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(Full) Solar-Passthrough

Solar-Passthrough

Solar-Passthrough is a feature that, if enabled, makes the DPL calculate an inverter limit such that the available solar power is first used to cover the needs of the household. This effectively prevents the energy from being stored in the battery just so it can be discharged later. If there is any surplus solar power left, it will be used to charge the battery.

Refer to the DPL documentation to understand what is considired a battery charge and discharge cycle.

Solar-Passthrough is OFF

  • The inverter is disabled during a battery charge cycle.
  • All solar power will be used to charge the battery.
  • The inverter is enabled during a battery discharge cycle.
    • The inverter will use as much power as is needed to compensate the household consumption.
    • Depending on the current consumption and the available solar power, the battery is drained.

Solar-Passthrough is ON

As with Solar-Passthrough OFF, in general the inverter is disabled during a battery charge cycle, and it is enabled during a battery discharge cycle.

With Solar-Passthrough ON, there is an important difference while the battery is in a charge cycle:

  • If there is solar power available (Victron MPPT is producing power), it will be used to cover the household consumption.
    • The inverter is thus enabled and producing power even though the battery is in a charge cycle.
    • The inverter power limit is constrained to the solar power. Therefore, discharging of the battery is avoided.
  • Surplus solar power (available when solar output is greater than the household consumption) still charges the battery.

Full Solar-Passthrough

There is an additional battery SoC/voltage threshold activating Full Solar-Passthrough.

While the battery reached or is above the Full Solar-Passthrough threshold, the inverter's limit is set to match the total solar power output (regardless of the power meter value). This threshold is usually configured such that Full Solar-Passthrough activates when the battery is considered fully charged. Surplus solar power is then fed into the grid.

Limitation

If the solar output power is greater than the inverter can feed into the grid, the charge controller will eventually switch to absorbtion and then float mode. This reduces the charge controller's power output, and the inverter follows the new output power, and the production of AC power seizes.