Instant shutdown of EG4-3K unit now no output.

[Jmhai3]

Built a cart system using the video and website as guidance and followed everything.
I had it setup with AC in and AC out hooked up, hand not a chance to hook up PV not even the wires.

• The AC in worked to charge the battery to full.
• The battery was setup to communicate with the inverter and was looking good.
• Ran a computer and small 400 watt heater from the power strip AC out.
• Pulled the AC in plug to test change over to battery without issue.
• Plugged back in AC in and it returned to bypass and charge battery.
• Tried to setup the Wi-Fi communication but had no luck. Which is common I see. Shut everything down.
• Next day tried to setup Wi-Fi again but no luck, waiting on the PV charge booster to show up since I don’t have enough solar input yet to direct connect. Still no luck on Wi-Fi. Unit was not hooked to AC in or anything pulling power from AC out while trying to get communication setup. No issues.
• Next day still no AC in or AC out being used but battery and inverter was on and trying some more testing of the Wi-Fi to get it working after reading some info online. While rereading the instructions the AIO unit just shutdown screen black. No beep, alarm, or indication something was not right.
• Shutoff switch on AIO unit, check breaker nothing out of place, shutoff battery, wait a minute turn battery back on startup fine and SOC full no alarm. Test battery out to unit 53.3 volts showing going in. Turn AIO back on and screen is showing no output and is blinking full screen everything lit up to alarm 6P to black screen and back to full screen and repeat.
• Plug AC in and it shows input but still no output and doing the beeping screen with 6P still.
• So this is the current process the unit is showing. Will add another post here for the first contact with SS.

 

[Jmhai3]

Part two.
Email to SS said it would be best to call and get a ticket started.

• Called and spoke to support they said that they do not support this setup due to the lack of ground.
• Support said it was because no ground, no AC in, and no AC out made the inverter go bad since the power had nowhere to go. I don’t understand this part but agreed to receive an email with my ticket number and send pics.
• 

 

[Jmhai3]

Part 3 another day.

The tech said to send pics of the Ohms at the inverter input and if I felt comfortable to remove cover and check for burning or bad compactors, fuses, relays, etc. I did smell a little hot smell from the unit when it first went down (forgot to mention earlier in this post). Pic attached.

• I saw nothing unusual and did not see a bad Ohm result.
• The test was done with no connection to battery or AC in.

I don’t think I could have done anything wrong and this setup to the point I was at should not have caused an issue to burn something up.

Will update at next communication and maybe this will help another if they find themselves in the same situation.

 

[Jmhai3]

Direct question to the forum would be will no AC in, PV in, nothing AC out and connected to battery cause the inverter to fail after 10 or so minutes.

I don’t think it would.

 

[rodrick]

So what they are telling you is that if you use this inverter for something like lighting and you turnoff the lights you will blow your inverter up well that’s a quality product ?

 

[Danke]

What do they recommend for ground? Putting a grounding rod in the ground next to it?

 

[JWLV]

Here is someone else with a 6P error.

EG4 48v 3k Inverter throwing fault code 6P immediately on power up

I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts on why an EG4 3k invertor is immediately throwing a 6P fault code, meaning "output voltage is too high". Use is strictly off-grid/backup power not connected to AC input voltage. So far I have 1 Lifepower48v 5.12kwh battery and currently for test...

diysolarforum.com

Might be related to your issue or it might not.

 

[rodrick]

No ac in is not a issue period
no pv wow I guess you can’t use them when it’s dark out?
no ac out? Well I guess it builds up to much pressure maybe they need to install a amp relief valve ?
good luck with tech support that tells you stuff like that keep us posted

 

[Danke]

Well I guess it builds up to much pressure maybe the need to install a amp relief valve

Don’t you mean current relief valve? And where is the best place to buy those?

 

[rodrick]

Yes I stand corrected a current relief valve and I’m not sure where to get them, so I just buy Inverters that don’t require ac in and can be used in the dark and are designed to vent excess ac current naturally

 

[Jmhai3]

Here is someone else with a 6P error.

EG4 48v 3k Inverter throwing fault code 6P immediately on power up

I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts on why an EG4 3k invertor is immediately throwing a 6P fault code, meaning "output voltage is too high". Use is strictly off-grid/backup power not connected to AC input voltage. So far I have 1 Lifepower48v 5.12kwh battery and currently for test...

diysolarforum.com

Might be related to your issue or it might not.

I did read thru that post but it was not helpful. But my manual said 6P was for “no battery detected”.

 

[Jmhai3]

Yes I stand corrected a current relief valve and I’m not sure where to get them, so I just buy Inverters that don’t require ac in and can be used in the dark and are designed to vent excess ac current naturally

That is my mindset on this also. I questioned this a couple different ways to understand what was being said and did not get a solid response that made sense to me though I’m no expert. So, I said let’s get a ticket started and will work thru the process. It was the support line and not the technical help. I’m working with the tech line now and will see where it leads. Glad I’m not crazy.

 

[rodrick]

That is my mindset on this also. I questioned this a couple different ways to understand what was being said and did not get a solid response that made sense to me though I’m no expert. So, I said let’s get a ticket started and will work thru the process. It was the support line and not the technical help. I’m working with the tech line now and will see where it leads. Glad I’m not crazy.

No your not crazy yet but I’m afraid this might get you there I wish you the best of luck and may you get to tier 3 or whatever hoop level they are doing now quickly and your unit gets fixed or replaced with a new unit not some refurbished one

good luck ?

 

[Jmhai3]

Update:
That last email must have been enough to show nothing was burned up or roasted. I was contacted by the RS department (resolution department) and will be getting a RMA to send the AIO back and they will send a replacement. They said the replacement will be sent after the bad unit is received and evaluated so could be a couple weeks to get new unit received and setup.

Will update how that all pans out.

 

[Jmhai3]

Update:
Had another member report in another post, that they had the same “exact” issue as mine and their unit was returned and refunded after purchase of another. They (SS/EG4) were unable to diagnose the issue before it was returned and did not get a reason for the failure after it was received.

I have not received the RMA yet to return the unit. I’m hoping to see it Tuesday.
Right now it is sitting in the box waiting.

If you recently received your unit and have not tested it yet I would do it now more than later just in case it is a grouped manufacturer/component defect on a certain number of units recently sent out.

 

[StLCityIsBest]

WOW! Thanks for posting all this. I just (last week) received my AIO eg4 3kW inverter and 5kW battery and I'm sitting here reading the manual. I know a fair amount about PV but little about batteries. I'm very interested in the question somebody posed re: needing to attach a handcart system to a grounding rod. If I plug this unit into grid/utility ac then maybe that would provide a line ground, but not an equipment ground???? I don't know how that works.

 

[Jmhai3]

WOW! Thanks for posting all this. I just (last week) received my AIO eg4 3kW inverter and 5kW battery and I'm sitting here reading the manual. I know a fair amount about PV but little about batteries. I'm very interested in the question somebody posed re: needing to attach a handcart system to a grounding rod. If I plug this unit into grid/utility ac then maybe that would provide a line ground, but not an equipment ground???? I don't know how that works.

From what I read here in another post, if it is at least plugged into the wall (AC in) you are using the ground already provided by your house, but if not grid tied (or panel) in some way then providing a ground for the stand only system would protect you.
Also if your solar panels are grounded then that is good also, you just need one ground for the system and no more which would create other issues.

I am not an electrician and you should do your own research.

I did receive the RMA for Fed-ex today and it is on its way back now. Just to communicate everything I received a email that the battery computer communication cable that is suppose to come with the battery is still not available and no timeframe when has been able to be established yet.

They also wanted me to send all the accessories back with it that it came with but it says it could be replaced with a refurbished unit which on their own website says refurbished units may not come with all of the accessories, so I hope I get new or if refurbished it has everything with it I need.

Will keep this updated.

 

[Jmhai3]

Update:

I received the new unit Saturday and everything is hooked back up and after some reading a a video got the Wi-Fi dongle working too.

No PV connected yet, not that I have enough to run it (why the Eco-worthy booster is added) it is connected straight to the battery anyways.
Setup in USE mode as per the reading here what most have done.

 

[Jmhai3]

Setup the new (cart) EG4-3k and Lifepower4 battery in USE (and 05 in utility) mode and everything else as recommended by EG4.
Waiting on panels.
One thing I did and did not think made a difference was the communication cable for the battery is connected but is not needed.
I still had it hooked up cause I planned to try LI4 after a while for later communication and testing.

Today I removed AC in power from the system for testing grid power loss and make sure it switched over to battery without issue.

• It turned off/shutdown the EG4 unit instantly, no power/no screen.
• Plug grid back into EG4 and it powered on but would not recognize the battery.
• I shutoff the battery, EG4 unit, and turn back on battery, back on EG4. and running again.

I changed the EG4 unit to LI4 and it recognized the battery and information was correctly reporting on the EG4 screen.

• Tried the same grid in disconnect test and it worked as it should, switched to battery.
• Let it run a load for a couple hours and reapplied the grid in and it switch back to grid bypass and charging batteries as it should.

I currently have the unit in LI4 and Utility mode.

QUESTION:
Did the issue happen since in USE mode AND still having the battery communication cable connected ( between EG4 unit and battery) cause the unit to shut down when grid power was pulled.
Does having the communication cable connected make the unit think it should see a battery even if unit in USE mode?
If using USE, should there be no communication cable connected at all?

 

[k490]

That's not good what if you want to run lead acid batteries, or AGM. Should not be dependent on BMS communication.