So how does my inverter work and what is its limit

[Bobster]

@tinuva

Another point here, this inverter is actually lazy, to be safe for itself. When I turn on my kettle, which is on the backed up side, that initial demand spike, is off-loaded on to the grid. The inverter then slowly move that load over to PV or battery. PV can be pretty quick if the battery was busy charging, but if the PV available is less than the new demand, the inverter really slowly move demand to the battery. I suspect this has something to do with the BMS on the batteries I have that also protect themself. I see this happen with both charging and discharging, where it essentially ramps up the charge/discharge rate. Anyways, you can see this, if you use something better than SEMS (see point below).

I actually can see this on SEMS sometimes, EG when the compressor in the heat pump starts working. It just depends on how the event aligns with SEMS’ sampling.

I agree with what you say about SEMS, but since I have been too lazy to build myself anything better (I did get as far as installing HA on a Pi), it’s all I can use to look at things after the event.

@tinuva

Not true. See my top most point in this post. This inverter send spikes in demand to the grid when the grid is available. I suspect, this type of behaviour should allow the inverter to last a bit longer.

OK… but then why those HA rules you refer to in your next message that you say reduce “annoyance trips”.

Apart from that, I know that it is possible to trip my inverter by overloading the backed up side, even though grid is available. We had this very early on in the life of the system. It was something like dishwasher, kettle, microwave and toaster all running at the same time.

We have got used to the limit now, but there is still the occasional lapse. Exceed that 20 amp limit for more than 10 seconds and the inverter shuts down. The lights on the front panel show that it is turned on, has grid, but is not providing backup. It will always restart in a minute or so providing there is PV or grid.

[tinuva]

The rules are there to detect that we going over the 4.6kW limit on the backup side. It then turns off something, to reduce the load, within the 10 second window, so then we dont get the trip.

[Bobster]

@tinuva

Not true. See my top most point in this post. This inverter send spikes in demand to the grid when the grid is available. I suspect, this type of behaviour should allow the inverter to last a bit longer.

I clearly need to get a more granular monitoring tool. Well… I do have one, it’s called SolarGo, but I’d have to set up some tests and then sit and watch SolarGo and understand exactly what conditions cause the trip. All I know is that I do get trips if we have too many high loads on at the same time (which usually happens in the kitchen).

Thinks: I wonder if it is possible to leave SolarGo running and have some other app record it. I think this might be doable.

Thinks some more: Now that load shedding is suspended, I could move the heatpump back to the non-backed up side, which would give me some more headroom on the backed up side at certain times of day.

[bgb]

I run CEF’s utility for the Goodwe ES5048 inverter on my desktop, it monitors powerflow on a second by second basis and sounds an alarm when the 4.6kWh limit is reached. This morning max power produced from PV at 13h35 was 5191w. I am able to export to the grid. Everything except oven is on essential loads, we also occasionally trip the inverter…

[TheTerribleTriplet]

Years ago a internet pal and I had a standup debate about GoodWe Victron.

Until he got deeply tired of the issue of tripping when he was overseas and his wife’s and kids sit at home in the dark.

Now I fully understand the issue. Would have driven me nuts.