Is it normal for a pv installation to send some power to grid despite battery not being fully charged?

[shaunuk]

You should be getting a good 30-60% charge some days I would say even with our dodgy weather this month on a typical 10-13 kwh battery and that many panels in the UK.
Did they fit optimisers on the solar panels ?
What size growatt battery ?
That inverter only has two string inputs, and you have three orientations so the panels are not on perfect orientation will be holding back the ones that are at a good orientation at varying times of the day.
Your array may not be reaching the startup voltage of the inverter because of shading, causing the 0 input.
Can you click the tiny I icon in the app and post the daily breakdown which shows charge and load in the house.

If they have monoriting, ask them how much its making per day and ask them if they think its similar to other houses they have done.

 

[johnb2713]

Thanks everyone for the feedback here. It seems that it's normL that there is a bitnof residual grid charge and release. What does seem off is how little energy our pv installation produces. As of right now our 12 panels have generated 2.6kw in the entire day, while John seems to have gotten that same energy by 9:30 this morning already. I think its worth getting an independent installer come in and take a look at the whole setup.

What did the installer predict the performance would be?
If all the panels are in series, they will strangle each other throughout the day being on different faces of the roof, if this is the case, it will NEVER give anything near the ratings of the panels.

 

[binky]

Yes, looks like it according to the schematic

Can you post the schematic

 

[Mr Aargh]

The problems Andy describes (rather better than I could) would, I think, be largely solved if you had an optimiser on each panel. That is how generally you deal with asymmetric levels of generation across the panels, and it is also good for their longevity.

 

[Bruspark]

You can only really judge this with empty batteries - they should have a major power appetite and on a dull day initially swallow all the panels /converters can provide. But it's not like filling a bucket from the tap.

By 80% the charging process /rate is necessarily slowing down due to on-charge voltage limitations and battery life concerns. I would not be surprised if there was excess panel power to export on occasions with the battery capacity at 80%+ as its taking what it can as fast as it can but far slower than when empty

 

[novelsmike]

Yes I charge at night too. My installer suggested I set the system so it charges to 80% in the summer to allow the panels to export to the batteries. I was on Octopus GO but switched to Octopus Agile as their rates almost halved on the 11th April. This has low rates up to 5am but you avoid using electricity after 4pm. Am now looking at applying for Outgoing Octopus to get paid for exporting to the grid. However you need an MCS certificate and a DON letter which I have to get from my installer.

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