This video details Artisan Electrics' investigation into a malfunctioning £20,000+ solar battery storage system. Despite significant investment, the homeowner's system was underperforming due to a series of installation and configuration errors. The investigation uncovered critical issues, including incorrect placement of Current Transformer (CT) clamps, misconfiguration of MyEnergy devices (Libby battery, Zappi EV charger, Eddi hot water diverter), outdated firmware, and poor communication between components. The video highlights how these common mistakes, often stemming from installers' lack of experience with integrated renewable systems, severely hampered the system's efficiency. Through diagnosis, firmware updates, and correct re-configuration, Artisan Electrics successfully restored the system's full functionality, enabling optimal solar energy storage and utilization.
Summarizing the £20,000+ Battery System Fix:
0:00 Introduction to the Issue: A homeowner invested tens of thousands of pounds in a solar battery storage system (Libby, Zappi, Eddi, SolarEdge inverter) that was only delivering half its expected capacity, leading to frustration and grid reliance.
1:05 Assessing Current Performance: The Libby battery was charging at a significantly reduced rate (2.1 kW instead of its 5 kW capacity), and the MyEnergy app's grid history was not showing any data, indicating a systemic issue.
4:09 Challenges of Inverter Placement: The SolarEdge inverter was located in the inaccessible loft, making maintenance and inspection difficult for the homeowner and highlighting poor installation practice.
5:21 Device Communication Issues: Initial assessment showed the MyEnergy Eddi was the only device visible on the SolarEdge inverter's display, indicating a lack of communication and pairing with the Libby battery and Zappi EV charger.
5:56 Missing/Incorrect CT Clamps: Crucially, no CT clamps were properly connected to the Eddi, and the SolarEdge CT clamp was found to be incorrectly placed around the main house consumer unit's tail instead of the whole property's main tail, leading to inaccurate import/export readings.
9:40 Safety Considerations: The video highlights a critical safety concern regarding immersion heaters (hot water tanks) and the importance of a double thermostat to prevent boiling water overflows, especially with plastic cold water tanks in lofts.
10:48 Overlooked Supply Capacity: The original installer incorrectly limited the Libby's charge/discharge rate based on a misunderstanding of the garage's 10-mil, 50-amp rated cable, which could safely handle higher loads.
13:11 Installer Knowledge Gaps: The MyEnergy installer failed to correctly integrate with the existing SolarEdge system, indicating a lack of comprehensive knowledge of various renewable energy systems and proper CT clamp configuration.
15:01 Load Testing and Configuration: After confirming the 10-mil cable's capacity (around 50 amps for the garage supply), the charge/discharge limits on the Libby battery were adjusted to full capacity (22 amps discharge) to optimize performance.
18:01 Firmware Updates and Device Configuration: The primary solution involved updating firmware across all MyEnergy devices and the SolarEdge inverter, re-establishing proper Wi-Fi connectivity, and pairing all devices to enable full communication and accurate data reporting.
20:42 CT Clamp Interference: The solar system's CT clamp was relocated outside the main trunking to prevent interference from AC cables, ensuring more accurate readings.
21:21 Recommendation for Garage Protection: An additional CT clamp was recommended for the garage supply to provide an extra layer of protection, automatically ramping down the Zappi and Libby if the garage load approached 50 amps.
21:42 System Functionality Restored: The firmware updates and proper configuration immediately resolved the communication issues, allowing the Zappi to display solar generation and all devices to communicate effectively, significantly improving the system's efficiency and the homeowner's return on investment.