diy solar

diy solar

MPP LV2424 vs Growatt SPF 3000TL LVM-24P

2.5ish kW inverter - MPP or Growatt?

  • MPP

    Votes: 3 21.4%
  • Growatt

    Votes: 11 78.6%
  • Other - please elaborate

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    14

SajgZi

New Member
Joined
May 7, 2020
Messages
52
All other things being equal, if you had to pick between either the MPP LV2424 or the Growatt 3000TL, which would you choose?

I've basically narrowed my search down to these two all-in-one inverters and am leaning towards the MPP. It seems to have a solid user base, decently documented features (if not by MPP, by the community members), and can be monitored easily (https://diysolarforum.com/threads/monitoring-mpp-clone-systems-with-freeware-pi-grafana.15712/).

The price is about the same for both. The Growatt provides a bit more power on paper (how truthful are these numbers) and Will seems to be a fan. Both are typical China quality which I'm ok with. Current supply seems to indicate that the Growatt could be a while before it is shipped (early May on watts247.com) and the MPP is in stock.

Really a tough decision I think.

Other aspects of my system:
  • 8x 272Ah LiFePO4 cells from the Lishen group buy taking the extremely slow boat from China (so the shipping time for the inverter may be moot) in a 24V setup
  • TBD 8S BMS - probably overkill
  • 2x300W solar panels that I got from Craigslist very cheap. I'll replace these eventually
  • Mostly used as a battery backup for computer systems, refridgerators, basic lights, and maybe 1-2 hours of space heating/window AC use (600W for heater, 650W for AC)
  • Probably add an inverter generator at some point too
I have some more details and the background of planning my system on my blog - https://austinsnerdythings.com/2021/03/15/my-diy-solar-system-with-battery-backup/
 
All other things being equal, if you had to pick between either the MPP LV2424 or the Growatt 3000TL, which would you choose?

I've basically narrowed my search down to these two all-in-one inverters and am leaning towards the MPP. It seems to have a solid user base, decently documented features (if not by MPP, by the community members), and can be monitored easily (https://diysolarforum.com/threads/monitoring-mpp-clone-systems-with-freeware-pi-grafana.15712/).

The price is about the same for both. The Growatt provides a bit more power on paper (how truthful are these numbers) and Will seems to be a fan. Both are typical China quality which I'm ok with. Current supply seems to indicate that the Growatt could be a while before it is shipped (early May on watts247.com) and the MPP is in stock.

Really a tough decision I think.

Other aspects of my system:
  • 8x 272Ah LiFePO4 cells from the Lishen group buy taking the extremely slow boat from China (so the shipping time for the inverter may be moot) in a 24V setup
  • TBD 8S BMS - probably overkill
  • 2x300W solar panels that I got from Craigslist very cheap. I'll replace these eventually
  • Mostly used as a battery backup for computer systems, refridgerators, basic lights, and maybe 1-2 hours of space heating/window AC use (600W for heater, 650W for AC)
  • Probably add an inverter generator at some point too
I have some more details and the background of planning my system on my blog - https://austinsnerdythings.com/2021/03/15/my-diy-solar-system-with-battery-backup/

I was about to post the exact same question ... we have rto replace several systems out here and I am trying to decide between the 2424 MPP or the Growatt ....

Going to say that you could probably UP those 2x300 to about 20X300 ...LOL

I'm hoping someone jumps in and does a good comparison ...

In fact a side by side (@Will Prowse) comparison would make a great video ...

I understand the excitement over the Growatt BUT at the same time I also like that the MPP has been a workhorse for a long time and had a great following ... we have about 10 of the MPP 2424 out here but zero Growatts and the team hates it when we atrt mixing and matching -- so it would really take something to switch from MPP to GROWATT ..... but my job is to continue to find the best(est), fastest, cheapest ...

@Will Prowse I do think that this would make a good and relatively straightforward video for you to do -- side by side comparisons ...

Thx
 
I was about to post the exact same question ... we have rto replace several systems out here and I am trying to decide between the 2424 MPP or the Growatt ....

Going to say that you could probably UP those 2x300 to about 20X300 ...LOL

I'm hoping someone jumps in and does a good comparison ...

In fact a side by side (@Will Prowse) comparison would make a great video ...

I understand the excitement over the Growatt BUT at the same time I also like that the MPP has been a workhorse for a long time and had a great following ... we have about 10 of the MPP 2424 out here but zero Growatts and the team hates it when we atrt mixing and matching -- so it would really take something to switch from MPP to GROWATT ..... but my job is to continue to find the best(est), fastest, cheapest ...

@Will Prowse I do think that this would make a good and relatively straightforward video for you to do -- side by side comparisons ...

Thx
I recall reading somewhere that @Will Prowse preferred the Growatt but don't recall where. I'm sure he has both but yes, a side-by-side would be great. Or Growatt/MPP can ship me one of each and I'll do it for him LOL! I still haven't decided.

Another consideration is that 8S 100A BMS's are very common. 24V*100A works extremely well with the 2.4kW MPP. The 3.0kW Growatt would be stretching it a bit.
 
I recall reading somewhere that @Will Prowse preferred the Growatt but don't recall where. I'm sure he has both but yes, a side-by-side would be great. Or Growatt/MPP can ship me one of each and I'll do it for him LOL! I still haven't decided.

Another consideration is that 8S 100A BMS's are very common. 24V*100A works extremely well with the 2.4kW MPP. The 3.0kW Growatt would be stretching it a bit.
Gosh they are practically the same. And manufactured by voltronic. The only real difference I have found is that the growatt has a better manual and some of the growatt distributors have better customer support. That's about it. Both are great units. And if you open them up, they all look the same. Voltronic manufacturers most of these units: https://voltronicpower.com/en-US/Product/Solar-Products/Off-Grid-Inverter

Growatt seems to manufacture their own grid tie inverters. But I could be wrong. Please let me know if you find their third party manufacturer.
 
Gosh they are practically the same. And manufactured by voltronic. The only real difference I have found is that the growatt has a better manual and some of the growatt distributors have better customer support. That's about it. Both are great units. And if you open them up, they all look the same. Voltronic manufacturers most of these units: https://voltronicpower.com/en-US/Product/Solar-Products/Off-Grid-Inverter

Growatt seems to manufacture their own grid tie inverters. But I could be wrong. Please let me know if you find their third party manufacturer.

Excellent -- thx for the update -- YES that would make for a very short video ...LOL ....I guess we will continue with the MPP since we have established a good relationship with them and although their manual does lack they have very good customer service and they speak English really well ...

Thx for letting us know
 
Is that Growatt 3000 model LF transformer based inverter compared to LV 2424 HF inverter?
I believe Growatt is weighted in at over 30 lbs compared to about 17 lbs for the LV2424, so Growatt may have better surge capability than the LV2424.
 
Is that Growatt 3000 model LF transformer based inverter compared to LV 2424 HF inverter?
I believe Growatt is weighted in at over 30 lbs compared to about 17 lbs for the LV2424, so Growatt may have better surge capability than the LV2424.
Growatt makes some LF inverters but on the 3000TL shows no mention of LF or HF type. 11.5 kg, 25.3lb. I just ordered 2 of them today. I certainly don't know which is better, but I selected the Growatt. Growatt might be a little safer with those rounded corners.
 
I ended up placing an order for another set of batteries which should come much faster than the ones from the Lishen group buy. BatteryHookup had (still has?) BYD 250 Ah cells for $125/cell (in packs of 2) so I bought 4x. Total around $1080 with shipping after 5% discount. Haven't decided if I want to cancel the Lishen order or just wait for it to arrive and have 2x capacity.

With the batteries arriving much faster, I figured I should get the inverter that is in stock as well so I went with the MPP LV2424 hybrid option from watts247. It is a known quantity, with plenty of documentation/experimentation here and elsewhere on the net. From what I could tell, it will work with Raspberry Pi for monitoring better out of the box.

BMS is up next.
 
Has anyone tried swapping the fans out for some that are quieter? This is my only hesitation regarding either of these units as it is for a larger mobile setup. I realize that they need to push a lot of air but I'd be willing to spend $$ on something that meets spec that is quieter. Has anyone tried this or know what size / voltage they are?
 
I ended up placing an order for another set of batteries which should come much faster than the ones from the Lishen group buy. BatteryHookup had (still has?) BYD 250 Ah cells for $125/cell (in packs of 2) so I bought 4x. Total around $1080 with shipping after 5% discount. Haven't decided if I want to cancel the Lishen order or just wait for it to arrive and have 2x capacity.

With the batteries arriving much faster, I figured I should get the inverter that is in stock as well so I went with the MPP LV2424 hybrid option from watts247. It is a known quantity, with plenty of documentation/experimentation here and elsewhere on the net. From what I could tell, it will work with Raspberry Pi for monitoring better out of the box.

BMS is up next.
I am looking at getting the MPP 24v Hybrid from Watts247 myself in a few weeks as the Growatt is out of stock. How do you like the MPP, did you find anything out after the fact that would sway you to one or the other?
 
I am looking at getting the MPP 24v Hybrid from Watts247 myself in a few weeks as the Growatt is out of stock. How do you like the MPP, did you find anything out after the fact that would sway you to one or the other?
I like it. Works for me, seems to function as expected. There is decent data gathering ability via the serial port. Can't say there is anything I don't like about it. I documented up a bunch of code to get data out of it and a dashboard on my blog - https://austinsnerdythings.com/2021...verter-data-to-mqtt-and-influxdb-with-python/.
 
I like it. Works for me, seems to function as expected. There is decent data gathering ability via the serial port. Can't say there is anything I don't like about it. I documented up a bunch of code to get data out of it and a dashboard on my blog - https://austinsnerdythings.com/2021...verter-data-to-mqtt-and-influxdb-with-python/.
I see you used a wire to your computer, isn't there a wireless option for monitoring? Easy stuff like Power on/off, solar wats in etc?

Also how noisy is it? I'm looking to put in the pass through of our RV. I imagine I will only turn on the inverter when needing it
 
I see you used a wire to your computer, isn't there a wireless option for monitoring? Easy stuff like Power on/off, solar wats in etc?

Also how noisy is it? I'm looking to put in the pass through of our RV. I imagine I will only turn on the inverter when needing it
Dunno if there's a easy solution. There are ways to do it. You could look up "wireless rs232" for some ideas how. Either way, you need a serial port at the computer (can be through a USB to serial port adapter). If you're looking for easy monitoring, MPP solar probably isn't the best bet. The hardware is cheap for a reason.

Noisy as in sound level? It's pretty quiet. I wouldn't mind sitting next to it, but I also don't mind sitting next to enterprise computer hardware. There's just a fan spinning there to keep it cool.
 
Also how noisy is it? I'm looking to put in the pass through of our RV. I imagine I will only turn on the inverter when needing it
The fans are pretty noisy but only when the unit is charging. You can definitely tell when a cloudy day turns sunny and the controller dumps 20-30a into the battery bank. The fans spin up like crazy and then slowly mellow out. I really like the unit though. Simple to use, and it works without a hiccup. I have been running mine since March, zero issues.
 
All other things being equal, if you had to pick between either the MPP LV2424 or the Growatt 3000TL, which would you choose?

I've basically narrowed my search down to these two all-in-one inverters and am leaning towards the MPP. It seems to have a solid user base, decently documented features (if not by MPP, by the community members), and can be monitored easily (https://diysolarforum.com/threads/monitoring-mpp-clone-systems-with-freeware-pi-grafana.15712/).

The price is about the same for both. The Growatt provides a bit more power on paper (how truthful are these numbers) and Will seems to be a fan. Both are typical China quality which I'm ok with. Current supply seems to indicate that the Growatt could be a while before it is shipped (early May on watts247.com) and the MPP is in stock.

Really a tough decision I think.

Other aspects of my system:
  • 8x 272Ah LiFePO4 cells from the Lishen group buy taking the extremely slow boat from China (so the shipping time for the inverter may be moot) in a 24V setup
  • TBD 8S BMS - probably overkill
  • 2x300W solar panels that I got from Craigslist very cheap. I'll replace these eventually
  • Mostly used as a battery backup for computer systems, refridgerators, basic lights, and maybe 1-2 hours of space heating/window AC use (600W for heater, 650W for AC)
  • Probably add an inverter generator at some point too
I have some more details and the background of planning my system on my blog - https://austinsnerdythings.com/2021/03/15/my-diy-solar-system-with-battery-backup/


i know some of the Growatt's can operate without a battery; however, i'm not sure if the 3000TL will?

That to me is one disappointing feature of the MPP LV2424
 
One thing not yet mentioned is the warranty. It seems Growatt has a 5 year replace the unit at no cost warranty whereas MPP Solar has a 1 year free parts you pay postage warranty.

Growatt 5 year warranty per their website. It states "customer replace, faulty units return to Growatt" and "Growatt takes on the freight cost for products under warranty." Watts247 states a "2 yr swap out warranty." I am not sure the difference of the 2yr vs 5yr.

MPP Solar 1 year warranty per their website. It states "free replacement boards or parts will be supplied to customer without requiring any return and "customer will agree to a small charge to cover postage."
 
Oddly I rarely consider the warranty on items like these. I figure if they work out of the box, that is likely about as much warranty as I am going to get. I guess I should consider that going forward, but my MPP is the only "new" part in my system.
 
Gosh they are practically the same. And manufactured by voltronic. The only real difference I have found is that the growatt has a better manual and some of the growatt distributors have better customer support. That's about it. Both are great units. And if you open them up, they all look the same. Voltronic manufacturers most of these units: https://voltronicpower.com/en-US/Product/Solar-Products/Off-Grid-Inverter

Growatt seems to manufacture their own grid tie inverters. But I could be wrong. Please let me know if you find their third party manufacturer.
Can the Voltronic units be purchased in the USA?
 
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