Anybody use these stand alone MPPT micro- inverters: VEVOR 1200W MPPT Waterproof Solar Grid Tie Inverter DC to AC 110V

[Stephen InGeorgia]

Item: VEVOR 1200W MPPT Waterproof Solar Grid Tie Inverter DC to AC 110V

VEVOR 1200W MPPT Waterproof Solar Grid Tie Inverter DC to AC 110V Micro Inverter (1200W 110V) | VEVOR US

Discover VEVOR 1200W MPPT Waterproof Solar Grid Tie Inverter DC to AC 110V Micro Inverter (1200W 110V), High Automation and Stable Dual Channel Technology at lowest price, 2days delivery, 30days returns.

www.vevor.com

I've seen others that look identical and say they can be used as stand alone inverters (no AC input required, work when sun is out). My origional intent was to have a hot water heater, but the true 'prepper' ones are 1800$+ and not realistic.

Questions:
Are these true stand alone and do not require AC input?
Anybody have any experiecne using them: quality concerns or functionality?

 

[sunshine_eggo]

This appears to be the manufacturer's manual:

https://www.solartex.co/tienda/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/microinverter-1200-watts.pdf

Claims UL1741
Lists anti-islanding (required for 1741)

Both indicate that this unit will not work without a grid present.

There may be some wording in the system function that says it works independently, but I don't see it, and I expect they would tout this as a feature is it's rare with GT applications.

Given the price, I would be very curious how they would perform in an AC coupled situation.

 

[Stephen InGeorgia]

This appears to be the manufacturer's manual:

https://www.solartex.co/tienda/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/microinverter-1200-watts.pdf

Claims UL1741
Lists anti-islanding (required for 1741)

Both indicate that this unit will not work without a grid present.

There may be some wording in the system function that says it works independently, but I don't see it, and I expect they would tout this as a feature is it's rare with GT applications.

Given the price, I would be very curious how they would perform in an AC coupled situation.

Great Find!

 

[Consumerbot3418]

This appears to be the manufacturer's manual:

https://www.solartex.co/tienda/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/microinverter-1200-watts.pdf

Claims UL1741
Lists anti-islanding (required for 1741)

Both indicate that this unit will not work without a grid present.

That manual you linked indicates the manufacturer does produce a series of off-grid micro inverters (PSW), but Q&A on Vevor's product page confirms that you're right.

Given the price, I would be very curious how they would perform in an AC coupled situation.

Anything specific you'd like to know? I just ordered one to try out. I don't see UL1741SA or Rule 21 on the specs, so I'm guessing it will just keep tracking MPPT until 62.5Hz, then drop offline. That'll be okay for me, since I've got a large array on a Sunny Boy that will ramp down with frequency watts.

I had an eBay-sourced dirt-cheap, no-name 500W GT inverter that I tested with my off-grid system, and it caused my UPS to constantly drop off and switch to battery. I guess it must've been putting out a horrible waveform... Hope to have better luck with this thing!

 

[#40Fan]

Vevor is a just a name slapped onto a product and with a price hike. If you see anything with a Vevor sticker on it, I'm willing to bet that you'll be able to find the same thing, for less, on eBay. Buying through eBay gives you some relief knowing you can get your money back if you receive a defective item.

 

[Consumerbot3418]

I've already had some experience with Vevor. They promise a 1 year warranty on this particular item. I've seen other reports of "identical" items from Alibaba that had loose components, bad welds, etc. So in some (but not all) cases, it may be a bit more than a name slapped on, and promise of a warranty.

I actually made the purchase via eBay, with seller-pays return shipping.

Will try to report back here once I get to play with it.

 

[Consumerbot3418]

The Vevor 1200W (rebadged WVC-1200?) inverter arrived a few days ago, and I've played with it a bit.

The MPPT seems to work well--I compared the power production with a Victron SmartSolar 100/50 (using two pairs of identical panels), and it was only about 2% lower. Considering the DC to AC conversion, that seems pretty remarkable!

Unfortunately, there are several major issues with this unit--

• Heat: with 2x 240W panels on each MPPT, pointed different directions, production was under 600W, but it was enough to trigger the overheat shutdown. The inverter was positioned in the shade of the panels, but at 95ºF ambient, it spent more time shut down than functioning! At a <50% duty cycle @ 525W, it looks like it averaged out to only 250W of production. In my area, we hit 100ºF+ regularly in summer months, which is when power is needed the most (to drive the AC units).
• Lack of Rule 21/UL1741-SA means that it keeps outputting its full power (when it's not overheated, at least) regardless of the Sunny Islands increasing the frequency when the battery was full. I figured this would be alright, since the spec sheet says it only works up to 62.5Hz. However, upon testing, I watched it keep dumping full power output all the way up to 62.8Hz!
• 110V: ideally, the power would be spread across both legs of the split phase. They make a 230V model, but to my understanding, it requires a single hot leg and neutral, and wouldn't work with split phase. I didn't actually confirm this, though.
• Durability: this is my biggest concern. Numerous YouTube review comments tell stories of these inverters dying prematurely, often within a year of use.

It looks like I can get used Enphase IQ7 units for $65 each. They don't seem quite as friendly for small-scale systems ($400 Envoy needed to program/monitor, expensive trunk cables), but it would address all of the above issues. I'm strongly leaning this direction, especially if I can acquire units that already have Rule 21 enabled, obviating the need for the Envoy.

Can't decide if I should return the Vevor, or just leave it in service and see how long it lasts. I certainly won't be buying any more!