EG4 18kPV Q+A general thread

[Jpaction]

On my 18K PV I am trying to use the Peak Shaving feature but I am not having much luck. I setup peak shaving with Grid at 0kw time from 8:00 start to 13:00 end and start 2 at 14:50 and end 2 at 23:59. At 08:30 roughly it started using the battery and stopped around 13:00. Okay weird that it started so late but it did start. Then at 14:00 it start discharging the battery again when it should not have started until 14:50. Like I said it doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Zapper77]

On my 18K PV I am trying to use the Peak Shaving feature but I am not having much luck. I setup peak shaving with Grid at 0kw time from 8:00 start to 13:00 end and start 2 at 14:50 and end 2 at 23:59. At 08:30 roughly it started using the battery and stopped around 13:00. Okay weird that it started so late but it did start. Then at 14:00 it start discharging the battery again when it should not have started until 14:50. Like I said it doesn't make sense to me.

Do you have sufficient battery?

 

[Jpaction]

I have 2 PowerPro batteries and the 18K PV

 

[Zapper77]

I have 2 PowerPro batteries and the 18K PV

Double check your inverter time and the station time are accurate

 

[zanydroid]

@SignatureSolarJess if I'm unable to find the CTs (or if they somehow weren't included in the box at all!) do you think you could help me get 2 replacement CTs for my two 18kpvs?

Doesn’t the math work out to four CTs, two each? Unless you mean two CTs (one set for the leader)

 

[Shinzul]

Doesn’t the math work out to four CTs, two each? Unless you mean two CTs (one set for the leader)

Ah, I've no idea how many are needed because I haven't seen them . Two sets presumably, one for each inverter.

 

[Jpaction]

Double check your inverter time and the station time are accurate

They are within seconds of each other.

 

[Zapper77]

They are within seconds of each other.

Was referring to time zone

 

[pmccut]

They are within seconds of each other.

Are you AC coupling solar?

AFAIK time-of-use just doesn't work yet. I tried this a month ago but EG4 support couldn't get it working, thought it might be because my solar is AC-coupled instead of DC - which seems weird. I haven't tried it again on the newest firmware released this month yet.

 

[Jpaction]

Was referring to time zone

They are set to GMT -8

 

[Jpaction]

Are you AC coupling solar?

AFAIK time-of-use just doesn't work yet. I tried this a month ago but EG4 support couldn't get it working, thought it might be because my solar is AC-coupled instead of DC - which seems weird. I haven't tried it again on the newest firmware released this month yet.

I don't have any solar hooked up yet. Just peak shaving, charging the batteries after midnight and using them to run my loads when the rates are high.

 

[Siamac]

I don't have any solar hooked up yet. Just peak shaving, charging the batteries after midnight and using them to run my loads when the rates are high.

Interesting. What's your payback period on that set up?

 

[Jpaction]

Interesting. What's your payback period on that set up?

I have 36 460 watt panels that just aren’t installed yet. But here in PG&E land with just the batteries it’s saving me nearly $200 a month.

 

[Adeon]

Batt parallel Num: 0
Anyone else having this after the last FW update? It used to say 840 as I got 3 power pros but now it only says this.

 

[Zapper77]

Batt parallel Num: 0
Anyone else having this after the last FW update? It used to say 840 as I got 3 power pros but now it only says this.

Is the charge and discharge rating correct?

 

[Adeon]

I got charge current at 160 and discharge at 250

 

[Zapper77]

I got charge current at 160 and discharge at 250

Is this accurate?

 

[Adeon]

Is this accurate? View attachment 193047

Well, see I’m not sure I never charge above 8000 w 160 on charge settings.

I’ve never discharged over 8000 either 240 @32 amp

I’m pretty novice so I’m not even sure how 300/600 is there

 

[zanydroid]

What is it supposed to be, based on the batteries you have connected?

Or, what batteries do you have connected? Then there's hope someone can look at the expected specs (assuming default BMS settings).

 

[Adeon]

What is it supposed to be, based on the batteries you have connected?

Or, what batteries do you have connected? Then there's hope someone can look at the expected specs (assuming default BMS settings).

3x power pro. Set as ID 1 for first ID 2&ID3 for slaves

 

[zanydroid]

3x power pro. Set as ID 1 for first ID 2&ID3 for slaves

The per-battery default is 100A for charge and 200A for discharge so it is detecting the batteries correctly.

 

[Adeon]

The per-battery default is 100A for charge and 200A for discharge so it is detecting the batteries correctly.

ok thanks I’m just not sure why it used to show 840 ah before now it only shows the pic I referenced earlier.

For example this is how it showed on FW 1616

 

[Adeon]

Can someone chime in if I can do this.

12 panels in Mppt 1A
12 panels in mppt 1B
12 panels in mppt 2
6 panels in mppt 3 these are different panels outputting different vdc than on 1a/1b/2

Technically I know it can be done but I think 1A & 1B will have different voltages as array’s within those strings are in different orientation resulting in what I think a ~50 vdc difference between 1A & 1B

So I think at some point a1A will be at 440vdc and 1B at 380 vdc (example)

Will the 18kpv be ok with this

 

[zanydroid]

Can someone chime in if I can do this.

12 panels in Mppt 1A
12 panels in mppt 1B
12 panels in mppt 2
6 panels in mppt 3 these are different panels outputting different vdc than on 1a/1b/2

Technically I know it can be done but I think 1A & 1B will have different voltages as array’s within those strings are in different orientation resulting in what I think a ~50 vdc difference between 1A & 1B

So I think at some point a1A will be at 440vdc and 1B at 380 vdc (example)

Will the 18kpv be ok with this

What is the voltage?

It will work fine.

MPPT1A and MPPT1B are just internally paralleled onto the same MPPT, they will be the same voltage. So strictly speaking neither will operate at the Vmpp (maximum power point), but most folks on the forum will say it will be fine provided you have similar Voc across the strings. You will gain a lot more from having 2x the panels than from the slightly off optimum voltage.

 

[Quattrohead]

Can someone chime in if I can do this.

12 panels in Mppt 1A
12 panels in mppt 1B
12 panels in mppt 2
6 panels in mppt 3 these are different panels outputting different vdc than on 1a/1b/2

Technically I know it can be done but I think 1A & 1B will have different voltages as array’s within those strings are in different orientation resulting in what I think a ~50 vdc difference between 1A & 1B

So I think at some point a1A will be at 440vdc and 1B at 380 vdc (example)

Will the 18kpv be ok with this

I am doing a very similar thing, 7s2p panels on mppt's 1 and 2, 6s2p panels on mppt 3. However each set of the 7s is facing the same way but the 6s are on east and south sides. I am guessing it will average out over the course of the day. I don't think you will see any voltage difference between them.