery versions for retro fit of their oddly high voltage DC batteries.

I was with an installer yesterday picking up some extra 2nd hand panels, 12 year single company veteran which is about 10 years more than the norm. He has 1 guy dedicated to follow up on all installs to get them working properly for the customer.

 

[SeaGal]

Lots of different X1's, mine is plain PV Grid tie X1 Boost but there are AC to battery versions for retro fit

OP said X1 AC, if that means anything?