18kpv + Growatt 11 US AC Coupled good and ?

[millsan1]

So I finally got around to bringing my Growatt 11 up as an AC Coupled addition to my 18 kpv.

Today's project was putting up cement board, installing a 50 amp breaker/disconnect, mounting the Growatt, running 6 Gauge wire between 18, disconnect and Growatt.

Took a couple hours, but the physical install went well.

Commissioning the Growatt was a bit of a PITA, but nothing horrible, just had to follow the terrible instructions and figure it out.

I haven't run any new solar yet, so I stole one of the PV arrays from the 18 to feed the 11.

Turned everything on and bingo bango, the 11 was feeding power to the 18. Yes I know I didn't gain anything yet, this was to make sure it will work, new PV strings coming shortly.


Only odd thing was when PV power got really low, the 11 threw an AFCI warning.

It had run for a few hours, but at 430 it threw the error. Reset everything and it threw error again.

Waited for sunset, reset everything and it is operating normally.

I'll see tomorrow if my theory of low PV power causing the issue holds.

 

[millsan1]

Put 8 new panels in series and hooked that up to the 11, with all the stuff, PV switch, fuse, etc.

Turned PV switch and boom! More juice. Seems to be working well so far

 

[MajicDiver]

Only odd thing was when PV power got really low, the 11 threw an AFCI warning.

There have been around 5 or 6 people on this forum who have had AFCI issues on the Growatt MIN-US inverters, Growatt has told them it’s a firmware issue. I have never had a AFCI problem on my two 11.4’s that was not my own fault ( sharing 3 conductors of a 5 conductor cable with a brushless DC pump and other two used for a PV string). If I run the pump with AFCI enabled on that inverter it trips . I’ve never had the issue on the other inverter.

Might call Growatt and see what they tell you, or just disable it.

 

[millsan1]

There have been around 5 or 6 people on this forum who have had AFCI issues on the Growatt MIN-US inverters, Growatt has told them it’s a firmware issue. I have never had a AFCI problem on my two 11.4’s that was not my own fault ( sharing 3 conductors of a 5 conductor cable with a brushless DC pump and other two used for a PV string). If I run the pump with AFCI enabled on that inverter it trips . I’ve never had the issue on the other inverter.

Might call Growatt and see what they tell you, or just disable it.

Yeah, I just disabled it. All wiring is good, but house wiring is 40 years old, and was done prior to code being a real thing in PA. I don't think there is anything dangerous, but I can see how some of my well pumps or whatever might throw something. I have arc fault protection enabled on the 18, which is the whole house, so I will rely on that.

Today is overcast, but the 11 is putting up some good numbers, relative to what is available. I'm pretty happy so far.

 

[1201]

wow. how did I miss this. Ive been mildly looking at coupling my growatt with an 18kpv12klv, if my sunny islands die.

plan to post any videos? pics?

 

[millsan1]

wow. how did I miss this. Ive been mildly looking at coupling my growatt with an 18kpv12klv, if my sunny islands die.

plan to post any videos? pics?

Sure I can do that. Not terribly exciting, as they kind of just sit next to each other on some cement board though, lol.

Today is raining and gross, but the combination of the two is giving me just enough power to run the house and push a tiny bit into the batteries, about 500 watts right now.

 

[1201]

Sure I can do that. Not terribly exciting, as they kind of just sit next to each other on some cement board though, lol.

Today is raining and gross, but the combination of the two is giving me just enough power to run the house and push a tiny bit into the batteries, about 500 watts right now.

lol. I guess im interested in the working modes.