Eg4 24k mini split will not recognize solar input.

[Rosstafarian]

Hello,
About a year into ownership of an EG4 24 k minisplit.
It has been working great!
This summer it has developed a bug where by it will not recognize the solar input. It ramps up to maybe 300-400 watts then quickly down to zero. The only way to solve is to disconnect all power for 5 mins and then “reboot”
It will work fine with grid power, the plug.
Has anyone else had this issue?
Signature has graciously agreed to send me a new head unit. This is more work than I want to do. It seems like it’s a firmware issue or software issue.

Thank you.

Hooked up to 6 400 watt Hyperion panels and also a 240volt line from panel.

 

[Plum Crazy Rob]

I am working with Signature on a "problem" with my 30-month old 24k.

-Will not work from WIFI-ONLY in hybrid mode..behaves as you describe, Solar starts ramping then konks out. Started via the wifi/app, it will run 100% Solar, or 100% Grid- just not both.

-It will work USING THE REMOTE to power-on in hybrid mode.

I have another unit, I'm going to try swapping the wifi-modules (part of the display) and see if the problem follows

You might investigate and try some of this as well?? If so let me know. When did this problem start?? Appx 2 weeks ago by chance??

 

[Rosstafarian]

I am working with Signature on a "problem" with my 30-month old 24k.

-Will not work from WIFI-ONLY in hybrid mode..behaves as you describe, Solar starts ramping then konks out. Started via the wifi/app, it will run 100% Solar, or 100% Grid- just not both.

-It will work USING THE REMOTE to power-on in hybrid mode.

I have another unit, I'm going to try swapping the wifi-modules (part of the display) and see if the problem follows

You might investigate and try some of this as well?? If so let me know. When did this problem start?? Appx 2 weeks ago by chance??

May, June ish. It works sometimes. I left it unplugged from ac power today and about 2:00 it turned on and ran. Came home plugged in ac power and blended fine. As I type this it’s transitioned from solar to 2100 watts ac as it should.

I like your idea about the Wi-Fi. I’ll play with that tomorrow.

It has to be a software issue?
Stay in touch.
Ross

 

[Plum Crazy Rob]

Hey Ross.

My issue does sound a bit different, if you started the unit from app/wifi, if both power sources are on, or you flip the 2nd one on, 100.0% of the time, within seconds the ramp up and then back to zero starts. And the display does THIS. Cycle repeats until second source is removed:

edit: added another couple pictures to show display resetting / going crazy

 

[Plum Crazy Rob]

Obviously some sort of software/firmware based problem as you say, since my system hardware wise works 100%. This is not to say the firmware fault isnt because some chip failed in the wifi comms chain (?)

Fascinating, for all the wrong reasons. I almost started a topic "mini split works via remote but not wifi...." to try to pull in more eyes - just as maybe I scroll past 12v mobile installs because it's not something I'm doing, others scroll past "EG4 mini-split " for the same reason....

 

[RDuke]

I had a similar issue a couple of days ago with my 12K. I had disconnected the solar late the day before to do some re-cabling, and I forgot to turn on the power supply that runs my TIGO CCA. When saw the sun was up and I was not getting solar power, I quickly found the power supply was off, but once fixed, still no solar power even with 214 VOC on the DC side. So I effectively did a reboot as well. Powered off the TIGO so solar went to zero, then I killed the utility breaker. After powering back up all was good. I am hoping it does not do this very often.

 

[Plum Crazy Rob]

You guys are doing something similar, but to be clear, one thing I got from SS tech this time is a "hard reset" procedure, simply:

-Turn unit off WITH THE REMOTE.
-Remove all power sources AC/DC for 30-60 mins
-Turn unit back on WITH REMOTE

If you're like me, you maybe think that sounds like BS, but in my case it does clear the problem for one day cycle, whereas you can turn it on/off with wifi and/or remove power until you turn blue, and the problem I described is back in seconds. So this simple procedure is doing SOMETHING different

 

[Plum Crazy Rob]

Ok just completed day2 of "project wifi module swap".

Didn't go the way I expected!!! Drumroll...both swapped units working perfectly from wifi / Solar blend / and so on

I thought either the problem would follow with the wifi module to my other unit, or stay resident at the previous "problem" unit. WTF??

Didn't foresee all would be fixed (I hope I didn't jinx it). Maybe when a "new" wifi module is introduced an initialization procedure runs / clears them or such...

 

[Plum Crazy Rob]

One other thing I wanted to relate to you guys, a fellow here did a very well documented Solar hybrid "build" thread, @MrM1. Haven't seen him much lately, thread is like 900 posts so don't expect you to go read thru all of it.

He had two brand new 24k EG4's, running from the same type and string of panels, matched sets, even on the same section of roof.

One unit would pick up and run with the Solar, while the other one didn't, and SS generously sent him a replacement unit as well.

Ever since, I've wondered...is there some circuit tuning or calibration (?) going on?? Have seen a few YouTube comments too, about people saying "hey direct sunlight not being picked up by my unit..."

 

[justgary]

Ok just completed day2 of "project wifi module swap".

Didn't go the way I expected!!! Drumroll...both swapped units working perfectly from wifi / Solar blend / and so on

I thought either the problem would follow with the wifi module to my other unit, or stay resident at the previous "problem" unit. WTF??

Didn't foresee all would be fixed (I hope I didn't jinx it). Maybe when a "new" wifi module is introduced an initialization procedure runs / clears them or such...

This smacks of a poor connection that you fixed by breaking then remaking it. It might be worth a few minutes to carefully inspect the connectors for bent pins, pushed sockets, etc.

 

[Plum Crazy Rob]

This smacks of a poor connection that you fixed by breaking then remaking it.

THAT is a very good point Gary, you can see everything is out here on this J2 connection including the IR receiver for the remote...

Anyway I sure hope it's fixed!

 

[RDuke]

Interesting problem. I am curious about something. Since there is serial communication between the indoor and outdoor units, there have to be microprocessors inside and outside. I could not tell (without taking mine apart), whether the indoor processor is on the main indoor board, or is it on the display board that has the wifi module attached. It acts like a bug, but if the indoor CPU is on the display card, it may just be a com issue between the CPUs. A bad connection would certainly cause a malfunction. What is odd is that since there is no high voltage DC inside, I would think the outdoor unit would be responsible for deciding whether there is enough PV power to use it and report back to the indoor unit. But who knows, maybe that info is reported back to the indoor unit and the indoor CPU has the decision making power. Maybe disconnecting and reconnecting fixed the problem with a bad connection. I would be curious if the problem comes back when the modules are swapped back to the original units. I have seen some weird problems in my past career with electronics so nothing would surprise me.

I was searching the internet for this:

"how does serial communicate between indoor and outdoor mini split work"

and on reddit, I found some really interesting stuff people are doing with hacking into mini split communication. Interesting, but not worth my time to try to go that deep.

What does concern me is that when these units are out of warranty and get some age on them, are we going to be able to get the specialized parts for repair of these EG4s if a board goes bad ?

 

[Plum Crazy Rob]

The guy, also Rob (not me), who sells these in Australia ("Solar AC/DC", Google...), claims to be able to get parts. I also thought of asking Dave the Airspool guy maybe he might consider stocking parts, since he seems to try to differentiate his inventory from what SS has - he recently started dealing a cold climate 24k, and a multi head 18 and 12k...

 

[Plum Crazy Rob]

And now, dang it lol, i knew someone would suggest switch my wifi modules BACK see if problem REMAINS clear

One of the reasons I got interested in the wifi module in my case, is i know 2 guys who had one outright FAIL. A guy here graciously sent me his dead one...here's what's on the board:
Display and IR remote recvr, TUYA WBR3 wifi module with serial i/o, two 16 pin serial to parallel shift registers 74HC5950, one of which is obviously driving the Display, the other = ???, and a GH16D 4-pin 3.3V regulator / power supply.

Randy @RDuke, or others (dont be shy), do you have some thoughts on the operating process here?? Above is pretty much exhausting my knowledge

 

[RDuke]

I have no idea, but I do have a question. Were either of you using the power limiter function for the grid ? Probably makes not difference, but just wondering if that is a factor.

 

[Plum Crazy Rob]

In my case, this 24k BTU is in downstairs daytime living area, so there's never any want or need to run it outside of daylight hours. Consequently, I had the Grid power limiter always on. I *DID* try turning that OFF as part of troubleshooting my issue.

Also, note I have older units with the single step limiter..

I just can't figure this out. Gary's reasoning "you reseated the Connector" seems wayyyy likely, yet I am having a hard time believing that "a single Connector pin" of only 9 (2 of which are undoubtedly power and gnd) was dedicated to "enter Hybrid mode from WIFI" vs entering that mode from the Remote Control IR receiver on the same board , etc all things that still were working.

In any event, it's an easy connection to get to, and I think anybody having an issue should try reseating it...

 

[justgary]

Grab your meter and buzz out your spare board for a few minutes. At the top of your image you can see the labelled T and R pins on the WiFi module. Please trace those down the left side of the board. In the middle of the left side near those lines, you see the IR module with three through-hole pins coming through. Please trace those lines also. The three lines of interest (WiFi T, WiFi R, and IR T/R) should end up on the 9-pin connector, possibly through a few driver transistors. Your image wasn't quite clear enough to see the lower left part of the board.

It looks to me like all of the smarts is not on this board, and this board simply provides the LED display and I/O interfaces. I think that one bad connection could keep WiFi from working correctly.

Your image:

 

[Plum Crazy Rob]

Well thanks Gary and others, haven't followed the PCB traces 100% yet but I think you just saved EG4 some dough for stuff that's been being RMA'd !! The connectors are losing contact - I am now certain of it.

@SignatureSolarJess
@EG4TechSolutionsTeam
If you don't have it down already, please add "reseat the display wifi module" connector on problematic EG4 mini splits troubleshooting - probably all variants.

Sure enough, the "bad" module i was sent (RMA'd by SS) works just fine. Solar AC4 is what the other guy named his unit..see pics - the problem with his was that the wifi didnt work AT ALL, and the wifi indicator would not illuminate - obviously, its ON. As i said, i know a 2nd guy who was (generously) sent a replacement display module. I am hopeful this is whats going on with the failures to run "on Solar" as well...note how bizarrely this problem affected my unit as i described.

 

[Plum Crazy Rob]

This problem could happen anytime - straight out of the box, 1 day old, or on day 809 like mine lol

Edit: 8-pin connector, BTW...

 

[flanman]

Thanks for sharing. No issue on day like 20? here but good to keep in the back of my mind.

 

[flanman]

Here’s my app’s screenshot today, install finished June 17th;