Conext XW+ 5548, looking for your user input.

jimmyaz
jimmyaz Registered Users Posts: 114 ✭✭
Hi guys,

This may be a long shot, but I am looking for anyone that's using the Schneider Conext XW+ 5548 or 6848 input regarding the Grid Support mode with Sell DISABLE. 

I would like to know the following.

1.  Is it capable of putting out grid support to both L1 and L2?  It seem like a silly question, but the Conext SW does NOT support both line, it can only do ac support to line 1, which is very stupid.

2.  In Grid Support mode enable/ Sell disabled.  How good of a job does the inverter do when it come to prevent power back feeding the grid?  Is it 100%?  Does anyone have one and running it in this mode and have a "Smart Meter" for their main panel that can detect the smallest amount of back feed that can confirm that this inverter indeed does not back feed power if sell is disabled?

I know about the first 1-2amps should be drawn from the grid under these mode... But that does not mean that it work like it's suppose to or does a good job of it.  Unless nothing else in your house is running and you have a Smart Meter, you may not notice the small backfeed.

Anyone with advise or input is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Comments

  • WaterWheel
    WaterWheel Registered Users Posts: 375 ✭✭✭

    With a XW+6848 the inverter supports both L1 and L2 during grid support during low draw loads but when a large sudden draw such as the well pump hits it simply lets the grid provide 100% of the power to both legs.     With a gradual power demand increase such as when the mini-split slowly ramps up the inverter handles all of the load except the roughly 90 watts it pulls to monitor the grid.      With the load shave feature you can probably get the inverter to assist during sudden high draw loads but I leave load shave off since I'm usually of the grid except during poor weather in an effort to protect the batteries. 

    In Grid Support mode Enable/ Sell disabled I've only seen 10-15 watts trickle back to the grid once or twice for a few seconds and this is such a small amount and so rare I suspect it may just be a meter error.      99.9% of the time I've not seen any power drift back into the grid.          During low power draws or gradual load increases my XW+6848 draws 80-110 watts from the grid to monitor the grid AC cycling.

    While I'm always learning more I don't claim to be a master at programming the ComBox so the system may not be set up perfectly.  

    Conext XW6848 with PDP, SCP, 80/600 controller, 60/150 controller and Conext battery monitor

    21 SW280 panels on Schletter ground mount

    48v Rolls 6CS 27P

  • jimmyaz
    jimmyaz Registered Users Posts: 114 ✭✭
    edited April 2017 #3

    With a XW+6848 the inverter supports both L1 and L2 during grid support during low draw loads but when a large sudden draw such as the well pump hits it simply lets the grid provide 100% of the power to both legs.     With a gradual power demand increase such as when the mini-split slowly ramps up the inverter handles all of the load except the roughly 90 watts it pulls to monitor the grid.      With the load shave feature you can probably get the inverter to assist during sudden high draw loads but I leave load shave off since I'm usually of the grid except during poor weather in an effort to protect the batteries. 

    In Grid Support mode Enable/ Sell disabled I've only seen 10-15 watts trickle back to the grid once or twice for a few seconds and this is such a small amount and so rare I suspect it may just be a meter error.      99.9% of the time I've not seen any power drift back into the grid.          During low power draws or gradual load increases my XW+6848 draws 80-110 watts from the grid to monitor the grid AC cycling.

    While I'm always learning more I don't claim to be a master at programming the ComBox so the system may not be set up perfectly.  

    Thank you for taking your time to reply to my question.

    I am only to interest for inverter to assists grid and all surge should be pull from grid and DC inverting only when excess power is available.  So you're saying under Grid Support mode and Sell is Disabled, all high surge load is being pull from grid and inverter would gradually kick in to fas much of the load, except the 1-2amps.

    However, what I would really like to know is, where do you see the 90watts mimimum being pull from grid?  Conext Dashboard?  As I have notice, my SW dashboard is extremely inaccurate, useless inaccurate.  Same thing with the 10-15watts trickle back to the grid, are you seeing this on the dashboard or on your smart main power meter?

    What do you think of this comment posted by this user in this thread?
    http://forum.solar-electric.com/discussion/24549/schneider-conext-xw-what-nightmares-are-made-of

    "Re: Schneider Conext XW+ = What nightmares are made of
    reefbum wrote: »
    1. Never import/buy power from grid unless battery reaches the inverter low batt cutout.
    According to all my calls to SE support, this is not possible. From SE support the inverter will ALWAYS import between 50~200watts of power from grid regardless of system settings.
    SE support says this 50-200watts is needed by the inverter to monitor grid power status. From my testing this wattage is 'lost' and not used to power loads."

    So far with my Conext SW, I can somewhat confirmed what he said is right.  My Conext SW, I have to leave L2 Grid Input disconnect, in order for it not to backfeed the grid under load changes.  However doing so I found another problem same as he describe.  I put 3 clamp on three point during grid support mode and found.

    L1 Input 3amps = 300watts
    L1 Output 2.5amps = 250watts
    Battery>Inverter = 300watts

    Meaning, it's using 600watts to power a 250watts load, wasting about 200-300watts.
  • WaterWheel
    WaterWheel Registered Users Posts: 375 ✭✭✭
    Sometimes a reactive load can make the meter show more power than what is actually being drawn.       I get most of my readings from the SCP although I've used other meters and a different amp shunt to test the SCP accuracy.       With the exception of the Conext battery monitor "state of charge %" I've found all meters being reported to the SCP to be very accurate.      

    When connected to the grid any inverter will draw a few watts (about 90 watts with my XW+6848) from the grid at all times in an effort to keep the AC produced by the inverter in sync with the grid AC.        Without this the grid could not assist with sudden large loads and the inverter could not export to the grid if Sell was enabled because the AC from the inverter and AC from the grid must be in sync if both ever feed into the same service.

    In Grid Support Mode with smaller loads (roughly below 600 watts) the inverter provides all of the power except for the roughly 90 watts it needs to stay in sync with the grid.        With larger loads and strong batteries the inverter supplies about 70% of the required power with the remaining 30% of the power coming from the grid.      It may be possible to program to change this ratio of supplied power, I don't know.
    But if your batteries are a little low with no solar input a large sudden load (say 4500 watts)  may drop the battery voltage below the Grid Support Volts set-point (I'm at 47.5v) and then the inverter will allow the grid to cover all of the load.

    Keep in mind that I'm not a professional but I believe this is how it all works together after 18 months of watching things and tinkering with the system.

    Conext XW6848 with PDP, SCP, 80/600 controller, 60/150 controller and Conext battery monitor

    21 SW280 panels on Schletter ground mount

    48v Rolls 6CS 27P

  • jimmyaz
    jimmyaz Registered Users Posts: 114 ✭✭
    Sometimes a reactive load can make the meter show more power than what is actually being drawn.       I get most of my readings from the SCP although I've used other meters and a different amp shunt to test the SCP accuracy.       With the exception of the Conext battery monitor "state of charge %" I've found all meters being reported to the SCP to be very accurate.      

    When connected to the grid any inverter will draw a few watts (about 90 watts with my XW+6848) from the grid at all times in an effort to keep the AC produced by the inverter in sync with the grid AC.        Without this the grid could not assist with sudden large loads and the inverter could not export to the grid if Sell was enabled because the AC from the inverter and AC from the grid must be in sync if both ever feed into the same service.

    In Grid Support Mode with smaller loads (roughly below 600 watts) the inverter provides all of the power except for the roughly 90 watts it needs to stay in sync with the grid.        With larger loads and strong batteries the inverter supplies about 70% of the required power with the remaining 30% of the power coming from the grid.      It may be possible to program to change this ratio of supplied power, I don't know.
    But if your batteries are a little low with no solar input a large sudden load (say 4500 watts)  may drop the battery voltage below the Grid Support Volts set-point (I'm at 47.5v) and then the inverter will allow the grid to cover all of the load.

    Keep in mind that I'm not a professional but I believe this is how it all works together after 18 months of watching things and tinkering with the system.

    Ok.  Maybe your system is working correctly and it's doing all the proper thing like it should.  But my Conext SW sure has a mind of it own.  Plus I only use the ComBox and dashboard and it's probably not reporting all the correct numbers.

    How do you think your inverter Grid Support voltage is working?  Does the inverter try to invert as much power as possible while maintaining the battery voltage to be no more lower than what you set? 47.5?  Meaning if you set at 47.5v,  it would invert as much power as it can until the battery drop to 47.5, then it would hold it output so it won't drag the battery voltage any lower?   At least I think this is how mine work.  If I set mine at 52volts, it would only invert about 600watts and maintain that voltage... If I set it lower like 48volts, then it can invert 1000watts to maintain that voltage.  Like it has a algorithm written in to do so.

    :)


  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The Combox can report loads in Watts and in VA.   VA = True AC power, watts can be incorrect due to PF.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
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  • WaterWheel
    WaterWheel Registered Users Posts: 375 ✭✭✭
    edited April 2017 #7
    jimmyaz,    read the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th post on this page.
    http://forum.solar-electric.com/discussion/17881/new-sw-and-xw-communication-conext-combox/p8

    Conext XW6848 with PDP, SCP, 80/600 controller, 60/150 controller and Conext battery monitor

    21 SW280 panels on Schletter ground mount

    48v Rolls 6CS 27P