Capt Bill
Sailing Options
I recently built and configured an EG4 3000 15.6 kWh Battery Wagon to function as an Automatic Power Supply (APS) without Solar Input. This Portable LifePO4 EG4 Power Wagon (pictured) is working great as an Automatic Grid Backup System for a Home's Essential AC Electric Circuits. When the Grid to home goes down / OFF; ... the LiFePO4 Battery sourced AC power Automatically take over to supply the home's essential electric circuits; ... AND ... When the Grid returns back ON, the Grid is then Powering All AC home circuits, including the home's essential electric circuits; ... PLUS Automatically Charging the Battery back up to Full. ... This write up includes details of my set up and some EG4 configuration challenges I learned from before getting to the APS Functioning as I was intending.
The core of this set up includes 16 x 305 Ah LiFePO4 prismatic cells; a JK BMS / 200 Amp, 2 A Active Balancer model, w their 4.3 LCD Screen (IMO; a Great Choice Battery Management System); the EG4-3000EHV-48 All In One listed as an Off Grid Inverter; ... Plus a Reliance (brand name) Generator Transfer Switch w small Circuit Breaker Box with a 30 Amp AC IN Plug. Our Total material costs here in USA was about $3500, ... with the transfer switch kit, plus a past econ deal of Grade B LiFePO4s from the 18650BatteryStore. ... & Awesome Option: Up to 5000 Watts of Solar Panels Input can come later.
THE FIRST STEP: Wiring up a Reliance 30 Amp 240-Volt 7500-Watt 6-Circuit Transfer Switch Kit to the homes essential AC circuits: This kit is now properly connected to the House's Main AC Breaker Panel located on outside, other side of wall. The included Direction were Great. This Transfer Circuit Breaker Switch Box Kit with In Plug is pictured on inside wall at a corner of the Garage. I converted the kit from 240Vac Input, to 120 Vac Input. The Home's Essential AC Circuits wired to kit can be Powered by the Grid, or by the Generator IN Plug via the individual switches w three toggle positions (Gen / Off / Line) for each of the 6 circuit breakers. For Automatic Functioning: The Transfer Switch Box is being left in Gen In mode. That allows Grid Power to be routed through the EG4 unit (as in AC In .. to AC Out/ w Bypass setting enabled) ... to the Transfer Switch IN Plug, ... to the Essential Circuits; which are then Automatically Powered by the Battery when the grid goes off. link: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Relianc...Circuit-Transfer-Switch-Kit-3006HDK/202213700 Note: Just getting this Transfer Switch Kit installed in anyone's home represents awesome ac circuit backup options, even via a smallish generator, or an even smaller battery powered inverter; that might only allows powering one, or a just few essential circuits at one time.
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Note: The EG4 I used is listed for Off Grid application, and is not specifically designed to be used as I configured it as a Home APS; .. but it has many configuration options, including networking units together for more amps in single phase, split phase, triple phase; and the options include what I successfully configured. Here is My Learning Curve Story for the specific unit I received, when configuring it via the button pressing method on this EG4. I have not yet tried the computer program interface. Here's my record of initially confusing ... EG4 configuration challenges that I encountered during my set up and testing phase, that were successfully resolved.
My Most Notable Challenge appeared when I was Testing for Automatic Grid sourced battery charging. When I Applied Grid Input to my EG4 unit after it was powering 120Vac circuits via just the battery, wo solar, to initiate a grid sourced battery charging cycle; ... I got the EG4 battery charger cycling on, then off, and on, and off, and on, ... repeatedly, in about 5 second intervals. My Learning Curve Lesson: I had configured "Power Saving" Enabled; and it needed to be Disable (its' default) to get the grid source battery charging to function properly. Changing my EG4 3000's #32 Bulk Charge Time setting from its default Auto setting, to 15 or 20 mins, ... may have also been a resolution factor. Working Great now.
The Lesson I got from my Signature Solar Tech Support dialogue; I believe this EG4's Power Saving Mode only works when configuring for Solar Only for battery charging and AC loads. I was told "It is designed to work Only with Solar ONLY configured for Charging the Battery." When I ask about the EG4 6000XP's Power Saving Mode option; I got .. "the EG4 6000XP, with "Green Function mode," the inverter will shut off if the load output is less than 60 watts for more than 10 minutes. The system will need to be turned back on manually. In "Battery Eco mode," the system will switch from battery to grid bypass mode until the batteries have been recharged. ... I think there is room for EG4 improvements in this arena of settings options.
Some Other (for lack of better word) Quirks I encountered: To Set #9 from 50 Hz to the USA standard 60 Hz; ...I had to plug in and supply 120 Vac 60 Hz Input to the EG4; ... & then it automatically changed the default 50 Hz setting to 60 Hz. When trying to set that up via push buttons. that # 9 setting was otherwise stuck at 50 Hz, with no way to change it. ... To set the # 28 AC Output Mode to SIG for single phase 120vac output, when it was stuck on PAL for a parallel network / same story: I had to supply single phase 120 Vac to the EG4, and it then automatically changed the #28 setting to SIG for single phase. I believe Off Grid folks configuring the EG4 3000 (& possibly other model or brand All In Ones) for 120 Vac, 60Mz, Single Phase Output may initially need 120Vac Inverter Generator input to the All In One unit (NOT from an older non inverter type generator) to make these types of configuration changes.
*** For The Record/ My Record: The Important EG4 Configurations I used in setting up my EG4 Battery Wagon to function as an APS: EG4 Setting 01 is set to Utility First (default) ... says Utility will provide power to loads as first priority. 04 ... Power Saving Mode must remain Disabled (default). 05 for DIY built LiFePO4 Battery = User Defined. I Set 06 & 07 to auto reset enabled (default is disabled); 08 Voltage Output is 120Vac (default); . Setting 10 must be changed from Manual (default) to Auto; ... (I believe) to Allow Grid Power to Automatically ByPass through the EG4 to Loads when the Grid is present. Setting 11 is Maximum Grid Charging Current. For ths Automatic Power Supply setup; this Amp Battery Charge setting must be low enough to also allow for enough AC current bypassing through the EG4 for the Essential AC Circuits (that are also being powered via Transfer Switch Kit left set in Generator In mode) . I chose 28 Amps charging for the 48 volt battery charging; as that also allows Battery Charging via my 1700 - 2000 Watt Inverter Generator, if needed. ... & ... That wagon was welded in the corners, and tacked along bottom to take the wieght of that removable table top.
Closing Notes: I think APS functioning is a huge plus for those on away from home vacations, or who might have a remotely located home that is not always occupied; ... for their freezer and/or refrigerator(s); and especially if using security camera system, and/or off and on timers for lights or music, etc. as extra security precaution. ... Despite My Initially Challenging Learning Curves : I Do Like the EG4-3000EHV-48 for its evolution of abilities, and I am thinking of the EG4 6000XP for my next Wagon Build.
... Happy Days, & Best Wishes for All Your Endeavors ... from Capt Bill
The core of this set up includes 16 x 305 Ah LiFePO4 prismatic cells; a JK BMS / 200 Amp, 2 A Active Balancer model, w their 4.3 LCD Screen (IMO; a Great Choice Battery Management System); the EG4-3000EHV-48 All In One listed as an Off Grid Inverter; ... Plus a Reliance (brand name) Generator Transfer Switch w small Circuit Breaker Box with a 30 Amp AC IN Plug. Our Total material costs here in USA was about $3500, ... with the transfer switch kit, plus a past econ deal of Grade B LiFePO4s from the 18650BatteryStore. ... & Awesome Option: Up to 5000 Watts of Solar Panels Input can come later.
THE FIRST STEP: Wiring up a Reliance 30 Amp 240-Volt 7500-Watt 6-Circuit Transfer Switch Kit to the homes essential AC circuits: This kit is now properly connected to the House's Main AC Breaker Panel located on outside, other side of wall. The included Direction were Great. This Transfer Circuit Breaker Switch Box Kit with In Plug is pictured on inside wall at a corner of the Garage. I converted the kit from 240Vac Input, to 120 Vac Input. The Home's Essential AC Circuits wired to kit can be Powered by the Grid, or by the Generator IN Plug via the individual switches w three toggle positions (Gen / Off / Line) for each of the 6 circuit breakers. For Automatic Functioning: The Transfer Switch Box is being left in Gen In mode. That allows Grid Power to be routed through the EG4 unit (as in AC In .. to AC Out/ w Bypass setting enabled) ... to the Transfer Switch IN Plug, ... to the Essential Circuits; which are then Automatically Powered by the Battery when the grid goes off. link: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Relianc...Circuit-Transfer-Switch-Kit-3006HDK/202213700 Note: Just getting this Transfer Switch Kit installed in anyone's home represents awesome ac circuit backup options, even via a smallish generator, or an even smaller battery powered inverter; that might only allows powering one, or a just few essential circuits at one time.
************
Note: The EG4 I used is listed for Off Grid application, and is not specifically designed to be used as I configured it as a Home APS; .. but it has many configuration options, including networking units together for more amps in single phase, split phase, triple phase; and the options include what I successfully configured. Here is My Learning Curve Story for the specific unit I received, when configuring it via the button pressing method on this EG4. I have not yet tried the computer program interface. Here's my record of initially confusing ... EG4 configuration challenges that I encountered during my set up and testing phase, that were successfully resolved.
My Most Notable Challenge appeared when I was Testing for Automatic Grid sourced battery charging. When I Applied Grid Input to my EG4 unit after it was powering 120Vac circuits via just the battery, wo solar, to initiate a grid sourced battery charging cycle; ... I got the EG4 battery charger cycling on, then off, and on, and off, and on, ... repeatedly, in about 5 second intervals. My Learning Curve Lesson: I had configured "Power Saving" Enabled; and it needed to be Disable (its' default) to get the grid source battery charging to function properly. Changing my EG4 3000's #32 Bulk Charge Time setting from its default Auto setting, to 15 or 20 mins, ... may have also been a resolution factor. Working Great now.
The Lesson I got from my Signature Solar Tech Support dialogue; I believe this EG4's Power Saving Mode only works when configuring for Solar Only for battery charging and AC loads. I was told "It is designed to work Only with Solar ONLY configured for Charging the Battery." When I ask about the EG4 6000XP's Power Saving Mode option; I got .. "the EG4 6000XP, with "Green Function mode," the inverter will shut off if the load output is less than 60 watts for more than 10 minutes. The system will need to be turned back on manually. In "Battery Eco mode," the system will switch from battery to grid bypass mode until the batteries have been recharged. ... I think there is room for EG4 improvements in this arena of settings options.
Some Other (for lack of better word) Quirks I encountered: To Set #9 from 50 Hz to the USA standard 60 Hz; ...I had to plug in and supply 120 Vac 60 Hz Input to the EG4; ... & then it automatically changed the default 50 Hz setting to 60 Hz. When trying to set that up via push buttons. that # 9 setting was otherwise stuck at 50 Hz, with no way to change it. ... To set the # 28 AC Output Mode to SIG for single phase 120vac output, when it was stuck on PAL for a parallel network / same story: I had to supply single phase 120 Vac to the EG4, and it then automatically changed the #28 setting to SIG for single phase. I believe Off Grid folks configuring the EG4 3000 (& possibly other model or brand All In Ones) for 120 Vac, 60Mz, Single Phase Output may initially need 120Vac Inverter Generator input to the All In One unit (NOT from an older non inverter type generator) to make these types of configuration changes.
*** For The Record/ My Record: The Important EG4 Configurations I used in setting up my EG4 Battery Wagon to function as an APS: EG4 Setting 01 is set to Utility First (default) ... says Utility will provide power to loads as first priority. 04 ... Power Saving Mode must remain Disabled (default). 05 for DIY built LiFePO4 Battery = User Defined. I Set 06 & 07 to auto reset enabled (default is disabled); 08 Voltage Output is 120Vac (default); . Setting 10 must be changed from Manual (default) to Auto; ... (I believe) to Allow Grid Power to Automatically ByPass through the EG4 to Loads when the Grid is present. Setting 11 is Maximum Grid Charging Current. For ths Automatic Power Supply setup; this Amp Battery Charge setting must be low enough to also allow for enough AC current bypassing through the EG4 for the Essential AC Circuits (that are also being powered via Transfer Switch Kit left set in Generator In mode) . I chose 28 Amps charging for the 48 volt battery charging; as that also allows Battery Charging via my 1700 - 2000 Watt Inverter Generator, if needed. ... & ... That wagon was welded in the corners, and tacked along bottom to take the wieght of that removable table top.
Closing Notes: I think APS functioning is a huge plus for those on away from home vacations, or who might have a remotely located home that is not always occupied; ... for their freezer and/or refrigerator(s); and especially if using security camera system, and/or off and on timers for lights or music, etc. as extra security precaution. ... Despite My Initially Challenging Learning Curves : I Do Like the EG4-3000EHV-48 for its evolution of abilities, and I am thinking of the EG4 6000XP for my next Wagon Build.
... Happy Days, & Best Wishes for All Your Endeavors ... from Capt Bill
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