diy solar

diy solar

Search results

  1. D

    Refrigerator UPS using a Growatt 3000TL LVM

    The one at the top is a time delay relay. To prevent short cycling the compressor on the refrigerator. When the line power comes back on, that relay has a 5 min delay before tripping to on and providing line power to the refrigerator. Middle left is just a terminal strip so I can route and...
  2. D

    Refrigerator UPS using a Growatt 3000TL LVM

    I don't think I have my drawings anymore. Sorry. A lot of the planning was simple box diagrams, with me figuring out the details in situ.
  3. D

    Growatt SPF 5000 ES Wiring for 0 Export / Need help

    Grounds serve two functions. Dissipation of induced charge (A/C creates a moving magnetic field which induces a charge in anything metal the field passes through) and safety ground for short circuit protection. A subpanel in a detached building is required to have its own grounding rod. The...
  4. D

    Design Review - Growatt SPF 5000 ES Grid Backup & Neutral Bonding

    I didn't consider the load passthrough as an additional load to the charger. Still surprised they designed it to draw a load higher than it can handle. Whether the solar input goes to inverter loads or charging, the thing should not be able to draw beyond its design rating.
  5. D

    Design Review - Growatt SPF 5000 ES Grid Backup & Neutral Bonding

    They miscalculated the max string voltage in that reply. They used the MPPT voltage of 34VDC to arrive at 102VDC for a string of 3 panels. Rather than the OC voltage of 40.7VDC to arrive at a string voltage of 122.1VDC. I don't agree with that opinion. Current doesn't work that way. What...
  6. D

    Design Review - Growatt SPF 5000 ES Grid Backup & Neutral Bonding

    I'm pretty sure as long as you don't go over max OC voltage, you can overpanel. The system only draws so much current. If the panel array is "capable" of providing a higher level of current, they won't "push" it down the line. So the wattage limits are the limit of the inverter/charger, not what...
  7. D

    Refrigerator UPS using a Growatt 3000TL LVM

    :) That charger and inverter are going in to my camping trailer.
  8. D

    Design Review - Growatt SPF 5000 ES Grid Backup & Neutral Bonding

    I'm thankful for this thread and discussion. Relocating in a few months and want to install a system like this with a ground array.
  9. D

    Design Review - Growatt SPF 5000 ES Grid Backup & Neutral Bonding

    That makes a bit more sense. I would think you would want a fail safe (require manual intervention) for a loss of neutral situation. The other scenarios, switching, etc. autonomous. I've used cascading relays before where you have to press a momentary button to "arm" the primary relay, and...
  10. D

    Design Review - Growatt SPF 5000 ES Grid Backup & Neutral Bonding

    I'm not understanding the desire for an unattended cold start (restart). If there is a failure that causes one of these safety mechanisms to activate (deactivate), I would think you would want to require manual intervention to identify the cause of the failure before restoring power.
  11. D

    Growatt SPF 5000 ES Wiring for 0 Export / Need help

    Each can handle 5000W total, 25A (3000W) on one leg. If you parallel them you increase that to 10000W total and up to 50A of 120VAC on a single phase.
  12. D

    Design Review - Growatt SPF 5000 ES Grid Backup & Neutral Bonding

    I have ver 1.0 (online) version. It only has one entry, 5000 SPF ES. ETA: ver2.0 has both entries and the 8AWG entry for the 5000 updated my local copy.
  13. D

    Design Review - Growatt SPF 5000 ES Grid Backup & Neutral Bonding

    Hmmm I wonder why they recommend 10 AWG (30A) wiring. Seems like a mismatch.
  14. D

    Design Review - Growatt SPF 5000 ES Grid Backup & Neutral Bonding

    The max output for the GW is 5000W, at 240VAC that's 20.8A. I'd use a 30A output breaker. The input breaker is specced at 50A to account for surge and the additional load of 17A of the AC Charger.
  15. D

    Should the neutral wire from an autotransformer be bonded to ground in the breaker box?

    I'd recommend starting a new GTIL thread to avoid confusion. What you are describing as load imbalance is due to the phases you have your common (always on) 120VAC loads hooked to. It's a consumption issue. You're trying to maximize the offset. So you should move some of those loads to the...
  16. D

    Should the neutral wire from an autotransformer be bonded to ground in the breaker box?

    Have you read the thread I linked? Lots of info there. But the AC side is the grid, it already has split phase 120/240. You'd be installing a transformer in parallel with the grid transformer. A 5kW transformer isn't going to do anything, you're already hooked in to a 37.5 or 50 KVA...
  17. D

    Should the neutral wire from an autotransformer be bonded to ground in the breaker box?

    You would not want to install the auto transformer on the ac input side at all.
  18. D

    Should the neutral wire from an autotransformer be bonded to ground in the breaker box?

    Discussion is good, as is reiterating important safety elements of these systems. :)
  19. D

    Should the neutral wire from an autotransformer be bonded to ground in the breaker box?

    @fafrd The system discussed in this thread has no grid connection. That discussion is taking place here. https://diysolarforum.com/threads/design-review-growatt-spf-5000-es-grid-backup-neutral-bonding.29717/ My comparison between the subject system in this thread and an on grid system was to...
  20. D

    Design Review - Growatt SPF 5000 ES Grid Backup & Neutral Bonding

    Just for the sake of argument, since it appears to be a serious concern people keep bringing up with respect to the loss of neutral using the Solar Edge autotransformer. How does something like the Growatt SPF 6000 DVM-US MPV (which has an internal transformer) address it? Conceptually the 6000...
  21. D

    Should the neutral wire from an autotransformer be bonded to ground in the breaker box?

    There is only one panel according to the OP's post on page 1. This system has no AC input. The distance from the autotransformer which is creating the neutral from the L1 and L2 inputs to the neutral bus appears to be approximately 2 feet. Certainly much shorter than from the service...
  22. D

    Should the neutral wire from an autotransformer be bonded to ground in the breaker box?

    Grid Tied Inverter with Limiter https://www.sunmagnet.ph/shop/grid-tie-inverter-with-limiter/grid-tie-inverter-with-limiter-gtil/
  23. D

    Design Review - Growatt SPF 5000 ES Grid Backup & Neutral Bonding

    Or they could tell you to seek the services of a licensed electrician. Lowe's sells 2x4s and nail guns, but they probably aren't going to give you code compliance information or engineering data on calculating snow loads on an exterior stud wall. There's too many variables as these threads...
  24. D

    Design Review - Growatt SPF 5000 ES Grid Backup & Neutral Bonding

    Signature Solar is probably hesitant to give advice to unlicensed electricians for fear of litigation. They can't control the end state installation. The question should be focused on the Solar Edge transformer and its designed connection to a Solar Edge inverter. The baseline question, does...
  25. D

    Should the neutral wire from an autotransformer be bonded to ground in the breaker box?

    From the specs 25A at 120VAC is 3000W The transformer can handle a total of 5000W load. Either phase can handle up to 25A, and it can handle a max delta of 25A, so 25A on one phase and 0A on the other. Total combined load for both phases is 41.7A of 120VAC So 25A on one phase would mean a limit...
  26. D

    Should the neutral wire from an autotransformer be bonded to ground in the breaker box?

    This photo on the Signature Solar site shows five of the Growatts paralleled with two of the transformers.
  27. D

    Should the neutral wire from an autotransformer be bonded to ground in the breaker box?

    The video posted by Tony on page one addresses a lot of those questions. The solar edge transformer is specced for a 25A imbalance between 120V sides. The video demonstrates the balancing capability of the transformer, with equal current from each leg even though there is only a load on "one...
  28. D

    Should the neutral wire from an autotransformer be bonded to ground in the breaker box?

    The thread I linked above has a lot of discussion of neutral bonding and lost neutral and using contactors to break the circuit if the Neutral is lost.
  29. D

    Should the neutral wire from an autotransformer be bonded to ground in the breaker box?

    https://diysolarforum.com/threads/design-review-growatt-spf-5000-es-grid-backup-neutral-bonding.29717/
  30. D

    Should the neutral wire from an autotransformer be bonded to ground in the breaker box?

    The neutral is the output, L1 and L2 are inputs. If you run 25A of 120V load on one leg the power runs up L1 (or L2) and down the Neutral to the load. Being AC, the flow is actually back and forth. But it needs both L1 and L2 connected as inputs to provide the midpoint Neutral output. If you...
  31. D

    Should the neutral wire from an autotransformer be bonded to ground in the breaker box?

    The inverter is attached to a backfeed breaker from the inverter. It only has continuity to the busses in the panel when the breaker is closed. It's acting as a main panel breaker. So, in principle, the backfeed breaker is also controlling the transformer which is direct wired to the bus lugs...
  32. D

    Where does the Growatt SPF 5000 ES get its ground?

    The NEC has been updated to clarify this one: "You should not run the PV wires in the same conduit as the AC output." If all the wires are part of the same PV system, and they all have the same temperature and voltage ratings (of the highest voltage conductor), they can be colocated in the same...
  33. D

    Should the neutral wire from an autotransformer be bonded to ground in the breaker box?

    The ground serves two functions, dissipation of induced currents and safety if a conductor energizes the case of a piece of equipment. It isn't connected in a complete circuit under normal circumstances.
  34. D

    Where does the Growatt SPF 5000 ES get its ground?

    Observations You aren't supposed to run sheathed cable (Romex) through conduit. It can't properly dissipate heat. You should not run the PV wires in the same conduit as the AC output. Also, you have the AC input to the panel running through a CB, but you hardwired the transformer to the bus...
  35. D

    Where does the Growatt SPF 5000 ES get its ground?

    There's a robust discussion about neutral bonding and how to deal with loss of neutral here. https://diysolarforum.com/threads/design-review-growatt-spf-5000-es-grid-backup-neutral-bonding.29717/
Back
Top