diy solar

diy solar

Hard decision

C

CRenner

New Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2024
Messages
137
Location
Central Mass
Last fall I bought a Sungold IP6048 because their site said it could AC Couple. Well it can't frequency shift.
And because I didn't connect it for 3 months I didn't know this. Now they won't take it back.
They also said it could re-charge the batteries from PV. I find that this is directly connected PV and not AC Coupled PV.
So I can only re-charge from the grid.

My choices are to use this as a big UPS and when the batteries get low use a generator, or sue them.
I don't like either option.

Are their any other options?
 
Yes, I use the grid when it is available. Just preparing for a "grid down" situation.

More panels would be great if I could afford them and had room!
 
Do they have another inverter that can actually do frequency shifting AC coupling? If so, perhaps you can get a trade-in deal?
 
CRenner said:
Last fall I bought a Sungold IP6048 because their site said it could AC Couple. Well it can't frequency shift.
And because I didn't connect it for 3 months I didn't know this. Now they won't take it back.
They also said it could re-charge the batteries from PV. I find that this is directly connected PV and not AC Coupled PV.
So I can only re-charge from the grid.

My choices are to use this as a big UPS and when the batteries get low use a generator, or sue them.
I don't like either option.

Are their any other options?
Click to expand...

I see you joined here after purchase. This topic has been discussed before. https://diysolarforum.com/threads/very-confused-need-help-with-ac-coupling-ip6048.60815/ I did find Everyday Dave AC coupled his IP6048 in this video.
and it was working. One thing to remember is the Factor 1.0 Rule where the GT that is AC coupled to the hybrid inverter does not exceed the rating of the hybrid inverter which is 6Kw. I looked to see if Dave had any update to the install but didn't see it. Maybe it blew up and he never followed up on it as Sungold gave him the inverter.

I see you were in this thread. Personally, I'd either use it off grid, for emergency power or sell it and purchase something else. These seemed to fail when AC coupled and Sungold erased any existence of it from the website.
 
CRenner said:
In the video by Everyday Dave, at 22:02, you can see on the right, he has PV connected directly to it.
Click to expand...

at 22:49 it does appear that the output of the three systems, the IP6048, the SolarEdge GTI and this shed microgrid is actually tied together. I suspect he has it operating in grid tie mode, not AC coupled.
 
Yes, looks like separate systems tied into one combiner.

I was hoping for a tax credit to buy more. Someone said you can't take the credit if it's not working. Anyone know if this is true?
 
CRenner said:
Yes, looks like separate systems tied into one combiner.

I was hoping for a tax credit to buy more. Someone said you can't take the credit if it's not working. Anyone know if this is true?
Click to expand...
It's true if you get audited...
 
Sennen said:
It's true if you get audited...
Click to expand...
Not sure the IRS is so desperate to send agents qualified to inspect a solar system and its operation. And who is to say you haven’t since decommissioned it? I don’t see any time limit a system needs to be operational to take the tax break. Is that in the code somewhere?
 
I disconnected it last week, sir. Here's the new system I'll be claiming on this year's taxes.
 
CRenner said:
I find that this is directly connected PV and not AC Coupled PV.
So I can only re-charge from the grid.
Click to expand...
Maybe I'm having a blonde moment, but what is the difference between charging from "AC Coupled PV" vs. "re-charge from grid"? Surely if the inverter can charge from the grid it can charge from your AC-coupled Enphase inverters which are connected to the grid?
 
SeaGal said:
Maybe I'm having a blonde moment, but what is the difference between charging from "AC Coupled PV" vs. "re-charge from grid"? Surely if the inverter can charge from the grid it can charge from your AC-coupled Enphase inverters which are connected to the grid?
Click to expand...
They are the essentially same as you suggest, in most situations.
Keep in mind that the AC coupled power NEEDS to go somewhere....

When the grid goes down and the battery gets fully charged, there is nowhere for the power to go.
I can speak from experience that inverters are NOT HAPPY in this situation. Lots of loud buzzing and loud clicking that is actually terrifying to be near (hard to get close to cut off AC coupled array!).

I am trying to get Schneider to fix a couple AC coupled bugs for this exact situation.
Sisyphus comes to mind... but i don't know why i'm being punished.
 
SeaGal said:
Maybe I'm having a blonde moment, but what is the difference between charging from "AC Coupled PV" vs. "re-charge from grid"? Surely if the inverter can charge from the grid it can charge from your AC-coupled Enphase inverters which are connected to the grid?
Click to expand...
In AC coupling, the PV from GT system is fed to inverter AC output, the power goes to loads or to inverter to charge batteries/send out on grid.

Recharge from grid, the GT system is fed into the inverter AC input.

When AC coupled, you can not have PV output higher than what the AC coupled inverter is rated for. 8Kw of inverter for example, only 8Kw of PV to it. This is known as Factor 1 Rule. The inverter will change frequency in order to shut down the PV when batteries are full and there isn't a large enough load when a micro grid is formed. https://www.victronenergy.com/live/ac_coupling:start The micro grid is when grid power is down, this allows the GT PV to continue operating.

With recharge from grid and having a GT system on the inverter input, the inverter can pull load for what is needed to charge batteries, the rest can go to grid. In a grid down situation, the GT PV will be shut down.

Some advantages of AC coupled is greater efficiency due to not having conversion losses. Load assist is available when GT PV is operating. Existing AC wiring can be used in some cases.
 
MisterSandals said:
Keep in mind that the AC coupled power NEEDS to go somewhere....

When the grid goes down and the battery gets fully charged, there is nowhere for the power to go.
Click to expand...
I thought, in that situation, that Enphase would do the same as my grid-tied Solis does. When the grid goes down the inverter cuts off its AC output (to avoid zapping line engineers). When batteries are then full, it reduces the draw from the panels?
 
SeaGal said:
I thought, in that situation, that Enphase would do the same as my grid-tied Solis does. When the grid goes down the inverter cuts off its AC output (to avoid zapping line engineers). When batteries are then full, it reduces the draw from the panels?
Click to expand...
Yes, the AC coupled inverter changes frequency to shut down the GT PV when batteries are full.

If grid power goes down, the AC coupled inverter switches to zero export.

I have read of cases where there will be some flickering of lights as batteries are full and AC coupled inverter shuts down GT PV.
 
Yes, in true AC Coupling the inverter would reduce the Enphase output.
The Sungold IP6048 can not do this, that is why it is false advertising.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
Can lithium take a hard surge?
Replies
17
Views
709
d-d
D
D
Grid Assist for hard to start AC load, then switch to Battery/PV inverter output?
Replies
15
Views
582
realpinochet
realpinochet
wheisenburg
Using the GEN input for AC coupled solar?
Replies
14
Views
557
wheisenburg
wheisenburg
krby
How hard would it be to build my own ~350W UPS board?
Replies
12
Views
472
zanydroid
Z
BrendanK
Math is HARD
2
Replies
21
Views
803
cdsolar
C
Back
Top