Growatt 5000W Solar Hybrid Inverter need information

[Jim Burrow]

Is anyone using the Growatt 5000W Solar Hybrid Inverter 230Vac, All-in-One Pure Sine Wave Inverter with 100A MPPT Controller? If so do you have a PDF for that I can have a copy of or a link to where I can get it?

The best I can tell, it only takes 220vac for a Utility connection and will only out 220vac to the load. What good is this controller if you can not connect it to your home as everything in the home runs of 120vac except the air conditioner?

I'm presently running the MTTP 2424lv-pip controller/inverter but running into it shutting off problems for 30 to 40 seconds before auto-restart. And I would like to have more power available than the 2.3Kw of the 2424lv.

 

[DThames]

Look at this. You can add a neutral with an autotransformer so you can have 120v.

 

[Jim Burrow]

Look at this. You can add a neutral with an autotransformer so you can have 120v.

Yes, I just found a series of videos by David Poz on YouTube. His series answered all my questions and sold me on getting the product. Since this is Well P. forum, will not post the links to this series. - I could not find anything on Wills videos on this product.

 

[DThames]

Yes, I just found a series of videos by David Poz on YouTube. His series answered all my questions and sold me on getting the product. Since this is Well P. forum, will not post the links to this series. - I could not find anything on Wills videos on this product.

I will comment on this in the interest of helping anyone that might read this thread.

The US center tap to ground "neutral" have L1 and L2 in series (center tap to ground). When you connect this autotransfromer to a 240v (only) inverter, you create a voltage divider from L1 to L2. Then when you connect a 120v circuit to one of those legs, you connect your circuit in parallel to one half of the transformer. That load can only be "so big" before the you bias the voltage divider too much. If you then connect a second circuit to the other leg, with a similar load it brings the voltage divider closer back to balance. Now for the fun part....if you look at that circuit, you can see both the autotransformer AND your two circuits (L1 to neutral and L2 to neutral) also also now in series and "stiffen" the transformer voltage divider. So the transformers rating is really more about how much L1 to L2 imbalance you can tolerate. Pretty interesting application.

 

[Jim Burrow]

Yes and thanks for the report. For me, using the auto-transformer (when I get the Growatts 5000 and the auto-transformer) I will be able to put my electrical sub-breaker box/panel back to the way it was versus having to slite it into two independent halves as I have presently done.

The Growatts 5000 and the auto-transformer power capabilities are will in the range of my house needs. So in theory, I can now connect L1 to one side/leg of the panel and L2 to the other side/leg of the panel, and the neutral from the auto-transformer to the common neutral/return in the panel. Hence, I will have available 220 volts across L1 and L2 for my Air Conditioner and 120 volts to the house to power everything, including the microwave, garbage disposal, and clothes washer and dryer.

And if I decide to sell the house and the new owners don't want the solar, I can tear it out and put the Utility power back into the breaker panel in 15 minutes as it originally was.

Of course, this is still all in theory until I buy the units and test them.

 

[MichaelK]

Isn't this a European version that puts out 230V at 50Hz? Even if you transform it down to 115V, it will still be 50Hz, won't it?

 

[Jim Burrow]

I just read the manual on this controller/inverter and there is an option setting for either 50 or 60 Hz. What I like about this controller is that as I understand the manual, it will operate without a battery attached. - unlike my 2424lv.

So, in theory, I can buy this Growatt 5000 and connect it to my Utility 220 volts and my 6-300 watt panels and be in the middle of the VOC range if I connected the panels in series. Then I can buy a second 24v 100ah battery to connect in series to my present 24-volt battery. - This Growatt requires a 48-volt battery.

I of course will need to buy the auto-transformer so I can connect the Growatts to my electrical breaker box and power the house.

 

[Tomas Ondra]

Did you already get the Growatt 5000?

 

[Jim Burrow]

Did you already get the Growatt 5000?

No, I haven't got it yet. But my 2424LV is out to launch. In order to keep the unit from shutting down for 30 to 40 seconds ever day, I discovered that once my panels go into the shad, due to a big neighbor tree, the array voltage and current drop off. And when the Air Conditioner kicks on, the battery is discharging at 32 amps and the controller turns off as the Utility tries to kick on to supply power to the house.

I found out if I disable the solar array shortly after the go into the shad, the controller stays on. Then after it's very dark outside, I turn the solar arrays back on as they are not producing any power.

So instead of dealing with China on how to solve the problem and perhaps get a replacement board, I would just get a bigger controller for my power needs.

 

[Tomas Ondra]

I would go with Delta H6, it's a hybrid one, gives you 120/240 split phase. Mine is set up like this:
12.5KV of PV to 2xH6's to 2x 15KW POWER JACK LF PURE SINE WAVE inverters to 2x48V 280AH LiFePo4 BATTERY BANK. Power Jack will either pass through 120/240V to the load or charge the battery bank (with 240V input) or convert my 48V DC back to 120/240V. When the sun is up the H6's can feed the house, batteries can recharge, and rest for the upcoming night.
I found this being the most economic solution to the on-grid/emergency off-grid times.

 

[Hedges]

Does that growatt have isolated output? (rather than one "Neutral" that is grounded)
Does it have 2-pole relay isolation on the input?

If you have an inverter that produced 220V Line to Neutral (not Line to Line, isolated from ground), then a 110/220V auto transformer will give you Neutral, Line = 110V, Line = 220V.
If output is floating, you should be able to ground center tap of transformer for 110/220V split phase. But if output has a neutral that is grounded, can't do that.
Worst case, you need either isolation transformer 220 to 110/220 split-phase, or an auto transformer with three 110V windings in series.

All that is about off-grid.
If you will connect this to a split-phase source, same issue on the input.
If it doesn't isolate all poles on the input by relay, if it only isolates "Line" and leaves "Neutral" connected, that is insufficient isolation from 120/240V grid or generator input.

 

[DThames]

Yes and thanks for the report. For me, using the auto-transformer (when I get the Growatts 5000 and the auto-transformer) I will be able to put my electrical sub-breaker box/panel back to the way it was versus having to slite it into two independent halves as I have presently done.

The Growatts 5000 and the auto-transformer power capabilities are will in the range of my house needs. So in theory, I can now connect L1 to one side/leg of the panel and L2 to the other side/leg of the panel, and the neutral from the auto-transformer to the common neutral/return in the panel. Hence, I will have available 220 volts across L1 and L2 for my Air Conditioner and 120 volts to the house to power everything, including the microwave, garbage disposal, and clothes washer and dryer.

And if I decide to sell the house and the new owners don't want the solar, I can tear it out and put the Utility power back into the breaker panel in 15 minutes as it originally was.

Of course, this is still all in theory until I buy the units and test them.

My 45,000 BTU heatpump pulls about 90 amps, 240v AC when it starts. You can actually hear the magnetic part of the circuit breaker buzz when it starts up. Not sure what air conditioning type that you have but watch out for that locked rotor starting current. (edit..running watts is about 3500)

 

[Jim Burrow]

My 45,000 BTU heatpump pulls about 90 amps, 240v AC when it starts. You can actually hear the magnetic part of the circuit breaker buzz when it starts up. Not sure what air conditioning type that you have but watch out for that locked rotor starting current. (edit..running watts is about 3500)

My air conditioner although 220 volts only draws 15 amps. I'm having no problems running it with my 2424lv. If it wasn't for it shutting off for 30 to 40 seconds before the Utility power kicks in around 3:30 pm I would need to get a new and more powerful controller. It seems for some reason my 2424lv shuts off when the solar arrays get shaded from the neighbor's tree in the late afternoon and the power (voltage and current) drop way down.

So to solve this issue, what I have to do is once the solar panels drop in power, I manually disconnect them from the controller. Then in the very late evening, I switch the panels back online.

 

[Tomas Ondra]

My 45,000 BTU heatpump pulls about 90 amps, 240v AC when it starts. You can actually hear the magnetic part of the circuit breaker buzz when it starts up. Not sure what air conditioning type that you have but watch out for that locked rotor starting current. (edit..running watts is about 3500)

Hello,
If I were you I would get a soft starter for your heat pump or a new 18+ seer heat pump with two to three stages.

 

[DThames]

Hello,
If I were you I would get a soft starter for your heat pump or a new 18+ seer heat pump with two to three stages.

I am grid tied (making more power than I use) and the heat pump is geothermal, so pretty good eff already.

 

[Tomas Ondra]

I am grid tied (making more power than I use) and the heat pump is geothermal, so pretty good eff already.

Hmm, that sounds very high for geo, mine pulls about 25 amps, it's two-stage and always starts on the second stage first, and if needed ramps up to the first stage but no high current spikes...
I am grid-tied as well but after last year's hurricane season, I have made some changes to go off-grid when needed and still use my grid-tied solar system when the grid is down.

 

[heirloom hamlet]

I would go with Delta H6, it's a hybrid one, gives you 120/240 split phase. Mine is set up like this:
12.5KV of PV to 2xH6's to 2x 15KW POWER JACK LF PURE SINE WAVE inverters to 2x48V 280AH LiFePo4 BATTERY BANK. Power Jack will either pass through 120/240V to the load or charge the battery bank (with 240V input) or convert my 48V DC back to 120/240V. When the sun is up the H6's can feed the house, batteries can recharge, and rest for the upcoming night.
I found this being the most economic solution to the on-grid/emergency off-grid times.

I want the exact same functionality that the originator of this post is looking for. Your Delta H6 recommendation appears it will get that done much easier. One question though. The manufacturer provides a warning for anyone not using Tesla's Powerwall. I am currently using x2 280aH lifepo4 banks in parallel on my 24v system, 560aH. I would use this to make a single 48v 280aH bank to use with the Delta H6...not a Tesla Powerwall.
Do you have any insight on using lifepo4 as an alternative with the Delta?

 

[schmism]

3kw growatt, Ian claims to have in stock as I type this. The SPF 3000TL 48v has been rock solid for me for the year they have been service so far.

 

[heirloom hamlet]

3kw growatt, Ian claims to have in stock as I type this. The SPF 3000TL 48v has been rock solid for me for the year they have been service so far.

That may be great for me today, but would it support a potential 4kw+ array? Wired to bring 225 VOC?

 

[schmism]

That may be great for me today, but would it support a potential 4kw+ array? Wired to bring 225 VOC?

1 3kw unit will handle about 4kw PV yes. However it max out at 150v so you'll have to limit your serial strings to that.

 

[heirloom hamlet]

That would be tough to put 18 250w panels together an remain well under 150v, the amperage would get out of control.
The 3000 is designed for 3000w, no?

I don't think it is the unit for me to use as my expansion gateway. Possibly their 5000, but what I am looking for essentially is a unit that will allow for the large array I want to have, but not force me into 240v ac power.

Something that at least has a 120/240 split phase option in the hardware that would allow me to go 2 different directions with the 120v ac.

It looks like I'll have to bend on the 48v battery, because I don't know that what I really want it exists. Maybe I need to just put two 24v units in parallel.

 

[drewjet]

I want the exact same functionality that the originator of this post is looking for. Your Delta H6 recommendation appears it will get that done much easier. One question though. The manufacturer provides a warning for anyone not using Tesla's Powerwall. I am currently using x2 280aH lifepo4 banks in parallel on my 24v system, 560aH. I would use this to make a single 48v 280aH bank to use with the Delta H6...not a Tesla Powerwall.
Do you have any insight on using lifepo4 as an alternative with the Delta?

No it won't. The Delta H6 needs a 500 volt battery

 

[Tomas Ondra]

I want the exact same functionality that the originator of this post is looking for. Your Delta H6 recommendation appears it will get that done much easier. One question though. The manufacturer provides a warning for anyone not using Tesla's Powerwall. I am currently using x2 280aH lifepo4 banks in parallel on my 24v system, 560aH. I would use this to make a single 48v 280aH bank to use with the Delta H6...not a Tesla Powerwall.
Do you have any insight on using lifepo4 as an alternative with the Delta?

Hello,
I haven't found any solution to it (yet). I am not using a battery with the H6. The H6 when the grid is down feeding my house with 240 split phase and/or feeds my charger/converter.
I would say, you can use LiFePo4 battery bank, but it will have to be up the tesla powerwall specs (voltage) and hack the communication software between the inverter and the battery bank (which I am working on).