EG4-6500 Slave Not Pulling From Solar

[rmharrington]

EG4-6500 Slave Not Pulling From Solar

Hi all. It's been a long struggle but I finally have my Eg4-6500 system up and running in split phase. The A/C inputs from batteries and from grid work exactly as required. The solar also outputs from the panels to the inverters as desired.

So, here's the problem.

I have two strings of nine 340 watt panels, one pushing to a respective inverter. The main inverter pulls from solar, batteries, or grid as required for any specific time-frame. However, the slave inverter will not pull power from the solar. It runs fine off the batteries and/or grid. It just refuses to acknowledge any incoming solar resources.

I have IMO DC disconnects at the panels, one for each string. I have IMO DC disconnects at the inverters, one for each unit. On a good day, the main inverter will pull 2.5 to 3 KWs of power. The average amps produced by either string hands between 3 to 10.

Concerning the second string, and the slave inverte. I have tested the volts and amps at the panels. I also tested the feed going into and coming out of the IMO DC disconnect that feeds said slave. The supplied KWs are in line with what is available to the main inverters. Both inverters are set identical with the exception of option #5. Wherein the main is set as EG4, and the slave is set as USE.

Can anyone point me in the direction of a solution to this problem? I need that extra power before I can upgrade my subpanel options.

Thanks

 

[Adam De Lay]

On your 2P2 inverter, do you see the MPPT icon on the main display showing that solar is connected?

Here's a couple things I would try to help diagnose if it's an array issue or if it's an inverter issue.
- Try moving the connection to the other MPPT on the same inverter.
- Try switching your two arrays between the inverters. Since you know the array on 2P1 works, does it still work on 2P2? Does the original 2P2 array start working once you connect to the 2P1 inverter?

 

[rmharrington]

thanks for the input. No, the MPPT for solar doesn't show up on the slave inverter. I think I already did a switch of the array connections, but will try again as soon as this rain and clouds ends. Right now, the solar is almost non-existant. Back at you later.

 

[Adam De Lay]

thanks for the input. No, the MPPT for solar doesn't show up on the slave inverter. I think I already did a switch of the array connections, but will try again as soon as this rain and clouds ends. Right now, the solar is almost non-existant. Back at you later.

Good luck! I'm seeing my first rays of sunshine in weeks. Hope it lasts...

 

[rmharrington]

Well. After switching the connections at the panels, I see the second set sends full service to the primary inverter. Also, when switching back, and checking the voltage and amps on the output side of the DC disconnect going into the slave inverter, this thing should be using the solar. This leads me to either a faulty inverter, or something in the settings. Any suggestions.

1 note. I am running the solar to both inverters on the respective number 1 pv input lines. Is there any reason that the slave should have been connected to it's pv #2?

Not getting any feedback from Signature Solar even though I sent to them via the contact us weeks ago.

 

[Adam De Lay]

If the array works on 2P1 but not on 2P2 and your settings are all the same (except for 05), I'm leaning towards a hardware issue.

Did you try switching the array on 2P2 from PV1 to PV2 just to see if it made any difference?

Sorry you're having trouble getting a response from SS.

@EG4_Jarrett any other ideas I might have missed?

 

[rmharrington]

Both arrays work on 2P1 for the master if connected. Neither array works on 2P1 on the slave. Switching the slave to 2P2 is my next plan. However, I'm still holding out that SS may pick up the ball. That inverter was already replaced once due to a short on the battery side of it's components. I'm thinking they may have sent back the same unit without testing the solar side. I failed to write down the S/N when returning the unit, so I have no way of knowing on that.

 

[Adam De Lay]

Both arrays work on 2P1 for the master if connected. Neither array works on 2P1 on the slave. Switching the slave to 2P2 is my next plan. However, I'm still holding out that SS may pick up the ball. That inverter was already replaced once due to a short on the battery side of it's components. I'm thinking they may have sent back the same unit without testing the solar side. I failed to write down the S/N when returning the unit, so I have no way of knowing on that.

Yeah, it sounds like there's some kind of internal fault with the MPPT boards on 2P2 then.

@SignatureSolarJess

 

[SignatureSolarJess]

Hi @rmharrington! If you'd like to reach out to me at engagement@signaturesolar.com I can get you taken care of!

 

[rmharrington]

didn't notice this message. will switch to engagement now. thanks