RESOLVED: EG4 6500EX and 6000EX Lights Flickering FIRMWARE

[Zwy]

Why does the flickering bother everyone so much? I care not.

It's the voltage fluctuations that is the cause of the light flicker. The voltage fluctuations will eventually cause early failure of inductive loads such as a fridge, freezer, and motor driven loads. It will also cause circuit boards to fail, every appliance sold today has a circuit board in it.

 

[ChrisG]

It's the voltage fluctuations that is the cause of the light flicker. The voltage fluctuations will eventually cause early failure of inductive loads such as a fridge, freezer, and motor driven loads. It will also cause circuit boards to fail, every appliance sold today has a circuit board in it.

I don’t think voltage causes the flicker. Grid swings in voltage are much higher than inverter. Did some tests and flicker/shimmer or whatever you call it still occurs with a steady 120v from inverter. Does not happen with the grid swings.

 

[SolarPhoton]

Like the lights in this post? https://diysolarforum.com/threads/n...t-without-the-bonding-screw.53547/post-781863

No.. If you go to a light switch and turn the light on.. then off then on again real fast.. that's it. "single" flicker. Or more like a Blink.

 

[SolarPhoton]

With the fridg and freezer not on the solar inverter. And the only load is old incandescent light bulbs (2).. and I'm still getting the Blink. I'm thinking that if I do go for something else for a inverter and solar controller combo I'm going to have the same problem.
Then if I go for a separate Solar controller charger and separate inverter plus the other do-dads that go with it.. that's double what I bought the EG4 6500ex for. Wow.. this just got out of hand.

 

[Zwy]

No.. If you go to a light switch and turn the light on.. then off then on again real fast.. that's it. "single" flicker. Or more like a Blink.

Sounds normal to me. Every inverter I have will blink the lights slightly when the well kicks in.

How large is your battery?

 

[Adam De Lay]

Typically a slight, quick dimming might happen when a larger load kicks in and that's normal. I've seen it on multiple inverters and I have that happen on grid power as well.

The problem though I see is that you're having it happen when you're only load is an incandescent bulb. That doesn't make any sense to me at all. With only the bulbs as the load, are you only seeing the blink/dimming around specific times, maybe around the time the inverter is switching off solar?

 

[Zwy]

I don’t think voltage causes the flicker. Grid swings in voltage are much higher than inverter. Did some tests and flicker/shimmer or whatever you call it still occurs with a steady 120v from inverter. Does not happen with the grid swings.

This video was showing Solar Assistant had no effect on the voltage fluctuations but you can see the voltage swing on the display. Verified with a multimeter.

 

[DIYPV]

Why does the flickering bother everyone so much? I care not.

My 6000ex has flickering lights too. On top of that, I get pulsing when there’s a heavy load like a clothes washer, dryer, or AC blower. The pulsing repeatedly cuts power to my refrigerator every few seconds.

 

[Zwy]

My 6000ex has flickering lights too. On top of that, I get pulsing when there’s a heavy load like a clothes washer, dryer, or AC blower. The pulsing repeatedly cuts power to my refrigerator every few seconds.

Battery bank size plays into this, it's the buffer for loads that can vary or have heavy draw even if PV producing.

 

[DIYPV]

Battery bank size plays into this, it's the buffer for loads that can vary or have heavy draw even if PV producing.

This happens in both grid and battery modes with a full 10 kWh battery.

 

[Zwy]

This happens in both grid and battery modes with a full 10 kWh battery.

10Kwh may not be enough to be a buffer. What size cables?

This occurs in grid bypass thru the inverter? Have you checked output voltage under heavy load (not open circuit)? What size are the AC input/output wires to the inverter?

 

[SolarPhoton]

Typically a slight, quick dimming might happen when a larger load kicks in and that's normal. I've seen it on multiple inverters and I have that happen on grid power as well.

The problem though I see is that you're having it happen when you're only load is an incandescent bulb. That doesn't make any sense to me at all. With only the bulbs as the load, are you only seeing the blink/dimming around specific times, maybe around the time the inverter is switching off solar?

Blinks continued after dark... and it did blink when I had the freezers and fridges on line.

 

[SolarPhoton]

10Kwh may not be enough to be a buffer. What size cables?

This occurs in grid bypass thru the inverter? Have you checked output voltage under heavy load (not open circuit)? What size are the AC input/output wires to the inverter?

I built Will's build :
6500 build
Which was 4/0 from batts to ckt breaker.
2/0 from ckt breaker to inverter.

 

[Zwy]

Same battery bank size? If so, then it is the inverter.

But make certain you have good connections, check voltage drop under load from battery busbar to inverter DC input. Both positive and negative terminals.

 

[DIYPV]

10Kwh may not be enough to be a buffer. What size cables?

This occurs in grid bypass thru the inverter? Have you checked output voltage under heavy load (not open circuit)? What size are the AC input/output wires to the inverter?

1/0 copper cables from inverter to batteries.
10 awg copper for AC input /output at the inverter.

Yes, this occurs in grid bypass through the inverter. The voltage seems to be ok on Solar Assistant, but I haven’t measured under load.

This occurs while loads are running and not only startup. The load from the AC blower is 800 watts, clothes washer is 400 watts, and gas clothes dryer 900 watts. I’ve experienced the refrigerator compressor repeatedly clicking (and a recent failed circuit board), and my computer UPS beeps and clicks signaling a fault.

 

[Zwy]

1/0 copper cables from inverter to batteries.

I have 4/0 to a Victron busbar, then 2/0 to each inverter.

10 awg copper for AC input /output at the inverter.

Minimum size needed is 6AWG. I prefer 4AWG. The inverter puts out 6500W. That requires 6AWG minimum. What size breaker after inverter output?

Yes, this occurs in grid bypass through the inverter. The voltage seems to be ok on Solar Assistant, but I haven’t measured under load.

You are creating a choke point with 10AWG.

This occurs while loads are running and not only startup. The load from the AC blower is 800 watts, clothes washer is 400 watts, and gas clothes dryer 900 watts. I’ve experienced the refrigerator compressor repeatedly clicking (and a recent failed circuit board), and my computer UPS beeps and clicks signaling a fault.

Just the 3 items you listed are almost 20A. Fridge could throw another 400W easily onto that. Add in other loads and you are over the 30A rating of 10AWG.

6AWG feeding the inverter input and 6AWG on output as a minimum. It's not cheap, buy a roll of black, a roll of white electrical tape and a roll of red electrical tape. The neutral will need to be 6AWG and you mark it with the white electrical tape on both ends. L1 or L2 can be wrapped with the red electrical tape on the ends. The other wire remains black.

 

[DIYPV]

I’ll add these items to my list of upgrades.

I’m using the eg4 6000ex split phase inverter. Can you confirm that the 6 awg is what I need? The manual says 10 awg minimum.

Thanks

 

[Gavin Stone]

I’ll add these items to my list of upgrades.

I’m using the eg4 6000ex split phase inverter. Can you confirm that the 6 awg is what I need? The manual says 10 awg minimum.

Thanks

Your wiring sizes are correct for that inverter. I don’t believe that’s the issue.

 

[Quattrohead]

All these EG4 model numbers are being confused by a lot of people. I am at the point now where I don't know if we were talking about a 6000, a 6500, an lvx 6048 type unit.
Anyway bottom line is the manual (RTFM) should be your first point of reference at all times, that is what the manufacturer or reseller will ask you about.

 

[Zwy]

I’ll add these items to my list of upgrades.

I’m using the eg4 6000ex split phase inverter. Can you confirm that the 6 awg is what I need? The manual says 10 awg minimum.

Thanks

Is it 6000W per leg or 6000W between 2 legs for the 6048EX inverter?

And you only have a single unit not 2 in parallel?

If it is 6000W split between 2 legs, then 10AWG would be correct. I was thinking you have a 6500EX. You might have to add another unit in parallel to power inductive loads and loads at startup.