EG4 18k relays clicking when no pv and battery at lowSOC cutoff

[Ben McCann]

Hi, I've had the 18k up and running for over a year with (1) 14.3 battery and 4.3kw of PV tied into a back fed breaker on my house. Overall, the system exceeded expectations, especially when we were without grid power for 3 weeks following Hurricane Helene here in WNC. This issue has been with me all along and so far, suggestions from Signature Solar have not corrected it. When there is 0 voltage from the PV (night) and the battery has been run down to the set point, 20% soc, there is no green light for normal on the inverter and I hear a constant clicking of internal relays opening and closing, every 3 seconds or so. It hasn't affected performance, but I do worry since they are mechanical parts that could wear out over time. SS tech thought maybe switch off the EPS function, which I did, to no avail. Any other owners experience this and have a remedy? Thanks, Ben

 

[willct3]

I am having the same issue. I just installed my system a week ago. I am looking for help as well if anyone has advice. Thank you! Will.

 

[mciholas]

Are you lithium mode (battery comms) or lead acid mode (battery voltage)? Whatever mode you are in, try the other one to see if that changes things.

When this is happening, does it change if you turn off the battery?

Just trying to think of things to test to narrow down the possibilities.

It would be helpful to know which relays are clicking, but that takes digging deeper inside the unit. Maybe the monitoring app indicates something?

Do you have anything connected to the LOAD terminals? If not, put a meter on them and see if the clicking is the LOAD terminals being active or not.

Relays do wear out, so excessive clicking is not good, but this appears to be clicking not under load, which is not quite as harmful.

Do you have the GEN port configured? Maybe the unit is trying to start the generator and is falsely thinking there is voltage there. That would cause the GRID relays to drop and the GEN relays to engage. Then the unit figures out there is no GEN, and switches back. Maybe try disabling the GEN feature (if that's possible) or setting GEN to, say, 5% SoC.

I don't know the exact internal design of the 18Kpv, but generally speaking, the relays are in the AC path. There's a set of relays from GRID to LOAD, a set from the internal AC generator to LOAD, and a set from GEN to LOAD. I think that's the only relays that should be in the box.

Mike C.

 

[BKY2003]

If you click on the bell symbol on the 18Kpv display does anything show up under alarm record or fault record?