Growatt Inverter Settings

[novelsmike]

I have recently installed a Solar Panel system with storage batteries. Knowing what to do with the settings in the Growatt App is a bit of a challenge as there doesn’t appear to be guidance or a manual available. My question is about how to set the system up when the power produced by the panels is more than what’s being consumed. Right now it exports the excess to the grid rather than charge the batteries. How do you alter that?

 

[johnb2713]

I have recently installed a Solar Panel system with storage batteries. Knowing what to do with the settings in the Growatt App is a bit of a challenge as there doesn’t appear to be guidance or a manual available. My question is about how to set the system up when the power produced by the panels is more than what’s being consumed. Right now it exports the excess to the grid rather than charge the batteries. How do you alter that?

What model of inverter is it, SPH etc?

 

[novelsmike]

SPH6000

 

[johnb2713]

SPH6000

Same as me!
A couple of things to be aware of, on battery it will only supply 3000w not the 6000w that it's model number suggests. In terms of settings, here are mine and it does what you want, charge the batteries first before exporting to the grid.

 

[novelsmike]

Many thanks

 

[novelsmike]

Same as me!
A couple of things to be aware of, on battery it will only supply 3000w not the 6000w that it's model number suggests. In terms of settings, here are mine and it does what you want, charge the batteries first before exporting to the grid.

View attachment 15108

Thanks

 

[wytco0]

Same as me!
A couple of things to be aware of, on battery it will only supply 3000w not the 6000w that it's model number suggests. In terms of settings, here are mine and it does what you want, charge the batteries first before exporting to the grid.

View attachment 15108

John I notice you have Power harvester set to meter, Is that easy to setup? I have a CT but I am not convinced that it is very accurate. I would like to change it to a more accurate meter if its possible.

 

[johnb2713]

John I notice you have Power harvester set to meter, Is that easy to setup? I have a CT but I am not convinced that it is very accurate. I would like to change it to a more accurate meter if its possible.

Yes it's easy to set up BUT power meters are slower to respond to changes in load, they have greater accuracy especially around zero! CT's respond much quicker but they are not so good as current approaches zero.

 

[wytco0]

Yes it's easy to set up BUT power meters are slower to respond to changes in load, they have greater accuracy especially around zero! CT's respond much quicker but they are not so good as current approaches zero.

Thanks John, I wasnt aware that the meters were slower, do you know have a ball park guess of how much slower they e.g. if I put the kettle on would the meter pick it up in a few seconds or would the kettle boil before it realised? ;-)

Your point about meters being more accurate around zero may expains something I have noticed about my SPH5000 which I find annoying. When my house is ticking over with just minimal stuff running, (normally about 400 watts) even though the inverter provides most of that I still have a grid draw of about 30-70 watts which the batteries could easily supply. Could that be due to CT inaccuracy and if so would a meter help. I know its not a huge amount but it adds up to 1kwh at least each day.

 

[johnb2713]

Thanks John, I wasnt aware that the meters were slower, do you know have a ball park guess of how much slower they e.g. if I put the kettle on would the meter pick it up in a few seconds or would the kettle boil before it realised? ;-)

Your point about meters being more accurate around zero may expains something I have noticed about my SPH5000 which I find annoying. When my house is ticking over with just minimal stuff running, (normally about 400 watts) even though the inverter provides most of that I still have a grid draw of about 30-70 watts which the batteries could easily supply. Could that be due to CT inaccuracy and if so would a meter help. I know its not a huge amount but it adds up to 1kwh at least each day.

Do you have export enabled? if not the inverter will always import a small amount.
Meters respond fairly quickly, probably less than a second whereas CT's are instant.

 

[wytco0]

Do you have export enabled? if not the inverter will always import a small amount.
Meters respond fairly quickly, probably less than a second whereas CT's are instant.

Hi John, I have not changed anything about export and the 'Set Exportlimit' parameter is set to Off.

I do sometimes see exports but as I only have a small amount of PV attached at the moment I use most of my production anyway.

Is there another parameter I need to look at to check if I have export enabled? My G99 allows 5kw.

 

[novelsmike]

Hi Everyone. I have a Growatt inverter connected to 16 panels. I am with Octopus and the Octopus Go tariff. This is good for me as I have Economy 7 night rate available to me. On sunny days my batteries fill up and I export power to the grid. I get nothing for this. The other Octopus Outgoing tariff is not available if you are on Go. Does anybody have suggestions on the best tariff?

 

[johnb2713]

Hi Everyone. I have a Growatt inverter connected to 16 panels. I am with Octopus and the Octopus Go tariff. This is good for me as I have Economy 7 night rate available to me. On sunny days my batteries fill up and I export power to the grid. I get nothing for this. The other Octopus Outgoing tariff is not available if you are on Go. Does anybody have suggestions on the best tariff?

Hi,
You can go on an Export Tariff when on GO, it only pays a small amount but definitely possible. I have just left GO and gone onto Intelligent for 6 hours overnight and 10p off peak.

 

[Figrol]

You are not obliged to claim your Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) payments from your electricity supplier. You can go with any company for this. I too have Octopus Go, but I export through British Gas as they give a slightly larger SEG payment of 6.4p/kwh. You can also change SEG buyer at anytime without penalty. However, I do have an EV and charge this overnight during the cheap Octopus Go rate of 7.5p/kwh. Going to 6 hours wouldn't be advantageous to me as I can comfortably charge the car within the 4 hours using my 7.2kw home charger.
I only got my PV system in November, so haven't had a summer with it.

 

[novelsmike]

Thanks Figrol. I pay 12p for my cheap rate electricity which I use for my EVs and also to charge up my batteries. I will investigate SEG.

 

[johnb2713]

You are not obliged to claim your Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) payments from your electricity supplier. You can go with any company for this. I too have Octopus Go, but I export through British Gas as they give a slightly larger SEG payment of 6.4p/kwh. You can also change SEG buyer at anytime without penalty. However, I do have an EV and charge this overnight during the cheap Octopus Go rate of 7.5p/kwh. Going to 6 hours wouldn't be advantageous to me as I can comfortably charge the car within the 4 hours using my 7.2kw home charger.
I only got my PV system in November, so haven't had a summer with it.

My GO rate was 7.5p too until renewal when it went up to 12p hence the switch to intelligent at 10p kWh for 6 hours

 

[shaunuk]

Just a smug post. 4.5p on edf go electric

 

[johnb2713]

Just a smug post. 4.5p on edf go electric

EDF is nothing to be smug about, the worst company ever to deal with, absolutely dreadful. 4.5p is a good rate though!

 

[shaunuk]

EDF is nothing to be smug about, the worst company ever to deal with, absolutely dreadful. 4.5p is a good rate though!

agreed, minimise contact, profit from absurd rates