Voltronic/Axpert inverter setting optimisation

[Tradie]

We have installed a fair amount of load shedding solutions and backup power systems (Axpert and battery only) for offices in commercial and industrial and a few domestic applications, had numerous complaints about increased utility bills, but never really studied each setting. Last week I was busy running some tests and took note of how often the inverter charge light and fan was switching on, it happened a lot. I should connect a recorder and to see how much it added to the bill.

Having a backup system without solar is going to increase your bill, by how much I cannot answer that question.

The idea of this thread is to figure out how to optimise the settings.

[Tradie]

Reference 1-2 kw solar inverter (AC/DC) connected to a 12 VDC 100 amp/hr 1.28kwh (nominal voltage 12.8VDC, Charge voltage 13.8-14.6VDC)


(00) - exit mode, ESC

(01) - Output source priority - this setting is not important if you dont have solar - leave it on default UTi

(02) - AC input range - I normally set this to UPS

(03) - out put voltage - many of the utilies are pushing higher than 230, closer to 240 - look at the numebr on the inverter and select the closest value.

(04) - Output frequency - 50 hz

(05) - no solar - leave at default.

(06) - overload bypass - leave it on default BYE

(07) - auto restart: overload - default disable

(08) - auto restart temp - default disable

(10) - Charge source priority - Solar energy and utility will charge at the same time.

(11) - Max charge current - this setting is not used because there is no solar, important to note the max 60 amps is only applicable to the solar.

(13) - Max utility charge current - this is important if you only have utility connected, the type of battery would also need to be considered, an FLA 100 amp/hr, should not be charged at more than 10 %, a 12 V 100 amp/hr would be set to 10 amps. In my case we are using a lithium 100 amp lithium drop in battery, max current 20 amps would be used.

(14) - battery type - if the type of battery is listed, then you would just apply that setting, if using a lithium drop in battery you could use "use" and adjust 17,18 and 19

(17) - bulk charge - in my case it is a 12 VDC lithium drop in battery - 14.6volts

(18) - Float charge voltage - default 13.5V,

(19) - Low DC cut off battery voltage - 11V

(20) - Battery stop discharging voltage when grid is available - 11.5V

(21) - Battery stop charging voltage when grid is available - 13.5V

I curious to know if the charge frequency will reduce if any of the settings are adjusted?

[GCE]

had numerous complaints about increased utility bills, but never really studied each setting.

We always say that there is no real noticeably increase in electricity from the inverter , maybe a percent or two - The main increase is that they will be using electricity for 24hrs a day vs the 4 to 8 hrs that came off the bill due to loadshedding

[Tradie]

My concern is the frequency or rate of top power used to keep the battery at 100 %.

What I have done is started cycling the batteries down to 80 %, at what cost in losses, marginal ?

It time to start recording the data.

[Derlyn]

If I look at my own electricity consumption, loadshedding at 4 or 6 hrs a day had no effect on my monthly consumption.

We probably use more outside loadshedding times than we would have had there not been loadshedding.

Don't know if it's the same with others but in my situation, loadshedding makes us move our consumption times more than what it makes us reduce consumption.

It will be interesting to see how much a block's consumption increases above normal when power resumes after loadshedding.