Utility company visited me for exporting from my solar Off-grid growatt LVM-ES SPF 3000TL

[vallesj]

OP... what was the outcome? Did they make you take stuff down physically or were they content that you disconnect from the utility?

Changed mode to SOL, on that mode grid and inverter output are not mixed at any point so no chances of any small momentary export to them.
On this mode my solar and battery works at day, unless capacity is overwhelmed by usage, or battery reaches a low set point, or no sun at all, then it switches to Utility automatically until those other requirements are recovered. So, while the smart meter does not detect a constant more than 5 second grid export, there is no chances I will get disturbed by my electric company.

 

[Daddy Tanuki]

Changed mode to SOL, on that mode grid and inverter output are not mixed at any point so no chances of any small momentary export to them.
On this mode my solar and battery works at day, unless capacity is overwhelmed by usage, or battery reaches a low set point, or no sun at all, then it switches to Utility automatically until those other requirements are recovered. So, while the smart meter does not detect a constant more than 5 second grid export, there is no chances I will get disturbed by my electric company.

sounds like a win in the end. do you have a time of use fee schedule for using power? if its cheaper at night then its still a win i think.

 

[vallesj]

sounds like a win in the end. do you have a time of use fee schedule for using power? if its cheaper at night then its still a win i think.

Yes, is still a win. My current contract is free weekends, I may switch next year when it expires, to free nights

 

[wpns]

on my setup, using my inverter's dry contactor and LOW BATTERY trigger, and SSRs my AC outlet is OFF when battery voltage is above 43.5v. When voltage reaches 42.5v the trigger is reached and the SSRs are enabled allowing AC to hit the CV

I target 43v (lowest on the CV) as the target voltage to run loads and stablize battery. It then waits until the sun comes up and charges the batteries. Then when voltage reaches 43.5v, the trigger is cleared

So in normal times (voltage above 43.5v) only the DC side is connected and looking at the Clamp meter, very little DC current flows - in the noise really.

Having the AC on all the time, I haven't done that

You haven’t seen any issues with the fans turning off as soon as you cut the AC power?

 

[cs1234]

Yes, is still a win. My current contract is free weekends, I may switch next year when it expires, to free nights

Usually you can switch for a termination fee of some sort. Run the numbers, you might save money just paying the fee.

 

[SparkyJJO]

I have to say, living where electricity is just a flat rate is rather nice. I'm not going around saying NO NO don't run the dryer now don't run that other thing there now, do it later when we want to be in bed or any such stuff.

 

[vallesj]

I have to say, living where electricity is just a flat rate is rather nice. I'm not going around saying NO NO don't run the dryer now don't run that other thing there now, do it later when we want to be in bed or any such stuff.

Haha... yes I had to persuade family to wash and dry laundry on weekends. Later I will have to change it to nights.

 

[vallesj]

Usually you can switch for a termination fee of some sort. Run the numbers, you might save money just paying the fee.

Contracts historical prices are higher on summer than winter. So still I may get a good number by then... also enough time to continue testing my setup

 

[cs1234]

Contracts historical prices are higher on summer than winter. So still I may get a good number by then... also enough time to continue testing my setup

I just had to renew in summer.. blech. I'm waiting until I find lower rates and I'll still probably save money canceling and paying the fee. I got gouged.

 

[vallesj]

I just had to renew in summer.. blech. I'm waiting until I find lower rates and I'll still probably save money canceling and paying the fee. I got gouged.

going full solar is like obtaining freedom. For electric companies it is just monopoly business looking for their profits.

 

[Farm Boy]

If some body runs into a utility pole down your road when your away from your place and your inverter is connected in any possible path to the grid
it's a big liability issue when there is any current detected. On the other hand with a written utility agreement in the same scenario the utility will know it's off because they have inspected it for all the safe guards and your inverter disconnected it's self through detection of the situation automatically as they check the line.

 

[cs1234]

If one doesn't trust the UL1741 functions of their grid tied inverter / GTIL.. you can always install a manual reset GFCI on the AC line.

I've used this one for 120vac and it works great. If power goes off, it cuts off until you manually reset it.

Here's an inline one for 240vac. I haven't tried it, but I'm thinking about it.

Clearly this is not a "code approved" solution to UL1741 functionality. It does work though.

 

[dougbert]

You haven’t seen any issues with the fans turning off as soon as you cut the AC power?

by the time the ac is cut on my automatic control, amperage is down and they are not working that hard, so no

 

[timselectric]

by the time the ac is cut on my automatic control, amperage is down and they are not working that hard, so no

Same here.
It's no different from turning it off, or shutting off a generator, or unplugging it, when you are done charging.

 

[wpns]

by the time the ac is cut on my automatic control, amperage is down and they are not working that hard, so no

Ah, good point. I’d want to charge (say) 25-50 percent overnight if the batteries got low and hope the sun came out the next day.

 

[timselectric]

I don't charge at all.
I only float the loads until the sun comes up.

 

[wpns]

I don't charge at all.
I only float the loads until the sun comes up.

Oops, I thought you had a ChargeVerter, sorry.

 

[cs1234]

Oops, I thought you had a ChargeVerter, sorry.

If you set it low enough, it would essentially just float / supply voltage whenever the batteries dip low enough. Technically it would be "charging", but not very "charging", "charging".

 

[wpns]

If you set it low enough, it would essentially just float / supply voltage whenever the batteries dip low enough. Technically it would be "charging", but not very "charging", "charging".

Not that I trust voltage->SOC calculations, but I want more control over it than “Don’t let the SOC drop below 25%”. Maybe the min(SOC) should be based on time of day (don’t charge just before sunrise?) or configurable on the fly (there’s a hurricane coming, charge to 100%). I mean the major advantage of the GC version is the comms, no?

 

[timselectric]

Oops, I thought you had a ChargeVerter, sorry.

I do
But I just use it to float the battery at 48v (just covering loads), until the sun comes back.