Charging EG4 Power Pro batteries in parallel with EG4 Chargeverter in a emergency

[timselectric]

hello all. this chat seems to have moved to a discussion of warranties and different battery types but I'm interested in the original question and particularly the comment i am replying to.

on the EG4 18k PV or sol-ark inverters, AC coupled solar is connected to the gen port, meaning no generator can be used. I am considering wiring a chargeverter directly to my battery bank for the simple purpose of generator hookup in an emergency. If the panels get ripped off my roof or my batteries are just too low because its cloudy as hell, i would like to be able to run the generator for a few hours to top up the batteries while still using the inverter to power my house. i don't see an issue here because the chargeverter will stop charging if the batteries are full and the inverter should just interpret that power as a fully charged battery, right?

correct
No issues

 

[muaddib721]

Looks good

James, I have a grounding question regarding the use of the Chargeverter through the internal bus bars paralleled in 3 Power Pro batteries...

1. When my 3 PP batteries are connected to the system as the main battery bank they will be grounded by the system, but if I'm charging them via their internal bus bars they will not be connected to the main bus bar and as a result not grounded by the system. Will they be protected by its connection to the chargeverter (grounded via the chargeverter's grount) or do I need to have them grounded to a rod via the grounding bolts on each battery daisy chained?

and

2. If I should ground the batteries to external ground... would it be a problem if had them grounded that way permanently via external ground even when they are connected to the inverters as the main battery bank? My instinct says it would be.

As always... thank you for your time and knowledge. Keep up the great work.

 

[MT59918]

James I need your help with figuring out what is the specs on the Amphenol connectors used by the Power Pro batteries. I can't find answers in the manual and the parts have the manufacturers name Degson but no identafying numbers. Are they the 8mm or 8mm EMI amphenol connectors? I'm trying to get different screw in receptacles vs bus bar receptacles so I can screw them into my existing 1000 amp Blue Sea buss bar and have the connection facing the front when installed in my wiring trough. I ordered the screw in receptacle in 14.3 mm and its the wrong size... its the red one in the pic. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Muaddib721 did you ever get this hooked up and working? If so how did you do it and how is it working? Any pics? I have 2 6000XP’s and 2 power pros. I’m wanting to hook the chargeverter to the power pros so I can charge them when solar is not enough. I’m in MT and winter can be long and overcast. Thanks for any help.

 

[muaddib721]

Muaddib721 did you ever get this hooked up and working? If so how did you do it and how is it working? Any pics? I have 2 6000XP’s and 2 power pros. I’m wanting to hook the chargeverter to the power pros so I can charge them when solar is not enough. I’m in MT and winter can be long and overcast. Thanks for any help.

Yes and everything is running great. I had to get the amphenol connectors from Signature Solar to make sure they were the correct ones. Very happy with my setup

 

[MT59918]

Yes and everything is running great. I had to get the amphenol connectors from Signature Solar to make sure they were the correct ones. Very happy with my setup

So did you just hook the chargeverter up to the master battery via the amphenol connectors or did you go to a bus bar then to the master battery? Impressive system you have going there!

 

[muaddib721]

I have a master bus bar in the trough under the two Sol-Arks and everything connect to the bus bar. Battery banks, two groups, the 3 Power Pro's, and the rack of 6 LLV2's. They are all in closed loop. The Chargeverter will soon be connected to the main bus bar as well. Currently its connected to the charging bus barr in the conduit box over the central PP battery. I'm re-tooling my system to be able to switch between Sol-Arks and the EG4 18Kpv on the left wall that will be part of a comparison study.

 

[AlaskaStartsHere]

I am thinking of doing the same thing as the OP, but I am considering connecting to the PP batteries on the ends. I believe this will provide a better equalization of charge. Is this true? Will it matter? Obviously it is easier to connect just to the battery at the end.

 

[timselectric]

Will it matter?

Not really.
Putting power in wherever, is beneficial.

 

[marionw]

I have six EG4 LifePower4 batteries installed in an EG4 six battery rack.
The positive of my EG4 ChargeInverter is connected directly to the positive bus bar in the rack. The EG4 ChargeInverter negative is connected to the inverter side of a Victron shunt. I have had no issues using the ChargeInverter charging the batteries from the grid. I can also plug the charginverter into my 10kw generator and it provides power to the inverter (as if it were a battery) and any power not needed by the inverter flows into the batteries.

 

[AlaskaStartsHere]

Not really.
Putting power in wherever, is beneficial.

I had seen a Will Prouse video and he commented on the buss bar configuration on a rack system. I believe he modified it, so that the connect went through the end batteries, to force better equalization. I know that differences in cable length represent a difference in resistance, and therefore the rate of charge, but I also understand that this could be miniscule and insignificant.

 

[wpns]

The bus bars in the PP are rated for 600A, the standard 2/0 interconnect cables are good for 200A, the chargeverter will only do 100A, pretty sure it’s not going to be a problem.

Connecting to opposite ends of the three batteries isn’t a bad idea, unless you end up having to make extra cables.

 

[timselectric]

I had seen a Will Prouse video and he commented on the buss bar configuration on a rack system. I believe he modified it, so that the connect went through the end batteries, to force better equalization. I know that differences in cable length represent a difference in resistance, and therefore the rate of charge, but I also understand that this could be miniscule and insignificant.

Connect it however you want. It doesn't really matter, with a backup charger.

 

[wolfmansbrother]

I have two EG4 PowerPros on my 18K and a chargeverter, no bus bars, and no interest in adding them. I was thinking I'd cut the ring connection off the chargeverter's wire, strip and re-crimp using a reducer on my spare 4/0 cable to right angle amphenol connector. It looks like the 25mm cables off the CV are really 4 AWG. I think these parts would do the trick, can anyone confirm?

https://www.elecdirect.com/lug-comp...ing-crimp-splice-4-0-awg-purple-to-4-awg-gray
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...ec-20&linkId=ed1f99a19044fb949485bd6ee9ac392b

 

[timselectric]

I have two EG4 PowerPros on my 18K and a chargeverter, no bus bars, and no interest in adding them. I was thinking I'd cut the ring connection off the chargeverter's wire, strip and re-crimp using a reducer on my spare 4/0 cable to right angle amphenol connector. It looks like the 25mm cables off the CV are really 4 AWG. I think these parts would do the trick, can anyone confirm?

https://www.elecdirect.com/lug-comp...ing-crimp-splice-4-0-awg-purple-to-4-awg-gray
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...ec-20&linkId=ed1f99a19044fb949485bd6ee9ac392b

You can connect the chargeverter anywhere to the battery system that you want.
FYI: it's an 18kpv.

 

[wolfmansbrother]

You can connect the chargeverter anywhere to the battery system that you want.
FYI: it's an 18kpv.

yea, I'm AC coupled so I'm calling it an 18K deal with it - I read the responses earlier about where to connect to the PowerPros, that wasn't my question.

 

[wpns]

I have two EG4 PowerPros on my 18K and a chargeverter, no bus bars, and no interest in adding them. I was thinking I'd cut the ring connection off the chargeverter's wire, strip and re-crimp using a reducer on my spare 4/0 cable to right angle amphenol connector. It looks like the 25mm cables off the CV are really 4 AWG. I think these parts would do the trick, can anyone confirm?

https://www.elecdirect.com/lug-comp...ing-crimp-splice-4-0-awg-purple-to-4-awg-gray
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...ec-20&linkId=ed1f99a19044fb949485bd6ee9ac392b

Those reducers look right (the new Chargeverter GC comes with Amphenol connectors already!), but the crimp tool has the usual 'this is metric and you'll have to use a few sizes to get 4/0 to work' reviews. I always ready the 1-star reviews to try to determine what could go wrong. However, I've got a set of metric crimp tool on the way as well, there don't seem to be AWG versions without spending a fortune...