Fruit Trader

4 minutes ago, MJCM said:

CT is wired correctly and yes AR = enabled CT mode = selected and Power = set to 0.0kW and it's STILL exporting, not a lot for example producing 500W, house uses 490W and export is 10W.

Is the meter creeping backwards while in this condition?

58 minutes ago, MJCM said:

I have Anti-Reflux enabled with Power to 0.00kW and normally it shows in the Screen but not now, send Sofar an email to ask what is wrong with that.

If CT is wired correctly + anti reflux is enabled + CT mode selected + power set at zero :-

The inverter should be derating with no export.

Depending on firmware version, the display should say Reflux Derating on the top line and power in watts on the line below

Is you goal to prevent any export?
 

13 minutes ago, MJCM said:

Yes will do, but there is also a folder in the zip called "safety" which holds the following files.

 

Copy that as well?

Copy the folder to the flash drive. You will then have a folder on the flash drive named firmware which will contain all of the update files.

5 minutes ago, MJCM said:

That is the "brick" I am afraid off ????

 

Even with the USB upgrade method

End user firmware updates always carry some risk. Local up dates are safest make sure the supply is not interrupted during the process.

6 minutes ago, MJCM said:

Thx, in the ZIP file there are MANY firmware files in the firmware directory

Copy the folder to the flash drive.

Just now, MJCM said:

May I ask why?

Because it is possible to lose the inverters ability to read updates if communication is lost at the right moment. This would then require a low level factory flash.

Using clean USB flash drive 

Unpack firmware file to USB drive

Turn off inverter AC + DC

Insert flash drive into inverter USB port

Turn on DC wait for boot

Follow menu update instruction in manual

If any file error messages appear during update repeat the process

If file errors persist contact Sofar tell them which file is giving error

Note - If possible avoid remote online updates from Sofar

1 hour ago, transam said:

Then own up, who is confused about water and EV's

Transam, you're just not getting it!

Intelligent people buy EV's, us Luddite's are just too dumb to understand the benefits and have no right to an opinion. Strange because this comes from a small group where even the undeniable negatives trigger a state of confusion.

There have been several comments about the intelligence of those who post anything negative about EV's. This Luddite would call that scraping the barrel.

Enter anonymous confusion bottom right.......

Just now, JBChiangRai said:

OK I see what you mean. Hard work though. 

 

 

But better than saying it cant be done.

I have done it using strings that are not even on the same plane. Very easy for those who have the ability to collect and manipulate data. I believe there are several on this forum.

2 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

Not really a workable solution, it won’t account for atmospheric pollution.

Both reference and production array face the same conditions.

14 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

There is no way to tell what the maximum output could be if you’re not using all the potential power.

Potential output can be calcualted from a known reference. The result can be found using a lookup table or real time calculation. 

2 hours ago, gamb00ler said:

Could I get a simple device to measure the sun's observable brightness that will produce an output that can be periodically (ever second?) sampled by computer?

 

By using that light meter one should be able to relate that to your solar production.  Once you calculate the appropriate conversion factor from light meter to solar production one could accurately predict what the solar installation could produce at each meter sample time.

Not difficult to create a reference and calculate potential capacity. With this continuously varying potential capacity how would you increase consumption to match?

To make a prediction one would also need to know the sky conditions and make a calculated guess what the next time window is likely to deliver.  

1 hour ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

What was the comments on the Reddit post?

A Norwegian post I believe, the owner is impressed with winter performance. 

44 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

12.3 kWh/100 km is the correct value, it is just displayed in the wrong unit (km/kWh).

You mean like this variant lifted from a concise Reddit post.

3 hours ago, KhunLA said:

I'm a baker, and I make 1 apple pie every day.

I need 5 apples for one pie.

 

I go to the market, and pay for 5 apples, as that all the money I have for apples.   The vendor gives me 8 apples, because I'm handsome.

 

I make my apple pie with the 5 apples I paid for.

I make apple juice with the other 3.

 

Did the apple juice cost me anything ?

Sorry with all the excitement and little stories kicking around the thread I forgot to answer the first part. 

Apples from the market, a lucky day because we get 8 apples for the price of 5. We can of course say 3 apples were free but this is all about costing so lets cost our cooking session properly and not kid ourselves.

8 apples for 100B

Apples 12.5 each

Apple cost for pies 62.5

Apple cost for juice 37.5

And for those looking for a nice warm fuzzy feeling, the apple juice was free just like when some lucky guys charge EV's for free with surplus solar.
 

12 minutes ago, motdaeng said:

If you want to be realistic it's your only way to look at it ...  other may see it differently ... as i do :-)

You are quite welcome to present your view but be sure to exclude any ambiguous use of the word free. I guess I must accept people wishing to view their solar investment as they would a new washing machine. 

8 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

I accept that is one way of looking at it.

If you want to be realistic it's the only way to look at it. There is no need to get complicated, all we need to do is log our consumption and use unit cost of electricity to estimate when we might be screaming from the tree tops ITS FREE.

13 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Just in case you are not trolling

???? lets try it this way.

 

I'm a baker, and I make 1 apple pie every day.

I need 5 apples for one pie.

 

I go to the market, and pay for 5 apples, as that all the money I have for apples.   The vendor gives me 8 apples, because I'm handsome.

 

I make my apple pie with the 5 apples I paid for.

I make apple juice with the other 3.

 

Did the apple juice cost me anything ?

 

I install solar to provide 30kWh a day

The house uses 30 kWh a day, every day.

I only get 30kWh a day on overcast rainy days.

I used 30kWh a day, every day. 

So the system has to provide a minimum of 30kWh a day.

The system cost this many $$$ to produce 30kWh a day on overcast, rainy days.  That's what the system must cost.

 

The sun comes out today, I get 50kWh today.

I use 30kWh for the house, and put the 20kWh in the EV.

 

Did the 20kWh cost me anything extra ?

 

edit: I just showed this to my 7 yr old niece, and she correctly answered NO to both questions.

Yes the 20kW did cost but payback will be achieved sooner if the 50kW sunny days continue and all is consumed.

Why did you not take my advice and ask a friend for help.
 

10 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

How can it have a cost if it’s surplus?

Because every unit of electricity consumed carries a cost until payback is achieved.

1 hour ago, JBChiangRai said:

The inverters raise the voltage of their output in an attempt to push their power out to the grid.

 

I was surprised they don't simply wind down their gain as they approach the max grid voltage parameter so as not to exceed it.

 

I couldn't find any other setting that might help.  I would love to have them sit close to max grid voltage parameter and not exceed it and error.

Thats a quite a common problem and not always easy to fix when the voltage values are locked and set to supply authority spec. 

I have a single phase inverter on a each phase and there were times when grid voltage was exceeded on one phase. I initially changed country code to fix the problem then later begged the manufactrurer for the parameter address list.

Why does the inverter not adjust as it approaches limit is a good question. The inverter will be making adjustment up to a point but the final decision to fault will be down to time limits to get into the lower level set by country spec. 

44 minutes ago, motdaeng said:

solar installations, as described above, do have this "excess electricity", whether they owner have an ev car or not.

referring to this "excess power" as a free byproduct of the solar installation is certainly accurate in this context,

the owner does not need invest anything extra to get this "excess electricity"!

It is best to say surplus electricity which of course if consumed comes at a cost. 

9 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

My 3 Grid-Tied inverters di nit behave as you describe.  They will attempt to produce as much power as they can from the available sunlight, and if I am not consuming it in the house and the grid is too weak to take it, the voltage will climb until it hits the limit and error.  The they restart after a minute and the process repeats.

There is something very wrong if an inverter produces beyond demand to the point where it faults. If the max grid voltage parameter is being exceeded then that's another story which really should be looked at. Most inverters are certified with country code parameters which are sometimes too narrow for Thailand's grid.