SolarEdge monitoring

[mnhim001]

Hi everyone,

I've had my PV system installed for about 8 months now and can't seem to get my battery and consumption set up correctly. I have an 11kWp system with an LG Chem battery and SolarEdge Inverter. I've been monitoring the system through the SolarEdge app and I've done some comparison with what the app tells me how much I export and how much my utility company tells me that they receive from me, and it is way off. SolarEdge is telling me I exported 662.23kWh, and my utility company is telling me I sent to them 360kWh.

So, I contacted my installer, my installer contacted SolarEdge. They did some tinkering around with the battery and then this time it shows consumption and self consumption. Prior, it only showed consumption, so now self consumption was new to me. With self consumption, I also did notice my utility bill was lower.

But, with this came other issues. My battery was depleting, and would not get charged for 3-4 days. So, I contacted my installed, the installer contacted SolarEdge. They did some more tinkering around and now my battery charges every day, but I had to specify a time to start charging. It boggles me why the battery can't start charging as soon as the sun hits the panels. But, whatever its charging now.

But now, I no longer have self consumption. Its been 4 months that I've been working with my installer to get this right and they can't seem to get it right.

What I want is for the solar panels to charge my battery as soon as sun is available, and at the same time to power my house. Also, to start powering my house 100% from battery starting at 4pm until the battery is down to 20%, if extra energy is needed then import from the grid. At 20% do not charge from the grid, wait for the sun to charge. Any excess energy can then be exported to the grid for credit.

Is that too much to configure? It seems like I am collecting energy from the sun and charging my battery, but I am not consuming any excess energy to power my house and any excess energy is not getting exported to the grid.

I tried calling SolarEdge myself but they won't talk to me. They only work directly with the installer. Anyone know how how to deal with set up? Anyone from SolarEdge can assist?

[oregon_phil]

I don't have a SolarEdge system, but might have some thoughts on your problem. You give some info on your system, but it is pretty generic. Year of install, Inverter model Number, Battery model number and identification of other accessories would be helpful. For example, do you have a separate Energy Meter or do you have an HD Wave with RGM? or neither?

Is it possible for system owners to perform charge/discharge profile programming per this app note? "Charge/Discharge Profile Programming through the Monitoring Portal – Application Note"

Finally, try to write your "wants" into a day of week/date/time of day based logic statement(s). Your installer/SE is probably trying to interpret your words into something the SE app can understand.

Read the attached document, and see if that helps.

[oregon_phil]

Hi everyone,

I've had my PV system installed for about 8 months now and can't seem to get my battery and consumption set up correctly. I have an 11kWp system with an LG Chem battery and SolarEdge Inverter. I've been monitoring the system through the SolarEdge app and I've done some comparison with what the app tells me how much I export and how much my utility company tells me that they receive from me, and it is way off. SolarEdge is telling me I exported 662.23kWh, and my utility company is telling me I sent to them 360kWh.

So, I contacted my installer, my installer contacted SolarEdge. They did some tinkering around with the battery and then this time it shows consumption and self consumption. Prior, it only showed consumption, so now self consumption was new to me. With self consumption, I also did notice my utility bill was lower.

But, with this came other issues. My battery was depleting, and would not get charged for 3-4 days. So, I contacted my installed, the installer contacted SolarEdge. They did some more tinkering around and now my battery charges every day, but I had to specify a time to start charging. It boggles me why the battery can't start charging as soon as the sun hits the panels. But, whatever its charging now.

But now, I no longer have self consumption. Its been 4 months that I've been working with my installer to get this right and they can't seem to get it right.

What I want is for the solar panels to charge my battery as soon as sun is available, and at the same time to power my house. Also, to start powering my house 100% from battery starting at 4pm until the battery is down to 20%, if extra energy is needed then import from the grid. At 20% do not charge from the grid, wait for the sun to charge. Any excess energy can then be exported to the grid for credit.

Is that too much to configure? It seems like I am collecting energy from the sun and charging my battery, but I am not consuming any excess energy to power my house and any excess energy is not getting exported to the grid.

I tried calling SolarEdge myself but they won't talk to me. They only work directly with the installer. Anyone know how how to deal with set up? Anyone from SolarEdge can assist?

To answer your question "Is that too much to configure?", I think the answer is yes that is too much to configure given the information you have provided.

I have been doing some research into your problem and have found some information that might be helpful. There is a video on YouTube from SolarEdge that shows how to set up a Storage profile in the video titled "Learning Lab: StorEdge Profile Creation in the SolarEdge Monitoring Platform".

I think the problem is that you have not specified your LG Chem RESU battery capacity, your electricity usage habits during a 24hr period, or your solar power generation capability.

Original set up: "SolarEdge is telling me I exported 662.23kWh, and my utility company is telling me I sent to them 360kWh". Who knows what storage profile was used. I would check and verify CT installation.

1st set of profile changes 1: "My battery was depleting, and would not get charged for 3-4 days." Storage profile most likely set for Self Consumption priority Use PV production for self-consumption, then charge/discharge battery as needed to maximize self-consumption . You aren't making enough excess solar kWh in one day to recharge your battery. You need more solar kWh's or reduce your usage.

2nd set of profile changes: "Now my battery charges every day, but I had to specify a time to start charging." The installer probably set up different storage profiles during the day. My guess is the default is Self Consumption, but set up X amount of hours before 4pm as Charge from solar power then at 4pm changed to Discharge to minimize import for Y amount of hours. Your installer needs to know X and Y to correctly set up your system. In any case, you and your installer need to know your power usage and solar generation profiles during any given day.

Watch the YouTube video from SolarEdge, it is most informative.

[mnhim001]

To answer your question "Is that too much to configure?", I think the answer is yes that is too much to configure given the information you have provided.

I have been doing some research into your problem and have found some information that might be helpful. There is a video on YouTube from SolarEdge that shows how to set up a Storage profile in the video titled "Learning Lab: StorEdge Profile Creation in the SolarEdge Monitoring Platform".

I think the problem is that you have not specified your LG Chem RESU battery capacity, your electricity usage habits during a 24hr period, or your solar power generation capability.


Watch the YouTube video from SolarEdge, it is most informative.

Thank you, I'll definitely take a look at the YouTube video. It's just frustrating that I can't talk to SolarEdge directly and have to go through the installer. And it's not even the installer that I speak to, it's the receptionist which makes a lot of what I say lost in translation when she reaches out to Solaredge.

My battery capacity is 9.8Wh.

I've asked the installer to give me full access to my battery, but they won't allow it.

[Srrndhound]

It's just frustrating that I can't talk to SolarEdge directly and have to go through the installer.

It's been several months since your last post. Did you get everything working to your satisfaction?

BTW, why do you say you cannot talk to SolarEdge directly? Have you called their US support number, 510-498-3200? They also have tech support chat. I've used both with success.