The need for renewable energy has been unquestioned over the past years. This is a result of the effects experienced by the use of non-renewable energy. In that case, the Sonnen battery system has been a critical player in the renewable energy sector due to its efficiency and capacity to sustain the power needs of any household. Sun Solar Electric offers credible installation services to clients within Northern California and the Bay Area who intend to install a Sonnen Battery in their homes. Here is a detailed view of how to install the Sonnen battery system.
Safety Information about Sonnen Battery Installation and Use
Improper installation of the Sonnen battery can risk death or injury to the user and the products that might be connected to it. Therefore, the battery system must be installed according to the installation instructions provided, installed by a qualified electrician, at a suitable location, and transported properly. Failing to comply with these conditions might make its warranty invalid in case of any claims associated with your ignorance.
The electrician supposed to install the system must meet a few criteria. These criteria are as follows:
- Must have the technical knowledge and enough experience to determine the dangers that might arise during the installation
- The company that the electrician is working with must have certification form Sonnen GmbH
- The electrician must have completed Sonnen GmbH certification training for the battery system.
Other than the information needed for the battery, there are other specific instructions that anyone involved in the handling and installation of the battery must take note of. Firstly, the storage system should be used in its original state and its proper working condition without any unauthorized modification. Also, every protective gear intended to be used should be in its proper working condition.
In case of any incorrect operation, the system can cause a lot of risks and could end up damaging. Therefore, it is recommendable to read the instructions provided carefully, avoid opening the device during its operation, and manipulating any cabling inside the system. Manipulating the cables can cause a short circuit and may pose a risk such as electrocution and burns.
Conduct In Case of Fire
There is a likelihood of having a fire despite having the equipment installed carefully. Also, a fire within the vicinity of the device might cause the system to catch fire. In case of a fire within the equipment’s area or with the system itself, you should consider the following:
- Call firefighters to ensure that proper protective equipment is used while extinguishing the fire. You should also permit them to enter into the area where the storage system is located
- Switch off the storage system of the equipment and isolate it from the other electrical connection in your building. If possible switch off the main fuses of the building
- If you cannot shut down the fuse or the storage system, you can use any conventional extinguishing agent as long as one maintains the minimum distance needed for the agent used. It is recommendable to use water as an extinguishing agent to cool down the battery modules.
Selecting an Installation Location for the Battery Storage System
To ensure that the battery storage operates optimally, you should think about the place to locate the system. With the ventilation and heat, you need to ensure that the battery storage is in a well-ventilated area away from direct sources of heat and direct sunlight. It should also be accessible for easy maintenance.
When it comes to safety, the battery storage should be placed in an enclosure and have suitable warning signs that indicate that there is a large amount of energy stored inside it. The battery should also be protected from weather, vermin, and isolated from your house electricity network in case of emergency. Finally, the batteries can be heavy hence the need to have a review of the structural engineering and recommend the best fitting that meets the building codes.
Installing the Storage System
You will need to install an extension cabinet and secure it to the wall. Ensure that the extension cabinet is mounted using the right screws and dowels. Check the keyholes attached to the rear end of the cabinet to install the attachment. Use a suitable screw and anchor to place the cabinet into its place through the previously drilled holes. Do not screw the screws entirely in, but you should allow about 2mm of the head protruding from the wall.
You can set up the blanking plugs if the extension cabinet is used; the opening needs to be sealed. In this step, you should attach the supplied blanking plugs and the nuts that match with them in the main cabinet’s opening floor. Also, if there is an extension cabinet, you have to fix edge protection. This should be used to protect both openings of the main cabinet.
Once you have completed mounting the extension cabinet, you should proceed to install the main cabinet. Hang the main cabinet in the screws that were previously mounted and tighten the five screws. For the extension cabinet, you should connect the housing. This is done by connecting one end of the earth conductor to the earth and the main cabinet’s earth bolt. After joining the earth conductor, tighten it with a self-locking nut with a 5Nm torque.
When choosing the kind of mounting material to use, you should use screws with a head diameter of a maximum of 15mm, and a screw head height of a maximum of 6mm. The lengths of the screw should be ideal for the nature of the wall that you want to mount the storage equipment.
If you have an uneven floor, a leveling mat would be the best option when setting up the battery. Alternatively, you can use a pedestal instead of the leveling mat if the cabinet does not match with the wall. You should set up the mat or the pedestal at the preferred location that you want to set up the battery.
When drilling the holes into the wall, the arrangement should be done depending on whether you will use a small extension or not. If you are not using an extension cabinet, maintain the dimension provided for the battery.
Electrical Installation
Before the electrician connects the electrical connection, he or she should consider a few things to avoid the danger of electrocution. The electrician should switch off the storage system and isolate it electrically, disconnect other relevant electrical circuits, and wait five minutes to discharge the capacitors. The electrician should also check whether the device is connected to the power supply, and secure it against anyone who might switch it again. Any lines connected to the storage system should not exceed 30 meters. This includes the Ethernet lines, data lines, and the main lines.
Working on Electrical Distributor
Several components must be placed in the electrical distributor to connect it to the storage system. The electrician should allow an approximate of 15 cm of free space to mount the rail required to place the component.
It is imperative to understand the components of the distributor to know why they need to be placed in their recommended place. Firstly, the small circuit breaker protects the storage system’s mainline. The power meter and the transformer interface are used for the generation and consumption power consumption in the building. Finally, the residual current device protects the storage since the inverter in the storage system can cause a DC on the component.
Connecting the Power Meter
When connecting the power meter, the electrician should be careful not to confuse the transformer interface consumption on the right and the one on the left. Also, the line that connects to the voltage terminal strip should be protected by the proper small circuit breakers. The electrician does not have to connect additional circuit breakers if the lines are installed according to the recommended regulations and standards.
The voltage strip connections depend on the number of phases that you intend to use. If you are using a single phase, the voltage terminal strip needs to be wired across the affected lines. Please note, the correct flow direction of the clamp-on current transformer must be considered. Also, do not confuse the phases since measurement of power works through measurement of the voltage and current of the same phase.
Power Meter Configuration
This is an easy step since it relies on a touch display for the power meter. The only thing to note is that the power meter only provides the right measured value when the proper measurement mode is activated on the device. The power meter’s configuration default setting is the single-phase measurement. With a three-phase grid, the measurement model should be switched to the three-phase measurement. Remember, when the three-phase measuring mode is active, you should remove the touch display and insert the power meter’s front cover.
Connecting to the Main Line
Before you connect the mains line, you need to consider several safety measures to protect yourself from electrocution. You should take note the following:
- Switching off the storage system to isolate it electronically
- Disconnecting the primary electrical circuit
- Wait for five minutes to ensure that the capacitor has discharged
- Secure the device from anyone’s reach
- Double-check whether the device is disconnected from the power supply
Once you have ensured that the safety measures stated-above are considered, you should connect the wires to the single-phase mains, or at the three-phase mains, depending on the type of connection you are using. Ensure that the mains line is correctly connected to avoid any short circuit. Once you have connected the main lines, connect the socket to the public network to the XAC connections located on the storage system. The sticker on the sockets should face upward to indicate that it is correctly placed. Close the lock once the plug is in its place.
Connecting the Ethernet Line
The Ethernet cable that you will be using should be a Cat 6 and should be shielded. The end of the Ethernet cable should be connected to a home network router. Once you have connected the cable, the storage system will establish that the connection to the internet is on if the patch cable is correctly connected. Now the storage system is ready for troubleshooting to ensure seamless connectivity.
The standard Ethernet used in connecting the battery allows updates to be sent to the Sonnen application. Users and installers can use the app to take note of the system and its performance through the internet. Software updates will automatically push to the system once they are required.
The battery can check into weather websites to balance the charge and discharge behavior based on a three-day forecast. If the weather is not suitable for PV production, the battery will allow its battery to discharge as profoundly as possible since it will need storage for other use.
Modbus Line Connection
The Modbus connects the power meter to the storage system. When selecting the Modbus to use, it should have a Cat 6 patch and should be shielded. Earth the Modbus line screen to protect the power meter.
Battery Module Installation
Before the technician proceeds to install the battery modules, they must remain switched off. In that case, the power and status lights must be off. It is not necessary to press the green power key to switch on or off the battery modules. If they are correctly connected, they will operate fully through the storage system.
The essential aspect when installing the battery module is positioning and earthing them. This is achieved by connecting an earth line to every battery module using their pre-assembled screws. Once the earthing line is in position, you should tighten them with a self-locking nut at a 5Nm torque.
Find a Sonnen Battery System Installer Near Me
There are a lot of considerations needed when installing a Sonnen battery system. It requires the intervention of a licensed and professional company to handle this task. Failing to make these considerations will significantly affect the kind of outcomes that you expect. Sun Solar Electric has the expertise needed in the installation of Sonnen batteries. If you are living in Northern California and the Bay Area, contact us at 707-658-2157 today for a free evaluation.