When integrating a solar system with a battery into your property, managing energy flow to maximise efficiency is essential. One common issue that solar users face is the inadvertent draining of battery storage when their system is not optimally configured. To address this, additional wiring and the use of Henley blocks become crucial. This approach ensures that energy use is directed appropriately, and devices like the zappi can make the most of the surplus energy from your solar system.
Separate Supplies for the zappi and the Rest of the Property
The optimal configuration involves setting up the zappi on its own supply from the meter, separated from the rest of the property. This means that after the main meter, a Henley block is installed, which splits the supply into two distinct lines:
- One feeding into the zappi distribution board, powering the zappi.
- Another feeding into the property distribution board, powering the rest of the home.
This separation ensures that the zappi has a dedicated supply to utilise any excess energy generated by the solar system before it is sent to the grid. The property’s general consumption, on the other hand, operates independently from the zappi.
Correct Placement of Current Transformers (CTs)
For the system to work efficiently, the placement of the grid CTs (current transformers) is vital. The zappi uses a CT sensor to monitor energy flow and determine whether surplus power is available from the solar system, enabling it to operate in eco or eco+ mode and charge using surplus energy. For this to happen correctly:
- The zappi’s CT (labelled as "Grid CT (myenergi)" in the diagram) must be positioned before the Henley block, after the main meter. This allows the zappi to monitor the entire energy flow into the property and accurately detect the available surplus.
- The solar inverter’s CT (labelled as "Grid CT - Solar Inverter" in the diagram) needs to be placed on the feed from the property distribution board, not the zappi distribution board but after the henley block. This ensures that the solar system only sees the property's consumption and grid interaction, avoiding any false readings from the zappi's activity.
Why Additional Wiring and Henley Blocks are Necessary
The system creates a clear division between the zappi and the rest of the property by implementing additional wiring and using Henley blocks. Without this separation, the battery may drain unnecessarily as the zappi and other high-energy devices in the property could pull power from the battery rather than directly from the solar generation or grid. The Henley block allows for this clean split, ensuring that each part of your system functions efficiently without interfering with the rest.
Visual Guide: System Setup Diagram
Below is a diagram illustrating the recommended setup for preventing battery drain by using Henley blocks and proper CT placement:
This diagram clearly shows how the supply is split after the main meter using a Henley block, with the zappi and property on separate circuits. The zappi’s CT is positioned before the Henley block to monitor the available surplus, while the solar inverter’s CT is placed after the Henley block, on the property’s distribution board feed, to accurately monitor grid interactions.