SolarEdge battery profile switching by owner (privileges)

[darkskies]

I’ve got the same thing here SolarEdge 7.6kw inverter, energy hub, and backup interface. All systems must disconnect from grid, when there is no grid power.

Of course, I’m still waiting (for over a year), for a firmware update that integrates the inverter, battery, and generator. Right now, I have a temporary automatic transfer switch, so that the generator can be used.

My installer thinks the firmware update is available, but I’ve not been able to get a date setup to change things, I can’t get any info from SolarEdge support (their support for owners is terrible). I’m certainly not holding my breath.

[Iniadan]

Here in the US, we do need an isolating component. Besides the inverter, my SolarEdge system has a backup interface (BI-EUSGN-01) which has a transfer relay inside to disconnect from the grid when it goes down -- redirecting the PV and battery power to my home's power panel. The unit also prevents the PV output from reconnecting to the grid until a certain time after it recovers to let it stabilize. Just taking a quick look at their UK website, I'd guess the BI-EU3P Home Backup Interface would be the unit to look at, but not sure. Your friendly installer can easily confirm. Do you have a system diagram we can see?

Thanks for looking that up, yes that makes sense. I don't have the backup interface right now but it's useful to know I could consider adding one to protect against grid failure. My motivations for the solar install were mainly about economy, though it's also nice to have "low carbon" energy. Our electricity unit prices right now in UK are 200% of what they were in Jan 21 and mains (natural) gas we use for heating, 540%. Even at that level the govt is subsidising energy bills and will scale the subsidy back from April 23 so prices will go up again. I gather you in the US are helping us out by shipping us more LPG! There's not much sign of a return to cheap energy so it's useful to have a hedge against that. Here in suburban Cardiff the grid has been pretty reliable so backup was not foremost in my mind, though that could change....

I’ve got the same thing here SolarEdge 7.6kw inverter, energy hub, and backup interface. All systems must disconnect from grid, when there is no grid power.

Of course, I’m still waiting (for over a year), for a firmware update that integrates the inverter, battery, and generator. Right now, I have a temporary automatic transfer switch, so that the generator can be used.

My installer thinks the firmware update is available, but I’ve not been able to get a date setup to change things, I can’t get any info from SolarEdge support (their support for owners is terrible). I’m certainly not holding my breath.

Before I took full control of my SolarEdge account, at one point I "hacked in" to my own inverter because my installer seemed to have switched it to an unsuitable time of use setting. My installer didn't mean any harm, just don't think they fully understood the different charge modes.

I found I could get access by registering for a self-installer account on the SolarEdge site, then downloading their "setapp" Android application and logging in on it with my new self-installer credentials. The "setapp" then checks with SolarEdge via the phone's Internet and downloads the latest inverter firmware.

I then followed the "setapp" steps to connect to the inverter via local WiFi (scanning the barcode on the side, clicking the big setting switch on the bottom of the inverter etc.)

The "setapp" then detected I didn't have quite the latest inverter firmware and started an upgrade.....it does that automatically, you can't get any further with the app until it's done. Takes about 5 minutes, during which the inverter is out of action.

So you could give that a try yourself if you wanted, worst that could happen, you upgrade the firmware but it doesn't contain the feature you're looking for. It doesn't upset anything on the monitoring site i.e. anyone with a valid installer login can use "setapp", doesn't have to be the admin for your monitoring account.

If you just want a poke around, the "setapp" has a "view only" mode for which you don't need a login, which lets you see but not change the various settings, firmware version etc.

The "setapp" did what I wanted, i.e. I was able to switch the inverter back to "maximise self-consumption" instead of "time of use" despite not, at that point, having admin access to my web monitoring account.

[darkskies]

I finally got lucky with SolarEdge support using the "chat" mechanism (regular case openings take over a week for response)...

I found out that the firmware IS available (since July), so now I'm trying to get a hold of my installer to schedule an update. I don't want to do the upgrade myself, as I want the installer to complete the project properly (they have some temp items in place and I'm very concerned that they had not designed this integration correctly).

Support also mentioned that I should be able to set the battery reserve, but it requires the installer to enable that feature - no idea why they didn't do that when the battery was added in August (I've been pinging them weekly about it). Wondering if I could use setapp to enable this myself.

I have used setapp to view only, as we had a arc fault error once, and I used setapp to get more info on the error codes.

[warx]

So it's been a while... I'm still sitting on two LGRESU10 but only one works for the last year or so. Both are primary/masters (installer mistake) thus one is useless and have had a secondary/slave version on order for over a year. Ridiculous that this tiny difference isn't a dip switch or software setting. Makes a good 200lb paperweight though. Anyways...

On the generator side; I just read the updated documents on the BUI generator support and was very disappointed to see that it does not support the generator charging the batteries in any way. All it does is provide an output to an auto/manual backup transfer panel! Nothing whole-house about it. Basically you still need to split/dedicate those backed up loads AGAIN - since if you have the BUI you have already done this splitting. Their idea is once you deplete the batteries the generator kicks in. In summer I can generate 48kWh a day so not a big deal but in stormy winter days it's more like 1.5kWh.

On the software updating for end-user profiles; funny to hear it's still "alpha". I was told it was almost ready when I bought the BUI over a year ago - one of the reasons I abandoned my place on the Powerwall wait list and paid twice as much for this system along with the promise of full generator integration (charging the batteries).

At this point I really wish I'd just gone DIY. SE seems to be marketeers not engineers. My generator is still connected to my (RV) Sprinter Van Victron 3000VA inverter charger and 5kWh lithium. I just purchased a SE autotransformer (SE-AUTO5000) so I can convert parallel 120VAC generators to split-phase 240VAC thinking I could finally plug these into the BUI with the firmware update.

Perhaps, since I grew up in the UK and still have the accent, I could call the UK SE support folks instead of the never responding US team.

[darkskies]

I’m still frustrated as all heck with my installer and Solar Edge.

Although the firmware is available, my installer still has not updated my system. In addition, the installer told me the system would rub on battery and then, when low, the generator would charge the battery. The installer said that is what they were told by Solar Edge. I found some drawings and such from Solar Edge that shows the battery connected to the BUI.

However, in the release notes from SolarEdge for the firmware, it only shows the generator connected to a ATS and coming on when battery is low to run the house.

The installer put in only a 10 kW generator, based on the “only charging the battery design”. So I’m not sure if we have a secondary issue as well.

Still trying to get the installer out.

With programming the reserve for battery, Solar Edge told me it can be done by owner, but must be enabled by the installer. My installer doesn’t know how to do it, has hasn’t spent the time to ask Solar Edge how. It’s been this way since August.

Oh and the installer still hasn’t registered the battery with LG, so that I get the extended warranty.

This is sooo frustrating.

[warx]

However, in the release notes from SolarEdge for the firmware, it only shows the generator connected to a ATS and coming on when battery is low to run the house.

Yup - that is what I saw too. Basically no integration at all - could be done that way without using any SE equipment. The generator "interface" L1 & L2 are just regular outputs of the BUI.

(ref: https://www.solaredge.com/sites/defa...n-note-eng.pdf)

[Srrndhound]

With programming the reserve for battery, Solar Edge told me it can be done by owner, but must be enabled by the installer. My installer doesn’t know how to do it, has hasn’t spent the time to ask Solar Edge how. It’s been this way since August.

Your installer can make this change remotely, no on-site visit needed.

He needs to change your "monitoring role and permission" from Dashboard (most basic) or Dashboard and Layout (which adds access to the panels), to Full Access which allows you to adjust the Battery Reserve.

If your admin needs guidance on the procedure, it is detailed on p10 of the document: "SolarEdge Application Note – Site Administration in the Monitoring Portal".

[warx]

Going back to the BUI installation PDF I see it call the Generator an "AC input up to 15kW" and "Alternative Power Source" so now I just don't know what to believe from them. The newer PDFs regarding firmware and generators showing an external transfer panel might be their way of saying integration is possible now without actually do what they designed it to be capable of? If only we were able to get real information from SE support. I will try asking my installer again.

One more thought if this is an AC input is that there would be mention of a setting of what amperage (or max amperage) to pull from the generator. My RV van Victron Multiplus has a control that I set to about 60% load of the generator connected.

(ref https://964176.app.netsuite.com/core...1cf09&_xt=.pdf)

[darkskies]

Yeah, that's what I saw. It seems like the generator is connected into the BUI, but the new release notes show it connected to a third party transfer switch.

I'm trying to get my installer out to update the firmware and discuss how the generator will be connected up. Right now, they have a temporary 100A panel with ATS connected to the generator, and a bunch of circuits have been routed to the panel, so that when power goes out the generator can run critical circuits.

I'm hoping the generator can be connected as my site was designed (generator backing up the battery). Otherwise there are some major concerns about the sizing of the generator.

[darkskies]

I have a newer version (1.1) of that doc, but both are from 2020, which this wasn't working. The data sheet for the BUI also shows a direct connection to the generator.

[ScoTTeL]

Did any of you ever figure this out? I see the latest notes show that with the firmware update, you can connect the generator directly. Problem is, there is no information on the dry contacts interaction to setup auto start. Also, there is no description on the interaction. Like when the battery cuts out, how long of a wait before the dry contacts close or or open. Is the generator input isolated until the battery is disconnected? That would take another relay closure or opening. Or does the battery get shutdown from discharge and the generator powers the inverter and thus charges the battery as well? Absolutely no verbiage on this and I have not experimented with my setup to figure it out. I do have a generac transfer switch to install in the third party application, but that will only connect specific loads. I have a gen set large enough for whole house and want to avoid the third party switch as another layer of failure and complexity.

[warx]

Basically, this is a non-interface "interface" where nothing is actually changing except the release notes advisory. It's appeasing those who want to connect a generator before they release the actual integration (that has been in the marketing sheets for two years) possibly later this year - possibly never (yes, officially the word is it could be never). I think any dry contact auto-starting would be left in the hands of your favorite ATS i.e. when it loses power from the BUI (the same battery backed up power out) then let the generator take over.

[darkskies]

Did any of you ever figure this out? I see the latest notes show that with the firmware update, you can connect the generator directly. Problem is, there is no information on the dry contacts interaction to setup auto start. Also, there is no description on the interaction. Like when the battery cuts out, how long of a wait before the dry contacts close or or open. Is the generator input isolated until the battery is disconnected? That would take another relay closure or opening. Or does the battery get shutdown from discharge and the generator powers the inverter and thus charges the battery as well? Absolutely no verbiage on this and I have not experimented with my setup to figure it out. I do have a generac transfer switch to install in the third party application, but that will only connect specific loads. I have a gen set large enough for whole house and want to avoid the third party switch as another layer of failure and complexity.

Not yet. I'm expecting the installer to be out tomorrow to do the firmware update, and I'm going to ask a bundle of questions. I've been told all along that it would work with the generator recharging the battery but needed a firmware update. SolarEdge, as of July 2022, announced that the firmware to do the integration is available, but the release notes don't seem to show that integration.

I've got a lot of questions for the installer for sure... will post what I hear.

[darkskies]

Just a follow-up. The electrician gave me admin to my site, and from the app on my phone, I can now set the reserve. From the web site, I don't see where I can adjust the reserve, even though there are the extra icons including admin. There's no energy manage tab.

Screen Shot 2023-01-27 at 5.00.06 PM.png

[soby]

Just a follow-up. The electrician gave me admin to my site, and from the app on my phone, I can now set the reserve. From the web site, I don't see where I can adjust the reserve, even though there are the extra icons including admin. There's no energy manage tab.

Screen Shot 2023-01-27 at 5.00.06 PM.png

That's how mine has been. For some reason, the backup reserve slider only exists in the app.