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andrebotha avatar image
andrebotha asked

ESS NOT feeding back to grid

HI All, I'm having an issue where my system is not feeding back to the grid anymore (batteries are at 100%). I have two PV charge controllers one with 16 panels and the other with 4. It seems what is happening is that the PV controllers are limiting power produced to match what my AC loads are using. When I switch more electronics on the PV ramps up so its not a fact that I cannot produce more power. I have 6.6KW worth of panels.

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ESS
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marekp avatar image marekp commented ·

@AndreBotha

Today I observed MPPTs turning off when battery gets to absorption.

After ca 10 minutes they started producing again.

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peregrines avatar image peregrines marekp commented ·
I have the same problem :(

Did you find a solution?

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nickdb avatar image nickdb ♦♦ commented ·
You are going to need to provide a lot more detail about your system, it's components and configuration.

There is nothing to go on here and crystal balls use too much power ;)

Are any limits set in DVCC?

Is DC feed-in actually enabled in ESS?

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andrebotha avatar image andrebotha nickdb ♦♦ commented ·

Sorry about that. Not sure what information required. Happy to share all settings you guys would need.


I have Victron 5KW inverter with two charge controllers and 3 Dyness B3 batteries.
No limits on DVCCdvcc.pngESS settings are enabled, there use to be no limit but i enabled one to test and no change.

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gazza avatar image gazza commented ·

Did it feed back before... or is it a new system?

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andrebotha avatar image andrebotha gazza commented ·
It use to feed back. But towards end of last year it stopped.


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gazza avatar image gazza commented ·

Did it coincide with any firmware update?
Are you sure you have feed in (DC or AC pv) enabled?
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andrebotha avatar image andrebotha gazza commented ·

So my system is set to not automatically update any software. I cannot remember if it was after an update as i only realized it now. We are only getting some decent summer sun now so I've been monitoring it more.


Ive also had both those settings enabled. But im sure its DC because when batteries are being charged by solar it does a straight pass through, and not through my inverter. Only when it gets charged from grid does it run through inverter.

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gazza avatar image gazza andrebotha commented ·
Yea sorry I re-read your post and you mention 2x charge controllers so it is DC
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andrebotha avatar image andrebotha commented ·

I have also updated the PV controllers, ESS and the inverter to the latest software to see if that would help but still the same.

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nickdb avatar image nickdb ♦♦ andrebotha commented ·

If you set a negative grid setpoint does it feed-in?

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andrebotha avatar image andrebotha nickdb ♦♦ commented ·
If i set negative it does feed back but then it uses battery to push back to the grid, so that is not a solution really.
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gazza avatar image gazza commented ·

It may seem trivial but I would probably do a complete reboot of the system. If that doesn't get you back to "where you were" when it worked then I would look at all the settings in VE Configure 3, just as you would have done when you set up ESS.

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andrebotha avatar image andrebotha gazza commented ·
I have rebooted the system completely. My next step would be to just reset the system to default and do all the settings again. Just wondered if anyone would have any ideas before i get to that..
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andrebotha avatar image andrebotha commented ·

So i have double and triple checked all the settings on the inverter itself and its all correct. I suspect that the Nov/December update on the charge controllers are at fault here. I have reached out to the Victron SA representative now to find out from them if they are aware of a software bug. If not then i will revert to 3/4 versions back on the charge controllers to see if that changes anything. I will post an update once i have heard back with more information.

Thanks so far for the comments.

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Alexandra avatar image Alexandra ♦ andrebotha commented ·
@AndreBotha

Part of the system was updated. The rest will need to be updated to match.

The 'bug' may not be a bug so kuch as be the old and new don't play nice together.

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andrebotha avatar image andrebotha Alexandra ♦ commented ·
Currently everything is new or on latest firmware versions. But i hear you. Just don't have any other options as I don't know where the issue is..
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marekp avatar image marekp commented ·

@AndreBotha

In this situation there will not be any feeding because there is noting to feed.

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andrebotha avatar image andrebotha marekp commented ·
No there is definitely more than enough power to feed back. When turn my microware on or aircon the AC loads go up and then the PV power goes up. The issue seems that the PV is only producing enough power to run my AC loads. When my batteries need charging i will produce 5000w+ on PV to charge batteries and run AC. As soon as batteries are 100% the PV drops down and does not push back to the grid.
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marekp avatar image marekp andrebotha commented ·

@AndreBotha

Ok.

Look at this post of mine and see if you have the same problem.

https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/175803/mppts-switch-off-when-soc-is-getting-colose-to-100.html

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yunus avatar image yunus commented ·

Can you let me know to you solved this. I have the same issue

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andrebotha avatar image andrebotha yunus commented ·
Still not resolved. :(
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blackmarlin avatar image blackmarlin commented ·

@AndreBotha I recently found your thread. Do you already have a solution?

I have a similar issue: https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/185963/mppt-power-is-limited-for-dc-feed-in-if-battery-is.html

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andrebotha avatar image andrebotha blackmarlin commented ·
Unfortunately not, still does not feed back to grid.
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ejrossouw avatar image ejrossouw andrebotha commented ·

Do you have a CT clamp, ET112 or use the inverter as gridmeter?

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andrebotha avatar image andrebotha commented ·

@Dyness - Who can I email in South Africa for support? The supplier that I got my system through does not have a cable and they are struggling to source one.

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2 Answers
Talfan Stamps avatar image
Talfan Stamps answered ·

Quick update: I rebooted the GX as suggested in earlier posts and this, thankfully, worked for me...


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Talfan Stamps avatar image
Talfan Stamps answered ·

I have the same problem, and this is how it happened and what I'm running:

3 x multiplus 1 5kVA1000064186.jpg

3 x bluenova (8, 8, 4)

1 x MPPT 150/100 with 10 x 540W

1 x mppt 250/85 with 16 x 275W


Blue nova battery comms have been playing up for some time, showing "connected" and then in moments "disconnected" and back again, at times causing a sstem shut down.


I reconfigured ESS to gels and it worked smoothly without problems, until I had an SOC drift needing reset.

I plugged in bms cable. After a few days it stopped mppts from working because it was ever on and off. So I disconnected the bms, but naturally had to reset the mppts to work without bms.


In order to reset mppts I had to go thru the new updates, change passwords, etc.

The result is mppts only match the load when battery is at 100%. I have 10kW of solar power, running at 600W! 35+ units of solar power lost to this glitch.

Normally it all feeds back into the grid.

This morning solar is low, but grid is feeding the loads and battery is 100% but ESS set to 55%.


For sure the mppt firmware has caused a glitch. I will, relunctantly, update all other firmwares.




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Talfan Stamps avatar image Talfan Stamps commented ·

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ESS set at 55% but grid feeding thruout 100%

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Talfan Stamps avatar image Talfan Stamps commented ·
CCGX fw is 3.30...


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