All hooked up and everything works..sorta

[getalab]

3000 Growatt, 1200w panels, and Gyll batteries all arrived and went together without issue. I had SOK’s on order, but shipping dates kept getting moved. Signature had the Gylls here in 4 days.
Ground mount panels can tilt for the season, and the GW setup is the same as a hand truck, only in a old bookcase. AC out is currently a hardwired power strip.
My only issue is my circuit tester shows a open ground. Not sure how to address this exactly. Any suggestions much appreciated.
I have a entertainment center and a few light loads running now, until I can sort out grounding issue.

 

[OnTheRoadAgain]

How did you go about grounding the system ?

It appears you mounted the panels to 2 x 4's

Did you connect a grounding cable to each panel individually and then to Earth ?

If lightning strikes your array, where will the discharge go except to follow your wiring to your controller?

 

[getalab]

How did you go about grounding the system ?

It appears you mounted the panels to 2 x 4's

Did you connect a grounding cable to each panel individually and then to Earth ?

If lightning strikes your array, where will the discharge go except to follow your wiring to your controller?

Each panel connected by 6ga copper wire, and then to 8ft rod next to array.
The ground fault is showing up on the AC out power strip. None of the GW vids I’ve seen show using the ground lug on inverter to ground, so I may try that.

 

[Q-Dog]

Are you grid tied? How does the GroWatt handle bonding neutral and ground?

 

[getalab]

Are you grid tied? How does the GroWatt handle bonding neutral and ground?

I have the GW plugged into grid with extension cord. I currently have this setting disabled, as I wasn’t sure what “working with external ground box” meant exactly. The setup vids I saw left it disabled as well, and I’m trying not to experiment ?

 

[getalab]

I have the GW plugged into grid with extension cord. I currently have this setting disabled, as I wasn’t sure what “working with external ground box” meant exactly. The setup vids I saw left it disabled as well, and I’m trying not to experiment ?

I was mistaken somewhat, as my GW doesn’t have that setting #24 available to me. Mine ends at setting #22.

 

[Gaze]

The extension cord you use for AC input, does it show a good ground with your tester?
As I understand it, the GW opens N-G bond when running loads in Utility (grid) mode, then bonds N-G when running loads from Battery/Solar. Is that what you're experiencing at your AC ouput power strip? Or do you get open ground indication no matter what mode GW is in?

 

[getalab]

The extension cord you use for AC input, does it show a good ground with your tester?
As I understand it, the GW opens N-G bond when running loads in Utility (grid) mode, then bonds N-G when running loads from Battery/Solar. Is that what you're experiencing at your AC ouput power strip? Or do you get open ground indication no matter what mode GW is in?

In utility mode, tester shows good ground through power strip. I lose ground when it switches to battery/solar.

 

[Q-Dog]

How are you disconnecting from the grid? Just pull the plug?

 

[getalab]

How are you disconnecting from the grid? Just pull the plug?

Correct

 

[Q-Dog]

So, it sounds like the ground in your inverter is only connecting when you are plugged into the grid. Is there a way to shut down the grid connection without unpugging from the grid?

 

[getalab]

So, it sounds like the ground in your inverter is only connecting when you are plugged into the grid. Is there a way to shut down the grid connection without unpugging from the grid?

Not to my knowledge. I think my problem is getting to setting #24, which shows up on this guy’s video, but not on mine. I may need to change setting on my dip switch to access it, but can’t find any info on that yet. Thanks for help.

 

[Q-Dog]

If it isn't clear in the manual, contact GroWatt.

In the meantime, a switch on the input could solve the grounding problem, since a switch usually only disconnects line and leaves neutral and ground connected. TEST TO MAKE SURE THE SWITCH WORKS THE WAY YOU THINK IT DOES! Just make sure the switch can handle the amps the unit can pull from the grid.

I used a WiFi switch that was rated for 15 amps. My inverter/charger only draws 12 amps from the grid. Just plugged the switch into the wall, then the inverter was plugged into that. That left the ground and neutral always connected to the grid, and gave me the ability to disconnect and connect to the grid remotely.

 

[Gaze]

- manual says setting 24 works when there is a "grounding box" present, which is an external device that switches N-G open/close. I take it you don't have one of these

- do you know what version of firmware your Growatt is running? Perhaps your version doesn't show settng 24, but a later version does

updating the firmware is doable, but has caused units to brick when not done properly or when the incorrect .bin file is used...so caution

 

[Q-Dog]

Also, the things you circled in green in the photo above look to me like connections for a relay. NC is normally closed, NO is normally opened and C is the common connection for the relay. Information for what controls this relay should be in your manual.

 

[getalab]

- manual says setting 24 works when there is a "grounding box" present, which is an external device that switches N-G open/close. I take it you don't have one of these

- do you know what version of firmware your Growatt is running? Perhaps your version doesn't show settng 24, but a later version does

updating the firmware is doable, but has caused units to brick when not done properly or when the incorrect .bin file is used...so caution

Correct, no grounding box, and never seen one used on a setup. Not sure how to check firmware, manual has version 2.0 on it. I’ll have to contact Signature Solar and check their customer service after the sale I guess. The manual shows this example of dip settings, not sure if mine are correct. May be as simple as that.

 

[Gaze]

Also, the things you circled in green in the photo above look to me like connections for a relay. NC is normally closed, NO is normally opened and C is the common connection for the relay. Information for what controls this relay should be in your manual.

yeah, those are the connections to an external grounding box

 

[Gaze]

Correct, no grounding box, and never seen one used on a setup. Not sure how to check firmware, manual has version 2.0 on it. I’ll have to contact Signature Solar and check their customer service after the sale I guess. The manual shows this example of dip settings, not sure if mine are correct. May be as simple as that.

One way to check your firmware version is to connect your Growatt to a PC/laptop via USB and run the free PVKeeper 2.0 software that comes packaged with the unit on a mini-CD. There it displays your 'CPU Version'.

It may get a little fussy to set up the COM port drivers. If you can get it to run though, a firmware update will run through the same cable from your computer if you decide to try that.

The manual saying v. 2.0 is the manual version, not the firmware version.

 

[Gaze]

Also, the things you circled in green in the photo above look to me like connections for a relay. NC is normally closed, NO is normally opened and C is the common connection for the relay. Information for what controls this relay should be in your manual.

Dwg on bottom-left, page 2 of this doc shows connection to a grounding box from inverter...

https://voltaconsolar.com/DOWNLOAD-FILES/OFF%20GRID%20Inverters%20Manuals/Grounding-box-manual-20151016.pdf

 

[Q-Dog]

I don't have a GroWatt so have no real interest in reading the GroWatt manual. But I have read my Victron manual cover to cover more than once.

 

[getalab]

One way to check your firmware version is to connect your Growatt to a PC/laptop via USB and run the free PVKeeper 2.0 software that comes packaged with the unit on a mini-CD. There it displays your 'CPU Version'.

It may get a little fussy to set up the COM port drivers. If you can get it to run though, a firmware update will run through the same cable from your computer if you decide to try that.

The manual saying v. 2.0 is the manual version, not the firmware version.

Many thanks. That was the reason I chose the GW, I could set it up without a computer. Just go thru the settings one by one? My setup is no different than the many I’ve seen built, so I assume they have same issue and don’t know it. No fault codes show up on GW. Missing setting 24 may be the main issue. My GW goes from 22 to 28, and skips 24. I also have settings 43-48, that aren’t mentioned anywhere, so I don’t know what they’re for.

 

[getalab]

Dwg on bottom-left, page 2 of this doc shows connection to a grounding box from inverter...

https://voltaconsolar.com/DOWNLOAD-FILES/OFF%20GRID%20Inverters%20Manuals/Grounding-box-manual-20151016.pdf

That may be the solution, if I can’t get access to the setting I need. Thx

 

[Gaze]

I don't have a GroWatt so have no real interest in reading the GroWatt manual. But I have read my Victron manual cover to cover more than once.

If you're referring to the .pdf I posted, thats not from the growatt manual. It's about the relay connections you mentioned earlier.

 

[Q-Dog]

If you're referring to the .pdf I posted, thats not from the growatt manual. It's about the relay connections you mentioned earlier.

Understood, but I am not the person that needs to read the manuals.

 

[getalab]

Understood, but I am not the person that needs to read the manuals.

I can almost quote mine, never mentions what to do if your unit skips setting 24?