wpns
Solar Joules are catch and release
First, that's not enough battery for the 18Kpv to run at full power.
Second, I'd shut it all down and disconnect all the cables just to be sure.
EG4 18kPV Q+A general thread
- Thread starter SignatureSolarJames
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Second, I'd shut it all down and disconnect all the cables just to be sure.
EG4_Jared
Online Support for EG4 Electronics
Both Wi-Fi dongles would need to be present to display the accurate information for both inverters.
wpns
Solar Joules are catch and release
Good to know, thanks!
automatikdonn
Becoming Offgrid
This thread is 131 pages deep.
Could this thread be broken up at this point into focus areas?
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Here's a question/ suggestion. I just installed an 18kpv with 3 indoor batteries. It is being used off grid. No feed back to grid. (actually there is no grid connection at all.)
Would it be possible in future monitoring app and firmware updates to do something like the following?
Before you input any setting it would ask a couple questions such as:
GRID SELL BACK, GRID ATTACHED NO SELL BACK, OFF GRID (NO GRID ATTACHED)
Then you would enter the settings options. Only relevant options would remain showing.
I am new to this, but seeing all the discharge settings etc that as far as I understand don't apply to me is confusing. Makes me not sure if I have it correct. I went with the 18kpv over multiple 6000xps for several reasons. I had a 3000ehv and despite its rudimentary settings it did nearly everything I needed in a reasonably simple way, just limited on input.
Thanks.
Would it be possible in future monitoring app and firmware updates to do something like the following?
Before you input any setting it would ask a couple questions such as:
GRID SELL BACK, GRID ATTACHED NO SELL BACK, OFF GRID (NO GRID ATTACHED)
Then you would enter the settings options. Only relevant options would remain showing.
I am new to this, but seeing all the discharge settings etc that as far as I understand don't apply to me is confusing. Makes me not sure if I have it correct. I went with the 18kpv over multiple 6000xps for several reasons. I had a 3000ehv and despite its rudimentary settings it did nearly everything I needed in a reasonably simple way, just limited on input.
Thanks.
EG4_Jared
Online Support for EG4 Electronics
Utilizing the "Working Modes" section of the settings would be the simplest way to configure the 18kPV currently. However, I will make this suggestion to our team.
I have used that and the more I tinker the more I understand it. Still working on it.
I have another question: I am considering adding more pv input. If I were to add a 6000xp or the rumored upcoming inverter instead of an 18kpv would my best method be to hook its ac out to the 18kpv's gen in terminals? If so, would my loads have to all come off the smaller inverter until it reaches the set gen limit? My preference would be loads by the 18kpv first. Maybe use the grid inputs instead of the gen.
I live in oregon and the pv capacity of the 18kpv is more than enough in the summer here. In the 3 other seasons I can get 5-10% pv panel rating for days on end. Weeks even.
A stand alone luxpower charge controller would be nice. Maybe have 2 of the 25a mppts that is in the 18kp.
Thanks for your reply and consideration.
EG4_Jared
Online Support for EG4 Electronics
AC coupling through the GEN input of the 18kPV would be the best way to go about this. However, you will be limited to the output of the 18kPV.
EG4_Jared
Online Support for EG4 Electronics
I recommend checking the BMS Limit Charge being reported, as well as the maximum charge current limit that has been set. Additionally, enabling the PV Charge Priority will ensure that batteries are charged first, with any surplus power then directed to the load/grid export.
I have an 18 and added a Growatt 11 as a coupled. Very easy and works like a champ.
So the growatt takes the pv power and converts it to ac and sends it to the 18kpv? Then the 18kpv either charges battery or sends directly through as ac on the load terminals?
I had envisioned an added eg4 all in one load terminals hooked to the 18kpv gen terminals. The added all in one battery terminals hooked to the battery also. Then you could charge at a higher rate then just the 18kpv is capable of when conditions are good.(if you have enough battery to handle it). House powered from the 18kpv that would supplement with available ac coming from the gen port. I thought this would work, but it looked like the house loads would first be supported by the gen port(additional inverter), then supplemented by the 18kpv. Unless there is a way to set it up that 18kpv takes the load and uses the genport to supplement. The additional inverter would be added to the same station as the 18kpv in the monitoring app.
The logic in this would be that in the cloudy season if we got a rare sunny day or two that the most pv could be put into the battery. Also, they can charge with more watts than output ac.
I had envisioned an added eg4 all in one load terminals hooked to the 18kpv gen terminals. The added all in one battery terminals hooked to the battery also. Then you could charge at a higher rate then just the 18kpv is capable of when conditions are good.(if you have enough battery to handle it). House powered from the 18kpv that would supplement with available ac coming from the gen port. I thought this would work, but it looked like the house loads would first be supported by the gen port(additional inverter), then supplemented by the 18kpv. Unless there is a way to set it up that 18kpv takes the load and uses the genport to supplement. The additional inverter would be added to the same station as the 18kpv in the monitoring app.
The logic in this would be that in the cloudy season if we got a rare sunny day or two that the most pv could be put into the battery. Also, they can charge with more watts than output ac.
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The charge current limits are working just fine... I'm seeing grid being both imported and exported to random degrees when the batteries are not at 100% and not at 5%. It's weird... I did enable that PV Charge Priority setting and it didn't appear to make any difference at all.
The "Off-Grid" mode works perfectly for the use-case I'm talking about by the way... in other words, what I want is a setting which says: "Be off-grid when the batteries are between X% and Y%." In my case, I'd make that 5% and 100%, basically... right now it's definitely using grid seemingly randomly even though it shouldn't be.
It's currently exporting a bit to grid as you can see; and with the graph on the right you can see it both exports and consumes seemingly randomly when it shouldn't do either.
I don't think you want to be putting output of 1 EG4 to input of the other.
The setup I have works fine and if the 18 needs to throttle down the Growatt in case of a power outage, it can.
You could use a second 18 in this scenario, but I chose the Growatt because it was about $1200 vs $5k and there is no real benefit of using a second 18 that I can think of.
zanydroid
Solar Wizard
In addition to AC coupling a grid tie inverter, why not just DC couple a separate SCC? You are specifying a system that anyway would have trouble getting permitted, so you don’t have to worry about building a code compliant system from components (which is harder these days).
You can overpanel as much as you want without worrying about bottlenecking the AC port or willfully ignoring the limit by manually locking out some of the AC capacity being fed in.
I have a Victron 250/85tr cc I can use and am considering it. It would be nice though to have the 600v ability of the 18kpv, or at least the 480v of the 6000xp along with the ability to add the cc to the eg4 monitoring app so I can track what’s going on. If they don’t make a cc similar to my description I will probably either just use the the Victron or eventually pony up for another 18kpv. Not sure as I’m not there yet.
On another note, why would I have trouble getting permitted? What I mean is that as long as all components are properly ul listed and wired to code …. I now have the 18kpv properly installed with batteries. It should be to code as far as I know. I would just be adding to that a ul listed charge controller or inverter that would have required wire sized and discos/ocp.
On another note, why would I have trouble getting permitted? What I mean is that as long as all components are properly ul listed and wired to code …. I now have the 18kpv properly installed with batteries. It should be to code as far as I know. I would just be adding to that a ul listed charge controller or inverter that would have required wire sized and discos/ocp.
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zanydroid
Solar Wizard
The SCC hooks into an ESS. The ESS 9540 listing is based on the inverter/battery combination. So the spirit of the AC ESS certification process covers all power conversion equipment in combination with the battery.
Your SCC is not mentioned on the listing. The possibility of an SCC is not listed in the instructions of the 18kpv AFAIK.
Your SCC is not mentioned on the listing. The possibility of an SCC is not listed in the instructions of the 18kpv AFAIK.
I see what you are saying. I am learning more about 9540 currently. I know that the 18kpv can match to 3 pro batteries 9540 compliant. I was also under the impression that this pertains specifically to grid tied systems. Mine has no grid tie.
zanydroid
Solar Wizard
It’s covered by Residential Code in a % of states. Not sure about adoption rate.
There are more forced checkpoints for grid tie than off grid systems. I need to pass inspection, and that inspection needs to cover batteries, before I can tell POCO I have a grid tie system with batteries. Otherwise they can easily detect hybrid with batteries from the export behavior after dark. Among other things.
If you are off grid there are a lot more ways to fly under the radar. Esp if you get the most visible things permitted (eg panels), and then install the other stuff afterward.
Thanks. There seems to be a huge difference between jurisdictions on just about everything. My local inspectors are pretty good about answering questions. Seems they are used to grid tie systems and less on fully off grid. In my case I will be moving my system to another property and will have to get inspected then (couple years from now). I will likely just install what I have which is 18kpv and 3 batteries. Then after inspection add on. That is unless I ask ahead of time about extras.
In an explanatory video, in the comments, the instructor said off grid didn’t nessasarily require ul9540 as long as equipment is otherwise listed individually and you meet nec480 and 706. Makes sense to me.
wpns
Solar Joules are catch and release
Just starting to commission (2) 18Kpv with (6) PowerProOutDoorWallMount batteries, and had a protocol question:
In the Inverter, the default Battery Type is set to 2: Lithium, but the default Lithium Brand is “2”.
@EG4_Jared recommended setting the Lithium Brand to “1”, but it feels like “0:EG4” would be the more logical choice.
I set the Brand to “1” as per Jared’s suggestion, and now I can see Battery 0 [ID=1] and Battery 2 [ID=4] on the monitoring website, so that’s better than the default.
What’s the difference between “1” and “0:EG4”?
[Yes, I also set the Primary battery [ID=1] RS485 protocol to P02-GRW so it won't be able to use RS485, and used a straight-through Ethernet cable, which doesn't unscramble the RS485 pins between the inverter and batteries, and I can see both connected batteries on the website, so that's all good.]
Thanks!
In the Inverter, the default Battery Type is set to 2: Lithium, but the default Lithium Brand is “2”.
@EG4_Jared recommended setting the Lithium Brand to “1”, but it feels like “0:EG4” would be the more logical choice.
I set the Brand to “1” as per Jared’s suggestion, and now I can see Battery 0 [ID=1] and Battery 2 [ID=4] on the monitoring website, so that’s better than the default.
What’s the difference between “1” and “0:EG4”?
[Yes, I also set the Primary battery [ID=1] RS485 protocol to P02-GRW so it won't be able to use RS485, and used a straight-through Ethernet cable, which doesn't unscramble the RS485 pins between the inverter and batteries, and I can see both connected batteries on the website, so that's all good.]
Thanks!
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