EG4 6500EX Lights flickering

[SolarScott]

It's being looked into. We're seeing it happen mostly with very little load and level out as the loads increase. Working with manufacturers to find a resolution to these issues.

That was my experience.....add some load and the flicker went away.

 

[Dona40]

I was looking for the post that had a good write up on it. These aren't my photos.

I wired my 15 uf Cap to a separate double pole breaker. Easy to turn on and off the Cap to verify that it is truly fixing the flicker.

Thanks Zapper77. That was my first thought also with the extra breaker. I'll let ya'll know if it takes care of the issue.

 

[Nashional99]

I'm also experiencing this with specific circumstances. One has to do with a washing machine and another has to do with a mini split system (all on 120v). I have two mini splits, one 9,000 and the other 12,000. The 9k one causes flickering only when the heat pump is running.

* Make the videos full-screen so you can see the detail in the oscilloscope.

Video 1 - Normal operation:

Video 2 - Heat pump running. You can see the difference the sine wave is not stable like the first video and you can even see the LEDs flickering off the table:

 

[bob.longmire]

I've got 2 EG4 6500s and my bathroom lights flicker sometimes. I haven't spent enough time to figure out exactly when it occurs. I'll just add my input to the list that I see this to. It isn't bad, it's only 1 room for me. It happens to be the room next to where my inverters are located. The breaker for those lights is not near where the breaker for my inverters are in the main panel. If EG4 or signature solar needs more details, DM me and I can dig into it more.

 

[FurryAlpaca]

Quick update. I splurged on a Fluke 325 (great black Friday deal on Amazon, still happening if anyone is interested). Was playing with it, flipping around through the settings and noticed that when on grid my input lines Hz is all over the place. From 60-125. Noticed right before I had to leave, will do more testing when I get back. I'm assuming this isn't normal? Anyone else see this before?

 

[Dona40]

Well, I installed the 20 uf cap across the lines 1 and 2. No help. Ran from each hot to Neutral, still flickers. Seems to be better running off the battery's with or without the cap installed. I dunno
Guess I'll just wait and see if SS has a fix.

 

[JCSchwarb]

It's being looked into. We're seeing it happen mostly with very little load and level out as the loads increase. Working with manufacturers to find a resolution to these issues.

When pulsing a blender, my four EG4 6500EX’s cause disruptions in the current stream. All of my LEDs and incandescents surge.

 

[Zapper77]

What size wire are you using from the inverter to the loads? How old is your house? Is the flicker on both legs or just one?

 

[Bigblockcutlass123]

My Growatt 12K with flicker cheap LED lights a lot under low loads. Got rid of all the cheap LED lights in the house. Wasn't gone but it was bearable. Just recently bought a 15K solarc. Don't do it anymore because it's usually tie grid. Supposedly these will still do the same thing. And supposedly there's some settings to change to help eliminate that.
$9000 to $2500 unit.

 

[Adam De Lay]

I’ve also seen on my 6500s that replacing junk LED bulbs has drastically reduced the flickering. I never had any success with the comments from SS about “adding more load”.

 

[PunchySunshine]

I’ve also seen on my 6500s that replacing junk LED bulbs has drastically reduced the flickering. I never had any success with the comments from SS about “adding more load”.

I was sitting in my garage watching one of the LEDs pulse with the washing machine and the others don't and this video popped up in my youtube feed.

 

[Farm Boy]

I personally think that a high end inverter may have better filtering built into it, but from my experience using a different inverter brand I have noticed some of the same so I would not place the blame on the eg4. I have 3 led bulbs on the same circuit. 1 that flickers the other 2 don't. I have my out side light which is a high quality chip set led, and it don't flicker ever. I have used incandescent bulbs and have not seen any issues. Your washing machine may be on the same circuit creating a current pulse from the motor while running. In fact as in a 3 phase converter, motors are used to create the 3rd phase. Just a thought.

 

[SignatureSolarJames]

Guys, we got a batch with bad firmware changed without our auth, we are getting this handled and will have the update needed soon

none of our units in the shop had this issue, we had to get a set back to test

 

[vladkgb]

Guys, we got a batch with bad firmware changed without our auth, we are getting this handled and will have the update needed soon

none of our units in the shop had this issue, we had to get a set back to test

Do you know the build date that has the bad firmware? My build date is 10/2022 and I don't have any flickering when inverting from 2 6500ex in split phase, running cheap LED shop lights from Home Depot without load, and with a moderate load.

EDIT: Added that i don't have light flickering with my build and my use case.

 

[SignatureSolarJames]

Do you know the build date that has the bad firmware? My build date is 10/2022 and I don't have any flickering when inverting from 2 6500ex in split phase, running cheap LED shop lights from Home Depot without load, and with a moderate load.

EDIT: Added that i don't have light flickering with my build and my use case.

we are isolating the HW versions, this is ongoing, it may be a couple hundred, may be 1000+

 

[Bud Martin]

we are isolating the HW versions, this is ongoing, it may be a couple hundred, may be 1000+

So what should people that have problem do? Send the unit back?

 

[SignatureSolarJames]

So what should people that have problem do? Send the unit back?

As of today, we ask people to hold the position, it would be pointless to hot swap with likely the same issue, we will have firmware for this and departing units will be re-flashed after that as well.

 

[Zapper77]

May 2022 Build has the flicker issue, a 15uF cap helps a little but seems random.

 

[SignatureSolarJames]

May 2022 Build has the flicker issue, a 15uF cap helps a little but seems random.

our May 22 with latest firmware does not have the issue, are you up to date on firmware?

 

[JCSchwarb]

Light flicker can be a sign of grounding issues in the system. I would ensure no double bonding in sub panels or inverters.