I am struggling with an issue that has been haunting me for a while now. Working with a three-phase setup: 3x Quattro 48/8000/110-2x100 rev2. Batteries are 2x 20/16 Freedomwon batteries. The site is an on-grid installation with Eskom on AC in 1, and a generator on AC in 2. The site often suffers from Eskom outages, so often needs to run the generator at night. There is DC-coupled and AC-coupled solar (Fronius).
On VeConfig, I have the ESS assistant running for daily arbitrage and the AC-coupled PV. I have disabled LOM detection on AC 2, turned off UPS mode, and turned on Weak AC input. Each inverter is also set to its maximum charging of 110 A, so in theory 330 A total. The issue is that the generator will start up and synchronise, and take the AC loads without problem, but when it comes to charging, it starts wanting to and then the generator just gives up, and the system switches to passthrough. Sometimes it will accept and charge at around 100 A, but nothing more, and any instability in load kicks it back to passthrough quickly. Sometimes I can get it to charge relatively stably if I limit the charge current on DVCC to around 80 A. So, could this just be an issue with the generator?
The generator is a brand new FAW 30kVA and I have set the AC In 2 at a max of 35A.
Now I’m wanting to know: is this an issue with the generator not being able to handle the ramp? Why is the ramp so aggressive if it is the ramp, and can I change it? I was thinking of doing something in Node-RED to slowly ramp AC current of the gen, but would the instability still kick it out or will a higher accepted load make the genny run smoother?
We do this on our one site. And for some (there are theories) reason cannot go above 23 amps per phase (input current limit) on the 30kVa generator. The disappointment is real.
We haven’t bothered with the charge amps in DVCC because with power control the charging slows and ramps up as the loads allow.
We spent some time listening to how the genny loads up as we ramp it too. Experimenting with warm and cool down as well.
The sine wave or noise can get messy from some generators at certain loads. All i can suggest it play a bit more.find the happy load.
Check the system is loading rhe generator up fairly symmetrically sometimes thats not happening and genny doesnt like that
A side note. There is also a system where we have it switch into charger only mode as the generator is running and warmed up and it passes power through (so loads are supported).
Then shortly before the disconnect and cool down switches back to on mode.
Has solve their issue anyway.
Hey thanks for this, I am going to see if we can do a reduced charge first, then test out the charging only option, as that might actually work well, just need to be sure the mode always switches back before the gen switches off. Will let you know!