Parallel LV6548 programming questions/verification

[ashigaru]

Esteemed community:
Please excuse the long post.
I seem to be missing something going through commissioning steps on page 57 of the manual. Any help/clarification would be greatly appreciated.
I also don't seem to see anything related in the forums or other searches on this question. If I missed something please post a link. Thanks.

1. So I'm getting ready to commission my LV6548 system. It is 4 inverters/ 2 in each phase like pg 53 of the manual.
Pg 57 says: "Step 2: Turn on all units and configure LCD program 28 as 2P1 and 2P2 sequentially. And then shut down all
units.
NOET(spelling theirs): It’s necessary to turn off switch when setting LCD program. Otherwise, the setting cannot be programmed.
Step 3: Turn on all units sequentially.

2. So going to the programming steps pg 56 it says"
"When the units are operated in split phase application, please choose “2PX” to define each inverter. It is required to have at least 2 inverters or maximum 6 inverters to support split-phase equipment. It’s required to have at least one inverter in each phase or it’s up to three inverters in one phase.

Please refers to 5-2 for detailed information.

Please select “2P1” in program 28 for the inverters connected to L1 phase, “2P2” in program 28 for the inverters connected to L2 phase. And it can choose 120°or 180°
phase difference for “2P2”. "

3. So my questions are:
a. I can't find a section "5-2" anywhere for more detailed information. (maybe not important or could be the steps in pg 57?)
b. Most importantly: From what I seem to understand is that "both" inverters on phase one would be labelled as "2P1" and "both" inverters on phase 2 as "2P2".
c. How does one know master from slave or is that automatic? Communication wires setup per
d. Is there another switch or is it the on/off button on front panel as shown on pages 3 item #6 and page 13 as examples?.
e. So turn them on by front panel switch to bootup. Program for #28 then turn off by the front panel switch? Then turn everything on again?

Just want to get it right before startup!
Thanks for the clarifications!
Best

 

[Samsonite801]

3. So my questions are:
a. I can't find a section "5-2" anywhere for more detailed information. (maybe not important or could be the steps in pg 57?)

Yeah, you could try to email them and ask about that section 5-2 thing, so they could fix the manual, since it's not there.

b. Most importantly: From what I seem to understand is that "both" inverters on phase one would be labelled as "2P1" and "both" inverters on phase 2 as "2P2".

Yeah, both inverters on L1 should be 2P1, and both on L2 should be 2P2

c. How does one know master from slave or is that automatic? Communication wires setup per

Just make sure the sync cabling is right, I'm not sure (with that funky sync cabling topology) which inverters they use as master clock(s), and send signals to which slave(s). Or not even sure if they designate a master/slave architecture like for example Sunny Island where they want you to specifically power up the slave inverter first, and then the master. MPP Solar instructions here seem to indicate:

"Step 3: Turn on all units sequentially."

Whatever that means anyways. Maybe that's left to right, as seen in the below diagram? Or does it matter? Each of those cable connections, might be a separate master/slave clock signal connection to its counterpart I suppose.

Cabling reference:

d. Is there another switch or is it the on/off button on front panel as shown on pages 3 item #6 and page 13 as examples?.

Yeah, use the main power on/off button.

e. So turn them on by front panel switch to bootup. Program for #28 then turn off by the front panel switch? Then turn everything on again?

Just want to get it right before startup!
Thanks for the clarifications!
Best

Also did you make sure to set the parameter for PAL?



And also the 180 on the 2P2's:



I have 4 of these inverters too but I haven't got them wired in yet, so my knowledge is from reading other people's posts, the manual, or watching You Tube videos, mine are still in the box, out in the shop, will be going in soon.

 

[ashigaru]

Thanks Samsonite801 for the reply! Much appreciated.

Yep- and 5-1 doesn't exist in the manual either under item #28 PAL setting There are a few more discrepancies I won't get into here.

I'm with you in trying to get as much info under the belt as possible. The more I look into it the more info I seemed to need.

I really didn't find much of anything related on youtube. Watched dozens of videos though and read tons of forum posts. Some nice systems people have built out there.

The 'comm' cables are connected per the manual illustration (as you also listed), thanks. Also checked for loose/unconnected 'comm' cables.
Item#28 was where I was hung up as the inverters would only list 'SIG' when starting and wouldn't change which started the search for more info.

I ran across your response to SolarEddie here on a startup procedure he was using for testing buried in an unrelated post after my first post:

MPP Solar LV6548 AC Input and Output Main Panel and Sub Panel Wiring

Here hehe: https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/all-codes-and-standards/list-of-codes-and-standards/detail?code=70 I usually just google about specific NEC related concerns... And after years, you start to remember more and more of what you had researched. Basically to start to remember...

diysolarforum.com

Another programming post from mpp-solar rebrand:
Looks like they all have to be on at the same time to program during shutdown window.

EG4 6500EX programing question

Thanks for looking. I have 2 EG4 inverters that I'm wanting to phase for 240V but my array isn't finished. The Inverters are set to SBU in menu 1 and EG4/USE for menu 5. When I go to Menu 28 to assign 2P1/2P2, it won't allow the change and just says "Sig". I'm assuming it wants to see a PV...

diysolarforum.com

I will be testing again in a couple days as I seem to have come down with covid crud so trying to recuperate but appreciate the help.
I hope these questions and answers will help others on their journey.
Thanks for your generous time.
Best

 

[Samsonite801]

Thanks Samsonite801 for the reply! Much appreciated.

Yep- and 5-1 doesn't exist in the manual either under item #28 PAL setting There are a few more discrepancies I won't get into here.

I'm with you in trying to get as much info under the belt as possible. The more I look into it the more info I seemed to need.

I really didn't find much of anything related on youtube. Watched dozens of videos though and read tons of forum posts. Some nice systems people have built out there.

The 'comm' cables are connected per the manual illustration (as you also listed), thanks. Also checked for loose/unconnected 'comm' cables.
Item#28 was where I was hung up as the inverters would only list 'SIG' when starting and wouldn't change which started the search for more info.

I ran across your response to SolarEddie here on a startup procedure he was using for testing buried in an unrelated post after my first post:

MPP Solar LV6548 AC Input and Output Main Panel and Sub Panel Wiring

Here hehe: https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/all-codes-and-standards/list-of-codes-and-standards/detail?code=70 I usually just google about specific NEC related concerns... And after years, you start to remember more and more of what you had researched. Basically to start to remember...

diysolarforum.com

Another programming post from mpp-solar rebrand:
Looks like they all have to be on at the same time to program during shutdown window.

EG4 6500EX programing question

Thanks for looking. I have 2 EG4 inverters that I'm wanting to phase for 240V but my array isn't finished. The Inverters are set to SBU in menu 1 and EG4/USE for menu 5. When I go to Menu 28 to assign 2P1/2P2, it won't allow the change and just says "Sig". I'm assuming it wants to see a PV...

diysolarforum.com

I will be testing again in a couple days as I seem to have come down with covid crud so trying to recuperate but appreciate the help.
I hope these questions and answers will help others on their journey.
Thanks for your generous time.
Best

Yeah Covid sucks, I had it two different times, a year apart, not super bad (in my cases anyways, thank God), but annoying enough, was glad when I got better both times.


Yeah I figured I would've had my LV6548s all installed by now (I've had them in storage for more than 2 years now just sitting!), but I did finally get my shop installed now. Still need to cement the ground mount poles in and put that together.

For now I am still using my motorhome 12v system with 16x 400w solar panels, 2 Victron charge controllers, 22 KWh 24x 280Ah cell LFP 6-pack with OverKill BMSs, and Magnum 2800w inverter, it has done well to keep me operational until I get the MPP Solar system online.

Good luck, post back on how things go. I may need the tips too. It used to be the MPP Solar was popular and more people tinkering with them, now seems lots of people moving to the EG4 solutions, probably very similar firmware.

I noticed on one of my neighbor's 6500EXs, his even had a Watchpower CD software disk with it, same like MPP Solar, so it's likely setup on those is very similar.

I saw another one of my neighbors with a set of 6500EXs, and his also had the 2P1 and 2P2 in his menu options, so maybe you could also refer to their manual and see how it compares, just for reference. Perhaps there are some missing clues in that manual.

 

[ashigaru]

Thanks again Samsonite801.
I appreciate it.

 

[Samsonite801]

Yep- and 5-1 doesn't exist in the manual either under item #28 PAL setting There are a few more discrepancies I won't get into here.

I just realized from reviewing my own screenshots above the PAL thing doesn't matter, it's still on Option #28 for both of those screenshots, it's the same parameter as is for 2P1 and 2P2 / 180°...

Keep in mind I haven't seen the menus yet with my own 2 eyes. PAL looks to be only for operating a single phase (not split-phase), as 120v but multple inverters in parallel. Otherwise it would be set to 2P1 and 2P2 / 180° for the split-phase implementation.

Does this look correct based on your experience browsing the menus?

 

[ashigaru]

Hey Samsonite801,
I was thinking the same thing on the PAL setting but I haven't tried it yet. I was going to try it again also. Last time I tried programming the settings it wouldn't go to PAL. I couldn't get it to goto 2P1 etc but I didn't understand to program the inverter in 'off' mode. That is what prompted my initial postings. I hope to test later this week.
Best!

 

[ashigaru]

Hey Samsonite801,
Just wanted to give you a startup procedure update. This system is off-grid so no AC input and is setup as 2 inverters in parallel per phase (pg 55 of manual)
We had a few issues with trying to program the inverters with just the batteries turned on and no PV input. I read somewhere (not the manual) to only have the batteries "ON". The inverters would shut themselves off before the programming completed.
On a fluke we turned on the PV panels breakers (it was daytime) and the inverters programmed thereafter without a hitch.
Hopefully this is not too pedantic but I didn't want to blow all the work and money spent.
I used the following steps:
1. Recheck all wiring on comms cables and AC output
2. Make sure the AC output breakers at output panel are "OFF"
3. Ensure inverters are "OFF" (on/off button is "out") pg 13 of manual
4. Turn on mechanical battery switches (if used)
5. Turn on BMS to enable battery to inverters (if used)
6. Turn on PV Panels input to inverters
7. At this point the inverters will turn on but should be in like a standby mode. If the on/off button was inadvertently on just rurn it back to off before programming.
8. Program both P1's (L1) setting 28 to 2P1 (pgs 55 & 56 of manual)
9. Program both P2's (L2) settings to 2P2 180 degrees (pg 56 of manual)
10. Turn "ON" the inverters and wait until booted up (15-20 seconds)
11. Verify output voltages and turn on AC output breakers
12. Enjoy!

The system has been running superbly ever since.
It can handle the shop's compressor running, well pump kicking on/off and air conditioners running.
Hopefully this will help someone else in their quest.
73

 

[Samsonite801]

Hey Samsonite801,
Just wanted to give you a startup procedure update. This system is off-grid so no AC input and is setup as 2 inverters in parallel per phase (pg 55 of manual)
We had a few issues with trying to program the inverters with just the batteries turned on and no PV input. I read somewhere (not the manual) to only have the batteries "ON". The inverters would shut themselves off before the programming completed.
On a fluke we turned on the PV panels breakers (it was daytime) and the inverters programmed thereafter without a hitch.
Hopefully this is not too pedantic but I didn't want to blow all the work and money spent.
I used the following steps:
1. Recheck all wiring on comms cables and AC output
2. Make sure the AC output breakers at output panel are "OFF"
3. Ensure inverters are "OFF" (on/off button is "out") pg 13 of manual
4. Turn on mechanical battery switches (if used)
5. Turn on BMS to enable battery to inverters (if used)
6. Turn on PV Panels input to inverters
7. At this point the inverters will turn on but should be in like a standby mode. If the on/off button was inadvertently on just rurn it back to off before programming.
8. Program both P1's (L1) setting 28 to 2P1 (pgs 55 & 56 of manual)
9. Program both P2's (L2) settings to 2P2 180 degrees (pg 56 of manual)
10. Turn "ON" the inverters and wait until booted up (15-20 seconds)
11. Verify output voltages and turn on AC output breakers
12. Enjoy!

The system has been running superbly ever since.
It can handle the shop's compressor running, well pump kicking on/off and air conditioners running.
Hopefully this will help someone else in their quest.
73

Thanks for taking the time to retrace all your steps in one spot here. I pasted this text into my install notes, it will be helpful for me to refer back to.

I'm not even 100% sure on what steps I will actually have to perform on my inverters as-shipped. I remember when I bought my two sets from MPP Solar (I bought in two separate shipments, pairs of inverters to get my 4), both times they said they put my systems into lab bench tests prior to shipment, which they said added an extra week to the delivery time, but for all I know maybe they already set up the paralleling params (she indicated they tested the system as a whole), I'll check these settings when I first get the displays fired up on standby.

It seems like going from one pair to two pairs of these doesn't change any settings, only adds the extra cabling so all four are talking.

Thanks!

 

[ashigaru]

Hey Samsonite801,
Hope the program notes helps.
Since they shipped yours in 2 batches you might still have to program them from 'PAL' to 2P1, 2P2, etc. You'll know when they start up as they should say on the display what they are set at.
Best

 

[PreppenWolf]

I can confirm you need to have continuity on either AC In or Solar In to turn on my 6500EXs.

Also ensure you correctly set the 2P2 assigned inverters to 180° and verify the output with a multimeter.

I am running (2) units. (1) 2P1 Master and (1) 2P2 Slave.

Note if you toggle the inverters from "On" to "Standby" you should always turn the 2P1 assigned inverters back to "On" first.

I've never gotten a fault, but I have noticed they sync and activate faster if you avoid activating the 2P2 before the 2P1.