Well, it's official (and on order) - I went with Victron for the new "she shed / guest house" system instead of an AIO, even though I've been very happy with my EG4 6000XPs in the main house. I completed the order with Current Connected yesterday afternoon, to avoid the threat of additional tariffs should those occur (building will be built over summer). It cost me more money to do this vs using an AIO. So, WHY?
Because in my experience, SCCs that are separate from the inverter are quieter, and in my experience, noise from the SCC(s) is the most interruptive and annoying element of most PV systems because it lasts so long and is not generally tied directly to simultaneous activity in the building. To my thinking, this is one of the most overlooked elements of designing a PV system that you and your family will come to love. This building will have a separate, dedicated mechanical room, but it will be located just off the main living area instead of away from the normal activity or sleeping areas, as is the case for the building where our 6000XPs reside. Quiet is an important element in this new building, so the extra money should be worth it.
I did go with EG4 indoor wall mount PowerPro batteries, and selected the RS 450 100 MPPT instead of one of Victron's passive cooling only units (was considering multiple 250/70s), as real world experience from @Adam De Lay and others show that the RS 450's fans are not loud compared to the "little jets" of my 6000XPs (thanks for the feedback on that, folks!). And yes, I realize that heavy electrical use could cause the dual Quattro inverters to spin up a bit, but that won't likely occur when quiet is desired in the building and it would last only for a few minutes when someone is doing something active, such as vacuuming or using multiple burners on the stove (so not an issue).
Anyway, for those in the future who might find this thread as they think about what to purchase and install, my experience is that sound and location of the equipment are important factors to consider. And while I really like my EG4 AIOs and would definitely purchase them again for a similar situation to the building where we use them, there are also situations where at least some of us want an alternative, quieter, approach.
Because in my experience, SCCs that are separate from the inverter are quieter, and in my experience, noise from the SCC(s) is the most interruptive and annoying element of most PV systems because it lasts so long and is not generally tied directly to simultaneous activity in the building. To my thinking, this is one of the most overlooked elements of designing a PV system that you and your family will come to love. This building will have a separate, dedicated mechanical room, but it will be located just off the main living area instead of away from the normal activity or sleeping areas, as is the case for the building where our 6000XPs reside. Quiet is an important element in this new building, so the extra money should be worth it.
I did go with EG4 indoor wall mount PowerPro batteries, and selected the RS 450 100 MPPT instead of one of Victron's passive cooling only units (was considering multiple 250/70s), as real world experience from @Adam De Lay and others show that the RS 450's fans are not loud compared to the "little jets" of my 6000XPs (thanks for the feedback on that, folks!). And yes, I realize that heavy electrical use could cause the dual Quattro inverters to spin up a bit, but that won't likely occur when quiet is desired in the building and it would last only for a few minutes when someone is doing something active, such as vacuuming or using multiple burners on the stove (so not an issue).
Anyway, for those in the future who might find this thread as they think about what to purchase and install, my experience is that sound and location of the equipment are important factors to consider. And while I really like my EG4 AIOs and would definitely purchase them again for a similar situation to the building where we use them, there are also situations where at least some of us want an alternative, quieter, approach.
