Solar panels….?
- Thread starter Hicky
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potsy
Rambler
- Location
- My Armchair
Don't you also need some sunlight?
daylight.....
So a couple of questions for the knowledgeable. My system was setup yesterday and seems to be operating as planned, but I have two questions. Am I right in thinking that I am exporting to the grid at the moment because the battery can only charge at 1 kW? I would prefer to max my battery before any export. My app shows that I have not setup any export yet.
Secondly - earlier on I was consuming about 200W and charging the battery at about 300W yet for some reason I was consuming about 50W from the grid. Again, is this normal?
Secondly - earlier on I was consuming about 200W and charging the battery at about 300W yet for some reason I was consuming about 50W from the grid. Again, is this normal?
i think you need to put the settings to feed house, then battery, then grid........you may just have a general setting to feed all 3 in small amounts
Your battery is only 35% full, so its got nothing to do with only being able to charge at 1kw
Check the settings on the inverter, what model is it?
The inverter should be a "smart" one and you can (likely through the app) tell it to prioritise what it does with the solar feed. This will determine how much you import from the grid i.e. if you tell it to use all solar for immediate demand and surplus then to battery or prioritise battery charging etc.
It maybe that the battery is set to only take x power so the inverter is then releasing this to the grid?
What inverter do you have and what power rating is it?
It maybe that the battery is set to only take x power so the inverter is then releasing this to the grid?
What inverter do you have and what power rating is it?
It is LuxPowerTek - I think the 3.6k hybrid
These are my settings
Right now it is doing this
That inverted has a charge rate of 3600watts.
The inverter has 4 operating modes:
Self usage (default), solar priority is to load, battery then grid.
Charge priority. Battery then load then grid
Force time. User can set the charge/discharge time and priority
Micro grid mode. Off grid applications.
So assuming that you're on self usage it should be be sending any extra after load to the batteries. If it's not sending all the extra to the battery then there could be a problem.
The inverter has 4 operating modes:
Self usage (default), solar priority is to load, battery then grid.
Charge priority. Battery then load then grid
Force time. User can set the charge/discharge time and priority
Micro grid mode. Off grid applications.
So assuming that you're on self usage it should be be sending any extra after load to the batteries. If it's not sending all the extra to the battery then there could be a problem.
I think I am on the default - it seems to jump around a bit. I have contacted the installers and am waiting a call back. At some point I want to know how to set to charge the battery at night, but that can wait until I get this sorted. I think I do that using the AC Charge or Charge Priority parts of the configuration, but am not sure the difference between the two, my guess is AC charge is what I need.
Thanks - I will try and search it out.
Sorry I found it on another device while using my phone to reply.
This is the thread, all 115 pages of it.....
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6113817/lux-ac-battery-controller
Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
It is very likely that regardless of how full it is, it can only charge at a certain maximum current, which when multiplied by the voltage translates to it taking a maximum power.
But 1Kw seems awfully low for that. I believe most solar battery systems have. Charge/discharge rate more between 2Kw and 4Kw.
[EDIT] And according to the above, his should have a maximum rate of 3600w
Last edited:
Thanks, the installers have not got back to me yet. I have read all 115 pages and now have a better understanding, from what I can tell the settings are correct. The thread has given me a few more questions for the installers too. I think I will need to keep an eye on it and wait out for a really sunny day to see what happens.
