ESS does not charge batteries in Optimized Mode

DIY
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1

Hi,

I have an on-grid system composed of a SMA Sunny Boy (with SMA Smart Meter) and solar panels.
Recently, I added storage capacity consisting of 2 Pylontech US5000 batteries, a Multiplus 2, 3kW, and CerboGX. I also installed ESS.
I have established the communication with the SMA inverter, and it is seen by the CerboGX.
All software, firmare is up to date.
The Country Grid Code is set.

However, in “Optimized (with or without battery life)” mode, the batteries are not charged (from PV excess).
Instead, the excess PV is sent to the grid.
Also, in this mode, the loads discharge the batteries instead of taking energy from solar.

To charge the batteries I have to manually force the “Keep batteries charged” mode, which is not ok!

I have attached screenshots from my system.
Can you help me to find the problem?
Do I need another meter or the SMA Smart Meter is enough?

These are from VE Configure.

general
general946×742 116 KB

inverter
inverter944×742 105 KB

charger
charger940×738 75.2 KB

These pictures are from VRM:

As can be seen the batteries are not charged (from PV excess).
Instead, the excess PV is sent to the grid.
Also, the loads discharge the batteries instead of taking energy from solar.

vrm
vrm774×954 106 KB

dvcc1
dvcc1776×1292 177 KB

thank you

2

Generally, do you feed in or not?
What’s the configuration on the Cerbo’s Grid feed-in and on Peak shaving?
Did you played a little with Grid setpoint?

3

I wonder if it is the DVCC settings.
What is your setting for battery monitor?
Turn of DVCC, what happens?

image
image1065×651 57.3 KB

5

I set the Grid set point to 50W, but nothing happens.

grid
grid755×891 80.1 KB

6

My Pylontech batteries are connected through BMS Canbus, not VE Bus, as indicated here:

https://www.victronenergy.com/live/battery_compatibility:pylontech_phantom

I have used a Type A cable.

7

Here are the settings for the battery.
I have NOT tried to turn off the DVCC. Should I do that?

battery
battery768×455 57 KB

8

What can you choose under battery monitor?

image
image802×329 20.6 KB

9

bmonitor
bmonitor773×455 44.9 KB

10

Do you have any Assistants installed?

11

Yes. The default ESS.

12

Do you have any ESS schedules defined that will prevent charging?

13

What are ESS schedules? I do not know where to define them.

14

Sorry, now I’ve seen that you have them disabled.
Last picture in your first post, last option under ESS menu on Cerbo.

15

These are the settings of the ESS assistant.

assistant
assistant807×668 140 KB

16

If you try to force a charging with the ESS schedule, will it work?
Again, ESS schedules shown in the last picture in your first post, last option under ESS menu on Cerbo.

17
  1. Currently, I do not have solar power, so I do not know if starting a schedule will be relevant.
  2. If I force “Keep batteries charged” Mode, it will charge them (from Solar and Grid combined).
18

Asteptam pana maine… :smile:

19

From the docs: "It allows you to set up to five scheduled periods, during which the system will take power from the grid to charge the battery. "

From what I see, the power is taken from the grid, not from exces solar… so I do not know if the schedules are relevant in my case.

20

It seems I cannot turn DVCC off. It is in a “forced-on” state.

21

I see some other people have had a similar problem:

https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/191514/ess-feeding-in-all-pv-power-to-grid-but-not-chargi.html

A person from Victron asked:

"have you tried DVCC with / without SVS?

what length / size wiring and how are things connected?"

  1. But I cannot enable SVS. It is “forced-off”.

  2. Also, what wiring is he referring to? Battery wiring? I used some 25mm^2, 2m long cables that come with the battery. But, on the red cable I put the 250 Amps fuse and I extended it by 1/2 meters. So, black one is 2m and red one is 2 1/2 meters long. Does this matter?