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Solar PV "Power failure"? Technicians in North East? Help!

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  • debitcardmayhem
    debitcardmayhem Posts: 12,897 Forumite
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    Does your inverter have an app?
    4.8kWp 12x400W Longhi 9.6 kWh battery Giv-hy 5.0 Inverter, WSW facing Essex . Aint no sunshine ☀️ Octopus gas fixed dec 24 @ 5.74 tracker again+ Octopus Intelligent Flux leccy
  • Telegraph_Sam
    Telegraph_Sam Posts: 2,604 Forumite
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    Honest answer is I don't know.  Would the  user manual or even just the precise model no give us the answers?
    Telegraph Sam

    There are also unknown unknowns - the one's we don't know we don't know
  • NedS
    NedS Posts: 4,657 Forumite
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    Sometimes your inverter App will show AC grid voltages, otherwise you can purchase a plug-in 'power meter' from Amazon for £10-15 that can read/display volts, amps, kWh in real time (also really useful for seeing how much power various appliances use, so a really useful thing to own anyway)

    Our green credentials: 12kW Samsung ASHP for heating, 7.2kWp Solar (South facing), Tesla Powerwall 3 (13.5kWh), Net exporter
  • Netexporter
    Netexporter Posts: 2,046 Forumite
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    Get something like this:

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electricity-Backlight-Overload-Consumption-Monitoring/dp/B0DNT3ZZ54

    Plug it in somewhere you can see it easily, kitchen worktop height plugs are probably favourite. Select the voltage function and note what voltage you get after dark. There will some variance but it shouldn't be more than a few volts. Then monitor during the day. If the voltage varies wildly, with the light level, it is probably the DNO's problem.

    If you get large variations then report it to the DNO, who should monitor your voltage for a day or two, remotely if you have a smart meter, or they will come and fit a recording device if you have a dumb meter.
  • debitcardmayhem
    debitcardmayhem Posts: 12,897 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    4.8kWp 12x400W Longhi 9.6 kWh battery Giv-hy 5.0 Inverter, WSW facing Essex . Aint no sunshine ☀️ Octopus gas fixed dec 24 @ 5.74 tracker again+ Octopus Intelligent Flux leccy
  • Telegraph_Sam
    Telegraph_Sam Posts: 2,604 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    What I've got is a "Plug-in Electricity Cost and Usage Calculator" which seems to be used for calculating the consumption going through a socket - there are 3 buttons for Function, Power and Cost respectively. Whether it can tell what the house voltage is is anyone's guess.
    ESE Solar looks like a useful contact anyway though their web site gives the not uncommon impression that they are more interested in sales than in repairs.
    There is a meter next to the inverter that records things like "Total Annual Import" and "Total Annual Export".
    Telegraph Sam

    There are also unknown unknowns - the one's we don't know we don't know
  • NedS
    NedS Posts: 4,657 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    What I've got is a "Plug-in Electricity Cost and Usage Calculator" which seems to be used for calculating the consumption going through a socket - there are 3 buttons for Function, Power and Cost respectively. Whether it can tell what the house voltage is is anyone's guess.
    My guess is it can - try pressing some of the buttons (function maybe) and see if you get a voltage reading.
    It's common for the voltage to change by around 3v when you go from importing to exporting. The voltage will drop when you start importing and increase as you start exporting - try turning a kettle on/off to see it.


    Our green credentials: 12kW Samsung ASHP for heating, 7.2kWp Solar (South facing), Tesla Powerwall 3 (13.5kWh), Net exporter
  • debitcardmayhem
    debitcardmayhem Posts: 12,897 Forumite
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    looking at your pictures one of them said voltage , i guess the up/down arrows cycle the display. Does the manual say anything.
    If you don’t contact ese you can’t assume they don’t repair, my link shows error codes etc. Just ring them and ask, you can’t guess what. they will say, you need to be proactive this has been going for too long .
    4.8kWp 12x400W Longhi 9.6 kWh battery Giv-hy 5.0 Inverter, WSW facing Essex . Aint no sunshine ☀️ Octopus gas fixed dec 24 @ 5.74 tracker again+ Octopus Intelligent Flux leccy
  • QrizB
    QrizB Posts: 18,756 Forumite
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    edited 15 August at 5:52PM
    If it is tripping out when it is sunny, I'd suggest monitoring your local voltage.
    This is a complete red herring, I'm afraid.
    Overvoltage would cause the inverter to cut out. It wouldn't cause the RCD and/or MCB to trip.
    Does your inverter have an app?
    Sam's Aurora inverter is 13 years old. It doesn't have an app.
    N. Hampshire, he/him. Octopus Intelligent Go elec & Tracker gas / Vodafone BB / iD mobile. Ripple Kirk Hill member.
    2.72kWp PV facing SSW installed Jan 2012. 11 x 247w panels, 3.6kw inverter. 34 MWh generated, long-term average 2.6 Os.
    Not exactly back from my break, but dipping in and out of the forum.
    Ofgem cap table, Ofgem cap explainer. Economy 7 cap explainer. Gas vs E7 vs peak elec heating costs, Best kettle!
  • QrizB
    QrizB Posts: 18,756 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    Looks like my electrician has done a vanishing act. I"ll need to find a replacement.
    I doubt that I'm "losing'" anything like the £££'s you mention. Small consolation
    Are you on metered export?
    If not, the only way to tell is to look at your records of your generation meter readings.
    What did your generation meter read immediately before this problem started? What does it read now?
    N. Hampshire, he/him. Octopus Intelligent Go elec & Tracker gas / Vodafone BB / iD mobile. Ripple Kirk Hill member.
    2.72kWp PV facing SSW installed Jan 2012. 11 x 247w panels, 3.6kw inverter. 34 MWh generated, long-term average 2.6 Os.
    Not exactly back from my break, but dipping in and out of the forum.
    Ofgem cap table, Ofgem cap explainer. Economy 7 cap explainer. Gas vs E7 vs peak elec heating costs, Best kettle!
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