The max inverter load is 12k. It can put the remaining to battery.
You’ll rarely get 18,000 watts from an 18k array, just keep that in mind. They allow overpanelling to 20 or 21k to account for this. It’ll simply clip the power for the moments it’s maxed out. Panels are the cheapest part...
All very valid points, despite the claim they're not. 4x less amperage on everything you do has a large effect on things. I know I have no interest in a dozen 12v batteries, I'll opt for my 48v server rack batteries that have the option to be swapped out to my home setup if ever needed.
But...
Tilt is simply too much work for the gain. I’m pointed as bad as I can be; and it’s winter so super low sun angles; super dirty panels & ’m seeing 60% of rated wattage with half the array pointed 67 degrees from optimal.
It also would require climbing up top to adjust. I carry a collapsible...
After ordering items from SunGold in July, and waiting a week to be told "out of stock" after I inquired... I cancelled and went elsewhere.
This time, I confirmed they had stock, and then immediately ordered.
And now 4 days later receive a "We checked with the warehouse and we're out of...
Victron is good stuff, but they're proud of it... and the capacity drops like a rock in warmer temps. Definitely take a look at that with your location.. You can have units rated for big power... and only able to produce around half continuously in elevated temps.
I run a single EG4 3000 unit...
Looks good man!
Heck of an angle as well. I'd be curious how much earlier/later you'd gain some sun if the ends were a little more open...
Hopefully one day for me!
This guy right here. Outside the box solution. Will let everything get pretty well full charged today, and unplug one array for tomorrow (should still be sunny, but rain Friday, maybe the other one on Sat.
I like it!
Nice idea and good execution. Same story with the county here, other than anything with a permanent foundation needs a permit.
A patio doesn't need one though.... :cool:
Still have some available locally, if anyone is interested. Honestly been super handy for people that want 1-8 panels and don't want to risk shipping. If you need pallet type quantities; obviously shop around for the best deals. (y)
400 watt units are gonna be too big, unless you're just centering them up. Thats why I got a pallet of the 330w 60 cell units... roughly 39" wide, so they fit alongside the AC units and don't hang over the edges. I bought a pallet of 400 ones (will still use for home array some day) and...
They should work just fine.. just make sure of your mounting locations and width available. the 60 cell - roughly 39" wide panels will be a better fit alongside your ac unit on your rv roof.
SS is now selling some similar units that are longer than these (these are 65" long 330 watt units)...
Looking to do a good size ground mount, but dont see any reason why I shouldn't elevate it and give my camper a place in the shade... Would prefer metal, but your idea looks good as well!
It has a few quirks; and there are some features that victron has that EG4 can’t touch… but overall; I’d probably go with my same setup again. Ignore the wire mess; literally installed that chargeverter last night.
Batteries won't sit there if camper is moved. Too much tongue weight as is. They get pulled and put in the back for transport.
No trees or shade gets close to either array other than sunup/sundown. It looks across a lake. It would be nice to be out there at 3pm to take a look though, but...
Looking to use this for a camper; acceptable to parallel the batteries if I wire it diagonally and run the negative from the bottom battery?
It seems like 3 has been the unspoken limit, and obviously with the baby inverter I won't be pulling massive loads... I did 2 with the Rich Solar...
Will be adding a rack for the batteries (and probably a third one) but should be a pretty good setup for a boondocking camper. Will be stationary most of the time but will take some trips. If I keep the batteries up front; I’ll need to go another route due to tongue weight. If not they come...
Zero concerns with switching under load. Have a breaker disconnect just prior to my inverter. Would obviously flip that prior to making any changes. My 3000 unit only has a single MPPT input.
I mean, i could just wire them with the MC4 ends available, but was trying to come up with a way to...
Not that i've seen. They make them up. The RichSolar batteries I had (and returned) had them, and honestly, I was a fan once understanding how they work. Can't say they'd last 100 hookup/disconnects, because they're plastic bodied, but for a hook it up once or twice system, it is handy.
I...
I always hate to question anyone’s knowledge or abilities but what you did should have burned your trailer down.
In the best, kindest way, I’d like to encourage you to do some more research or get professional help with things like this that can cause serious injury or death when done wrong.
All good. HAD a 6548. have a 3000 unit now. after earthing either the inverter ground, or the frame itself (which proves good connection between the two) my stray 2-3v AC are gone. The 6548 unit I had would pop the GFCI if it was doing anything other than just powering up the inverter. Run...
Selling individuals if you need some panels for an RV setup. If you need a pallet; yep it’s cheaper to order them that way. If you need 10 or less and don’t wanna deal with freight/shipping damage and want to pick up locally, I’ve got some extras for sale.
$150 for a single but will discount...
If you have an onan 5500 watt generator... you already have a transfer switch. I just added a second one in... it runs my eg4 3000 unit. So the way it works... if the generator is running.. it gets first dibs to power the camper... if it's not.. it falls back on my inverter... if thats not on...
Please excuse my lack of knowledge on this...
How would you wire up a solar assistant to maintain closed loop communications, but use the SA to monitor and store what's going on?
I'm not totally picking up if they're meaning plug the PI directly between the inverter RS232, and then purchase...
Slide up underneath. Top is fixed; bottoms are on drawer sliders rated at 250 lbs. panels weigh like 42 lbs. total of 16 panels - 330w. 8s2p. 5280 watts. When they're closed, it still generates enough voltage to fire the 3000 unit, just over 120 V. The bypass diodes just act like the...
Literally read my mind! Simple but effective! What did you use for the strut? Only concern I have is being told not to loop the wires since it's DC current.
CLEAN!!!
Mines the same way; the 48v battery and inverter is simply “another generator”. Still use the factory 12v converter.
Onan’s been great after i heat wrapped the fuel line… it would vapor lock and stall out when hot. Wrapped the fuel line coming in (that WAS literally attached to a valve...
Has nobody else put a clamp meter on their AC ground output while generating power? Neutral ground screw has been removed, but still seeing voltage on the AC Output ground line when generating PV current. No Current when PV is disconnected. No Load, no connection to grid.
Trying to confirm...
panels were the cheapest part of the entire system. I work remote, so it's basically a second home. everything solar related, batteries, inverter etc was just over 9k... and half of that was the 3 eg4 batteries.... they got cheaper for sure.
I wouldn't have totaled it up... but it paid off...
Cloudless time; that’s one of the only things I can rule out.
My question is moreso do I have a panel dropping off or going into bypass during this time and is that causing the voltage drop…. Since it’s pretty normal at lasting for 4-5 minutes…. Which also shows a slight bit of cooling...
I'll be installing a similar system when everything shows up. 6548, 2 batteries. Have 2 ac's as well, and the 5500 Onan as a backup. No solar installed but will pick up a few loose panels to setup to help.
Moreso want to offset the AC loads for pups when parked. Bought the trailer to...
This is very true if I flip the breaker and hop up on the roof…
Might not be a bad check just to see how each side is doing; right around peak… as a comparison.
Solid, simple suggestion. 👍
Hey all,
Going to be installing an array on a toy hauler roof, and looking to see if anyone has used/is aware of a switching system able to easily swap the array wiring; ie a rotary switch, maybe even just breakers?
Will have 12 - 330 watt panels installed, but half will be on sliders to be...
I realize I'm late to this party... but I figure it's worth the question to see if this has been explained.
Looking to use Flex21's with a setup... had planned on 18k's originally. Array would be strings of 14 hyperion 400's. I'd need to get to -25F to get near the 600v "do not exceed or...
Aion 330's. They also have 360's out there, but would have been too long. As is, i have about a 8" overhang due to my skylight for the shower. I just wasn't comfortable putting them way up in the air above the camper... I camp in wooded areas... I'd like to keep them on the roof. I'd gotten...
Awesome post. Having a similar issue in a boondocking camper, but trying to confirm/take the best course of action to remedy it. Had never heard the term "hot skin", but it's exactly what I have, however per that article I'm at the bottom range of acceptable with 2-3 volts AC. Moreso "Hot...
Other than the power boost feature (being able to supplement battery power with a limited grid input, and the option for a pretty screen, ….and the much higher price tag…
What does the lower capacity multiplus have that the $700 EG4 3000 does not?
I’ll wait. 😉😎
I tend to just fire either the electric or the propane for like 10 minutes before I shower; it’s normally scalding hot if you dare go full hot.
Haven’t had an actual clear sunny day since it’s been completely hooked up; but not bad for being 40ish degrees off on the one side and 65ish (and...
Update: After talking with RichSolar's support, they basically admitted all of these HF inverter units leak power out on the ground line. Thats 100% a no-go for a camper with a fuel tank.
However, I came home and did a little simple testing.... I set the unit to SBU so it would not draw any...
If 12v is all; then absolutely. Idle isn’t great; but comparing a comparable 3000 watt capable Victron system to the 3000 unit; you’re in Kia to Cadillac price brackets (and space required)
Nobody will claim the EG4 is superior; no doubt. If money is no issue; you’ll have a blue wall. But...
That’s where I get confused with Solar Assistant.
I’m told if I hook it up as essentially the first battery; I get more battery information, but I lose the inverter controls. I don’t care about individual cell voltages; I just want to utilize the inverter and use the data logging to help me...
With this setup; you’re using the factory cord with the serial port that used to connect to the dongle; and hooking this new cable into that to plug into SA, correct?
I’m using the cord that SA recommends, but I seem to be missing a lot of parameter options that others have in the config tab...
Ahh, I'm running the replacement cable for the wifi dongle setup, so that comes out of the ethernet port on the 3000, and in as a usb.
I think I have 2 unused USB's, but I figured I'd need to use the port marked RS485 (not the ethernet) on the 3000 and come into the Pi with the ethernet cord...
I'd like to tag onto this one to make sure I set my same inverter but 2 lifepower4 (basic) batteries' dip switches correctly.
First as OFF OFF OFF OFF, second as ON OFF OFF OFF. (Third would then be ON ON OFF OFF?) Pin 1/2 cable used, settings to LI4, jumper from batt 1 to 2 was cable...
have you seen 9k+ on that MPPT? just curious.
The only system I have right now is my 3000 unit on my camper thats overpanelled at 5280 watts (16 panels 8s2p - 330 watt) ... and solar assistant has maxed that at like 4972 and hung... so i'm pretty satisfied with that considering the 5k limit.
I can also confirm, I’m an idiot.
Upon checking what setting #44 was set to… it was set at default 95. Changed it to 60 and CLICK inverter started right up.
Would highly appreciate it if EG4 would modify that setting so we could select a much lower amount though…. Say I have a few cloudy...
that's sweet; never tried anything like that. Mine's directly connected.
I was meaning your whole system, if you'd posted up on your build and what you did. I take it you have a pair of 21's with matching arrays feeding a gridboss?
According to the BMS; all cells in one battery are within 6 mv, and the other is 4 mv.
I’m chasing errant current thru the ground and neutral wires of the ac output. Removed the neutral ground screw and it got less; but not none. Was getting shocked on the outside of my trailer when it was...
I'll chime back in on this, as I discovered the error in my ways. my "ground rod" wasn't really a ground rod, but a 3' piece of all thread.
It wasn't nearly as deep in the ground as I thought it was. I grabbed a true 8' - 5/8" and even picking up and hand throwing it down into the ground...
Those settings are all voltage based…. I’m using the “use inverter values” settings for the batteries. I thought I’d have all the settings that I had in the smartESS app available; but I don’t seem to.
I've got my camper setup running, and all is good. However from time to time, it tends to do some strange things.
Not sure if I possibly have a failing panel (or two) or what the deal is. Panels are 60 cell - 330w Aionrise units. max power voltage of 33.81/ max amps 9.76 / VOC 41.31...
What are you using for a solar charge controller? That's where the EG4 unit shines.. it's all in one. One box (other than the seperate transfer switch)
Just chiming in to bump this up... thinking of using some of these with an EG4 3000 watt unit on a camper.
SunGoldPower confirmed that both this and the server rack batteries are both 16 cell units, unlike the 15 cell RichSolar units.
No, I believe you're limited on outputting 50A (of 240v) of your own power, and the rest (up to 200A) can be fed via grid (bypass).
I don't think you can exceed 200 amps in any situation though, so it would only be able to pull 150A from the grid. (holy crap thats a lot of instant power).
Are the buttons on the batteries the tallest thing when sitting flat? I’m thinking mine will end up either stacked flat on or on their side and debating if I need to throw a little rubber foot thru the mounting holes to create a gap..
Thanks!
I agree... but then they took it a step farther with the flexboss and said 120-440v is the range, 250-440 is "full power voltage range" and 360v is still the nominal.
If it's the same as the 18k, then i'd have thought they'd have left the specs identical. Was just seeing if it ever got...
Hey, long time lurker, first time poster.
Got a grounding question/concern when using this for an RV application and looking for help.
When actively getting solar, I'm getting voltage on my AC output ground line. The 6548 will be mounted in the rv, and the mounting hardware will ground it do...
Interesting.
I've needed to fire up a generator a few times over the past few weeks because of clouds and weather... using a little WEN generator... 2200 watt surge/1800 watt continuous. It seemed happy at about 25 amps (1600 watts), and was running at about 116/117 volts. The little 1...
Thats an interesting note, as well as it being limited to 100A of charge from the factory firmware... So 1 battery is gonna be clipped by a 5k array in full sun? Thats a no-go right there. (i see the updated firmware and BMS throttling note). So technically with the power pro, you're gonna...
Got it, makes sense. I love my SA. Hadn't dug deep enough to see if it worked with the flex 21. Hows it wired up for both inverters? You have a link to your overall setup so I don't ask the same questions everyone else does over and over? :cool:
60 cell panels are around 39-42” wide.
I grabbed a few pallets of these that are 39.5” wide. Just fit next to the AC and fit to edge.
If you’re buying pallets they’re cheap. Reselling still under .50 a watt…
Maybe have a variable to make that auto-shut off an "And" rather than an "or". or even better yet...
You may not care if your batteries are at 95% and you have say 3kw PV to run an aux load... but if the PV drops for some duration; say...5-10 minutes, maybe then it kicks off? Battery is...
Yep. Sometimes the lesser ones get a slight discount… or last dibs. Most of the best get bought and paid full price; the others are discounted and offered up.
Valid point. although most don't use any 220 appliances. (maybe a dryer, or a newer one with a mini-split?)
I plan on wiring in at the junction box where the geni meets the lead wires going towards the panel. It will actually mean that I have 2 transfer switches, which seems a little odd...
Yeah, the idea is to let the generator stabilize... i think mine takes 40 seconds. However, I have 2 of them... So if I was running on shore, and fired the generator.... it would be double that. Rarely run the generator though, so very little concern on that.
Ok, so i do have the same options you do....
Hrm. Maybe I look at going thru the battery route and use the SmartESS app only for changes. Will have to see how that all works.
Thanks!
Using my EG4 3000 unit, and with a few days of rain and clouds, it dropped below my SOC cutoff set in #45 of 7%.
It's currently sunny and charging (currently at 27%), however, inverter has not cycled back on. Will it? Or does it require a flip of the on/off switch?
#44 (Setting SOC back to...
It’s a little deceiving, but the left array is facing about 170 degrees and the other around 200-210.
If I could log them separately that’d be awesome but limited to one input on the 3000.
I just wonder why I don’t have the same (or opposite) jump in the AM..
I have 2 arrays, 5 in series, Paralleled. They face slightly different directions as shown below.
This is solely used as a test bed to see what kind of power I can get, I'm burning all the power as quick as I get it (hooked up to a camper and keeping my 3 batteries (15kwh) below 95%).
Every...