Sunny Boy and Sunny Island

[BushMan2000U]

Looking for some help. I have a new system Completely OFF GRID (Generator back -up )with a sunny boy 6.0US-41 and two sunny island 60/48 inverters.
Do i need a grid guard code to set the sunny boy to off grid mode only and is the RS 485 piggy back cards required for both units to communicate for monitoring and Frequency shift. On sunny days the sunny boy pushes 90 amps regardless of what the sunny island is set at and then the sunny boy disconnects. As the battery is not near full i would think there is some communication error. I have exhausted all other SMA tech tips as they only over some models and not much for completely OFF GRID

Any help would be Great

 

[MurphyGuy]

RS485 not required.
Grid Guard Code is required. (Very easy to get)

Most likely, when the Sunny Boy disconnects, it's because the Sunny Island is trying to throttle the charging by raising the frequency. When the freq hits 62hz, the Sunny Boy disconnects. It should reconnect within a couple minutes and repeat.

 

[BushMan2000U]

RS485 not required.
Grid Guard Code is required. (Very easy to get)

Most likely, when the Sunny Boy disconnects, it's because the Sunny Island is trying to throttle the charging by raising the frequency. When the freq hits 62hz, the Sunny Boy disconnects. It should reconnect within a couple minutes and repeat.

Awesome thanks ,in prosess of getting grid guard code, Have heard that Fortress batteries work in Closed loop With SMA any knowledge of Fortress

 

[Hedges]

Within the first ~ 8 hours of operation, Sunny Boy should be configurable without Grid Guard, but to change later you will need it.

Before Rule 21, the newer model Sunny Boy if configured for UL-1741 did not do frequency-watts. Later shipments should have that, which ought to work fine for both on-grid and off grid.

RS-485 is not available for SB -40 or -41, just earlier models. It let SB operate as UL-1741 while connected to grid, then when SI disconnected and sent a signal, SB would switch to off-grid voltage and frequency (which is wider than Rule 21, might be better for generators, but shouldn't matter for SI as only source.

If yours disconnects, probably not UL-1741-SA Rule 21. Even if it is, if you have no load, possibly frequency overshoots a bit and causes disconnect. Test with a load connected so it could hover around 20% production instead of 0%.

Offgrid (Island) should work best if you get grid-guard and set that.

Do you have a meter that shows frequency? Displays through monitoring software are slow to update, but my DMM shows Hz and I can watch frequency ramp up. See if it goes > 64 Hz to disconnect or if it hovers below 61 Hz (Rule 21) or 62 Hz (offgrid.)

 

[Hedges]

There may also be a password in SB. Do you know it? I've had to get PUK for some inverters (the ones I connect to via SpeedWire). I tape the passwords and PUK inside the SB for future reference. (Not the GridGuard which identifies me personally.)

 

[BushMan2000U]

Within the first ~ 8 hours of operation, Sunny Boy should be configurable without Grid Guard, but to change later you will need it.

Before Rule 21, the newer model Sunny Boy if configured for UL-1741 did not do frequency-watts. Later shipments should have that, which ought to work fine for both on-grid and off grid.

RS-485 is not available for SB -40 or -41, just earlier models. It let SB operate as UL-1741 while connected to grid, then when SI disconnected and sent a signal, SB would switch to off-grid voltage and frequency (which is wider than Rule 21, might be better for generators, but shouldn't matter for SI as only source.

If yours disconnects, probably not UL-1741-SA Rule 21. Even if it is, if you have no load, possibly frequency overshoots a bit and causes disconnect. Test with a load connected so it could hover around 20% production instead of 0%.

Offgrid (Island) should work best if you get grid-guard and set that.

Do you have a meter that shows frequency? Displays through monitoring software are slow to update, but my DMM shows Hz and I can watch frequency ramp up. See if it goes > 64 Hz to disconnect or if it hovers below 61 Hz (Rule 21) or 62 Hz (offgrid.)

No i only have the Sunny Portal as now for any Monitoring but when the Generator is connected the charging amp slowly drop as the battery reaches full.

 

[MurphyGuy]

Awesome thanks ,in prosess of getting grid guard code, Have heard that Fortress batteries work in Closed loop With SMA any knowledge of Fortress

I have no knowledge or experience with Fortress.

 

[BushMan2000U]

There may also be a password in SB. Do you know it? I've had to get PUK for some inverters (the ones I connect to via SpeedWire). I tape the passwords and PUK inside the SB for future reference. (Not the GridGuard which identifies me personally.)

Only Password i know of is the installer one sum of running Hrs

 

[BushMan2000U]

No i only have the Sunny Portal as now for any Monitoring but when the Generator is connected the charging amp slowly drop as the battery reaches full.

Franken Solar have a RS 485 Core i Module for the US 41 different that the Sunny island glad that they are not required
Thanks

 

[Hedges]

I've seen that password or sum of date, for use with RS-485 connections. I use Sunny Boy Control or Sunny WebBox.

Do you have a way to access SB parameters, maybe through Sunny Portal? Have you encountered need for password or Grid-Guard code?

There are a couple different interfaces for various boxes, like SpeedWire for SI, but they seem to be for monitoring systems and don't support "Grid Backup" between SI and SB. Maybe they support reading and setting parameters. I put RS-485 in TriPower but could only see serial number, no parameters.

 

[BushMan2000U]

I've seen that password or sum of date, for use with RS-485 connections. I use Sunny Boy Control or Sunny WebBox.

Do you have a way to access SB parameters, maybe through Sunny Portal? Have you encountered need for password or Grid-Guard code?

There are a couple different interfaces for various boxes, like SpeedWire for SI, but they seem to be for monitoring systems and don't support "Grid Backup" between SI and SB. Maybe they support reading and setting parameters. I put RS-485 in TriPower but could only see serial number, no parameters.

In the process of getting a Grid Guard code and will have to sign into the User interface and follow the Promps. Only way i have to access the SB

 

[Hedges]

Before you receive Grid Guard, try to log in and poke around. Grid Guard is only needed to change select parameters. This way you'll know if you also need password or PUK.

 

[BushMan2000U]

Before you receive Grid Guard, try to log in and poke around. Grid Guard is only needed to change select parameters. This way you'll know if you also need password or PUK.

What is PUK ??

 

[BushMan2000U]

RS485 not required.
Grid Guard Code is required. (Very easy to get)

Most likely, when the Sunny Boy disconnects, it's because the Sunny Island is trying to throttle the charging by raising the frequency. When the freq hits 62hz, the Sunny Boy disconnects. It should reconnect within a couple minutes and repeat.

Yes that is what happens but it happens 20 times a day so I'm in process of getting a Grid Code . Do you know what exactly need's to be changed to fix the propblem
Thanks

 

[MurphyGuy]

Yes that is what happens but it happens 20 times a day so I'm in process of getting a Grid Code . Do you know what exactly need's to be changed to fix the propblem
Thanks

After entering grid guard code, you'll have access to some important parameters. One of them tells the inverter how to operate frequency parameters.

You'll need to change it from the standard to "Island Mode".

 

[Hedges]

What is PUK ??

Personal Unlocking Key
Actually, a permanent password associated with particular serial number inverter.
Useful if you forget your password, acquire a used inverter, or simply flub using default password the first time you try to log in.
Web site says it costs $30, but I've received four of them so far at no charge.

 

[BushMan2000U]

After entering grid guard code, you'll have access to some important parameters. One of them tells the inverter how to operate frequency parameters.

You'll need to change it from the standard to "Island Mode".

Awesome Thanks

 

[Consumerbot3418]

Just found this thread.

In my case, a grid guard code was not required to switch country to “SMA island mode 60”.

If you can get signed in to the inverters web interface (as I explained in the other thread), you ought to be able to make that one change, and hopefully be good to go.

EDIT: It seem the timer only runs when you've selected an actual grid code, like CA Rule 21, for example. SMA Island mode doesn't count against the timer. I recently picked CA Rule 21 while trying to troubleshoot an issue with a Schneider XW Pro, and a day later, find myself locked out of making changes to it without a Grid Guard Code.

 

[Shinebox]

Just found this thread.

In my case, a grid guard code was not required to switch country to “SMA island mode 60”.

If you can get signed in to the inverters web interface (as I explained in the other thread), you ought to be able to make that one change, and hopefully be good to go.

Can you please elaborate? When you say signed into the inverter’s web interface, you mean logging into the inverter via wifi and then signing in as the installer? Did you do this after your initial commissioning period?

 

[Consumerbot3418]

Can you please elaborate? When you say signed into the inverter’s web interface, you mean logging into the inverter via wifi and then signing in as the installer? Did you do this after your initial commissioning period?

Sure. Yes, connect to the inverter via https://your-inverters-ip (wifi or ethernet), and sign in as the installer, as you said. Visit "Device Parameters", click "Edit Parameters". Under "Grid Monitoring", find "Set country standard" dropdown. Choose "SMA Island mode 60 Hz", click "Save All" button on top. Maybe it's because I didn't go through the installation assistant, or maybe it's normal? But I've got 100+ days of operating time, 5+MWh of production, and that option is still there. I actually just changed it, just to confirm that I could, and it did "take", no Grid Guard Code required.

EDIT: It seem the timer only runs when you've selected an actual grid code, like CA Rule 21, for example. SMA Island mode doesn't count against the timer. I recently picked CA Rule 21 while trying to troubleshoot an issue with a Schneider XW Pro, and a day later, find myself locked out of making changes to it without a Grid Guard Code.