GivEnergy inverters - Eco doesn't need to be off when exporting!

miffy

Hi. We're on Octopus Flux, so generally export 4-7pm, but with a minimum battery % set. This evening, the export stopped early because the minimum % was hit prior to 7pm. However, since Eco was set to off unnecessarily, we ended up importing from the grid for 15 minutes! Exactly when we don't want to pull from the grid because it's more expensive then. If Eco had been on, we'd have just pulled from the battery. Having Eco on during an export session does not prevent or interfere with the export.
This image shows us exporting to the grid, until 6:45pm when we get down to the minimum battery %. Then we switch to import. 😠😠

Please can you not turn off Eco during the export session?

Here's the inverter log for the timeframe:

admin

miffy This is done this way because the previous way of setting presets would do this automatically.

Before we make this change, we need to make sure that this is a compatible setting. Can you confirm you have been able to export via the Giv app and keep Eco mode enabled?

The other difficulty is that this could be dependent on Giv inverter model and firmware revision, but hopefully we would find that out straight away.

Basically, we don't want to make a quick change and make things worse.

MrMessy

miffy sorry to jump in on this but, if you battery stops discharging, because it's hit a lower %age before the end of the timed period, surely you're going to draw from the grid until the end of the timed period, regardless of whether Eco is on or not?

johalareewi

admin My GE Gen1 inverter doesn't export if ECO is on. If I want to export I have to turn on Export then turn off ECO.

admin

johalareewi Thanks, we'll get this sorted. Thanks for reporting @miffy

Now addressed as part of Release 714.

Dai

johalareewi I would check with GivEnergy because on the latest Gen 1 firmware I have, ECO stays on even when exporting as not all gen1s are the same. GivEnergy did have to manually load the firmware as there is a compatibility check they need to do before it’s loaded but the performance improvements are worth it (especially for export) if your gen 1 is compatible

miffy

admin Thanks, Eco has remained on for my current export session, and it's all working perfectly. :)
I'll check to see how it went after 7pm.
Our inverter is a Gen2 with firmware 915 and battery 3017; hopefully all is well with the other GE inverter models. I've long been able to export while Eco is set to on.

As an aside, I don't use the GE app to manually schedule import or export times, instead I use the web portal 'remote-control' page. This is for a couple of reasons;

because the app uses silly and confusing terminology for defining export modes [timed 'export' or timed 'discharge', one of which toggles Eco, and the other doesn't, and goodness knows which definition they are using today!]
because then I can see and check what the settings are and that they have 'taken'.

miffy

admin I've another query/request about turning the 'AC Charge Enable' setting on and off. Can I ask it in this thread, or would you prefer I open a new one?

miffy

admin
Argh! I went on holiday and forgot to take my login details for here!

While I was away, I noticed you turned the Eco setting to be off again. What was the reason for this? Did it cause issues with older inverters?

johalareewi

Dai Mine is an older gen1 and there is no firmware update. :(

Dai

Originally they said mine was too old if they went via the serial number, but when they run the updated firmware compatibility check scripts it passed, so the “improved” firmware was loaded and response times and export rates dramatically improved.

admin

miffy it did indeed, see also thread here: https://community.wonderwatt.com/d/455-timed-discharge-no-longer-works-for-givenergy-ac30-on-535-firmware/2

You can use the Advanced section and set The setting for Eco on during export if you so wish.