Rant: EG4 48v 100ah battery has faulty BMS. Signature solar customer service is TERRIBLE

[12VoltInstalls]

You may have significant voltage drop at the vacuum cleaner plug during that peak which would result in lower peak current reading.

Is that how algebra works ?!
W=V*A
Startup is a surge because it’s like a diminishing short. Amps being high is how it shut down….

 

[AntronX]

Is that how algebra works ?!
W=V*A

Without knowing voltage at that precise point in time when current is highest you cannot know for sure if that 33A peak reading is accurate. Lets say AC voltage sags to 100V at 33A. Then at 120V peak current will be 120/(100/33)=39.6A
There may be significant voltage drop in the house wiring during this test so the assumption that 33A happens at 120V is not accurate. Both voltage at the power plug and current must be measured at the same time.

 

[robby]

Without knowing voltage at that precise point in time when current is highest you cannot know for sure if that 33A peak reading is accurate. Lets say AC voltage sags to 100V at 33A. Then at 120V peak current will be 120/(100/33)=39.6A
There may be significant voltage drop in the house wiring during this test so the assumption that 33A happens at 120V is not accurate. Both voltage at the power plug and current must be measured at the same time.

It's possible that is why I even added in an insane 50% increase in current and it still does not get near the listed tripping point. I have seen enough of these EG4 LifePower posts for me to start personally believing the BMS they use has some sort of surge issue. It's does not seem to be a problem in the EG4LL only the Lifepower.

 

[AntronX]

I have seen enough of these EG4 LifePower posts for me to start personally believing the BMS they use has some sort of surge issue.

It very well may have an issue. It could have short circuit detection implemented by measuring the speed of current rise and not just reacting to current level setpoint. This has to be tested by someone with access to this battery and digital oscilloscope with DC current probe or shunt.

To me it looks like the guys at EG4 are simply rebadging some Chinese engineered battery without a clue to what's going on inside. We should probably start buying these direct from the manufacturer.

 

[robby]

It very well may have an issue. It could have short circuit detection implemented by measuring the speed of current rise and not just reacting to current level setpoint. This has to be tested by someone with access to this battery and digital oscilloscope with DC current probe or shunt.

To me it looks like the guys at EG4 are simply rebadging some Chinese engineered battery without a clue to what's going on inside. We should probably start buying these direct from the manufacturer.

It's becoming painfully obvious that no one really seems to know the specs much less the details of how this BMS works. I know Richard is trying his best but it's not easy figuring out all this stuff when your not working directly with the Hardware and Software engineers that designed it.

As for buying from China direct, that sounds like a huge risk. I have seen the manufactures website and it does not look like they really cater to small fry. They do have a reseller in China that seems to rebadge the exterior for other companies and they offer the Generic battery for sale, but when you factor in shipping it's not a huge savings unless your buying a container load at a time.

 

[mberding]

I checked my email this morning and found that I was refunded an additional $299.80. This brings my total refunded amount up to $1,238.85.

 

[Solar Guy Richard]

I checked my email this morning and found that I was refunded an additional $299.80. This brings my total refunded amount up to $1,238.85.

I refunded 100% of restocking fees. The only monies paid at this point were shipping costs - money that was not retained by SS. Additionally, the battery you returned was sold for an overall total loss.

 

[Solar Guy Richard]

Shipping costs, by the way were : 189.12 shipping to you and 260.15 to return the unit.

 

[Solar388]

While I am sure you dont consider your experience a 10 as in perfect, it was resolved. I am sure that with resolution on your side on this issue you can change the title of the thread to RESOLVED instead of RANT. At least that is what I would do and request from an admin if it was needed at that level.

 

[robby]

While I am sure you dont consider your experience a 10 as in perfect, it was resolved. I am sure that with resolution on your side on this issue you can change the title of the thread to RESOLVED instead of RANT. At least that is what I would do and request from an admin if it was needed at that level.

Typically you don't change the title because it makes all the posts in here look like they are talking about nothing. What is typically done is that the thread is locked. Will-P is not big on locking threads so who knows.

 

[robby]

I refunded 100% of restocking fees. The only monies paid at this point were shipping costs - money that was not retained by SS. Additionally, the battery you returned was sold for an overall total loss.

Richard that is a much fairer deal. We use to lose money all the time on CS Problems but we also gained new customers because of those loses.

 

[Solar Guy Richard]

Richard that is a much fairer deal. We use to lose money all the time on CS Problems but we also gained new customers because of those loses.

Totally agree - I just want the community to know that we did not profit on this in any way and that we are trying to find a fair deal for everyone. Signature Solar already maintains some of the tightest margins in the industry I believe based on our pricing, but we also have some of the best service in the industry I believe.

 

[Bluedog225]

If it were me, I’d put a big [Edit-…] in front of post No. 1.

Glad it got worked out.

 

[Mahendra Gomanie]

Totally agree - I just want the community to know that we did not profit on this in any way and that we are trying to find a fair deal for everyone. Signature Solar already maintains some of the tightest margins in the industry I believe based on our pricing, but we also have some of the best service in the industry I believe.

In all fairness.
We were contents with the refund from SS

 

[ColeMan]

Totally agree - I just want the community to know that we did not profit on this in any way and that we are trying to find a fair deal for everyone. Signature Solar already maintains some of the tightest margins in the industry I believe based on our pricing, but we also have some of the best service in the industry I believe.

I don't like that you're here trumpeting on about how great you think are.
That's what YOUR website is for.
If you're so wonderful, deal with the OP privately
then let him inform the people here accordingly.
This is unprofessional, and it's unlikely we'd ever do business.

 

[jberger]

Based on the content of this thread and the constant bashing from some posters, the guy is just making sure his side of the story is told and his facts are made public.
I don't blame him a bit, as even the title of the thread is an attack.

Everyone wants the sellers to engage and provide information, but then it becomes very personal in the attacks. Civil discourse is fine, but there are plenty of uncivil posts in this thread. If we really want to communicate, share and learn, we need to do it in a positive manner and keep things from becoming so negative.

 

[Solar Guy Richard]

I don't like that you're here trumpeting on about how great you think are.
That's what YOUR website is for.
If you're so wonderful, deal with the OP privately
then let him inform the people here accordingly.
This is unprofessional, and it's unlikely we'd ever do business.

I think you need to go through my post history if you think that I'm on here 'trumpeting' about how good I am or SS is. I literally help tons of people here, that's all I'm here for. I was simply pointing out to people what had happened in this specific situation. We did deal with OP privately - and then there was a public post made and I feel that it's fair for us to show our side and explain the how, what, and why behind what we are doing so everyone can know what to expect. If you think SS being a transparent company is a reason to not do business with us, or that it's unprofessional, I think you are going to have a lot of people disagree with you on that. As far as letting him inform people here accordingly, how exactly would you expect him to know our profit margins or profit/loss on a specific unit? Anyways, I'm always here to help if you have any questions about EG4 products and happy to help if you do decide to do business with us.

 

[ColeMan]

I think you need to go through my post history if you think that I'm on here 'trumpeting' about how good I am or SS is. I literally help tons of people here, that's all I'm here for. I was simply pointing out to people what had happened in this specific situation. We did deal with OP privately - and then there was a public post made and I feel that it's fair for us to show our side and explain the how, what, and why behind what we are doing so everyone can know what to expect. If you think SS being a transparent company is a reason to not do business with us, or that it's unprofessional, I think you are going to have a lot of people disagree with you on that. As far as letting him inform people here accordingly, how exactly would you expect him to know our profit margins or profit/loss on a specific unit? Anyways, I'm always here to help if you have any questions about EG4 products and happy to help if you do decide to do business with us.

I'm not interested in going through 11 pages of posts.
Don't care if everyone on the internet disagrees with me.
I run my own company and would never dream of assuming a defensive
posture and/or engaging an unsatisfied customer in an internet forum.
This is merely one man's opinion, but the only thing you should have posted
in this thread was a profuse apology to the customer and an offer to either
replace his battery and you eat the shipping, or refund his money in full.
Going on about how you lost money on the deal and how tight
your margins are is whiny, unbecoming, and super unprofessional.
Rule #1- The customer is always right.
Rule #2- If the customer is wrong, refer to rule number 1.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

Going on about how you lost money on the deal and how tight
your margins are is whiny, unbecoming, and super unprofessional.
Rule #1- The customer is always right.
Rule #2- If the customer is wrong, refer to rule number 1.

I respect your opinion.

Yes, the customer is always right. However, in the world of social media (newsgroups aka message boards like this were the ‘original’ social media before farcebooker and nitwitt-er) that has progressed (sic) to the point that so many ‘reviews’ are fake and complaints have become an undue visible portion of the total customer experience of any product I don’t think being silent in defense of an overall company mission is entirely the only acceptable ’response.’
Naming the elephant in the room when adversarial public posts to a newsgroup that likely contains no one NOT in your primary market didn’t hurt my feelings at all. It’s 2022

Most people willfully expose themselves to media on a daily basis in which ‘news’ is gathered primarily in a one-sided confirmation-biased manner. In this situation, both sides engaged on the issue, others with varying opinion chimed in, and a best-case outcome was achieved.

Way more palatable than trying to sort out if the complainant was ignorantly venting- or not. The flaws and pluses of both the vendor and customer were made plain to see. The customer is always right- except when they aren’t- and respectful expression of that with ‘social media’ is no longer taboo like it would have been in 1994.

 

[Solar Guy Richard]

Honestly I’m just being transparent. I’m not taking a ‘defensive stance’ - I am simply sharing the what, why, and how so everyone understands what the customer experience is like when working with EG4 or Signature Solar. Sharing more information only helps everyone to improve their processes so the entire industry can grow. You can have your opinion and everyone else can have theirs. As soon as people don’t want me on this forum en masse I will gladly depart and only engage from a personal account.