Pool Pump Faulting - EG4 6000EX

[lboucher26]

Hi All

So i am getting concerned that my master plan might fall apart.
Long story short, one of my main plans in going solar was to power my pool pump, as it seems like the perfect, constant load, on all day.

Along this journey i learned that Variable Speed pool pumps are way way more efficient, so i upgrade 6 months ago (ish).
Black and Decker 1.5hp in Ground.

Pool pump always ran fine.
Finally got it hooke up to EG4-6000EX about 2 months ago.
Ran great for 1.5 months.
During this time, I had the inverter set to EG4 mode.

Then i had an issue with the 2 Lifepower4 batteries i have getting drained... So now i am a bit skittish to trust EG4 mode, based on other feedback on the forum.
I think this may have been because i had the dip switches on one battery wrong, and the inverter would only talk to 1 battery.
(I did talk to SS, got general support, and some vague answer, but not specifics. Does seem like a shortfall of the software.... Even in EG4 mode is should see the voltage cratering and do something....)

I currently am using Solar Assistant to connect to the batteries, and then Solar Assistant switches the inverter from SBU to SUB.

What i have found, is that when Solar Assistant changes the mode, the Pool Pump faults with a E-00.
This error is not in the manual.
Black and Decker Service was responsive, and told me about what i expected.
E-00 is a general fault where the pool pump doesn't know what happened...
Of course, they suggest i connect the Pool Pump direct to Grid all the time....

I think my next step is to remove Solar Assistant from the equation and try either EG4 Mode again or USE mode, and see how the Pool Pump behaves.

Anybody have similar experience?
Anybody else powering a Variable Speed Pool Pump off an EG4 inverter? If so, what brand of pump?
Any suggestions for a device to put between Inverter and Pool Pump that would "Smooth" or otherwise shield the pool pump from voltage transients when switching from SBU to SUB?

Thanks

 

[DIYPV]

I believe the problem is caused by the extremely slow switchover time from SBU to SUB. My TV and router will restart, and the lights throughout the house will flash when this switchover triggers.

Contact EG4 about it and hopefully with enough pushing from users, they can resolved with a future firmware update.

 

[Quattrohead]

USE mode and monitor the batteries and inverter with SA. Don't switch modes, KISS ?

 

[lboucher26]

Yeah.... Some call it a character flaw. Some fall it a feature!

 

[DIYPV]

I currently am using Solar Assistant to connect to the batteries, and then Solar Assistant switches the inverter from SBU to SUB.

Any suggestions for a device to put between Inverter and Pool Pump that would "Smooth" or otherwise shield the pool pump from voltage transients when switching from SBU to SUB?

Thanks

We need to address the slow switchover from SBU to SUB. Hopefully Ben from Signature Solar can help. @BenFromSignatureSolar

 

[jmjack]

We need to address the slow switchover from SBU to SUB. Hopefully Ben from Signature Solar can help. @BenFromSignatureSolar

Recommend USE mode for batteries and Option 3 set to UPS. I don’t experience anything in the house resetting when switching between modes.

 

[lboucher26]

Option 3 is set to UPS.

I agree the switchover should be faster

 

[DIYPV]

Recommend USE mode for batteries and Option 3 set to UPS. I don’t experience anything in the house resetting when switching between modes.

Maybe we have defective units.

Option 3 is set to UPS.

I agree the switchover should be faster

Ben or Peyton, can you help us resolve this?@BenFromSignatureSolar
@SignatureSolarPeyton

 

[lboucher26]

Hi all

So i have been trying various settings to get my battery voltage to stay within acceptable limits.
I think i have that pretty well understood from other posts.

However.... Today my pool pump faulted with an E-08 fault, which is undervoltage....
Also heard my PC UPS click over when it shouldn't have.
Seems my furnace blower definitely has a fair amount of inrush....

Here is a question i feel i shouldn't have to ask...
Anyone ever try using a 240VAC UPS to solve issues like this...

 

[lboucher26]

I'm wondering if putting one of these on the furnace blower would help.

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Soft-start-module-soft-Volt/dp/B083RDBD4S#aw-udpv3-customer-reviews_feature_div

 

[DIYPV]

I'm wondering if putting one of these on the furnace blower would help.

https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Soft-start-module-soft-Volt/dp/B083RDBD4S#aw-udpv3-customer-reviews_feature_div

Hi all

So i have been trying various settings to get my battery voltage to stay within acceptable limits.
I think i have that pretty well understood from other posts.

However.... Today my pool pump faulted with an E-08 fault, which is undervoltage....
Also heard my PC UPS click over when it shouldn't have.
Seems my furnace blower definitely has a fair amount of inrush....

Do you have SA graphs of when this error occurs? I think the error may be from the slow switchover from SBU to SUB while the pump is on. My electronics are often disrupted from this slow changeover.

 

[lboucher26]

Iv actually never been able to catch exactly when it happens. So I have plenty of SA data, but never know when the error occurred in the day... Will have to watch/test more over time.

All I can say with Certainty is that I have been standing next to furnace and it turn on and I hear my ups for computers beep. Which I wish didn't happen...

 

[Lt.Dan]

The transfer time from all of these inverters are simply not fast enough, and it's not a firmware update that can fix it, it's hardware. Conveniently EG4 does not publish the transfer time from battery to grid, so im assuming it's not great. 50ms or greater.

I had the same problem with 2x LV6548's, the transfer time would make everything reset everyday. It was even so long that it would make breakers trip overcurrent because the voltage would sag so much. Very annoying. I am now using a Sol-Ark 12k and my lights don't even flicker.

If you need the changeover to be faster, then you need different hardware.

 

[DIYPV]

The transfer time from all of these inverters are simply not fast enough, and it's not a firmware update that can fix it, it's hardware. Conveniently EG4 does not publish the transfer time from battery to grid, so im assuming it's not great. 50ms or greater.

I had the same problem with 2x LV6548's, the transfer time would make everything reset everyday. It was even so long that it would make breakers trip overcurrent because the voltage would sag so much. Very annoying. I am now using a Sol-Ark 12k and my lights don't even flicker.

If you need the changeover to be faster, then you need different hardware.

There might be a way for EG4 to adjust the switchover via firmware. I’ve manually triggered Grid Bypass (grid assist) with a load and found that the switchover time to be very fast without any disruption to my electronics.

I’ve emailed EG4 about this, but have not heard any response if this is plausible.

Maybe somebody from Signature Solar can chime in. @BenFromSignatureSolar @SignatureSolarPeyton @SignatureSolarJames

 

[lboucher26]

I'm 100% positive my issues don't happen on every switchover.... Wondering if it's during switchover where the load is imbalanced between the legs??? Just an un educated pondery.... in the end, no way I'm buying new hardware.... would never hear the end of it from the boss.... if I have to take the pool pump off the inverter I can do that and still use up the solar power by tying in a small water heater right was intended to use as a dump load.

 

[lboucher26]

Well, so i am now pretty sure the pool pump only faults on changover from SBU to SUB.... Just not every single time?
In any case


Settings below seem to be working. It does however seem annoying that with the min 2 amp charge from grid. Overnight or in low light. Basically the batteries slowly charge from 17% to 20% and repeat over and over. Seems like unnecessary mileage on batteries, but maybe its such a low C rate its irrelevant...

Would be awesome if SBU to SUB just worked... OR if there was a slower charge rate..

As of 7/6/2023
Setting Number	Value
1	SBU
2	UPS
3	120
4	60
5	blu
6	byd
7	lrd
8	trd
10	snu
11	100
13	2
14	use
17	56.7
18	54.5
19	47
20	51
21	52
22	esp
23	lof
24	bon
25	and
26	and
27	fen
28	sig
29	nrr
30	0
31	0
32	0
33	0
34	dis
95	4
96	21
97	6
98	7
99	23

 

[Skypower]

Am I missing something. Why the low charge rate and low state of charge?

 

[lboucher26]

My whole goal is to use as much solar as possible and not use grid. But if there is no solar and battery drained use grid. I don't really ever want to charge batteries from grid. That just seems inefficient and un needed use of the batteries in my case. So I set it to charge as slow as possible.

I was using eg4 mode set to state of charge 20% But for whatever reason the inverter firmware let the voltage drop until batteries were dead even though it thought state of charge was 20%. Use mode has seemed more reliable and with a setting 20 of 51volts it tends to maintain a min of 17%

What settings do u suggest?

 

[Skypower]

I use Solar Assistant to do my grid buying off peak if needed. This is just an example what I use when it’s hot, use lots of hvac and no space or shade less areas for more panels. If the SOC runs into the vertical red line(SUB) about 1AM it charges at an efficient rate about of 60 amps until it crosses over the green line where it goes back to SBU. Note if the inverter sees ANY PV it drops down grid load to near flat line and lets PV do the rest which may take a while and run into higher rates. This is why I do it early before the sun rises so it gets it done so it can pop into SBU and not get caught in SUB too long. Also if the SOC crosses over the red peak, it doesn’t need grid that day. Confused yet? My example, yours will probably need to be tweaked for your own purposes.

 

[DIYPV]

Well, so i am now pretty sure the pool pump only faults on changover from SBU to SUB.... Just not every single time?
In any case


Settings below seem to be working. It does however seem annoying that with the min 2 amp charge from grid. Overnight or in low light. Basically the batteries slowly charge from 17% to 20% and repeat over and over. Seems like unnecessary mileage on batteries, but maybe its such a low C rate its irrelevant...

Would be awesome if SBU to SUB just worked... OR if there was a slower charge rate..

As of 7/6/2023
Setting Number	Value
1	SBU
2	UPS
3	120
4	60
5	blu
6	byd
7	lrd
8	trd
10	snu
11	100
13	2
14	use
17	56.7
18	54.5
19	47
20	51
21	52
22	esp
23	lof
24	bon
25	and
26	and
27	fen
28	sig
29	nrr
30	0
31	0
32	0
33	0
34	dis
95	4
96	21
97	6
98	7
99	23

View attachment 156151

How many hours of full sun do your panels get? I would think 3k of panels would easily charge your batteries to 100% SOC everyday.

Can you share the last 7 days data from the 3rd tab in Solar Assistant?