RESOLVED: EG4 6500EX and 6000EX Lights Flickering FIRMWARE

[Sundown]

Will this update help me any?

RESOLVED: EG4 6500EX and 6000EX Lights Flickering FIRMWARE

Just did the updates on the 6500EX. I'd like to share a few observations. 1) After hours of trying to get the update done I finally succeeded by purchasing the USB to Serial (RS232) adapter cable. 2) I still have a very bad flicker in my LR flood lights (a set of 8 LED lights). At times they...

diysolarforum.com

 

[Zapper77]

I have light flicker while PV is charging the battery. Once I have a load kick on, like the heat pump, it goes away, or at night when it pulls straight from the battery. My two EG4 6500 inverters (in split phase config) were purchased last April/May timeframe. Will this update help me any?

It helped. But not 100%

 

[LydMekk]

Sidecomment to help out: I see a lot of people having issues who also have YouTube videos posted. A LOT of these have very thin wires going from the inverters to the loads...up your gauges people!
Too thin wires will have a significant voltage sag under medium to high loads, especially if going long distances to the main fuseboard from the inverters.
I know copper are expensive but if you already are hipdeep in the bog with the cost of your equipment, keep on swimming and buy the liferaft (heavy copper cables)...

 

[kurts]

I have two EG6500ex off grid and I am also having the flickering lights and my power has turned off and back on 6 times in the last month, it turns off my tv and I have to reset all clocks. Happens during the day so far so I am guessing it is during charging. Its a new house, all wires are big. I also have an ARC fault breaker that pops immediately, it worked fine before so it may not be associated with the EG4. How do I update firmware if I only have Apple computers? What other inverters should I be looking at? I can not afford to have issues like this, I was without power for 6 weeks waiting for replacement inverters after my first ones died, oddly my previous inverters did not flicker.

 

[PreppenWolf]

Personally I would not use arc fault breakers with any AIO. The switching of sources is going to make them susceptible to constant popping.

Have you watched the SS NG video, updated your firmware and rewired accordingly for common neutral?

 

[Zwy]

Sidecomment to help out: I see a lot of people having issues who also have YouTube videos posted. A LOT of these have very thin wires going from the inverters to the loads...up your gauges people!
Too thin wires will have a significant voltage sag under medium to high loads, especially if going long distances to the main fuseboard from the inverters.
I know copper are expensive but if you already are hipdeep in the bog with the cost of your equipment, keep on swimming and buy the liferaft (heavy copper cables)...

That isn't the cause, I have 4 AWG running between on mine.

 

[Zwy]

At first I thought I didn't have any flicker issues. I had been testing and had the AC input turned off. Swapped 2 breakers around just to see if it would help on balance between the 2 inverters, my wife turned on the kitchen light and television in the kitchen and a very pronounced strobe effect started on the lights where the inverters are located. I swapped those 2 breakers back into the original position, the pronounced strobe did not reappear for those lights.

However, I do get the flicker on occasion, it is due to one inverter and the circuits powered by it. The swap of the 2 breakers confirms it is related to the one inverter. It is the slave inverter and not the master. I do not have any dimmers on my lights.

What have I observed? It is voltage fluctuation that causes it. I have it on a video, output voltage fluctuates between 112V to 126V on the slave inverter while the master is rock steady at 120V output. Of course, wattage on the slave output fluctuates due to the voltage fluctuation. Battery voltage is steady. The flicker will disappear as soon as the inverter output voltage stabilizes.

The problem is the inverter can not maintain line voltage, it's that simple. I doubt the firmware will help. I will check the firmware versions in both later today but as this was a pair, I'm fairly certain it will be the same version in both.

@SignatureSolarJames I will be in contact until the matter is resolved. I am quite certain the problem is voltage regulation.

 

[SignatureSolarJames]

At first I thought I didn't have any flicker issues. I had been testing and had the AC input turned off. Swapped 2 breakers around just to see if it would help on balance between the 2 inverters, my wife turned on the kitchen light and television in the kitchen and a very pronounced strobe effect started on the lights where the inverters are located. I swapped those 2 breakers back into the original position, the pronounced strobe did not reappear for those lights.

However, I do get the flicker on occasion, it is due to one inverter and the circuits powered by it. The swap of the 2 breakers confirms it is related to the one inverter. It is the slave inverter and not the master. I do not have any dimmers on my lights.

What have I observed? It is voltage fluctuation that causes it. I have it on a video, output voltage fluctuates between 112V to 126V on the slave inverter while the master is rock steady at 120V output. Of course, wattage on the slave output fluctuates due to the voltage fluctuation. Battery voltage is steady. The flicker will disappear as soon as the inverter output voltage stabilizes.

The problem is the inverter can not maintain line voltage, it's that simple. I doubt the firmware will help. I will check the firmware versions in both later today but as this was a pair, I'm fairly certain it will be the same version in both.

@SignatureSolarJames I will be in contact until the matter is resolved. I am quite certain the problem is voltage regulation.

good feedback, will review this with RD.

 

[Zwy]

good feedback, will review this with RD.

I may have found a solution in my case. Will update in a few days if it is resolved.

 

[Zwy]

good feedback, will review this with RD.

Thought the problem was resolved but it came back this morning. Same inverter, 2P2 and output voltage now fluctuates between 111V and 128V, prior to this it was 112V to 126V.

This evening I intend to swap a few circuits in critical loads panel to 2P1 and see if the problem appears on 2P1.

The problem is definitely output voltage related, when the voltage keeps jumping up and down, the lights in the house pulsate.

 

[Quattrohead]

You absolutely have a faulty inverter, I don't even know why this is still a question.
My SP6548 pair are solid at 120 volts AC output except when one or both hit near maximum load like when the AC turns on as well as the dryer and water heater already running, then you can see a dip of a volt or two for a moment until they put their shoulders into it.

 

[Zwy]

You absolutely have a faulty inverter, I don't even know why this is still a question.

My thoughts are the same. My furnace is on that leg and I will swap it to the other leg. Just to ensure it isn't something with the blower motor on the furnace. The inverter should be able to regulate the voltage better, if you can see it shift, it means the inverter is not working regarding output voltage regulation.

My SP6548 pair are solid at 120 volts AC output except when one or both hit near maximum load like when the AC turns on as well as the dryer and water heater already running, then you can see a dip of a volt or two for a moment until they put their shoulders into it.

Gas powervent water heater is on other leg, never bothers, rock steady at 120V output. Refrigerator and one freezer also. Luckily my office is on that leg, I can imagine what it would do to the PC.

 

[SolarScott]

My thoughts are the same. My furnace is on that leg and I will swap it to the other leg. Just to ensure it isn't something with the blower motor on the furnace. The inverter should be able to regulate the voltage better, if you can see it shift, it means the inverter is not working regarding output voltage regulation.


Gas powervent water heater is on other leg, never bothers, rock steady at 120V output. Refrigerator and one freezer also. Luckily my office is on that leg, I can imagine what it would do to the PC.

Mine only does it under PV high output.....battery and pass thru grid when there is not a high amount of PV....steady as a rock, no flicker.

 

[Zwy]

Mine only does it under PV high output.....battery and pass thru grid when there is not a high amount of PV....steady as a rock, no flicker.

I was running 4 Kw input on a single SCC controller for each inverter today and I never saw the light pulsation and output voltage holds steady at 120V. I see this in the morning and evening.

 

[Quattrohead]

I know we are talking about a slightly different version but just for complete information, mine have no PV input at all and are running only 240 volt loads, so the only slight imbalance they ever see is the dryer drum motor.
I get the impression there are quite a few small faults that these can run with that are not showstoppers but very annoying. They are as stout as a rugby player when working well though.

 

[Zwy]

My thoughts are the same. My furnace is on that leg and I will swap it to the other leg. Just to ensure it isn't something with the blower motor on the furnace. The inverter should be able to regulate the voltage better, if you can see it shift, it means the inverter is not working regarding output voltage regulation.

Swapped furnace to the other leg, made the problem worse. The inverter with the output voltage regulation problem would still have voltage swinging constantly when the furnace runs on the other leg between 111V and 128V and the lights still on that leg would pulsate more intensely. Meanwhile the other inverter remains rock solid at 120V and it was running the furnace.

Gas powervent water heater is on other leg, never bothers, rock steady at 120V output. Refrigerator and one freezer also. Luckily my office is on that leg, I can imagine what it would do to the PC.

I swapped the furnace breaker back to the original leg it was on, the pulsation is less intense. Last night, bedroom nightstand light would pulsate. the other freezer was running and that leg is the inverter with the fluctuating output voltage.

I sent in an email to SS support yesterday, I received a response stating it was moved to technical support. I will now find out if their support has improved or is as bad as some here have reported.

 

[kurts]

I also have the pulsing lights, the updated firmware seemed better for a day or two but its back. I also have my whole system shut down for a few seconds only when solar is charging, it has happened 11 times in a month... I can no longer wait for a fix, I waited 6 weeks for these replacement inverters and my patience is about up. My electronic equipment is going to fail if I keep having my power turned off every couple of days. Has anyone had issues with the the EG4 6000 units? I need to find a reliable inverter that works with my EG4 battery bank since I am off grid.

 

[Zwy]

I woke up this morning with the thought the laptop I had connected to the Batrium with the USB to RJ patch cable was plugged into the same circuit as the furnace. There was a junction box for the furnace circuit and I needed to move an outlet where the battery bank was to be located so I just ran a new wire from that junction box to the outlet.

I put the Batrium on WiFi and took the laptop with me to the shop and plugged it in there which is on grid power. Problem still there, inverter output voltage stills won't hold steady on that inverter. I will probably swap some more circuits to the other leg and see if it changes but I doubt it will. The inverter is defective and can't hold output voltage.

 

[SolarScott]

I also have the pulsing lights, the updated firmware seemed better for a day or two but its back. I also have my whole system shut down for a few seconds only when solar is charging, it has happened 11 times in a month... I can no longer wait for a fix, I waited 6 weeks for these replacement inverters and my patience is about up. My electronic equipment is going to fail if I keep having my power turned off every couple of days. Has anyone had issues with the the EG4 6000 units? I need to find a reliable inverter that works with my EG4 battery bank since I am off grid.

Three EG4 6000's have been running for a while now with only flicker problem. A few minutes (yesterday now) ago all power to house went off. Went to battery room and the inverters were in the process of restarting. Checked my settings and they were all over the place. Voltage had reset to 110 instead of 120. Hz reset to 50 instead of 60 battery type changed to flooded instead of USE. AC input was not shown to be connected. Display screens go to what looks like off position and you have to hit one of the arrow buttons to turn them on. Host and slave were switching back and forth multiple times while I was investigating. Perplexing as hell. Not sure what is going on here. Anyone else have this happen? I believe I have been up and running since late December with only flicker to worry about.

I have been running my house back on grid today to see what happens. I have my settings on SNU solar and grid charging....but all day it has only been charging with solar....my batteries have taken all day to approach full, when the day before the shut down I made 52 KW and batteries were full right after noon. I am perplexed. When my freeze drier finishes this run I will be able to do some more investigation.

 

[kurts]

Three EG4 6000's have been running for a while now with only flicker problem. A few minutes (yesterday now) ago all power to house went off. Went to battery room and the inverters were in the process of restarting. Checked my settings and they were all over the place. Voltage had reset to 110 instead of 120. Hz reset to 50 instead of 60 battery type changed to flooded instead of USE. AC input was not shown to be connected. Display screens go to what looks like off position and you have to hit one of the arrow buttons to turn them on. Host and slave were switching back and forth multiple times while I was investigating. Perplexing as hell. Not sure what is going on here. Anyone else have this happen? I believe I have been up and running since late December with only flicker to worry about.

I have been running my house back on grid today to see what happens. I have my settings on SNU solar and grid charging....but all day it has only been charging with solar....my batteries have taken all day to approach full, when the day before the shut down I made 52 KW and batteries were full right after noon. I am perplexed. When my freeze drier finishes this run I will be able to do some more investigation.

Thanks for the update, I was really hoping I could just buy a couple of the 6000's and move one from the 6500's. Any idea if growatt is reliable? The two 6500's that I bought in November worked great for 4 days until they blew, after 6 weeks and 4 display units I got power back on but my lights flicker and my power goes off every day or two. I have an Outback inverter running a beach home in Mexico since 2007 with zero issues, I was hoping the new style inverters were going to hold up.