Generator to EG4 6500-watt inverter or direct?

[roogadae]

Does anyone have experience using a 12,000-watt generator to charge the EG4 batteries through the 6500-watt EG4 inverter? I have heard concerns about now getting a pure sign wave but don’t know what to believe. Also want to know if the batteries will charge faster if I just hook the generator up directly to the charge instead of going through the inverter, or if the inverter can handle it.

I would 100% prefer to use the auto-start and run the charge through the inverter so if I’m not home the system charges automatically, but I don’t want to hurt the system if possible. Thanks for your help in advance!

Generator: Kohler 12 RES (LP)
Batteries: 3 EG4s
Inverter: 6,500 Watt from EG4

 

[sunshine_eggo]

It is common knowledge that EG4, Growatt, MPP Solar, etc. are finicky about generator input.

If it's an inverter generator with grid-like clean and stable power, it's typically fine. If it's a "standard" generator, you're likely going to have problems.

There's a reason the Chargeverter exists.

 

[DIYrich]

That is a whole house generator, and should be fine.

 

[Samsonite801]

Does anyone have experience using a 12,000-watt generator to charge the EG4 batteries through the 6500-watt EG4 inverter? I have heard concerns about now getting a pure sign wave but don’t know what to believe. Also want to know if the batteries will charge faster if I just hook the generator up directly to the charge instead of going through the inverter, or if the inverter can handle it.

I would 100% prefer to use the auto-start and run the charge through the inverter so if I’m not home the system charges automatically, but I don’t want to hurt the system if possible. Thanks for your help in advance!

Generator: Kohler 12 RES (LP)
Batteries: 3 EG4s
Inverter: 6,500 Watt from EG4

Just on a side note, when using the internal charger on a 6500EX, it cannot run the inverter at same time since it uses those circuits for charging, so the inverter switches automatically to grid AC bypass mode while charging batteries (like a UPS). That means the generator is powering the AC house loads and charging batteries during that duration (which also means it's more picky about the generator RPM/Hz being right on).

Some people add on standalone chargers like for example the EG4 Chargeverter to directly charge only batteries, if that matters at all to you. With a larger generator like 12,000-watt, that can do both for most loads, but people with smaller generators who don't have enough to run house loads and charger, may opt for the standalone charger option. The standalone chargers also don't care as much about input Hz (example, could accept a 40-70Hz input, so if the generator governor isn't holding good steady RPM to maintain 60Hz, it can still keeping charging your batteries fine).

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Just on a side note, when using the internal charger on a 6500EX, it cannot run the inverter at same time since it uses those circuits for charging, so the inverter switches automatically to grid AC bypass mode while charging batteries (like a UPS).

I'd just like to add that all inverter/chargers are like this.