SolarEdge users: What's your inverter temp during high production?

[sensij]

I was wondering (since I was curious as well) if the inverter temp could also be logged in pvoutput? I took a quick look and I didn't see a way to customize/extend the auto uploader for Solaredge ...

Any one else look into this?

BMak

You could request that it be included in the PVOutput uploader. If you are using the donator version of the uploader (with 5 min status interval), it is already making the API call necessary to get the temp, and it would just need to be stored (probably to one of the extended values (v7 and higher)).

The PVOutput forum thread discussing the uploader is here... you can see he was very responsive when I suggested he use the 5 min data. Certainly doesn't hurt to ask.

[makarowski]

I posted a request on the PvOutput forum... we'll see what happens there...

For interest sakes, I tried the api manually for the temperature in my browser... (thanks sensij for the syntax)
first of all, where did you find that? Its not documented in the standard solaredge api document ... so guessing there is yet another api document out there, but not widely available?

for 5/12 (local temp was around 24C based on a close weather station), my system was generating 6694W at 12:54pm at a temperature at the inverter of 50C

(for some reason my temperature stopped being recorded in pvoutput on the 12th around 1pm from wunderground... need to dig into why...)

Cheers
BMak

[J.P.M.]

I posted a request on the PvOutput forum... we'll see what happens there...

For interest sakes, I tried the api manually for the temperature in my browser... (thanks sensij for the syntax)
first of all, where did you find that? Its not documented in the standard solaredge api document ... so guessing there is yet another api document out there, but not widely available?

for 5/12 (local temp was around 24C based on a close weather station), my system was generating 6694W at 12:54pm at a temperature at the inverter of 50C

(for some reason my temperature stopped being recorded in pvoutput on the 12th around 1pm from wunderground... need to dig into why...)

Cheers
BMak

FWIW: I don't think the inverter temp. will have as much of an effect on array output as will the panel temp. for any reasonable size array, particularly arrays that are using a large portion of inverter capacity.

[makarowski]

Agreed... its more of a peek to see how warm my inverter is getting on my 7.32k system when working hard... my inverter is outside on the west side / sunny side of the house... it can get pretty warm there... I wanted to see what its like during the cooler weather before we hit the warmer late summer..

my 7600A supposedly has fans on it, but have not heard them kick in yet...

Cheers
BMak

[russ]

FWIW: I don't think the inverter temp. will have as much of an effect on array output as will the panel temp. for any reasonable size array, particularly arrays that are using a large portion of inverter capacity.

All derating I have ever seen is based on panel temp only.

[sensij]

SolarEdge, and most other common grid tie inverters (including SMA for sure), derate the output current if ambient temperature exceeds a particular value. How the ambient temp is measured, and its relationship to temp reported by the API (heat sink temp, probably), is not clear.

http://www.solaredge.us/files/pdfs/se-temperature-derating-note.pdf

[J.P.M.]

All derating I have ever seen is based on panel temp only.

Precisely. And cooling fans on an inverter perform pretty much the same function as a radiator on an ICE. The inverter may suffer from too high an op. temp. before any inverter efficiency decrease rom high inverter op. temp. is even noticed.

[J.P.M.]

SolarEdge, and most other common grid tie inverters (including SMA for sure), derate the output current if ambient temperature exceeds a particular value. How the ambient temp is measured, and its relationship to temp reported by the API (heat sink temp, probably), is not clear.

http://www.solaredge.us/files/pdfs/s...ating-note.pdf

The amb. temp.may be measured by a sensor, but is probably taken (derived) from the max. allowable heat sink temp. minus the calc'd or experimentally determined temp. diff. between the heat sink and the ambient temps. achieved by the cooling method used (probably forced or nat. conv.).

[makarowski]

BTW: figured out why PVoutpout stopped reporting temp: the local PWS I was getting data from went offline... found another one. Too bad there are no alerts to the error condition...

Cheers
BMak

[sensij]

I posted a request on the PvOutput forum... we'll see what happens there...

An update on this... for PVOutput.org donators, the heat sink temperature and DC voltage are now included in the data upload.

[HX_Guy]

And they are toasty! I routinely see 173º+ F but I've also found that by using a fan and dropping temps into the 140º range, it really does nothing for the production...maybe for the longevity of the inverter it matters? Who knows.

[makarowski]

I enabled temp and voltage....an hour ago... looks like it grabbed data for yesterday as well.

Voltage looks reasonable ... nice smooth flatline at around 375V... but temp data has some outliers today... relatively flat, but 3 or 4 single data points where it shoots up from 80F to 125F for a single data point... mainly stays at 80F...
Yesterday the temp has a nice gradual rise, then a big step function just before 4pm and goes from 77 to 125 in one data point... I think that is when the sun hits my inverter on the side of the house...

I have the 7600A inverter with fans, although don't recall ever hearing them turn on

check it out:

http://pvoutput.org/intraday.jsp?id=38005&sid=35075

Cheers
BMak

[sensij]

I think you should disable/remove the Weather (Wunderground) API. It is writing into the same temperature field as the SolarEdge API, so whichever of them writes last will be the one that shows. It looks like in most cases, the true ambient temperature is showing, but every now and then the SolarEdge inverter value sticks.

You can see on my test system that the temperature reported by the inverter only shows up during daylight hours. The fact that you are still getting temp data when the sun is down shows you still have another active data source.

[makarowski]

I think you should disable/remove the Weather (Wunderground) API. It is writing into the same temperature field as the SolarEdge API, so whichever of them writes last will be the one that shows. It looks like in most cases, the true ambient temperature is showing, but every now and then the SolarEdge inverter value sticks.

You can see on my test system that the temperature reported by the inverter only shows up during daylight hours. The fact that you are still getting temp data when the sun is down shows you still have another active data source.

that was it... looks better now...

Cheers
BMak

[pure3d2]

How did you enable temp and voltage? In my PVOutput settings for my system, those two buttons are grayed out. My inverter is on the newer firmware without the temperature displayed on the unit.

I enabled temp and voltage....an hour ago... looks like it grabbed data for yesterday as well.

Voltage looks reasonable ... nice smooth flatline at around 375V... but temp data has some outliers today... relatively flat, but 3 or 4 single data points where it shoots up from 80F to 125F for a single data point... mainly stays at 80F...
Yesterday the temp has a nice gradual rise, then a big step function just before 4pm and goes from 77 to 125 in one data point... I think that is when the sun hits my inverter on the side of the house...

I have the 7600A inverter with fans, although don't recall ever hearing them turn on

check it out:

http://pvoutput.org/intraday.jsp?id=38005&sid=35075

Cheers
BMak