Looking for help setting up a Growatt Inverter.

[Jonathan3900]

I am new to solar and am having some major issues with setting things up. Here is what I have.

~ PV Off-Grid SPF-6000T DVM-MPV
~ (2) Big battery Husky 48V batteries
~ (6) 350watt solar panels

I have contacted Growatt and Big Battery and still cannot figure out what the issue is. I charge them to full via a generator to 54.4v. (both batteries). Then I leave the cabin and come back the next day to both batteries are now at 47.7v and the system is shut off or flashing 04, meaning low batteries. I have between 100-140watts of current running through the inverter. So there shouldn't be an issue with it lasting for a few days. It doesn't.

Are there settings that I can change to keep the system going? Am I missing something?

Thanks for any help. I appreciate it.

Jon

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Growatt and Big Battery are idiots, or they don't give a shit. You've told them what's wrong.

54.4V is nowhere near full. Depending on current, likely < 30-40%.

Charge to at least 57.6V, 58.8V (setting 13) max - this will likely take MUCH longer than you're used to.

Solar charger should be set to 55.2 with float 54.4. If you find it's not charging fast enough, raise absorption voltage as needed up to 57.6V.

The Growatt AC charger is "dumb". It will only begin charging when the voltage is below setting 12. Once started, it will charge until the moment that the voltage in setting 13 is achieved. There is no absorption or float charging. If you start your generator when the voltage is between the values in setting 12 and 13, the unit WILL NOT CHARGE WITH THE GENERATOR.

Other concern:

The Inverter consumes a large amount of power just being on - no loads. This particular unit probably consumes about 100W even if no loads are present, so you really have 200-240W pulling from the inverter.

Your HSKY have 5.3kWh, 10.6kWh total. The inverter uses 2.4kWh. Your inverter will consume about 25% of your capacity in a 24 hour period even with no loads running.

 

[Jonathan3900]

Growatt and Big Battery are idiots, or they don't give a shit. You've told them what's wrong.

54.4V is nowhere near full. Depending on current, likely < 30-40%.

Charge to at least 57.6V, 58.8V (setting 13) max - this will likely take MUCH longer than you're used to.

Solar charger should be set to 55.2 with float 54.4. If you find it's not charging fast enough, raise absorption voltage as needed up to 57.6V.

The Growatt AC charger is "dumb". It will only begin charging when the voltage is below setting 12. Once started, it will charge until the moment that the voltage in setting 13 is achieved. There is no absorption or float charging. If you start your generator when the voltage is between the values in setting 12 and 13, the unit WILL NOT CHARGE WITH THE GENERATOR.

Other concern:

The Inverter consumes a large amount of power just being on - no loads. This particular unit probably consumes about 100W even if no loads are present, so you really have 200-240W pulling from the inverter.

Your HSKY have 5.3kWh, 10.6kWh total. The inverter uses 2.4kWh. Your inverter will consume about 25% of your capacity in a 24 hour period even with no loads running.

Thank you for your help. I will try to change some settings around tomorrow. I appreciate your helping. This has been a confusing and frustrating purchase.

~ So with charging, the generator seems to stop at 54.4 and the green light comes on the charge inverter as being fully charged. Could there be an issue with the charger?

~ To charge it with the generator, the voltage needs to be below or above these numbers in order to charge? If below, once it reaches the bottom number, does it stop charging? If so, what is the next way to charge these things to completely full?

Thank you again for any help. And yes, both could care less. Hell, Growatt told me today that I should just return the product.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Thank you for your help. I will try to change some settings around tomorrow. I appreciate your helping. This has been a confusing and frustrating purchase.

~ So with charging, the generator seems to stop at 54.4 and the green light comes on the charge inverter as being fully charged. Could there be an issue with the charger?

Not so far as I can tell. It is set to charge to 54.4V, which is too low. If it is set to higher than 54.4, and it's quitting at 54.4, then that's a problem.

It is also important to understand the generator is capable of outputting the needed power to run the charger. It might be that as the voltage increases, the power required from the generator exceeds the generator's output.

~ To charge it with the generator, the voltage needs to be below or above these numbers in order to charge? If below, once it reaches the bottom number, does it stop charging? If so, what is the next way to charge these things to completely full?

Thank you again for any help. And yes, both could care less. Hell, Growatt told me today that I should just return the product.

Battery voltage must be below the voltage in setting 12, or the unit will not charge from the generator.
Once charging from generator, it will continue to charge until the voltage in setting 13 is achieved, where it will stop charging. it will not charge again from generator until the voltage has dropped below setting 12.

 

[Jonathan3900]

Not so far as I can tell. It is set to charge to 54.4V, which is too low. If it is set to higher than 54.4, and it's quitting at 54.4, then that's a problem.

It is also important to understand the generator is capable of outputting the needed power to run the charger. It might be that as the voltage increases, the power required from the generator exceeds the generator's output.



Battery voltage must be below the voltage in setting 12, or the unit will not charge from the generator.
Once charging from generator, it will continue to charge until the voltage in setting 13 is achieved, where it will stop charging. it will not charge again from generator until the voltage has dropped below setting 12.

It's a small generator. 2200watt DuroMax. Maybe its too small to charge higher. I will change some settings and see if it fixes the issue. Thank you very much.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Setting 11 is the max AC charge current - to the battery, not from the generator.

2200*0.75 = 1650W (allowing a 25% buffer before peak).

1650W/57.6V = 28.6A

Recommend 30A and see how it goes.

 

[Jonathan3900]

Setting 11 is the max AC charge current - to the battery, not from the generator.

2200*0.75 = 1650W (allowing a 25% buffer before peak).

1650W/57.6V = 28.6A

Recommend 30A and see how it goes.

So it looks like my generator is too small to charge it up?

Sorry to be so dumb about this. I am brand new to solar.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Is it a 120V or a 120/240V split phase generator?

If only 120V, then there might be an issue with feeding the 120/240VAC Growatt with 120VAC power. I don't know.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

So it looks like my generator is too small to charge it up?

Not necessarily. It can only provide 2200W max power. That doesn't mean it's too small.

 

[Jonathan3900]

Is it a 120V or a 120/240V split phase generator?

If only 120V, then there might be an issue with feeding the 120/240VAC Growatt with 120VAC power. I don't know.

Its a 120V.

 

[Jonathan3900]

Not necessarily. It can only provide 2200W max power. That doesn't mean it's too small.

Ok. This stuff is so confusing.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Its a 120V.

Yeah, I don't know how those behave when connected to 120VAC vs. 120/240VAC. Do you have it wired to L1 and N?

Ok. This stuff is so confusing.

Yep. Using setting 11, you just restrict the charger to use only what the generator can supply.

 

[Jonathan3900]

Yeah, I don't know how those behave when connected to 120VAC vs. 120/240VAC. Do you have it wired to L1 and N?



Yep. Using setting 11, you just restrict the charger to use only what the generator can supply.

I am not sure how it's connected. I had an electrician install it.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Picture?

 

[Jonathan3900]

 

[Jonathan3900]

Picture?

The generator is wired to run half the panel. So when I charge, I plug the battery charger (on top of the one battery), to the outlet directly above it. Then the generator charges and also runs the house. Make sense?

 

[Jonathan3900]

The generator is wired to run half the panel. So when I charge, I plug the battery charger (on top of the one battery), to the outlet directly above it. Then the generator charges and also runs the house. Make sense?

30 amp fuze is for the mini split. (the one to the right)

 

[sunshine_eggo]

The generator is wired to run half the panel. So when I charge, I plug the battery charger (on top of the one battery), to the outlet directly above it. Then the generator charges and also runs the house. Make sense?

No. So you're not charging with the generator directly, you're charging with a battery charger? The Growatt has its own built-in charger. It sounds like you're not using that, and all my advice is invalid.

If that's the case, then I need more info about the battery charger.

 

[Jonathan3900]

No. So you're not charging with the generator directly, you're charging with a battery charger? The Growatt has its own built-in charger. It sounds like you're not using that, and all my advice is invalid.

If that's the case, then I need more info about the battery charger.

I wasnt aware of the Growatt having its own charger. That might be the issue. Shopforsolarkits.com is where I bought everything. They have been zero help. I was sent a charger from them, so that's why we hooked it up. If you feel that the Growatt charger is better, I can have the electrician rewire it. I am still waiting on a combiner box from them so I can use all 6 panels. Its a mess.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

I wasnt aware of the Growatt having its own charger. That might be the issue. Shopforsolarkits.com is where I bought everything. They have been zero help. I was sent a charger from them, so that's why we hooked it up. If you feel that the Growatt charger is better, I can have the electrician rewire it. I am still waiting on a combiner box from them so I can use all 6 panels. Its a mess.

"48V" with this type of lithium is not always consistent. Some batteries have 15 cells and some have 16. Yours has 16.

54.4V is actually a great charger for 15S batteries, i.e., 54.4/15 = 3.63V/cell = definitely fully charged. This charger is likely intended for other 15S "48V" batteries.

I see two options:

1) get a charger suitable for 16S - they shouldn't have sold you that charger if they sold you those batteries too.

2) Get a more powerful 120/240VAC split phase generator and rewire it to the AC-in of the Growatt (not the panel). When the generator is running, it will charge the batteries and power the loads through the inverter. Confirm feasibility and suitability with your electrician.

 

[Zwy]

Let's just start all over.

List all of your settings on the GW. This video is from setting up a SPF3000 but will give you the procedure to pull all the settings.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Let's just start all over.

List all of your settings on the GW. This video is from setting up a SPF3000 but will give you the procedure to pull all the settings.

To what end? It's clear he's not even using the Growatt to charge with the generator but charging with a separate 15S charger.

 

[Zwy]

To what end? It's clear he's not even using the Growatt to charge with the generator but charging with a separate 15S charger.

I see that, but let's take a look at the settings. He does have PV hooked up it appears from the photos.