Battleborn and Growatt 24 volt 3000 watt

[Skinny76]

Hello all. I bought Will's book probably close to two years ago and have played around with Solar on a limited scale for a small travel trailer. I'll be moving into a house this spring that has a perfectly sized shed.....Solar shed. I'll be building off my existing panels (10x 100 watt, 12 volt). I have purchased the growatt 3000 24 volt system and have only two 100 ah 12 volt Battleborn batteries in series to start. I know that I need 4 (2s 2p) to really maximize the all-in-one system, but it will probably be another year before I add them. Also, I'm lacking in PV input, but I should be able to easily adjust that once I determine my power needs.

Just wanted to say hi. Hopefully I can get it set up and load some pics this spring. I'm sure I'll have some questions, but Will's videos seem to have covered most all that I should need. A lot of smart people on this forum. I'm amazed at some of the detail that has been provided.

Anyway, I'll be back later!!!!

 

[Supervstech]

Hi!

I’d setup 5S2P with those panels, and get a nice SCC mppt controller.

 

[Skinny76]

Thanks. That configuration seems best. Do you think I should use another MPPT controller other than what is already in the all-in-one Growatt?

 

[Skinny76]

I tested the unit this weekend with limited solar input and the two Battleborns. Pushed 1800 watts with a hair dryer for about 10 minutes. All seemed to function. Cant push to the max 3,000 yet, but maybe the wife will let me get two more batteries to test. This week I'll test the transfer switch when overloaded.

I noticed something on the programming. I changed setting 15 to "bof" but it still beeps. It is so loud. Hopefully I can figure put how to fix that.

I still amazed me they can fit the inverter, mppt charge controller, etc. in that small box. Was heavier than I thought it would be.

 

[Skinny76]

Made some good money on a stock play. Just bought two more battleborn batteries. I have 4 now!!!

 

[ColoradoCA]

Made some good money on a stock play. Just bought two more battleborn batteries. I have 4 now!!!

You just went into the box?? Or got another controller??
I just got same Box and was trying to figure out the reasoning behind the extra controller.

 

[Skinny76]

I'm just using the All-in-one. No different system. I do have a 40 amp Renogy MPPT as a back up along with a 2,000 watt 12 volt inverter. I like the convenience of the 24 volt box, but do not like all my eggs in one basket.

 

[Skinny76]

Sad sad. Just saw Will's review of the newest (and great) batteries. Wish I didn't order the BB's. Dont get me wrong. They are amazing batteries with an equally amazing warranty, but for the price, quality and capacity of the SOK, I'm having buyer's remorse!!!!!

 

[Skinny76]

So I tested the Growatt 3,000 all-in-one with my travel trailer. I will not have my shed for a while, but wanted to see what it can do. Issue. If I plug anything into it that does not have a ground, it runs just fine. When I hook up a 3 prong with ground, it seems to hate it. It will not run a microwave nor air conditioner. Do I need it wired through a box and grounded? It seems to flash back and forth between providing power and vice versa. Is there a setting to cut this off or do I need to ground the trailer frame? I feel like it is looking for a ground so the breaker can function properly. I'm I way off on this?

 

[Supervstech]

Microwaves and air conditioners are large surge appliances.
Likely it isn’t the ground that is the issue, it is the Hf inverter itself... unable to provide the surge current required by the appliance.

 

[Skinny76]

Microwaves and air conditioners are large surge appliances.
Likely it isn’t the ground that is the issue, it is the Hf inverter itself... unable to provide the surge current required by the appliance.

The strange thing is, I would cut the inverter off and back on with only the 3 prong extension cord (has a power light in the cord) and it would blink on and off the same way with nothing connected. It then wouldn't power a space heater. When I plug the two prong space heater directly up to the inverter without the extension, it ran fine. Tried a different 3 prong extension cord and it still would not work. I have a couple ideas I'll try and will get back if it works.

 

[Skinny76]

The strange thing is, I would cut the inverter off and back on with only the 3 prong extension cord (has a power light in the cord) and it would blink on and off the same way with nothing connected. It then wouldn't power a space heater. When I plug the two prong space heater directly up to the inverter without the extension, it ran fine. Tried a different 3 prong extension cord and it still would not work. I have a couple ideas I'll try and will get back if it works.

Well, I'm stupid. Should have called my Dad earlier. He has a GED and was a "bug man" spraying for cockroaches. He is retired now. He looked at what I had done and said my polarity was reversed based on what I had told him. He was insistent that I wired wrong. Colors looked right to me, but he said don't trust it. Pulled out my multimeter. Cheap Chinese extension was not color coded right (the one I cut and wired into the all-in-one). Cut a new extension cord to wire back to the box and all is well. I'm so proud of my dad. He thinks outside the box. All works as it should now. This is not the first time he has surprised me.

 

[Supervstech]

Oof! Reversed neutral and hot SHOULDN’T make any difference... now, if hot, and neutral are correct on one end, but switched to ground and neutral on the other, it could be an issue... dead short to ground will bite hard.

 

[Skinny76]

I'm not an electrician, but whatever happened worked. Crazy. He said two prong wouldn't notice the difference, but 3 prong would short circuit.....per dear old dad.