Four EG4 6500EX in split phase - Fault 80 Question

[Dr.Bannock]

Hi, I am new to this forum, have looked around but could find anything about the fault 80 in combination with the EG4 6500EX.

I have a split phase setup with 4 x EG4 6500EX inverters, first 2 with a load center as Line 1 and second 2 with a load center as Line 2.
First and second inverter set as 2P1 and
third and fourth inverter set as 2P2. All are communicating.
There are 2 battery racks of 6 EG4 LL each connected in parallel to the bus bar inside the racks and to extra bus bars (positive and negative) and then to all inverters. Communication cable is connected to the first EG4 6500EX inverter.
To setup the inverters I had to give them some power from the solar panels. I connected all the first inverter of the 2 in line 1 with one string of solar panels, the second inverter of the 2 in line 2 with another string of solar panels and paralleled the power to the second of line 1 with the first solar panel string and the second of line 2 with the other solar panel string. (sorry, but I hope everyone understands, what I mean).

I am in the situation of the first time installing this system and finally got to this step, that I was close to start the inverter mode, but before I could do that a fault 80 occurred on all of the inverters. Pushing the on/off button doesn't start the inverters of any unit.
The manual says, its a communication problem (CAN data loss -> Check if communication cables are connected correctly and restart the inverter)
In another forum it is said, that a firmware update would solve a lot of those problems, but I also just have trouble to find a windows computer which lets me install the .exe files. My old windows laptop need to have a special driver installed, who recognizes the new device at the USB-Port. While trying to install the firmware and start the exe-file the error comes, that there is no real communication between the inverter and the computer. So I might try my linux laptop and get this .exe running in kind of windows environment like wine.
Before that I would very much appreciate any advice how to proceed, being so close to a real success story, when this system will run.
Thanks
Christian

 

[Batavian]

Search F80 on this forum and you will get some information.

 

[Dr.Bannock]

Yes, main thing seams to be the update of the firmware.
I will first install the new firmware on all devices tomorrow and see what happens.
I'm not sure whether both cables (positive and negative) of the parallel installation of 2 battery racks, which are connected to an extra bus bar, are only connected to the master inverter or whether all the other positive and negative poles of the slave inverters are also connected to these extra bus bars. At the moment, all inverters are also connected to these external bus bars, which may be the cause of the communication problems. What setting is correct and why?

 

[Batavian]

I had two 6500ex running split phase. My first pair worked for a month and then would F80 once a week then F80 every couple days and finally every night when the sun went down. I tried everything for months, If I turned off the PV input right before last light I could keep them running with no fault. Sometimes they would still fault in the middle of the day but not often.

I was given replacement inverters on warranty, they worked great for a week then started the F80 randomly. I had 3 strings of PV connected, I disconnected one, and had no more F80 but I would have random shut downs for a few seconds randomly. I reconnected the PV to the other inverter and continued to have no more F80 but the random shutdowns continued. I removed communication from my battery and everything seemed to work for a month or so with no issues.

I then had a problem with the PV voltage sticking at 90v. After over a year of fighting these inverters I traded them in on the 6000xp. They have worked flawlessly for 2 months. My opinion is you either get a good 6500ex or a bad one, many people have them working great.

I would suggest moving the PV to a different inverter and or a different MPPT on the inverter. That is what stopped the F80 for me.
The best thing would be if you can get your money back and buy a different inverter.

I would not think battery cable configuration would have anything to do with communication. As long as all inverters are connected to the same battery buss bar system.

 

[Dr.Bannock]

I completely agree.

The best thing would be if you can get your money back and buy a different inverter.

There must be a reason, why signatur solar runs this hidden recall program for these inverters:
Upgrade program
I will try my best but I need a fast solution, otherwise I continue burning money through the roof, while using the generator 10 hours per day.
There seems to be a competition between the alternatives of a eg4 18kPV and the Sol Arc or the Luxpower.
Right now my try to continue the firmware update failed due to an interruption during the update process yesterday and today the inverter has a dark display, not showing anything. Seems to start properly but without initialization of the display as usual. And when I start the firmware update procedure it says, that there is a communication problem, so the update program doesn't see the inverter, while it is set to the correct port.
I got stuck again. Any idea how I can reset the display, that it shows content again?

 

[Myoffgridsolarsystem]

Hi, I am new to this forum, have looked around but could find anything about the fault 80 in combination with the EG4 6500EX.

I have a split phase setup with 4 x EG4 6500EX inverters, first 2 with a load center as Line 1 and second 2 with a load center as Line 2.
First and second inverter set as 2P1 and
third and fourth inverter set as 2P2. All are communicating.
There are 2 battery racks of 6 EG4 LL each connected in parallel to the bus bar inside the racks and to extra bus bars (positive and negative) and then to all inverters. Communication cable is connected to the first EG4 6500EX inverter.
To setup the inverters I had to give them some power from the solar panels. I connected all the first inverter of the 2 in line 1 with one string of solar panels, the second inverter of the 2 in line 2 with another string of solar panels and paralleled the power to the second of line 1 with the first solar panel string and the second of line 2 with the other solar panel string. (sorry, but I hope everyone understands, what I mean).

I am in the situation of the first time installing this system and finally got to this step, that I was close to start the inverter mode, but before I could do that a fault 80 occurred on all of the inverters. Pushing the on/off button doesn't start the inverters of any unit.
The manual says, its a communication problem (CAN data loss -> Check if communication cables are connected correctly and restart the inverter)
In another forum it is said, that a firmware update would solve a lot of those problems, but I also just have trouble to find a windows computer which lets me install the .exe files. My old windows laptop need to have a special driver installed, who recognizes the new device at the USB-Port. While trying to install the firmware and start the exe-file the error comes, that there is no real communication between the inverter and the computer. So I might try my linux laptop and get this .exe running in kind of windows environment like wine.
Before that I would very much appreciate any advice how to proceed, being so close to a real success story, when this system will run.
Thanks
Christian

Hello I have had 4 EG4-6500ex inverters running no problem.

I did not see you stated that you connected the current sharing cables to each of the inverters?
If I understand you correctly you say you split the PV coming in on the first inverter to the next inverter and the same for the other PV string?

The inverters CAN NOT SHARE PV stings at all.
You may have damaged the charger controllers.