Solis inverter/Pylontech batteries, power outage backup fail

[liedra]

Hello! We have a Solis inverter with a stack of pylontech batteries. We were told by the technician that installed it that it should take over if there's a power outage, but when we had one yesterday it didn't.
I went in to check the settings for the battery storage and made sure it was in Backup mode, but the settings didn't seem to "take" and it showed it was in Self-Use mode on the front panel (though reading the manual it seems that this is okay, as backup mode is a sort of addition to self-use mode?). Just wanted to check to see if I'd missed something at all, or if there's something somewhere else that means the backup mode doesn't engage. We were using SolarTogether for this part of our install (long story and I wouldn't recommend them) so I'm a bit reluctant to try to get through to someone who knows what I'm talking about (many many levels through customer service) before exhausting my options for fiddling with settings!

 

[SeaGal]

Hi and welcome! Another Vettel or Verstappen fan, maybe?

I have Solis inverters, but with DIY battery system. The Solis has an AC backup port - do you have specific sockets wired into your house that connect to that port? e.g. a circuit for essential loads like fridge and boiler etc.?

You don't say which Solis you have, but the power from the backup port is limited to 3kW or 5kW, depending on the model, so it wouldn't be able to power the whole house.

Normal operation would be grid-tied in self-use mode. Then if there is a power cut the backup port will operate as long as there is some battery power. The 'back-up' mode operates differently and keeps extra charge in the battery for places that have frequent power outtages - it is unlikely you would want or need to use that mode in the UK. Doing so will restrict the Solis from powering the house when the sun goes down.

 

[liedra]

Thanks SeaGal! Actually this was back when Mark Webber was a Red Bull driver! A long time ago... I haven't worked out how to change the avatar since, hah!

Thanks for your response, we don't have an AC backup port, no. Perhaps the technician was telling us some porkies when he said we could run the house off the battery in a power outage then? (we usually run at around 1.5kW so a 3kW limit would be fine). Really frustrating when they say something that is then not right!

 

[SeaGal]

Thanks SeaGal! Actually this was back when Mark Webber was a Red Bull driver! A long time ago...

Even better should have worked that out from the flag!... I better not admit to being at Spa when Verstappen was racing then... that was Jos, not Max ?

Thanks for your response, we don't have an AC backup port, no.

OK, that's as expected, unfortunately.

Perhaps the technician was telling us some porkies when he said we could run the house off the battery in a power outage then? (we usually run at around 1.5kW so a 3kW limit would be fine). Really frustrating when they say something that is then not right!

It makes me so . You say 3kW limit would be fine, but a kettle will use 3kW on its own, without fridge / freezers etc. If you were to consider a backup system it would need to be for limited load.

Anyway, if you have further questions, do ask on here (though I'm not going to be very active for the next week or so) - there are quite a few Solis users on here from the UK... some with Pylontech batteries too.

 

[rpdom]

You say 3kW limit would be fine, but a kettle will use 3kW on its own, without fridge / freezers etc.

The reason I bought a 2kW kettle is so that my 3kW inverter's batteries (2xUS2000C which max out at 2.5kW) can power it and the rest of the usual house load without having to import from the grid.

Anyway, if you have further questions, do ask on here (though I'm not going to be very active for the next week or so) - there are quite a few Solis users on here from the UK... some with Pylontech batteries too.

*waves*

 

[jgh]

*waves*

RAI-3K-48ES-5G and 2x US3000C

I got the installer to run the backup output down to the under-the-stairs, with the meters etc - because that's where the house DSL and music-server lives. I admit to plugging the espresso machine in there during the one decent powercut of the year.

What's your Solis model?

 

[SeaGal]

DSL, music-server and espresso machine... sounds like you got most of your "essential loads" covered what about the fridge for the Prosecco too?

 

[liedra]

Even better should have worked that out from the flag!... I better not admit to being at Spa when Verstappen was racing then... that was Jos, not Max ?


OK, that's as expected, unfortunately.


It makes me so . You say 3kW limit would be fine, but a kettle will use 3kW on its own, without fridge / freezers etc. If you were to consider a backup system it would need to be for limited load.

Anyway, if you have further questions, do ask on here (though I'm not going to be very active for the next week or so) - there are quite a few Solis users on here from the UK... some with Pylontech batteries too.

Thanks for this! Yeah, when we get our kitchen redone I might see if I can get an output through to there. We have a fairly low energy fridge and that's the main thing I'd worry about in an outage! Our power cut yesterday was 16 hours so it'd be nice to cover something like that again should we get more high winds here in rural Leicestershire.

 

[shavermcspud]

Thanks for this! Yeah, when we get our kitchen redone I might see if I can get an output through to there. We have a fairly low energy fridge and that's the main thing I'd worry about in an outage! Our power cut yesterday was 16 hours so it'd be nice to cover something like that again should we get more high winds here in rural Leicestershire.

As a Solis installer in the UK, there are a few considerations when having the backup/eps port wired in. Many just wire a double socket up to this port and run 13amp plug top appliances from this, bare in mind, when the backup is enabled you lose the protective earthing arrangement from your main incoming supply, this means any extraneous metal casings on items such as toasters, kettles or anything with a earthed metal chassis could become live in the event of a fault and a shock hazard. Try to use double insulated (Type 2) appliances if you are going down this route, or have a secondary earthing electrode installed. I normally install a split consumer unit board where essential loads can be on one side, sockets, lights etc and high current devices, oven, shower etc are on the grid side. Add an earth electrode in addition to the PME earthing you probably already have and you are good to go with everything working during normal mains supply and in the event of a power failure all circuits on the essential side still operate and you have a proper earth in place.

 

[liedra]

*waves*

RAI-3K-48ES-5G and 2x US3000C

I got the installer to run the backup output down to the under-the-stairs, with the meters etc - because that's where the house DSL and music-server lives. I admit to plugging the espresso machine in there during the one decent powercut of the year.

What's your Solis model?

Sorry, not sure off the top of my head! I'll check next time I'm downstairs As a coffee aficionado I appreciate your priorities too!

 

[liedra]

As a Solis installer in the UK, there are a few considerations when having the backup/eps port wired in. Many just wire a double socket up to this port and run 13amp plug top appliances from this, bare in mind, when the backup is enabled you lose the protective earthing arrangement from your main incoming supply, this means any extraneous metal casings on items such as toasters, kettles or anything with a earthed metal chassis could become live in the event of a fault and a shock hazard. Try to use double insulated (Type 2) appliances if you are going down this route, or have a secondary earthing electrode installed. I normally install a split consumer unit board where essential loads can be on one side, sockets, lights etc and high current devices, oven, shower etc are on the grid side. Add an earth electrode in addition to the PME earthing you probably already have and you are good to go with everything working during normal mains supply and in the event of a power failure all circuits on the essential side still operate and you have a proper earth in place.

Oh this is really helpful, thank you. I'd definitely get a professional involved so it's good to be able to make sure they're doing the right thing too.