Sofar On-Grid Inverter firmware updates. Any luck?

[MJCM]

11 minutes ago, Fruit Trader said:

should take this to Sofar before attempting any more firmware changes.

I think in the last week since (Tuesday) we had about a dozen emails back and forth. I am not making any changes. Only in the Settings (on the inverter) turning on or off Anti-Reflux. That is it.

[MJCM]

Question please

 

I have ordered a new CT online. Now I want to run a separate Cable (because the current CT cable is underground in HDPE) to the Inverter.

 

The distance is approx 20-25m. The current cable (for CT) (That is in the HDPE) is 2 x 1.5mm²

 

Would 2x0.5mm² x 20-25m be good enough to test the NEW CT or should I go 2x1mm² ?

 

Of course will also test with the current cable but I want to exclude that the (current) cable is the problem or maybe it's the connection.

Edited September 25, 2023 by MJCM
Changed some wording

[lom]

40 minutes ago, MJCM said:

Would 2x0.5mm² x 20-25m be good enough to test the NEW CT or should I go 2x1mm² ?

I'd go for 2x1.0mm² because the voltage from the CT is quite low and the cable is long, even a few mV of drop will give the inverter a flawed export result.

[Crossy]

I'd go for the 1mm² cable.

 

Even at 100A the current in the loop would only be 30mA or so but you want to minimise any volt drop. With a CT volt-drop isn't really a concern but ...

[MJCM]

Update:

 

Tested the (new) CT with the new 2x1mm² cable today and same results as with the original CT.

 

So still have ghost export, seem to think it's normal ????

 

Ps: Confirmed that it's still exporting by looking at the meter, and it's still going back ever so slowly.

Reflux Enabled and Power set to 0.0kW

[MJCM]

We (not really us) have solved the Ghost Export.

 

Someone (who I have to thank again for his brilliant idea) has send me a PM.

 

His PM was so simple that it was brilliant.

 

In it said

Quote

do you have a small, constant, daytime load you can move to being outside the CT location? That would place a constant incoming load that would swamp any small export.

We have such a location as we have a GRID CU and a separate House/Solar CU.

The CT is connected to the cable that connects to the House/Solar CU.

 

Everything that is connected to the Grid CU will directly draw from the GRID. Now we also placed a Power socket in to the box that houses the GRID CU, so for example to connect a Welding machine and it will then draw from the GRID and not from Solar.

 

After reading that PM, I connected 1 Fan to that socket, on Speed #1 the meter was still going backwards, on #2 also, and also on Speed setting #3 although again ever SO slowly. We then connected another Fan to it, and after we set it to Speed #2 the meter finally went FORWARD.

 

So now when we go away we will have 2 fans running (I will put them on a timer so they start running at 6:15am and stop at around 6pm.) so the meter reader doesn't see the meter going backwards so Suc6 ????

 

Now I am looking for a Device (approx 100W max) that does something for example an ice-maker, but the problem with an ice-maker would be that it needs attention, water empty ice cubes full etc etc and it will stop producing (using electric).

Any ideas??

 

Edited October 2, 2023 by MJCM
SpElLiNg

[007 RED]

I know it’s been a long time since this topic was discussed.

 

Did anyone manage to resolve the issue of CT ‘ghosting’ in the No Export mode on their Sofar inverter(s)?

 

The reason for asking is that it appears that the software in my Sofar 2.2kW inverter has somehow been recently updated – not by me I might add.

 

I noticed this recently when looking at the LC Display.  The initial reading used to indicate “NORMAL” and ‘XXX’ Watts.  It now shows “DERATING” and ‘XXX’ Watts.

 

When in the No Export mode, with the inverter’s Reflux setting (#17) set to zero, the online monitoring facility is showing the CT is now sending power going back towards the grid.  It has never done this before to the best of my knowledge.

 

Most of the time this back feed (in the No Export mode) is 10W which has the effect of almost stopping the disc meter spinning backwards, but not totally.  The disc appears index backwards very, very slowly.

 

However, at times the back feed to the grid is substantial e.g. 60W, as shown in the screen shot from the monitoring graph below (taken today).  The disc movement (backwards) is very noticeable, albeit slow.  Not something that I want the meter reader, or any other PEA employee, to see.

 

 

Any advice/assistance would be most welcome.

 

Regards

 

007 Retired Extremely Dangerous