diy solar

diy solar

EG4 18kPV Q+A general thread

ajalger said:
Searched and tried to read manually through this giant thread but didn't have any luck. I just got the 18k today to replace 2x6500. Moved all the wiring over and couldn't get the batteries to communicate (4xEG4). Found the thread on needing to upgrade the firmware on those. Changed the battery type to lead acid as per the manual to get things going.

The real issue is that the batteries are fully charged but none of the solar is being used for the house loads. Using it with the critical loads panel and have not installed the CTs. No grid export. I must be missing the option to have it actually use the solar/batteries for loads! I did test it with just the batteries before turning on the grid input and it could power things and I saw the correct voltage between the legs.
Click to expand...
I'll tell you from experience, listen to this man. I had the same issue a week ago.

If you want to follow the questions I posted and go from there it starts at #934. Exact same issue.
 
ajalger said:
Dang even for the critical load panel? Will do. Didn't realize it was required! Only held off so I could keep the AC on
Click to expand...
For now just connect the CTs inside the 18K grid side arrows facing the 18k...not sure why you couldn't keep the AC on.
 
Markus_SignatureSolar said:
What Firmware did Gilbert put on your inverter. We had one that would not read correctly in the monitoring system thats why we never released it.
Click to expand...

Markus - which version of the software should we be running to minimize grid export when “Zero Export” is selected? I’d like to request the proper version to update to as in the very near future when I tie to the grid and back feed my main panel.
 
So that depends on if you want to absolutely Zero export because no inverter can really do that with a 200 amp pass through built in.

But we have a firmware that sells back very minimal like other inverters.

Or I have one that disables the grid relay and will never export because it really turns it into a offgrid inverter.
 
Markus_SignatureSolar said:
So that depends on if you want to absolutely Zero export because no inverter can really do that with a 200 amp pass through built in.

But we have a firmware that sells back very minimal like other inverters.

Or I have one that disables the grid relay and will never export because it really turns it into a offgrid inverter.
Click to expand...
Currently I’m running my CL panel in off grid mode and have had good results.
I understand that absolutely zero export is not a reality - for any grid tie inverter.
I don’t have a sell back agreement and don’t plan on it - once I have enough batteries and a backup solution in place, I won’t need them.
Until that happens, to make the most efficient use of the system I’ve purchased and installed from SS, I need to grid tie and back feed my main panel without disturbing the bear (power company). I‘ve seen others post good results and some not so good depending on the version they were using - hence the question.
Thank you for the response!
 
Wes975 said:
Currently I’m running my CL panel in off grid mode and have had good results.
I understand that absolutely zero export is not a reality - for any grid tie inverter.
I don’t have a sell back agreement and don’t plan on it - once I have enough batteries and a backup solution in place, I won’t need them.
Until that happens, to make the most efficient use of the system I’ve purchased and installed from SS, I need to grid tie and back feed my main panel without disturbing the bear (power company). I‘ve seen others post good results and some not so good depending on the version they were using - hence the question.
Thank you for the response!
Click to expand...
No Problem. The latest firmware with the grid relay active should work for you. The exporting it has done is minimal
 
I attempted to register this afternoon to use the app while trying thru the app I got “unknown error” and thru the website it said “dongle not registered”. Anyone have any suggestions?
 
Markus_SignatureSolar said:
So that depends on if you want to absolutely Zero export because no inverter can really do that with a 200 amp pass through built in.

But we have a firmware that sells back very minimal like other inverters.

Or I have one that disables the grid relay and will never export because it really turns it into a offgrid inverter.
Click to expand...
Based on my research, I have to agree with this statement. If you require zero export, you have to setup as sub-panel as off grid. I had the same concern and this was the only way I could find to solve for this. My provider (via the smart meter) would immediately know if any power was back fed. There is no way a grid tie system can provide zero back feed due to reaction times.
 
Markus_SignatureSolar said:
So that depends on if you want to absolutely Zero export because no inverter can really do that with a 200 amp pass through built in.

But we have a firmware that sells back very minimal like other inverters.

Or I have one that disables the grid relay and will never export because it really turns it into a offgrid inverter.
Click to expand...
Maybe rename the “zero export”. Not everyone know this and its just false advertising imo. I bought this unit because of that feature.
 
Beetle Bailey said:
Does anyone else have huge fluctuations in Solar production. You can see it in the graph all of the spikes and dips. Before the FW update I had a nice smooth arc and that was my best production day. Now my Grid input and Solar at times are all over the place. I'll have almost 4k of input in all 3 arrays with nothing coming in on the grid. Then all of the sudden Solar will drop to 1.5k per array and Grid input will be 4.5k and it will seesaw after that for a while. I'm in North Texas with no clouds ( or rain....) so I know it's not that.

The smooth Solar arc is stock out of the box, the jagged is after an update.

View attachment 161682


View attachment 161683
Click to expand...
I posted this exact question yesterday. I loose a lot of solar production because of the swings. Its stable with grid off.
ajalger said:
Searched and tried to read manually through this giant thread but didn't have any luck. I just got the 18k today to replace 2x6500. Moved all the wiring over and couldn't get the batteries to communicate (4xEG4). Found the thread on needing to upgrade the firmware on those. Changed the battery type to lead acid as per the manual to get things going.

The real issue is that the batteries are fully charged but none of the solar is being used for the house loads. Using it with the critical loads panel and have not installed the CTs. No grid export. I must be missing the option to have it actually use the solar/batteries for loads! I did test it with just the batteries before turning on the grid input and it could power things and I saw the correct voltage between the legs.
Click to expand...
Are you able to change absorb and float charge v on lead batteries? Mine is set fail every time. Signature doesn’t know why.
 
JonathanW said:
I posted this exact question yesterday. I loose a lot of solar production because of the swings. Its stable with grid off.

Are you able to change absorb and float charge v on lead batteries? Mine is set fail every time. Signature doesn’t know why.
Click to expand...
I can help you out what are you trying to set it for? You can also pm me if you like
 
Beetle Bailey said:
Does anyone else have huge fluctuations in Solar production. You can see it in the graph all of the spikes and dips. Before the FW update I had a nice smooth arc and that was my best production day. Now my Grid input and Solar at times are all over the place.
Click to expand...
If this is still happening today I would be curious what happens if you turn the grid off and get a graph for the next hour or two, does it flatten it back out again?
Unfortunately, I never have a nice smooth solar production chart, I never realized how cloudy Florida was lol
 
Quattrohead said:
If this is still happening today I would be curious what happens if you turn the grid off and get a graph for the next hour or two, does it flatten it back out again?
Unfortunately, I never have a nice smooth solar production chart, I never realized how cloudy Florida was lol
Click to expand...
I'll try that today once everything gets going good. I have over 80% of my house on Solar atm....although it would be funny to tell the wife that we have to wait for the sun to come up for her to curl her hair....lol
 
Wes975 said:
Markus - which version of the software should we be running to minimize grid export when “Zero Export” is selected? I’d like to request the proper version to update to as in the very near future when I tie to the grid and back feed my main panel.
Click to expand...
Markus_SignatureSolar said:
So that depends on if you want to absolutely Zero export because no inverter can really do that with a 200 amp pass through built in.

But we have a firmware that sells back very minimal like other inverters.

Or I have one that disables the grid relay and will never export because it really turns it into a offgrid inverter.
Click to expand...
I just still don’t understand why there’s never straight answers. Always dances in technicalities.
 
Anyone had luck connecting their dongle to an iPad hotspot. It’s my only option currently looks like may have to get cellular one as I’m not having any luck. I can connect locally to the dongle so I assume that means it works fully.
 
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