EG4-6500 parameters won't take

[EPicTony]

The led strip on my EG4 was working then today it is off.
I found parameter 51 (led control on/off) was set to disable. I changed it to enable and it made no difference. I went back into parameter 51 to check and it was back to disable. I have 2 inverts and they are both doing the same thing. When I change the parameter it seems to take but it changes back.
I have the exact same problem with setting the year month day. Any ideas ?
Maybe I should upgrade the firmware ? My unit is only a few months old.

 

[JCSchwarb]

The led strip on my EG4 was working then today it is off.
I found parameter 51 (led control on/off) was set to disable. I changed it to enable and it made no difference. I went back into parameter 51 to check and it was back to disable. I have 2 inverts and they are both doing the same thing. When I change the parameter it seems to take but it changes back.
I have the exact same problem with setting the year month day. Any ideas ?
Maybe I should upgrade the firmware ? My unit is only a few months old.

Hi Tony!

Have you tried running just solar in standby without battery or AC inputs? Mine has acted stubborn on some settings, but corrected one I had the comms cables installed for split phase. Sorry I don’t have any better knowledge to offer.

-Jay

 

[David Ashcom]

The led strip on my EG4 was working then today it is off.
I found parameter 51 (led control on/off) was set to disable. I changed it to enable and it made no difference. I went back into parameter 51 to check and it was back to disable. I have 2 inverts and they are both doing the same thing. When I change the parameter it seems to take but it changes back.
I have the exact same problem with setting the year month day. Any ideas ?
Maybe I should upgrade the firmware ? My unit is only a few months old.

I am having the same sort of LED problem but with only one of my inverters. I’m also having a more drastic problem because the state of charge settings keep going to zero on options 12, 13 and 29. It really stinks because it’s damaging my batteries by running them too low.
I love these inverters other than this problem. I’m working the problem with tech-support at Signature Solar but so far they haven’t been able to solve it and I’ve already done the firmware update.

 

[JCSchwarb]

I am having the same sort of LED problem but with only one of my inverters. I’m also having a more drastic problem because the state of charge settings keep going to zero on options 12, 13 and 29. It really stinks because it’s damaging my batteries by running them too low.
I love these inverters other than this problem. I’m working the problem with tech-support at Signature Solar but so far they haven’t been able to solve it and I’ve already done the firmware update.

I am running all of mine in USE mode with configured voltages. Noticed this morning that 2 of 10 inverters was totally off, no led lights. Parallel voltage measured 44. The system is configured to switch over to grid at 47V. Curious why the 10 batteries got pulled down so low.

 

[David Ashcom]

I am running all of mine in USE mode with configured voltages. Noticed this morning that 2 of 10 inverters was totally off, no led lights. Parallel voltage measured 44. The system is configured to switch over to grid at 47V. Curious why the 10 batteries got pulled down so low.

Are you running all EG4 equipment? If so, I’m curious as to why you are not using the communication? Sounds like your having the same problem, just from a different angle.

 

[bones1]

I am running all of mine in USE mode with configured voltages. Noticed this morning that 2 of 10 inverters was totally off, no led lights. Parallel voltage measured 44. The system is configured to switch over to grid at 47V. Curious why the 10 batteries got pulled down so low.

Hi Jay. What are your settings in options 12,13and 29?.

 

[JCSchwarb]

Hi Jay. What are your settings in options 12,13and 29?.

12 = 47
13 = 48
29 = 45

 

[Adam De Lay]

What firmware versions are on your inverters?

Unfortunately I don’t have any change log to reference but supposedly the latest version of the firmware (79.60 I believe) is supposed to correct losing/changing settings.

 

[EPicTony]

What firmware versions are on your inverters?

Unfortunately I don’t have any change log to reference but supposedly the latest version of the firmware (79.60 I believe) is supposed to correct losing/changing settings.

Waiting on the comm. cable from amazon to upgrade to the latest firmware. Hope it fixes my issue. Arriving monday.

 

[EPicTony]

Ok so I got the special programming cable and flashed all my EG4-6500's without a hitch. Need to wait till tomorrow to test.

So on the programming tool there are 2 things you can update MCU and DSP. I did the MCU, what is the word on the DSP ?
Also since I'm wondering about reflashing, there is a battery reflash as well. What is the word on that ?

 

[Adam De Lay]

I would stick to whatever the instructions say. If there's no mention of DSP, I would leave that alone.

In regards to the batteries, I know there's a firmware section on the EG4 website but it depends on if you're running the v1 or v2 of the LL batteries. I don't see any firmware available for the v2 batteries.

 

[EPicTony]

Updated my EG4's to the latest firmware. One of the big front leds never comes on even though parameter 51 is set to enable.
The led is a constant very faint red. Any ideas ? ANyway to reset the unit to factory settings ?

 

[Adam De Lay]

Have you tried shutting down the inverter completely and then powering it back up?

 

[EPicTony]

CHecked a few min. ago, now I'm back to parameter 51 - NOT ENABLED. Changed it to enabled, rechecked and it's showing not enabled !
Augggg, why are these parameters changing ????

 

[Adam De Lay]

Well, my initial thought was that 51 might be another one of those settings that synced between the two inverters when they’re in split phase (and there was some communication issue during the update), but I just tested on my phase 2 inverter, and it only turned off the LED on that specific inverter.

From what I’ve seen, the latest firmware update should have resolved any issues with losing settings.

Based on the comment in this thread, did you run both updates?

https://diysolarforum.com/threads/eg4-6500ex-lights-flickering.50220/post-702775

 

[EPicTony]

Well, my initial thought was that 51 might be another one of those settings that synced between the two inverters when they’re in split phase (and there was some communication issue during the update), but I just tested on my phase 2 inverter, and it only turned off the LED on that specific inverter.

From what I’ve seen, the latest firmware update should have resolved any issues with losing settings.

Based on the comment in this thread, did you run both updates?

https://diysolarforum.com/threads/eg4-6500ex-lights-flickering.50220/post-702775

No only the display update, guess tomorrow I'll try the dsp update. Thank you for the suggestion. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Adam De Lay]

No only the display update, guess tomorrow I'll try the dsp update. Thank you for the suggestion. I'll let you know how it goes.

Sorry about the earlier comment to leave DSP alone. I haven’t had to go through the update process so I didn’t know there were actually multiple installations that needed to be run.

 

[EPicTony]

First I reflash the MCU with no issues. Next I tried to flash the DSP (fail) and the inverter using the ArenaINVReflashTool (fail). Both total fails.
Using the DSP flash gives this: dsp.hex can't be found.....
Next the results of the ArenaINVReflashTool:

I'm really wanting this EG4 system to work but man this is getting frustrating. I have a couple of issues that the latest firmware are supposed to solve. Issues are parameters not taking, parameters taking then changing and the biggie: inverter won't switch over to utility at the set point in parameter 12. It seems that no one at signature solar can give you the facts. I had to buy a special programming cable to flash the MCU, but there are 2 other items that I can't even get a straight answer on: 1) dsp reflash & 2) ArenaINVReflashTool to flash the inv
Has anybody ever flashed the dsp ? Has anybody ever flashed the inv using the ArenaINVReflashTool ? The tools are provided on the firmware download page but they don't even work. How lame is that ?
By the way I'm a PE, EE and automation controls engineer with 30 yrs. experience so it's not that I don't know what the hell I'm doing. Man this is getting frustrating.
I think I'm going to start a separate thread about this.

 

[Zwy]

If you are using communication with EG4 batteries, you will not be able to change some settings. These will be programmed by Sig Solar due to the battery communication.

This is why many abandon the battery communication and instead will program settings under USE.

 

[JCSchwarb]

If you are using communication with EG4 batteries, you will not be able to change some settings. These will be programmed by Sig Solar due to the battery communication.

This is why many abandon the battery communication and instead will program settings under USE.

I had no luck with the EG4 comms so use the USE and set optimum voltages. No issues, but interesting the battery LEDs show one bar in the am, but the inverters can show 2 or three bars with a voltage of 51.5% this am.

 

[LydMekk]

The 4 bulbs...under 25%, over 25%, over 50% and over 75%.

 

[JCSchwarb]

The 4 bulbs...under 25%, over 25%, over 50% and over 75%.

That’s what I figured, but clearly not matching the system voltage SOC at the inverter. At 51.5V, the inverters should show one bar since the voltage is around 20% according to the graphic below.

 

[Gavin Stone]

I had no luck with the EG4 comms so use the USE and set optimum voltages. No issues, but interesting the battery LEDs show one bar in the am, but the inverters can show 2 or three bars with a voltage of 51.5% this am.

When in USE mode the battery SOC on the inverters essentially means nothing. Its more based towards a lead acid chemistry. I have the mpp version of those inverters and have always used that mode. It’s works great. You just have to set your parameters correctly.

 

[Adam De Lay]

First I reflash the MCU with no issues. Next I tried to flash the DSP (fail) and the inverter using the ArenaINVReflashTool (fail). Both total fails.
Using the DSP flash gives this: dsp.hex can't be found.....View attachment 134109
Next the results of the ArenaINVReflashTool: View attachment 134110

I'm really wanting this EG4 system to work but man this is getting frustrating. I have a couple of issues that the latest firmware are supposed to solve. Issues are parameters not taking, parameters taking then changing and the biggie: inverter won't switch over to utility at the set point in parameter 12. It seems that no one at signature solar can give you the facts. I had to buy a special programming cable to flash the MCU, but there are 2 other items that I can't even get a straight answer on: 1) dsp reflash & 2) ArenaINVReflashTool to flash the inv
Has anybody ever flashed the dsp ? Has anybody ever flashed the inv using the ArenaINVReflashTool ? The tools are provided on the firmware download page but they don't even work. How lame is that ?
By the way I'm a PE, EE and automation controls engineer with 30 yrs. experience so it's not that I don't know what the hell I'm doing. Man this is getting frustrating.
I think I'm going to start a separate thread about this.

Can you tell me what your U1 and U2 displays show? Do they look like this?

 

[EPicTony]

after reflash with the latest this am
U1 - 79 - 02
U2 - 61 - 10
The MCU completed and verified ok.
Seems like the reflash is not actually taking.