question

matthewdhf avatar image
matthewdhf asked

ESS Scheduled Charging not working

I have a Multiplus-II GX with 5 Pylontech US3000C batteries. The set up works fine during the day, charging from some solar panels with their own inverter on the AC side when there's excess solar and discharging from the batteries when the house demand goes above the solar output. I have ESS running fine and can 'force charge' the batteries by choosing the 'keep batteries charged' option.

However, when I try to set a scheduled time and state of charge to reach, nothing happens. It's a bit of a shame as I'd like to charge up overnight on a cheap rate and then discharge during the day.

Can anyone suggest a few things that I should be checking, please (settings in ESS?)

Many thanks, Matthew

battery chargingESS
1 comment
2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

Tom Ranson avatar image Tom Ranson commented ·

@nickdb @MatthewDHF @Jason - UK @ZL2FAE @Chris hi all, I'm also experiencing this issue. Scheduled charging overnight on my cheap tariff was working just fine, I made no changes, and it's just stopped working for the last few days. I can't figure out the cause. Here's a screenshot of the Cerbo GX date and time settings. This is in the UK so we are currently on GMT+1 British summer time. Many thanks as always.screenshot-2022-10-23-11-16-31-06-bc2aea2f1887607a.jpg

0 Likes 0 ·
screenshot-2022-10-23-11-16-31-06-bc2aea2f1887607a.jpg (252.2 KiB)
5 Answers
nickdb avatar image
nickdb answered ·

Please share screenshots of your ess settings and schedules.

The crystal ball is on recharge so it would be super helpful :)

2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

matthewdhf avatar image
matthewdhf answered ·

Thanks for the quick reply. I've discovered that if I set the time in the Remote Console to UTC, the scheduled charge works fine on the multiplus, whereas if it is set to GMT + 1, it won't work.

Happy to post some pictures if that's still helpful.

3 comments
2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

nickdb avatar image nickdb ♦♦ commented ·
Hi, I have used local timezones and schedules used to work. In settings- date and time, is clock correct if set to your timezone?

From what you’re saying, it’s about a schedule not activating at the right time?

If the clock is off it may help to reboot the gx.

What version are you running?

0 Likes 0 ·
Chris avatar image Chris commented ·
Similar isse with me - started some time ago.

I put it down to an older inverter FW version (that i couldnt update remotely) - and the later Venus FW - that i couldnt roll back to the older version!

However.....

Updated ALL to latest yesterday - and... still no luck.. no scheduled charging.

0 Likes 0 ·
Chris avatar image Chris Chris commented ·
OK

After also changing timezone to UTC - and doing a remote reboot.

But also... making sure the ESS assistant was updated too.

Things seem to have been kicked into life.

0 Likes 0 ·
Jason - UK avatar image
Jason - UK answered ·

@MatthewDHF My Multiplus 48/5kva started doing the same about a week ago. IT just wont charge during the night on a scheduled charge, it only charges of solar. I've not changed anything. I only noticed it because there was not enough energy in the batteries to deal with the morning load so it could have been like this for some time. Either way, it has worked since the last time I made any change to the system settings in Remote Console.

1 comment
2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

Jason - UK avatar image Jason - UK commented ·
Mine has worked perfectly for the last 3 weeks. No idea why is didn't charge when I was meant to but all working now.
0 Likes 0 ·
matthewdhf avatar image
matthewdhf answered ·

Hi, thanks for that information.... If I leave the time as UTC, all is ok. It's when I change local time to British Summer time that problems start. Seems easiest to allow for the extra hour during the summer months when setting my cheap night time (12am - 5am). All is ok then!

2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

zl2fae avatar image
zl2fae answered ·

Another way I chose was to use the Node - Red capability. I called the grid shore power (dumped assistants) and set the switch to go in at 21:01 and back to inverter at 06:59. It works fine :)

I am now playing with other Node-red features to start an EV Charger when Battery SOC above 99% and PV >1kw.

Also toying with drawing some "Shore" power when there is overload Warning. (the VS switch Assistant stopped working correctly when I updated to OS Large.)


Cheers

Simon

2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.