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Eg4 inv, generator for backup charging

gersus

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Jul 1, 2022
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I’m using a Eg4 6500 with 4 eg4 48v batteries off grid. I have two generators so I would like to use one as backup for cloudy days or whatever. Th generator is a Champion 3750w inverter.
I ran a 30watt cord like you would use for a camper from the eg4 to the generator. On the eg4 display is shows the sine wave icon, 120v input, 60hz but doesnt seem to charge. I set the eg4 to limit charging to 30 amps in screen 11.
I thought maybe it was because the pv was sending input so I disconnected the pv and it went straight to using battery power.
Is the generator not going to work or am I missing something. I have read that inverters are picky on their ac input. Thanks!
 
30 amps may be too high for that generator. Try a lower setting perhaps, start somewhere around 20 amps and see
 
I’m using a Eg4 6500 with 4 eg4 48v batteries off grid. I have two generators so I would like to use one as backup for cloudy days or whatever. Th generator is a Champion 3750w inverter.
I ran a 30watt cord like you would use for a camper from the eg4 to the generator. On the eg4 display is shows the sine wave icon, 120v input, 60hz but doesnt seem to charge. I set the eg4 to limit charging to 30 amps in screen 11.
I thought maybe it was because the pv was sending input so I disconnected the pv and it went straight to using battery power.
Is the generator not going to work or am I missing something. I have read that inverters are picky on their ac input. Thanks!
Any luck here? I am planning to do the same. My 3500 generator has a 22amp max. Works great on my victron inverter, I just set the max amps at 20, plug it in and it charges. I am hoping the 6500 will do the same. Let me know how it goes! Thanks
 
Any luck here? I am planning to do the same. My 3500 generator has a 22amp max. Works great on my victron inverter, I just set the max amps at 20, plug it in and it charges. I am hoping the 6500 will do the same. Let me know how it goes! Thanks
I haven't tried adjusting the amps down yet. I looked and my generator is rated for 29.2 running amps. It didn't even try though so I'm not getting my hopes up too much. I'll try to check it either tomorrow or this weekend.
 
Those small generators really struggle at full load, even more if they are cold. Plus you have a higher amperage upon charger startup.
 
I think the 20 vs 30 amp setting was coincidental to it starting to work. If the amps setting was the problem it still would have charged on 30, it just would have potentially tripped the overload protection on the generator while doing so. If it never STARTED charging, the 30a setting was not the problem and the 20a setting didn’t fix it.

Do you have settings for ‘switch from battery to grid’ and ‘switch from grid back to battery’? that’s not exact wording, but that’s what id look at next. If your battery voltage during your prior attempts was above your ‘switch from battery to grid’ setting, that is why it did not charge, ad dropping below it may be why it’s working now.
 
I believe you’re correct. The first test was late afternoon, cloudy, batteries werent fully charged, and wasnt getting many watts from solar so I thought it would pull from the generator. I even disconnected the solar. Inverter was set on SBU though so it makes sense it would go to the battery and ignore the generator.
When I tried it today I had changed it to SUB so it makes sense that it work today for that reason alone. I wondered why it wouldnt attempt to pull power from the gene and trip it like you mentioned.
 
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