EG4 6500EX-48 Inverter Issues

[AndreasPassat]

Looking for some insight on some issues.

For starters, I have a single EG4 6500Ex-48 inverter that is connected to (3) EG4 LL batteries. The only source of power are PV panels.
The reason for this is/was to get off the pair of Honda generators that were supplying power to my RV. I was spending upwards near $40/day in fuel using the a/c to keep the RV at a remotely tolerable temperature. Consistent 110°+ days down here are pretty rough inside of an RV.
I'm in a semi remote location in the AZ desert and I have NO grid power on my property.

I've read (somewhere) that using a single inverter causing some erratic behavior. True / False?

My (2) main issues are:
1: a persistent 6P error at frequent random intervals. (error message value not listed in any manual that I have, that I know of)

I thought I had saw somewhere that a ground wire from the PV panels needed to be connected to the inverter to resolve the 6P error.
Admittingly, I do NOT have that grounding wire connected to the inverter at this point in time.

2: low wattage input into the inverter from the PV panels.

I currently have (14) Solarever 455-watt panels hooked up to the inverter through the PV1 connection.
So with simple math I should have 4.5k watts at the inverter. I'm actually about 600watts and 384-ish volts, per the display values on the inverter.
I've also heard that this ground wire might resolve this issue?
My wire from the panels to the inverter is 10gauge stranded wire with soldered Staubli connections.

Again, the main goal was to get up and running as fast as possible with the minimum effort to eliminate the generators.
At the moment I only need power for the following: (refrigeration, a few lights, RV water pump and a/c).
I don't know the exact load / power requirements, but I do know that with 3000watts of power I'm able to achieve what I want. I've proven that when the 6P error is not present.

All I'm really looking for at the moment is to find the cause for this random 6P error code. I think once this error code is gone things will start working a lot better, no?

 

[Adam De Lay]

I've read (somewhere) that using a single inverter causing some erratic behavior. True / False?

Not that I've ever heard of.

1: a persistent 6P error at frequent random intervals. (error message value not listed in any manual that I have, that I know of)

bP is actually "Battery is not connected"

I'm wondering if you're getting a high voltage disconnect on your batteries and that's what's throwing the bP error? That would also explain why you're not seeing a lot of output from your panels.

edit: There's actually several different pages of error codes in the manual. bP is under the "Warning Indicator" section.

 

[AndreasPassat]

bP?
Ha I'm such a tool. I thought it was 6P.
Well now that's a whole different story there.
That might explain why sometimes I have to physically cycle the inverter (power off and power back on to get the battery to start charging again).

Just went on Signature Solar's website, I see they updated some documentation.
I downloaded the User Manual for the 6500 inverter. It's certainly different than the documentation I have that came with the unit.
I see the bP error code in the manual and it definitely refers to what I'm seeing on the inverter.

So now, what is the fix for that?

When I search for bP error tons of stuff comes up for 61 error which doesn't apply to me.

 

[Adam De Lay]

bP?
Ha I'm such a tool. I thought it was 6P.
Well now that's a whole different story there.
That might explain why sometimes I have to physically cycle the inverter (power off and power back on to get the battery to start charging again).

Just went on Signature Solar's website, I see they updated some documentation.
I downloaded the User Manual for the 6500 inverter. It's certainly different than the documentation I have that came with the unit.
I see the bP error code in the manual and it definitely refers to what I'm seeing on the inverter.

So now, what is the fix for that?

When I search for bP error tons of stuff comes up for 61 error which doesn't apply to me.

No worries. It's hard to know what some of those values are on the screen.

What's the state of your batteries? I'm assuming you're using EG4 for option 5?

 

[AndreasPassat]

What's the state of your batteries? I'm assuming you're using EG4 for option 5?

That would be correct for option 5.
The state of the batteries? I'm assuming your referring to SOC. If so, they were at 100% a short time ago.
SOC goes down to about 17-ish% just be before the PV panels supply enough to start charging again.

FYI,
I do have another EG4 LL battery on order, should be here next week sometime. That should keep the battery bank from dipping that low throughout the night.

 

[Adam De Lay]

That would be correct for option 5.
The state of the batteries? I'm assuming your referring to SOC. If so, they were at 100% a short time ago.
SOC goes down to about 17-ish% just be before the PV panels supply enough to start charging again.

FYI,
I do have another EG4 LL battery on order, should be here next week sometime. That should keep the battery bank from dipping that low throughout the night.

I would check the SOC and voltage of each battery when you see the "bP" error. Also might be interesting to use the BMS Tools app with your batteries and see if anything shows in that app when you get the message on the inverter.

 

[AndreasPassat]

Thanks Adam, I'll have a look-see tonight.

 

[AndreasPassat]

Welp, that didn't go well.
Tried hooking up to the inverter and all the batteries, says it can't communicate (on each individual component).
Recognizes the COM port (COM 3) and opens up the port but that's as far as it gets.
Faulty USB to RS485 cable maybe.

 

[Adam De Lay]

Hmm. It could be a bad cable. Unfortunately I don't have any EG4 batteries that I can relate my experiences with.

Were you able to see what the voltages were or what the SOC indicators were showing?

I guess one other thing I should ask. Are you using the EG4 value for Option 5 on your inverter or are you on USE?

 

[AndreasPassat]

If I remember correctly, batteries were between 51.2 volts and 51.4 volts.
Option 5 is set to EG4.

 

[Adam De Lay]

If I remember correctly, batteries were between 51.2 volts and 51.4 volts.
Option 5 is set to EG4.

Hmm, if the batteries did disconnect from the inverter, that would be the bounce-back voltage after the load was removed. Hard to say where the SOC is based on the voltage though.

I'm still wondering if you're getting a low voltage disconnect from the batteries.

2 things I would try:
1. Keep trying to get the BMS Tools app working. Possibly try a new cable. That would show you if any of the packs are throwing specific errors/alarms
2. You could try switching Option 5 from EG4 to USE, you would then need to set options 2, 26 and 27 though based on the specs of the batteries. That would disable battery comms between the inverter and the battery.

 

[AndreasPassat]

I've got nothing to lose. I'll give that a try tonight.
Thank you sir!

 

[SolarPowerAficionado]

I have a little experience when it comes to the 6500, some with issues some with not. If everything is connected and you are getting the BP error you might have blown a fuse in the inverter. There is an internal fuse on the positive battery post and when it blows you will get a BP error. The only way I know to check for this is by checking the resistance value between the positive and negative post with everything disconnected. If the unit is fine you should read Kohms though the circuitry of the inverter and possible changing values if the capacitors still have a charge. If you have a short it means the board is blown and if you read open the fuse is most likely blown. When the fuse blows it usually throws a BP error with no other faults. I hope this isn't the case but something to check.

 

[Adam De Lay]

I have a little experience when it comes to the 6500, some with issues some with not. If everything is connected and you are getting the BP error you might have blown a fuse in the inverter. There is an internal fuse on the positive battery post and when it blows you will get a BP error. The only way I know to check for this is by checking the resistance value between the positive and negative post with everything disconnected. If the unit is fine you should read Kohms though the circuitry of the inverter and possible changing values if the capacitors still have a charge. If you have a short it means the board is blown and if you read open the fuse is most likely blown. When the fuse blows it usually throws a BP error with no other faults. I hope this isn't the case but something to check.

I had seen other threads regarding the blown fuse and had thought he would always see the “bP” error if that was the case, so that’s why I never mentioned it.

After thinking about it more and rereading the original post, it’s possible that during the day everything is being powered by PV only and once PV goes away, that’s when your getting the error. Thanks for bringing it up @SolarPowerAficionado!

That internal fuse could have been blown from simply not precharging the capacitors the first time you connected the batteries and turned everything on.

 

[AndreasPassat]

Last night I split up the panels into 2 strings each one going into the PV input.
While I had everything shut down and disconnected I checked resistance across both the + and - (battery post) terminals on the inverter.
I used my second inverter (still in box) as a baseline. They were both pretty much the same so I think I can rule out any issues there.

Also, I tried hooking up with the laptop again, no dice. Can't communicate with inverter or the batteries. I'm really wondering about that comm cable.

 

[Adam De Lay]

Last night I split up the panels into 2 strings each one going into the PV input.
While I had everything shut down and disconnected I checked resistance across both the + and - (battery post) terminals on the inverter.
I used my second inverter (still in box) as a baseline. They were both pretty much the same so I think I can rule out any issues there.

Also, I tried hooking up with the laptop again, no dice. Can't communicate with inverter or the batteries. I'm really wondering about that comm cable.

Another easy way to test is just disconnecting the PV with the inverter running and see what happens.

Since you have another inverter, did you try the cable that came with that one?

 

[AndreasPassat]

The other inverter is not hooked up and I ran out of time last night.
Not that's a significantly big deal, but to hook up the other inverter requires time that I'm extremely short on.
That's ultimately a task for the weekend.

 

[AndreasPassat]

Another easy way to test is just disconnecting the PV with the inverter running and see what happens.

Since you have another inverter, did you try the cable that came with that one?

Doh,
I should read the whole post before replying. Post 17 didn't answer your question.
There was no cable with the second inverter. Only one cable taped to the outside of one the inverter boxes.
I bought them as the kit the S.S. sells, maybe they think only one cable is necessary.

 

[Adam De Lay]

Doh,
I should read the whole post before replying. Post 17 didn't answer your question.
There was no cable with the second inverter. Only one cable taped to the outside of one the inverter boxes.
I bought them as the kit the S.S. sells, maybe they think only one cable is necessary.

No worries. Just to be clear, there's 2 different types of cables. 1 cable is used for firmware updates for the inverter and the other one is used for firmware updates/computer communication with the batteries.

In the video below, I reference the two different types of cables. Lots of people were having issues connecting their inverters to their computer.

Which cable are you trying to use to connect the battery to the computer?

 

[AndreasPassat]

Well now, there's my problem. I'm using the cable with USB to CAT (the one the right in your video) to try and connect.
I don't remember seeing the cable that has the serial end on it in any of the boxes.
I've only got the short green CAT5 cables and the black cable (USB to CAT) that's on the right side in your video.
I'll look through my packaging materials again just to be sure.
All I remember is seeing the cables taped to the outsides of the boxes, nothing inside.