question

Hugo Russouw avatar image
Hugo Russouw asked

System is not powering loads with Solar Power priority in ESS

Hi

I have an installation that is having problems with solar power priority in the morning.

The installation is running 2x 250/100 solar chargers ( one is a CAN interface and the other is VE.Bus).

The system is charging the batteries first and only supplying power to the house second.

The client to first use the power and charge the batteries when he has excess solar power.

Is this a firmware problem or am I missing a setting?

The system does not export power so this is not an problem.

See attached screen shot.

Thanks Hugo

ESS
1602924185670.png (53.5 KiB)
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2 Answers
Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) avatar image
Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) answered ·

The ESS system is in the 'Scheduled charge' window. While in scheduled charge, the system will not power the loads as a priority.

You will need to adjust this setting so that it ends before the customer wants to use the PV power to run the loads again.

There is more information in this section of the manual - https://www.victronenergy.com/live/ess:design-installation-manual#gx_device_-_scheduled_charging

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nickdb avatar image
nickdb answered ·

It is tough getting this setting right and is a common ESS weakness.

You can't control how the batteries discharge so if usage is higher and you hit the minimum SOC then the system uses all PV for battery charging, until it gets close to the stop on SOC threshold set in the schedule.

You can limit how batteries discharge by setting the inverter limit setting which can give a more controlled use of batteries but this also limits PV used for AC loads by day, I keep suggesting two different limits to make this easier to use.

You have to fiddle with the SOC ESS limits and the typical loads to try keep it just above the minimum when the schedule starts so you don't get forced to use grid power for AC loads while batteries catch up.

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