Adding Schneider XW Pro

[GXMnow]

Do the lights on the Watt Node show importing or exporting? I think green lights are power in and red is power out, or do I have that backwards? The manual I found says Green flashing for positive power and red flashing for negative power. Installed by their instructions, red is power going to the grid. Maybe you need to turn around the CTs or their wires to make it go the right way?

It would not shock me if Schneider got the data flipped, but flipping the CTs should still fix it to show right in the software. Looking at mine right now, the grid power shows a positive 322 watts when it is exporting to the grid. A Negative power in the Schneider world would be pulling power from the grid. That is backwards from what the Watt-Node manual shows.

 

[400bird]

Red, is exporting negative power. You are correct

Your XW shows positive wattage is exporting? Maybe I just remember incorrectly, I thought negative was exporting.

 

[n2aws]

Red, is exporting negative power. You are correct

Your XW shows positive wattage is exporting? Maybe I just remember incorrectly, I thought negative was exporting.

In my setup, the port1 and port2 LEDs on the wattnode blink red when it's bringing in power from the grid.

If the direction is backwards, you'll likely want to reverse the direction of your CT's.

My CT's had arrows that were supposed to be pointed towards the "source" (in my case, the utility meter)
your CT's may have arrows that are supposed to point towards the source, or to the load.

Also, check to make sure you don't have one backwards, so one LED is green and the other is red.

 

[400bird]

These are 200a WattNode brand CT, where they have an arrow pointing towards source. These are pointing at the grid.
And, both are pointing in the same direction, not flip flipped.


I was going to look into more later this evening

 

[n2aws]

These are 200a WattNode brand CT, where they have an arrow pointing towards source. These are pointing at the grid.
And, both are pointing in the same direction, not flip flipped.


I was going to look into more later this evening

ok, I think in that context then.. "Negative power" means power coming in, at least thats how I understood it when reading the docs.

So, red means power coming from the grid, green means power going to the grid.
(mine are not wattnode CT's but CT's I got with one of the power monitoring solutions (Curb Energy)

 

[400bird]

ok, I think in that context then.. "Negative power" means power coming in, at least thats how I understood it when reading the docs.

Maybe I need to read more in depth, where did you read that?

I can swap wires at the WattNode pretty easily.

 

[n2aws]

Maybe I need to read more in depth, where did you read that?

I can swap wires at the WattNode pretty easily.

Welp,

I *thought* I read it in the wattnode modbus docs. But, I just went to grab a screenshot for you, and it sounds like I have it backwards.
Page 23 Shows this:



Though, by walking over to my wattnode just now, I confirmed.. I'm pulling power FROM the grid, and my CT LED's are flashing red.
Checking insight local, it shows the power flow from the "transmission line" icon, to my XW Pro. so the power flow is as I would expect it to be. But, based on the documentation, that is somehow "backwards" even though it's been working flawlessly for nearly a year.

 

[Willy510]

I do have a Wattnode on my XW Pro 1.11.01 B49 and 1.17 B79 and the meter shows the flow of energy correctly , red lights mean power coming in from the grid and green is exporting. Swapping the wires at the wattnode is the easiest way to get the flow correct. I had to do that with my Sunpower equipment when I put Ct's on that and the correct wiring showed everything running in reverse. I'm not sure if the latest firmware has any wattnode issues as I can't get it work in my XW, it just starts exporting the max as soon as I update it and it won't stop until I disable it so 1.11 works for me .

 

[400bird]

Welp,

I *thought* I read it in the wattnode modbus docs. But, I just went to grab a screenshot for you, and it sounds like I have it backwards.
Page 23 Shows this:

View attachment 171584

See, that's why I thought I had it corrected. I thought maybe you had something in the Schneider documentation.

Though, by walking over to my wattnode just now, I confirmed.. I'm pulling power FROM the grid, and my CT LED's are flashing red.
Checking insight local, it shows the power flow from the "transmission line" icon, to my XW Pro. so the power flow is as I would expect it to be. But, based on the documentation, that is somehow "backwards" even though it's been working flawlessly for nearly a year.

If you've been running it this way for a year, maybe I just need to swap the CT wiring at the WattNode.
Does your XW cover loads in the main panel, as it should?

 

[n2aws]

I do have a Wattnode on my XW Pro 1.11.01 B49 and 1.17 B79 and the meter shows the flow of energy correctly , red lights mean power coming in from the grid and green is exporting. Swapping the wires at the wattnode is the easiest way to get the flow correct. I had to do that with my Sunpower equipment when I put Ct's on that and the correct wiring showed everything running in reverse. I'm not sure if the latest firmware has any wattnode issues as I can't get it work in my XW, it just starts exporting the max as soon as I update it and it won't stop until I disable it so 1.11 works for me .

@Willy510 If it's any consolation, I have 1.18b41 on my insight, and 2.04 on my XW pro, and zero export is working for me.

 

[Urge38]

Sorry to hack this thread,
but you all seem like experts compared to me,

I have just started a topic in the general troubleshooting help, asking for help with my Shneider wx+ not inverting.

might some off you be kind enough to take a look at my post and please help if you can?

 

[400bird]

Got a link to share?
Edit: found it:
Thread 'Schneider help plz' https://diysolarforum.com/threads/schneider-help-plz.70555/

 

[400bird]

Yesterday morning we installed the warranty replacement panel.
Post in thread 'Solar Panel Warranty' https://diysolarforum.com/threads/solar-panel-warranty.68538/post-901683

As that picture shows, my panels were filthy. In the past I've only seen marginal results from cleaning panels, so I left them all filthy.

Then I saw yesterday's production!
The new panel is 1.1.9 and is 370 watts
1.1.1 through 1.1.4 are 365 watts.
The other 7 are 325 watt panels.


Here's today's production after cleaning.


From 720 Wh to 1kWh, pretty good improvement for a little water and scrub.

Then I checked my south facing array, all 325 watt panels.
Dirty


Clean


800 Wh to 1.4kWh!
Wow, that's more than I ever expected.

It was about 10 degrees fahrenheit cooler today.
That's about 5.5c, temp coefficient on the 325 watt panels is -0.4% so temp was only about 2.2% of that increase. Plus there was some overcast this afternoon.

Here's my AC coupled PV output for yesterday and today, you can see the clouds in the afternoon.

 

[Shimmy]

Wow, great comparison.

 

[400bird]

Yeah, I'm just amazed at how much of a difference it made. Prior to this, I don't think I'd even seen a 10% improvement.

 

[GXMnow]

Yeah, I'm just amazed at how much of a difference it made. Prior to this, I don't think I'd even seen a 10% improvement.

My biggest improvement from a rinse off was 12% after a brush fire left the panels covered in nearly 1/8" thick of grey ash. Typically, when they look dusty, I gained 6 to 8% from a rinse. I have only used a cleaner and brush to get off some bird droppings.

 

[dougbert]

I have used garden Windex cleaner made for attachment to end of hose to reach the roof panels. clears dust/dirt and bird dirt

 

[400bird]

I don't think I needed that panel cleaning.
My true up is coming up December 7th.
Here's PGE's year to date summary.


Adding it up I have 3.7 MWh banked.
I added more solar this year; thinking I was doing a good job of planning ahead for some upcoming upgrades (heat pump and what not)
Then the wife starts at a new location at work and is now charging the car at work and the home upgrades have been delayed.
And it was a mild summer, so the AC ran less.

I don't think I could use nearly 4 MWh in the 6 weeks between now and true up.

 

[400bird]

I'm in the garage this evening, welding together the tracker frame, and while waiting on the metal to cool down and came to a realization.

I don't have black start capability.
That was one very low priority benefit of adding the DC panels. But, they are roof mounted with Tigo RSD modules. The RSD transmitter is powered by a AC/DC converter ?‍
The benefit of this at the time was that a single pull of the knife switch outside powers down everything in the roof for the firefighters. But, it does mean that if the power is out and my battery dead, I'll have to manually intervene to get the DC panels producing.

I'm thinking the easiest route is to wire in a pigtail I can connect to the 48 to 24 v DCDC converter.
I just need to lock up the DV input voltage range on the RSD transmitter.

Another option is just a couple alligator clips and a Milwaukee M12 battery...

Low priority, so i probably won't do anything about it for a long while.
Or if I get bored...

 

[Hedges]

24V? I read 12V on one transmitter data sheet:

https://assets-global.website-files.com/5fad551d7419c7a0e9e4aba4/64a5b34fdca33c597cdaa5c6_002-00146-00%201.2%20Datasheet%20RSS%20Tx-PCBA%20datasheet%2020230620%20-%20EN.pdf

22W Watt Solar Panel 12V Trickle Battery Charger Kit Maintainer Boat RV Car USB | eBay

Maximum Power (Pmax): 22W. The front of the solar panel is waterproof, but it is best not to enter the water at the USB and DC interfaces. 1 X Solar Panel. Panel: Monocrystalline silicon. Maximum Power Current (Imp): 4A.

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