jamieled Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 The growatt inverters have a built in dc isolator switch on the underside, though I don't know if that means you can get away without having a standalone one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canalsiderenovation Posted January 21, 2021 Author Share Posted January 21, 2021 4 minutes ago, jamieled said: The growatt inverters have a built in dc isolator switch on the underside, though I don't know if that means you can get away without having a standalone one. That makes sense as the company who did the solar design didn't include a DC isolater I just checked the invoice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 Yes, you don’t. Need a stand-alone if it’s in built into the inverter. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trialuser Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 (edited) I believe nowadays more and more inverters are incorporating the DC isolator within the inverter, probably the case with that growatt? edit... duhh too slow Edited January 21, 2021 by trialuser repitition Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 The Generation meter will tell you how many kWh the PV has generated in total. The GroWatt inverter has a little display on it and if you push the buttons and cycle through the display options one will show you at any instant how many watts it is generating right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canalsiderenovation Posted January 21, 2021 Author Share Posted January 21, 2021 34 minutes ago, ProDave said: The GroWatt inverter has a little display on it and if you push the buttons and cycle through the display options one will show you at any instant how many watts it is generating right now. It's gone dark so I presume the screen only works when it's generating. Another question, and this relates to the DNO form. How do we know anything over 3.68 will go to the immersion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 7 minutes ago, canalsiderenovation said: It's gone dark so I presume the screen only works when it's generating. Another question, and this relates to the DNO form. How do we know anything over 3.68 will go to the immersion? Yes usually the inverter menu's only work when the sun is up. What size is your PV? Has it not been registered with the DNO yet? It is the inverter that limits the OUTPUT to 3.68kW so that if nothing is being used in the house then no more than 3.68kW can be exported. If you have more than 3.68kW then it's a G99 install and you need permission from the DNO BEFORE it is connected. Don't always assume permission will be given and there may be a cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canalsiderenovation Posted January 21, 2021 Author Share Posted January 21, 2021 30 minutes ago, ProDave said: Yes usually the inverter menu's only work when the sun is up. What size is your PV? Has it not been registered with the DNO yet? It is the inverter that limits the OUTPUT to 3.68kW so that if nothing is being used in the house then no more than 3.68kW can be exported. If you have more than 3.68kW then it's a G99 install and you need permission from the DNO BEFORE it is connected. Don't always assume permission will be given and there may be a cost. 3,840 total (12 x 320w) but the inverter will limit it to no more than 3.68kW. The DNO said we just do G98 after installation. I hope this is right as our solar got connected today! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 2 minutes ago, canalsiderenovation said: 3,840 total (12 x 320w) but the inverter will limit it to no more than 3.68kW. The DNO said we just do G98 after installation. I hope this is right as our solar got connected today! That's fine, the inverter limits it to 3.68 so that is G98 and can be installed without needing permission and notified after install. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamieled Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 56 minutes ago, canalsiderenovation said: It's gone dark so I presume the screen only works when it's generating. If it's the same as mine (and it looks it), the screen isn't always on. It works by knocking the LCD with your finger. But it should still be powered from the mains even if not generating (mine is). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canalsiderenovation Posted January 21, 2021 Author Share Posted January 21, 2021 8 minutes ago, jamieled said: If it's the same as mine (and it looks it), the screen isn't always on. It works by knocking the LCD with your finger. But it should still be powered from the mains even if not generating (mine is). Ahhhh I read 'knocking' in the manual - I thought it was some form of technical term. I didn't realise it actually meant knocking it ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 Yes the Sunny Boy inverters, knock it with your knuckle nice and hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted January 21, 2021 Share Posted January 21, 2021 54 minutes ago, ProDave said: Yes the Sunny Boy inverters, knock it with your knuckle nice and hard. Most of the SunBoys have Bluetooth connections to. See if the Growatt does, ar you may be able to get an attachment. That energy meter I sent the link for could log the production. I think the sender unit in that one can take up to 3 inputs, so one could be on the generation meter and the other on the import meter, if they are close to each other. You would need a RPi to do the logging though or it will just sum the inputs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canalsiderenovation Posted January 21, 2021 Author Share Posted January 21, 2021 1 hour ago, ProDave said: Yes the Sunny Boy inverters, knock it with your knuckle nice and hard. Nope - it definitely doesn't it's the 3600mtl-s and I've tried various knocking techniques with no success.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canalsiderenovation Posted January 22, 2021 Author Share Posted January 22, 2021 Ah it's working! Not a lot but it's something.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canalsiderenovation Posted January 25, 2021 Author Share Posted January 25, 2021 Next blonde question... I'm a bit confused on our solar on how to get a clear picture of what we are generating. On the inverter the screen flashes and there is one that says 'all' and one that says 'today'. When I just looked at it now (3:50pm) the 'today' was 0.3kWh but when I looked at it earlier it was around 2.2kWh. Does this mean it's just a snapshot of 'now' what it is generating? And the 'all' is this how many kWh since it was installed since Friday or as in all today? This thing is still showing with zeros. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 When you looked "earlier" was it very much earlier? Before the sun gets high enough to start generation, the Etoday figure will still be showing what it generated yesterday. On a dull day in winter it can be quite late before it starts generating, and you can even get really dismal days when it generates nothing in winter. As soon as it starts generating Etoday will reset to 0 and start counting up. From this I deduce you have had a very dull day today, but yesterday was much brighter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 15 minutes ago, ProDave said: From this I deduce you have had a very dull day today, but yesterday was much brighter. Snow on the panels? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 29 minutes ago, canalsiderenovation said: This could be the instantaneous power, 186W, which if it was a little higher for an hour, would be 0.3kWh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canalsiderenovation Posted January 25, 2021 Author Share Posted January 25, 2021 (edited) 19 minutes ago, ProDave said: When you looked "earlier" was it very much earlier? Around lunchtime and it was at 2.2 after gradually going up throughout the morning but then when I checked again it was 0.3. 19 minutes ago, ProDave said: From this I deduce you have had a very dull day today, but yesterday was much brighter. The opposite! Yesterday we had snow pretty much all day and from the readings I took throughout yesterday until pretty much this time yesterday I think it was only around 1kWh. I've been roughly looking at it throughout the day and it looks to me like: 2.4kWh Friday 1.7kWh Saturday 1 kWh Sunday And the 'all' reading today is now 7.7kWh I would guess it has done around 2.6 kWh today. What I don't understand is the 'today' reading changes throughout the day, e.g. now it's 0.4kWh.... Edited January 25, 2021 by canalsiderenovation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 32 minutes ago, canalsiderenovation said: This thing is still showing with zeros. This is a bit more concerning as if you are claiming from your energy company, this is the numbers then need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canalsiderenovation Posted January 25, 2021 Author Share Posted January 25, 2021 Just now, SteamyTea said: This is a bit more concerning as if you are claiming from your energy company, this is the numbers then need. Claiming what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 2 minutes ago, canalsiderenovation said: is the 'today' reading changes throughout the day Is it just showing the last hour? Then a daily total, and a weekly total. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted January 25, 2021 Share Posted January 25, 2021 Just now, canalsiderenovation said: Claiming what? FiTs or equivalent for your exports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canalsiderenovation Posted January 25, 2021 Author Share Posted January 25, 2021 Just now, SteamyTea said: FiTs or equivalent for your exports. Not claiming either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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