Power optimizer and string connection

[Kamal]

Hello PV Sol team and friends,

I know it has been already discussed, but I would like to have some support on my case. 
Here it is, I tried to connect modules who have different directions and tilts on only one inverter. The problem is I can't do it despite the power optimizer. The modules can't be connected altogether on one inverter.

My goal is to have a system with :
- Power optimizer on every modules (SolarEdge P300)

- Only one E3/DC inverter mini with battery (so a DC system)

I have enclosed my project, 

Thanks a lot for the support

 

Kamal

PVSOL_Projektplanung_SolarEdge_E3DC.pvprj

[developer_mh]

Hi Kamal,

this is a very nice demonstration project you sent there - it is perfect for polystring configuration and the use of power optimizers. Here is how you do it:

1. In the 3D environment, you have to go the page "module configuration".
2. There you click on the second button from the left, "Configure all unconfigured modules".
3. In the "inverter" dialog, select all module areas on the left (hold ctrl down while selecting, so you can select them all together)
4. Click on "Configure module areas together" above the module area list
5. In the configuration view on the right, check "polystring configuration" next to Inverter 1
6. Choose the inverter you want from the list (first the company "E3DC", then the model "S10 Mini All in One")
7. You want power optimizers as well, so you check the "Power optimizer" option underneath the inverter selection
8. Then you see the two MPP trackers, on which you can connect your module areas.
9. You will want to connect the two areas facing south west together on one MPP tracker, and the other two areas, facing south east, to the other
10. To do so, you add a row to each of the trackers (by clicking "Add row" underneath the string list of the respectuve tracker)
11. Then, in MPP 1, in the first line, type in 8 power optimizers since you have 8 modules on module area 1. Select module area 1 at the end of the line
12. In MPP 1, second line, type in 6 power optimizers since you have 6 modules on module area 4 (the other south east facing area). Select module area 4 at the end of the line
13. In MPP 2, in the first line, type in 5 power optimizers since you have 5 modules on module area 2. Select module area 2 at the end of the line
14. In MPP 2, second line, type in 6 power optimizers since you have 6 modules on module area 3 (the other south west facing area). Select module area 3 at the end of the line
15. So, now you have a valid polystring configuration with power optimizers!
16. In your case I would recommend to connect the strings in series to reach higher voltage values and to avoid too small currents. So check the option "connect strings in series" for both MPP trackers.
17. Then click OK and it is done

 

I also made a short video for that, you can see it here (it is not publicly available right now):

Edit:

We made another video tutorial for polystring connection and power optimizers, based on your project (thanks a lot!):

 

Since it is really a nice tutorial case, we wanted to ask you if we can use your project for making a publicly available tutorial video of it?

Thanks a lot in advance and good luck with your project!

Martin

 

ps: and sorry for the late answer, somehow I have not received the notification for your post, so I did not see it earlier..

[Kamal]

Hello Martin,

Of course you can use this case. We are here to share!
I still have the PV Sol Premium 2017, therefore I guess in this version that option is not available.

Thank you anyway for the video and tutorial.

Kamal

[developer_mh]

Hi Kamal,

yes, sorry, I forgot to mention that these features are only available in the new version of the software, PV*SOL premium 2018. If you don't have this version but only 2017, I would highly recommend to update it, since there are a lot of useful new features now. And if you update via a software maintenance contract, it is really not expensive:

https://www.valentin-software.com/en/sales-service/customer-service/software-maintenance

Kind regards,

Martin

[gaerd79]

Hi Martin,

i saw the project with E3DC and Power Optimizers, I'm trying to configure a comparable system. PVSol always displays an error which says the SolarEdge Optimizers don't work with different inverters besides SolarEdge. Is there any chance to select for example P350I Optimizers, which work with inverters from other manufacturers?

Does the error have any effect on the simulation?

Thanks for your answer.

Dirk.

[developer_mh]

Hi Dirk,

this message does not affect the simulation results, no. But SolarEdge recommends to use P350I optimizers (as you pointed out) that feature the IndOP technology. However, they seem to have removed them from our database, for marketing reasons I guess. But you can easily create the P350I yourself. Just go to Databases > Power Optimizers, select SolarEdge and choose a similar PO, let's say the P370. Then click on "Copy Selection" and adjust the values as needed. There is an option on the page "Extended", called "Can be connected to third party inverter". This you need to check. Then you can use this PO with E3DC inverters.

Hope that helps, kind regards,

Martin

[Peter]

Hi Martin

At the beginning I would like to thank you for this thread, which was a bit helpful in designing using the PV Sol program.

I have a problem with the selection of inverters for a specific number of pv panels. I have a very large industrial hall project with a flat roof. This is my first project in this program. The problem is that the hall has a roof at different heights. When I try to connect different areas of pv panels at different roof heights (all pv panels have the same W-S direction !!) the program does not allow me to choose one type of inverter for two areas / two roof heights.

Another problem is that I can't manually add two different inverters with different powers. Is there a way to solve this problem. How can I connect two or more panel areas at two or more different roof heights when one has 1052 pv panels and the other 250 pv panels? I will add that the whole hall has a roof at 5 different heights and each area has a different number of pv panels. From what I noticed, PV SOL automatically selects the inverter only for one of several areas of pv panels at a certain height. And then I get several different inverters for each of the areas with different power, it makes no sense. For example, I get 5 inverters for 5 panel areas from a few kW to several hundred kW. It would be best to design several inverters with the same power, e.g. 150 kW, and to connect them to pv panels in different areas. This project above is helpful when you have a small installation with one inverter, the problem starts when there are several inverters and each of them will have 6 or 12 MPPT inputs. How can I go to the next stages of the project, such as, for example, cabling design as stuck on this topic

Peter

[developer_mh]

Hi Peter,

if you want to connect several module areas together to one inverter, please have a look here:

There is also a link to a post where this question is answered.

Hope that helps, kind regards,

Martin