12VoltInstalls
life passes by too quickly to not live in freedom
There is a bajillion page thread on safely wiring up one of these units. And if you bought from signature they purportedly have a diagram for safe wiring.
Safe Grid Use of the 5000ES and transformer
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timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
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The last drawing I seen from them, was still wrong.
And I believe that this is the thread that you are referring to.
12VoltInstalls
life passes by too quickly to not live in freedom
Right you are. Sorry. My 31 yo daughter is in the hospital and I’m not paying adequate attention.
IIRC you have a safe install do you not?
if it were me I’d just have done something different
timselectric
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I do
And sending good vibes for your daughter.
robby
Photon Vampire
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Yep almost 10 Months later and 900 posts and they still have no safe wiring diagram for the owners.
timselectric
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The problem is that they only feel comfortable passing on the information that Growatt provides. And I can kind of understand, from a liability standpoint. But those Chinese Engineers don't understand our split-phase system or the NEC.
12VoltInstalls
life passes by too quickly to not live in freedom
Except that they ‘could’ just hire an EE to create a drawing along with writing a user guide for the (what, only two?) configurations it is likely to be installed for. And have growatt sign off on it for those specific scenarios. Or, alternatively, design a specifically tailored (altered) machine for this grid environment.
Then there would be no liability and no warranty “out” for growatt, either.
timselectric
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Oh, it could definitely be done easily.
But Growatt doesn't seem interested in bothering with it.
We (the US market) are supposedly an insignificant portion of the solar market.
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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Except if none of us have figured out how to make it work as intended, likely no drawing could fix that.
That's the solution, either a split-phase inverter (or two stackable single-phase), or 240V inverter designed to work with this transformer.
Some of those solutions Growatt already offers, but not the latter (so far as I know.)
timselectric
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The simplest solution is not to connect it to the grid.
Then it works safely as intended. All of the problems are with connection to the grid.
The second simplest solution is to use an isolation Transformer. This allows connection to the grid, while being electrically isolated from the grid.
Third option is to get creative, as I did. But my solution requires the non US version.
Then it works safely as intended. All of the problems are with connection to the grid.
The second simplest solution is to use an isolation Transformer. This allows connection to the grid, while being electrically isolated from the grid.
Third option is to get creative, as I did. But my solution requires the non US version.
Zwy
Emperor Of Solar
This makes it easier.
Yes, you can. Only run the 240V appliances off this panel, no neutral needed.
This is the best option, you will already have a battery in place. Use the 5000ES to power the well pump with a small 240V breaker panel and another inverter with 120V/240V split phase. Have you tested the amp draw of the well pump? The 5000ES might be maxed out with the startup surge of the well pump.
12VoltInstalls
life passes by too quickly to not live in freedom
So it’s basically the neutral can’t be jumpered because it can’t be configured to not see unintended current. Got it
So is the ‘savings’ worth it? When for less than the cost of a new set of tires you can buy stuff that works?
Zwy
Emperor Of Solar
It measured almost 7amps immediately and continued. I'm not sure if the pump controller has something to do with it?
I hooked up the battery to the inverter finally today and finally got it to communicate properly via the ethernet cable.
Still need to do the series of solar panels and figure out how to connect the 240V breaker the well pump with the tank float switch that's connected to a 120V leg. Do they make a contactor that runs on 240V or 48VDC ?
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12VoltInstalls
life passes by too quickly to not live in freedom
Pump contactors for 240VAC are not uncommon. A good hardware store or plumbing supply house can supply that, maybe even a home depot would have one.
Others will have good input but I’m not qualified to advise on the 48VDC switch- I’m assuming there’s product that will be usable for what you need but switching 48VDC for a well pump is not in my wheelhouse.
timselectric
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Zwy
Emperor Of Solar
If it continued to draw 7A while running, that is not the surge current at locked rotor startup. My pump runs 12A but using my digital storage oscope I see a surge of 56A for 3ms, then a taper down to 12A over the next 10ms. Well is 240 deep with pump at around 90 feet. 3/4hp pump.
As for a pump controller, that could be the conventional capacitor to provide the 3rd phase to kick the rotor over. Or it could be a VFD. You don't indicate what you have so we can only guess. If it is VFD, you won't have to worry about it.
Tank float or pressure switch? Either way, if your pump is 240V, both legs would need to cut power, unless you have a VFD or some type of contactor that is controlled by a pressure switch or float switch. Pressure switch should be 4 terminal and 240V. Float switch can be sourced 240V. Post up a photo of your setup.
automatikdonn
Becoming Offgrid
@12VoltInstalls , @timselectric , @automatikdonn
I ordered a 240VAC contactor that also has a control coil voltage 240V. I couldn't find one that controls on 48VDC.. there were quite a few with 24VDC control.
Thank you
I don't really know what type of pump controller. it's a Franklin Electric Pumptec controller.. There's a big capacitor inside the box.
Tank float switch in water tank that is currently connected to a 2 pole 240V contactor with a 120V control coil. (I've just ordered a 240V control coil contactor to not rely on the grid). I also still have pressure switch as a back up in case something happens to the water tank, I can shut off water to the storage tank and pressurize the pipe from the well pump again.
New issue today: I connected 5 (395W, 48Voc) solar panels in series, installed all the mc4 connectors, high-voltage disconnect to the Growatt. The Growatt doesn't show any solar pv array connected to it. I wasn't sure how safe it is to check connectivity on a series of PVs? I'm planning to go check the continuity after sundown.
Schneider Electric and their subdivision Square D market multipole relays that have dc coils or ac coils, rated to switch AC or DC or three phase
common coil voltages are 12 dc 24 dc or ac 36 dc 48 dc 110-145 AC 220-265 AC 277 AC
I have never seen an industrial relay capable of energizing from 48 volts dc and 240 volts ac in one unit
there are relays with a 24 volt DC coil and 240 volt AC contacts....common in American industrial equipment
common coil voltages are 12 dc 24 dc or ac 36 dc 48 dc 110-145 AC 220-265 AC 277 AC
I have never seen an industrial relay capable of energizing from 48 volts dc and 240 volts ac in one unit
there are relays with a 24 volt DC coil and 240 volt AC contacts....common in American industrial equipment
Are there different types of mc4 connectors? It looks like the issue is my mc4 connector wires not connecting correctly to the connectors on the solar panels. they look very similar but the ones on the solar panel seem to be about 0.5cm longer than the ones I bought when the male and female ends are connected. Also, the connectors on the solar panel have an extra plastic outside the locking tabs that doesn't allow the tool i have to open it.
A quick search shows the panel may be T4 connectors not MC4
A quick search shows the panel may be T4 connectors not MC4
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timselectric
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Pretty sure that they were looking for one or the other, not both. They just didn't want to stick with the 120v coil voltage that they currently have.
timselectric
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