ManAboutHome
@manabouthome on YouTube
Hello all, I'm troubleshooting the generator automatic start/stop functions on an EG4 18kPV, which appears to have multiple program bugs. The 18kPV has the latest firmware, as well as the LCD. What's happening: When the Start SOC setpoint is set above the current SOC, the generator starts, runs, and charges - as it should. However, when the SOC reaches the Stop SOC setpoint, nothing happens. The generator doesn't stop running and charging. The display indicates the dry contacts are ON, and the generator continues running, and the onboard charger continues charging the batteries. As far as I can tell, this is a program bug. Next, I found the maximum system SOC setpoint and reduced it to 1% above the current SOC. When the SOC reached that setpoint, the charger stopped charging the batteries, but the generator continued to run. The dry contacts were still ON. The minimum cooldown time was set to one minute for one test run, and 5 minutes for another test run, and 10 minutes for yet another test run. In every case, the dry contacts remained ON for over 20 minutes, and the generator never stops running. I had to manually intervene and power the 18kPV down completely, to get the dry contacts to turn OFF, and the generator to stop, which it did each time. This appears to be a second program bug. Unless I'm mistaken, the generator should start on the Start SOC setpoint, and stop after the Stop SOC setpoint is reached.... after a preset cooldown run. The fact that the generator starts when it should, and stops when the 18kPV is shut down, tells me the start/stop signal wiring is correct. Can anyone shed some light on this? Am I missing something? Or are there actually multiple program bugs in the 18kPV as there appear to be? (I'm a retired industrial controls software engineer. I'm thinking there are bugs in the 18kPV program.)
