EG4 12k mini split app can only turn unit on or off

[neal64ss]

Bought the EG4 12k hybrid mini split kit with the Boviet panels from solar soverign. Satisfied with the purchase. Ive installed 2 other mini splits, this is my first solar project.



I did some testing laying panels on the ground and it runs fine (at least in June) on only 2 panels. Two of the Boviet 450w bifacials would output up to about 700w before the AC assist would start to kick in. Most ive seen the mini split draw was just over 1000w total. The unit works seamlessly exactly as advertised. The solar panels in this kit are large and heavy and difficult to move around without a second helper.


After I get everything working and installed I go to set up schedules to get the most work out of the unit when the sun is up and then less at night. To my surprise, the aircon app, which is good for monitoring energy usage, can only schedule the unit to turn on or off. Thats it. I expected to be able to create a schedule and turn on heat, cool, or dry at certain times at a preset temperature using the app. Nope. Its either on or off. I emailed EG4 and asked and was told thats correct, you can program it to turn on or off.




Does anyone on the forum know of a solution to this issue? I guess its not the end of the world, but it sure is inconvienent and seems like a bad oversight to leave the ability to schedule out of the app.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Can't address your concern, but what I'm seeing is a single string of panels that are facing different directions. As such, your entire array will perform at the worst of the two orientations.

In other words, if you have a situation where the lower panels are better oriented to the sun, and the upper panels are less favorable, the lower panels will perform only as well as the upper panels.

Given that it seems you are well over-paneled, it may not matter, but you are wasting a significant portion of your array.

If there were a different application where you had sized the array based on your needs, it would fall short of your needs.

 

[neal64ss]

Yes, way overpaneled, and yes does not affect performance in this scenario. Might split array to use 2 panels for a solar pool pump in future. Real world testing shows no difference between these two orientations, at least for what the mini split needs to function. That was a happy surprise to find in my testing.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Yes, way overpaneled, and yes does not affect performance in this scenario. Might split array to use 2 panels for a solar pool pump in future. Real world testing shows no difference between these two orientations, at least for what the mini split needs to function. That was a happy surprise to find in my testing.

Given that you stated this is your first solar project, I felt it important to point out the issue.

Splitting two panels off is likely not an option as this high voltage/low current MPPT will not get sufficiently high Vmp from 2S of those panels.

 

[Recovering EE]

The Solar Aircon app absolutely allows the user to do what you're trying to do. At least, the Android version does. It's not the easiest to find, though.

On the Home screen, tap on "Scene" at the bottom, then hit the "+" symbol at the top right, then "Schedule". I had to play with it for a while, and delete my created scenes a couple times to get it to work. Documentation sucks.

The only problem I've found is that *using the remote control*, if you try to turn off the air handler display on the unit, the whole system shuts off.

 

[neal64ss]

The Solar Aircon app absolutely allows the user to do what you're trying to do. At least, the Android version does. It's not the easiest to find, though.

On the Home screen, tap on "Scene" at the bottom, then hit the "+" symbol at the top right, then "Schedule". I had to play with it for a while, and delete my created scenes a couple times to get it to work. Documentation sucks.

The only problem I've found is that *using the remote control*, if you try to turn off the air handler display on the unit, the whole system shuts off.

Dude! Your awesome. I found "more settings" buried behind about 3 pages in "scenes" and in "more settings" temp is an option, add well as everything else. Very un intuitive. EG4 needs to put out a video on this. I'm somewhat disappointed that you know more about the aircon app than they do. You, da, man!