A Better User Manual...

When my system was delivered, it came without a manual. This didn't really bother me, but it appears that many of the questions on both this forum and the FB page could be better addressed by a comprehensive and up-to-date user manual, which starts off with the basics of kWp, kW and kWh, before describing how the system works (Hybrid and AC, portal and app), basic troubleshooting, how to optimise system operation, etc.

I suspect that these questions are also tying up GE support staff, leading to long hold times, etc

Thoughts?

It had been banded about on the Beta group about us clubbing together and doing something (not a GE ran project)
Like anything it's time to do it. I'm sure we could rustle up a wiki that we can edit until it's about there and then start locking it down?
Most people these days want YouTube videos and to be honest I just can't bring myself to do some Clickbait video along with the fact that I'm just not a people person! (Castaway film would have been much shorter if it were me!)

hoggy I like the idea of a Wiki and some community involvement. For it to be successful, I feel that it would need GE endorsement.

If GE would endorse the Wiki that would make best sense. It took me quite a while searching comments here yesterday to just be sure I was setting up battery right to charge overnight in the Octopus Go period... seems to have worked OK.

A Wiki would have helped as folk already have posted some clear explanations that are way better than the manual.

So i've made a start with a wiki, (once the DNS has caught up it should be atleast visible albeit in a bit of a default mess until I can add to it on wiki.terravolt.co.uk)
Note: I'm not trying to be Captain, should someone else want to do this & host it i really am not precious about it. Same once it grows legs someone is welcome to releive me of it!
Once I've set it up so you can't get in & ruin my actual main website, I think i can create logins so people who wish to can adjust / write their bit without needing me.
Volunteers please!

Once i started laying this out it doesn't seem like there is much that's not already covered by the KB, just that people don't know where to look.
Same with the portal & the apps. Both have Tutorials BUT you don't get access to either (well except the demo portal) until your system is installed and by which time i suspect most just want to play and skip through them.
It may be easier to do this with screen recorder and videos rather than explaining every little step.

Anyway as i start i think we can lay out like so: (We can make changes as you see fit)

Basics:
		Power & Energy: The difference
		Batteries: Storage Capacity & Charge Rates Explained
		Solar Panels: Installed capacity, effects of heat, clipping.... 
		Inverters: AC Coupled & Hybrid differences, Pro's / Con's
		What have i got: Identify what type of system you have.

The GE Ecosystem:
	Generations 1 & 2 (& how to tell)
	Models & Specs / differences.
	EV Charger 
	Smart Plugs 
	Solar Diverter

Installation Expectations
	Standards 
	Compliance - G98/G99 Explainers
	Example Installs (good ones!) 
	Documentation you should receive. 

First Run / Commissioning 
	What is battery calibration & why the system looks like it has a mind of it's own first 24hrs 
	Common Issues (BMS Cabling, CT positioning, CT direction...) 

Web Portal 
	How Cards Work
	Settings to do...
		What Eco Mode Does
		Program charge overnight from AC
		Setup for GO Hours
		Stop Discharge overnight
		Only discharge in set periods
	Winter Vs Summer Settings - Examples
	Smart Tariff Settings (noting issues about them resetting overnight)
	Agile (GE Scheduler vs Octopus Scheduler) 

App
	Local vs Away 
		how to find your IP & set if not working on auto
	Each page explainer (differences between portal & app)
	How to get to settings & Quick Menu
	Things to be aware og:
		Accidental Pause
		Givenergy Cloud down
		Charge & Discharge Rates

Problems/Fixes*
	Random drop of battery to 0% (MCB trip)
	Random drop/jump of battery to 4%/100% (SOC bug)
	No charge or discharge (paused)
	BMS under/over voltage
	Firmware Update issues: Missing USB... 
	Wifi - Changing routers & resetting. 

Advanced Capability:
	Givenergy API:
		What is it...

	GivTCP:
		What is it...
	Home Assistant:
		What is it...	

*Common issues - Will need to go back through forum/FB and add to this, just did that off top of head

A manual? What is this witchcraft? Never got a manual with mine 🙁

When does a real alpha male ever read a manual????

😆

A wise man once said:
When all else fails, read the instructions.
I would really have appreciated a manual, and will be happy to help with a Wiki or whatever. I know very little so far, but that may help in working out what needs to be in, and I can certainly help with editing and proof-reading.
PeterB

Right so the portal is up. No real content just some categories.
Just need to tweak a few bits to make sure people can only meddle with the bits you need to then it's open season I guess.
https://wiki.terravolt.co.uk/

hoggy Looks good. My only suggestion is to include a section under basics to cover Use Cases... load shifting to exploit cheapest power source (direct solar, stored solar, off peak, peak for example) , cost-risk trade for seasonal overnight charging.

stevelewis yes I can add subcategories to the main ones so was going to build out a bit more, just wanted to present “something” rather than blank pages.

FYI their own KB does have loads of FAQs and stuff that already covers a lot of this but I think because their KB is based on PDF’s nobody is reading them!
In theory it should be relatively quick to lift the bulk out.

stevelewis agree, one of the common questions is how to get it to play nicely with EV charging

Right it all appears to work so any volunteers should in theory be able to sign up.
Should you not wish to use your real email address & use one of those random ones then just beware I have to approve each signup (stop spammers) so you'll not get the email telling you I've approved you (nor any others from the system.)
Given it's such a small community I doubt this is going to get many takers so ultimately if your having problems then just ask here or ping me a message: admin@terravolt.co.uk
It runs on Wordpress & "Better Docs" which is intuitive once you get used to it but a bit of a pain at times if your not familiar. If you'd prefer to just write something and email it in to the above then so be it. You can have pics & videos too on it if that makes explaining easier.

Signup / Usage Instructions here

Oh and the server it's running on has not been granted unlimited resources so it may bog down at times although it's on Cloudflare to at least give it a fighting chance.
I don't believe I could find a way to ruin other peoples work or get to places you shouldn't but if you find something let me know privately.

I'll make a start over the coming days (i'll keep an eye on drafts to make sure I'm not covering someone else's) but basically i'll be looking to pull relevant stuff from the Givenergy KB first.

M_J if you could let me know which ones you found useful i can (with the authors permission) pull those in.

Same for anyone else really who found certain posts useful can they point me towards which ones?

Interested!
Tech knowledge here limited to php and BASH on Linux platforms.
Main Specific interest: a simple means of simple LOCAL control of inverter in the event of Internet Down.

So first page is done: Basics: Difference between Power & Energy
https://wiki.terravolt.co.uk/docs/power-energy/
@mrand31 I know this was something that you wanted people to get better at, does that explain ok?

hoggy Will do, just logged in after a few days doing other stuff. I will have a furtle and link to what I found useful, aim to do it after visitors have left this weekend...

hoggy I think this is great. I already understood the differences but think it is very clear for those people who struggle with this kind of thing. Well done 🙂

hoggy Difference between Power & Energy

This is looking really good. It would be a boon if Givenergy would adopt the resource into their managed resources with the authors/editors you have.

Kudos @hoggy for leading the way.

That's another page done: System Types / Arrangements (didn't bother with micro inverters - do many people actually use those to make it worth writing about?)

@Tim Given I've had no takers yet I suspect I'll be doing it on my own!

M_J

Ok this was useful in setting up the battery in Eco Mode as written by Tim and was very useful / clear and concise - Thankyou @Tim

https://community.givenergy.cloud/d/600-eco-mode-battery-has-power-and-yet-pulls-from-the-grid/6

"Set the inverter to ECO mode - this will charge the battery from any surplus PV and discharge when necessary to meet house load.

Set a Timed Charge for your off-peak slot and the "Charge to"%. Note that if the battery has a higher SoC than your "Charge to"%, it will discharge during the timed charge period (exporting if necessary) and hold that level until the end of the timed charge slot. If the SoC is less than your "Charge to"%, it will charge the battery as you might expect and hold it at that level until the end of the slot."

M_J Set a Timed Charge for your off-peak slot and the "Charge to"%. Note that if the battery has a higher SoC than your "Charge to"%, it will discharge during the timed charge period (exporting if necessary) and hold that level until the end of the timed charge slot. If the SoC is less than your "Charge to"%, it will charge the battery as you might expect and hold it at that level until the end of the slot."

Am I missing something here, I dont think my system works like this?

If my battery has a higher SoC than the set "Charge to"% at the start of the timed charge slot, it does NOT discharge anything to grid. The extra kw are available during the timed charge period and any surplus above the "Charge to"%, is still available after the end of this period. If no power is utilised during the timed charge period the battery charge just stays at that higher level.

If my battery has a SoC lower than the set "Charge to"% at the start of the timed charge period it takes power from the grid to top-up to the set "Charge to"% level. It then continues to modulate the top-up to ensure the battery maintains this set level at the end of the timed charge period.

DIG Am I missing something here, I dont think my system works like this?

Hmmm interesting. The information I posted was from what I had previously read on the forum and you're the first person to highlight different behaviour. What sort of inverter/battery do you have? It may be that the previous posts on the topic are either from one version of inverter (ie Gen 1 vs Gen 2) or type (Hybrid vs AC). I haven't actually used this mode yet as I'm able to last overnight on battery power but am fully expecting to have to use off-peak later in the autumn.

Anybody else see different behaviour than described above?

Tim I agree with the wording, maybe I have a newer software version?

DIG If my battery has a higher SoC than the set "Charge to"% at the start of the timed charge slot, it does NOT discharge anything to grid. The extra kw are available during the timed charge period and any surplus above the "Charge to"%, is still available after the end of this period. If no power is utilised during the timed charge period the battery charge just stays at that higher level.

If my battery has a SoC lower than the set "Charge to"% at the start of the timed charge period it takes power from the grid to top-up to the set "Charge to"% level. It then continues to modulate the top-up to ensure the battery maintains this set level at the end of the timed charge period.

Our System works like this. It does not discharge to the grid during the Timed Charge period. It will use excess power above the % set to supply the load, but if there is not much load, the % stays above the the % set.

Woodlands @stevelewis But which inverters/battery do you have?

My Gen1 AC doesn’t discharge to grid either. Household appliance use the battery till it drops to the target, then the grid is used (till the end of the timed charge period).

Tim Gen1 AC3 & 2x 8.2kWh batteries.

Tim AC3.0 installed Feb,

Woodlands I'm the same. No discharge to grid during timed charge period. I use the target SOC during that period to provide off-peak power for early demand the following day until PV generating enough to meet demand and eventually recharge battery. At this time of year, the SOC often doesn't get down to the target SOC and so there is no grid charging needed during the timed charge period. I see the feature as providing a minimum SOC at the end of the period. Gen 1 AC3.0 and 8.2 battery.

AJD @Woodlands @stevelewis @TX200
Thanks! You all agree that your AC3s don't discharge down to the Charge to % if the SoC is higher when entering the timed charge period. If during the timed charge period, the SoC falls to the Charge to %, the AC3 holds the SoC at that level and consumes from grid to hold it there if necessary. If the SoC is below Charge to % at the start of the timed charge period, the AC3 charges to the set level and holds there until the end of the timed charge period. All agreed for AC3s?

What behaviour do Hybrid inverter owners observe during the timed charge period? Is yours the same or different? Can you clarify by adding which hybrid you have?

Tim .
1/ How I read the previous posts is that during the timed charge period with the current %SOC above the target value, the inverter will discharge in order to meet the house load but no more, in order to maintain grid import/export at 0 W (assuming ECO mode is also set).

2/ If the house load is small during the timed charge period with the starting %SOC above the target value, then the total discharge may not be enough to reach the target value by the end of the timed period, so there will still be some energy left over and a higher than target %SOC left.

3/ If the house load is larger during the timed charge period with the starting %SOC above the target value, then the total discharge will be enough to reach the target value before the end of the timed period, at which point there will be some grid import in order to meet the house load until the end of the timed period. The battery %SOC will be maintained at or close to the target value for the remainder of the timed period.

This is my understanding from what previous posts have stated, but in more words to try to clarify the different scenarios possible.

The remaining scenarios during the timed charge period are:-

4/ The starting %SOC is less than the target value, so grid import is used both to charge the battery to the target %SOC, and to meet the house load until the end of the timed period.

5/ Not very common. The starting %SOC equals the target value, so grid import is used just to meet the house load until the end of the timed period.

Well summerised Simon_C, that is what I was trying to get across.

I usually have my timed charge target set at 20% and at this time of year it rarely reaches that low.
However, in the winter/spring I had it set to 90-100% to charge batteries on cheap rate to support next days usage.

My system installed last January is 3.6 Hybrid Gen1 with 2 x 8.2kw batteries.

Simon_C Thanks for your summary! It makes total sense and is the way you would want the Charge to to work. I think the benefit of this is that in attempting to clarify what others had said, it has improved collective understanding.