EG4 18kPV Q+A general thread

[Shimmy]

For the dryer. I use eco mode setting on my dryer. Takes a little over 3 hours to dry the clothes but the peak wattage draw drops from 6,000 all the way to 2,000 and usually save 0.5-1kWh

I finally got my wife to try on our dryer; metering attached. The second load was on low heat. Dramatically lower energy, but peak power was the same. I was initially concerned that maybe it was switching the heating element to 120V and my metering was off, but looks like it just modulates to a lower temperature.

 

[Luxpower_Gilbert]

If that is indeed the case, this is poor design and not acceptable.

I’ll try to look on your data and share with other LuxPower Technical Support.

 

[Zapper77]

I finally got my wife to try on our dryer; metering attached. The second load was on low heat. Dramatically lower energy, but peak power was the same. I was initially concerned that maybe it was switching the heating element to 120V and my metering was off, but looks like it just modulates to a lower temperature.
View attachment 167847

How about a eco mode?

 

[Markus_EG4]

I am totally off grid.
Time on the inverter is always correct.
Clocks on stove, microwave and coffee pot all drift by the same amount, around 5 mins slow per week.
Firmware is 1312.

The clock should have their own Crystal oscillator to keep the time on track. Most appliances have them cheaper ones don’t.

 

[Shimmy]

How about a eco mode?

Mine doesn't have a real eco-mode unfortunately.

 

[ajalger]

Probably a dumb question but I'm stuck. Yesterday had a battery status check error. Looked at the 6 batteries and one was in alarm but others were all charged. Restarted the problem battery and the alarm cleared but then now the inverter isn't backfeeding any power. The CTs are still working. The batteries are basically 100% and occasionally it uses a little solar to top them off but nothing being back fed. The main panel breakers are on, I've restarted the inverter with the menu option as well ad doing a full shut down (solar/battery/grid) and no change. Tried changing some settings so maybe now I've loused something up but there just isn't much to see. Could anyone point me in the right direction? Is there a hidden option to reset all of the settings as well to start fresh?

 

[pvgirl]

Does the 18kpv have a revenue grade meter for measuring PV production for SRECs, or other production based credits? If not any hope for adding one in a future hardware revision?

 

[Markus_EG4]

Probably a dumb question but I'm stuck. Yesterday had a battery status check error. Looked at the 6 batteries and one was in alarm but others were all charged. Restarted the problem battery and the alarm cleared but then now the inverter isn't backfeeding any power. The CTs are still working. The batteries are basically 100% and occasionally it uses a little solar to top them off but nothing being back fed. The main panel breakers are on, I've restarted the inverter with the menu option as well ad doing a full shut down (solar/battery/grid) and no change. Tried changing some settings so maybe now I've loused something up but there just isn't much to see. Could anyone point me in the right direction? Is there a hidden option to reset all of the settings as well to start fresh?

View attachment 168158

You have charge last selected this takes you out of self consumption mode

 

[ajalger]

You have charge last selected this takes you out of self consumption mode

I changed that and didn't see a difference. I restarted the inverter through the menus too

 

[y0bailey]

I'm planning to add some panels to my AC coupled 18kpv (waiting for delivery) and I have a couple of questions regarding the MPPT inputs and adding panels to the PV inputs.

I'll be adding 8 south facing ground mount panels, and I am leaning towards running 4s2p because I will get some AM/PM shading as the sun moves over trees to hit the panels. They will be in the same area, and all the same panels facing the same direction.. But the shading will move across both mounts slowly and can take an hour or so to clear.

I worry about the ~155v that a string of 4 is too close to the lower end of the MPPT rating during those shading hours...Should I?

Also, should I worry less if both of these strings go into the MPPT 1 port and are paralleled at the inverter? I don't know enough to know if that will help me stay inside the MPPT range or not?

I can easily put these in 8s and will keep that as a backup plan... But if I shouldn't waste my time experimenting with parallel to try to help my shading situation when I'm that close to the lower end of the MPPT range I would like to know ahead of time!

Thanks!

 

[Markus_EG4]

Here it did change it takes about 5 min for it to display.

 

[Luxpower_Gilbert]

I'm planning to add some panels to my AC coupled 18kpv (waiting for delivery) and I have a couple of questions regarding the MPPT inputs and adding panels to the PV inputs.

I'll be adding 8 south facing ground mount panels, and I am leaning towards running 4s2p because I will get some AM/PM shading as the sun moves over trees to hit the panels. They will be in the same area, and all the same panels facing the same direction.. But the shading will move across both mounts slowly and can take an hour or so to clear.

I worry about the ~155v that a string of 4 is too close to the lower end of the MPPT rating during those shading hours...Should I?

Also, should I worry less if both of these strings go into the MPPT 1 port and are paralleled at the inverter? I don't know enough to know if that will help me stay inside the MPPT range or not?

I can easily put these in 8s and will keep that as a backup plan... But if I shouldn't waste my time experimenting with parallel to try to help my shading situation when I'm that close to the lower end of the MPPT range I would like to know ahead of time!

Thanks!

I recommend 200v+ pv input. Lower will be getting pv input error or will delay your production.

 

[y0bailey]

I recommend 200v+ pv input. Lower will be getting pv input error or will delay your production.

Thanks for the response. 8s it is.

 

[ajalger]

I changed that and didn't see a difference. I restarted the inverter through the menus too

View attachment 168164

Well nevermind.. it started working again. Super odd. Hopefully it was just a long delay after changing that setting. Thanks again!

 

[zanydroid]

I worry about the ~155v that a string of 4 is too close to the lower end of the MPPT rating during those shading hours...Should I?

If you’re worried about shading impact on voltage you probably should be just as worried about voltage vs temperature coefficient knocking the string out of range.

 

[Brucey]

This most likely expected with off grid applications, if the load is not stable. High surge load will affect sometimes the frequency.

What does high surge load mean? Going beyond the sustained output rating momentarily?

 

[y0bailey]

If you’re worried about shading impact on voltage you probably should be just as worried about voltage vs temperature coefficient knocking the string out of range.

I'm in NC so you are referring to heat driving voltage down? Yep another reason for 8s I guess?

 

[zanydroid]

I'm in NC so you are referring to heat driving voltage down? Yep another reason for 8s I guess?

Yup.

There's actually a thread on here recently about somebody that got screwed by their installers by a mistake in string voltage calculation. On hot days that string drops out when it's too hot.

 

[Systems Planet]

Can I use the EG4 18kpv inverter AC loads without batteries?

My AC loads are not live, even though PV is powering the inverter.

 

[timselectric]

Can I use the EG4 18kpv inverter AC loads without batteries?

My AC loads are not live, even though PV is powering the inverter.

I believe that you have to have a grid input for it to work batteryless.

 

[Luxpower_Gilbert]

What does high surge load mean? Going beyond the sustained output rating momentarily?

Anything with an inductive or high startup current draw. Like well pump, ac central, or a air compressor.

 

[cs1234]

What does high surge load mean? Going beyond the sustained output rating momentarily?

Anything with an inductive or high startup current draw. Like well pump, ac central, or a air compressor.

Wouldn't something like that only affect the frequency for a very short time, a few seconds at most? Does it not go back to a nicely maintained frequency immediately after the startup surge?

 

[timselectric]

Wouldn't something like that only affect the frequency for a very short time, a few seconds at most? Does it not go back to a nicely maintained frequency immediately after the startup surge?

With a generator, it affects frequency. Because it lugs down the generator speed.
With an inverter, it drops the voltage to an unusable level.

 

[cs1234]

With a generator, it affects frequency. Because it lugs down the generator speed.
With an inverter, it drops the voltage to an unusable level.

So, if he's offgrid, why would @Luxpower_Gilbert say surges are affecting the frequency? Were they talking about a generator as input source being lugged down?

Looking back on the thread.. they were maybe discussing 3rd world situations, where a generator is being used as the "grid power" and being lugged down maybe? I'm lost.

 

[Markus_EG4]

So, if he's offgrid, why would @Luxpower_Gilbert say surges are affecting the frequency? Were they talking about a generator as input source being lugged down?

Looking back on the thread.. they were maybe discussing 3rd world situations, where a generator is being used as the "grid power" and being lugged down maybe? I'm lost.

He’s talking about using PV only for loads