RESOLVED: EG4 6500EX and 6000EX Lights Flickering FIRMWARE

[BobbyB]

SS solar responded and requested the firm ware version (79.67 & 61.12) and said
"Also, I am being told Solar Assistant has been causing some issues with our units as of late; I am getting more information on this, though. It was suggested that I ask you to use DESS Monitor for a bit and see if the issue continues."

Anyone have issues with Solar Assistant causing the EG4 6500ex to reboot or shutdown and restart?

I have NEVER been able to get solar assistant from eg4 6500ex inverter to CONNECT let alone work ??

UPDATE* I meant WATCHPOWER app that is native with the inverter.

 

[Adam De Lay]

Hi Adam , can you do a YouTube video explaining the ground neutral bond? I am trying to find info on it, but I am confused. I have the march update 79.60 If I recall and have to update to the 79.63 firmware.

I have flickering lights NOW at least that I have noticed could have been before but I definitely have noticed as of late.

Take a look here.

Cool video explaining US electrical bonding.

It is well animated, and explained nicely.

diysolarforum.com

The latest version of the firmware is 79.71 which gives you the ability to control the ground/neutral bond relay in the inverter.

EG4 6500 Firmware Changelog

This is a combination of the official change log from EG4 as well as some additional notes regarding forum posts. Please let me know if you have any additions or changes to be made. U1 - EG4 DSP 79.02 2022.05.04 factory firmware 79.03...

diysolarforum.com

 

[Adam De Lay]

I have NEVER been able to get solar assistant from eg4 6500ex inverter to CONNECT let alone work ??

I'll send you a PM so we don't go off-topic on the thread.

 

[Zwy]

Hi Adam , can you do a YouTube video explaining the ground neutral bond? I am trying to find info on it, but I am confused. I have the march update 79.60 If I recall and have to update to the 79.63 firmware.

I have flickering lights NOW at least that I have noticed could have been before but I definitely have noticed as of late.

Later stationary firmware versions will use a N-G bond at the loads panel. https://diysolarforum.com/threads/n...t-without-the-bonding-screw.53547/post-714838

If you want some interesting reading about going down this rabbit hole, start here: https://diysolarforum.com/threads/problems-with-eg4-6500ex-buyer-beware.54597/post-791077

And here: https://diysolarforum.com/threads/e...548s-installed-and-replacement-6500exs.63575/

And here: https://diysolarforum.com/threads/n...t-without-the-bonding-screw.53547/post-781863

Take the credit for the 6500EX that Signature Solar is offering on the 18Kpv unit. I did get a full refund from SS and have been running the pair of LV6548's with a pair of EG4 MPPT100-48 for SCC's. The EG4 SCC's are due to my string voltage is over the LV6548 VOC limit.

Take the credit, trust me, you will not solve this problem. Adam went to Victron inverters now.

 

[ChrisG]

Later stationary firmware versions will use a N-G bond at the loads panel. https://diysolarforum.com/threads/n...t-without-the-bonding-screw.53547/post-714838

If you want some interesting reading about going down this rabbit hole, start here: https://diysolarforum.com/threads/problems-with-eg4-6500ex-buyer-beware.54597/post-791077

And here: https://diysolarforum.com/threads/e...548s-installed-and-replacement-6500exs.63575/

And here: https://diysolarforum.com/threads/n...t-without-the-bonding-screw.53547/post-781863

Take the credit for the 6500EX that Signature Solar is offering on the 18Kpv unit. I did get a full refund from SS and have been running the pair of LV6548's with a pair of EG4 MPPT100-48 for SCC's. The EG4 SCC's are due to my string voltage is over the LV6548 VOC limit.

Take the credit, trust me, you will not solve this problem. Adam went to Victron inverters now.

@Zwy so the LV6548's Watts247 is still selling don’t cause flicker?

 

[nc73]

I have NEVER been able to get solar assistant from eg4 6500ex inverter to CONNECT let alone work ??

That's because you don't know what you're doing. Use the micro usb port, it may take a few cables since not all will work. 1 out of 3 cables worked for me.

 

[Zwy]

@Zwy so the LV6548's Watts247 is still selling don’t cause flicker?

The ones I purchased do not have the flicker. These were manufactured 9/2021. I had purchased the LV6548's before the EG4 6500EX's but moved my array farther away (420 feet one way) and wanted a higher VOC rated inverter. Original firmware in the LV6548's.

I do not use the LV6548's charge controllers. I added a pair of EG4 MPPT100-48 SCC's due to higher string voltage. Here is what it looks like now.

 

[dareggaemon]

I bought two eg4 6500ex48 and did the update with the neutral bond. My lights are flickering. I currently run it in split phase with the neutral bond bypass enabled. It doesn’t flicker all the time. It seems to be when I charge my Nissan Leaf and when my gaming pc is on.

I have everything on the sub panel except my 240 loads (except for the EV which is 240v 16 amps)

Also if i run my toaster oven and air fryer which are on the same circuit while charging my car it will exceed the inverters capabilities but it’s only two 20amp breakers and the breakers don’t flip? One two pole 20amp 240v breaker and one 20amp 120v one pole breaker.

 

[PreppenWolf]

Breakers don't pop unless they are subjected to continuous higher than rated load over long periods of time. You can pull a lot more than 20A through a 20A breaker for a short period of time.

Also 20A @ 240V plus 20A @ 120V is 7200W. I'd be curious what the in rush currents for those three items you're using are.

As to the flickering, does it happen when you are on solar, grid and battery modes? All lights or only some? Do all loads induce it or only certain things being on?

I bought two eg4 6500ex48 and did the update with the neutral bond. My lights are flickering. I currently run it in split phase with the neutral bond bypass enabled. It doesn’t flicker all the time. It seems to be when I charge my Nissan Leaf and when my gaming pc is on.

I have everything on the sub panel except my 240 loads (except for the EV which is 240v 16 amps)

Also if i run my toaster oven and air fryer which are on the same circuit while charging my car it will exceed the inverters capabilities but it’s only two 20amp breakers and the breakers don’t flip? One two pole 20amp 240v breaker and one 20amp 120v one pole breaker.

 

[Zwy]

I bought two eg4 6500ex48 and did the update with the neutral bond. My lights are flickering. I currently run it in split phase with the neutral bond bypass enabled. It doesn’t flicker all the time. It seems to be when I charge my Nissan Leaf and when my gaming pc is on.

I have everything on the sub panel except my 240 loads (except for the EV which is 240v 16 amps)

Also if i run my toaster oven and air fryer which are on the same circuit while charging my car it will exceed the inverters capabilities but it’s only two 20amp breakers and the breakers don’t flip? One two pole 20amp 240v breaker and one 20amp 120v one pole breaker.

When the lights flicker, what is the voltage reading on the 6500EX's? Something like this?

 

[dareggaemon]

Breakers don't pop unless they are subjected to continuous higher than rated load over long periods of time. You can pull a lot more than 20A through a 20A breaker for a short period of time.

Also 20A @ 240V plus 20A @ 120V is 7200W. I'd be curious what the in rush currents for those three items you're using are.

As to the flickering, does it happen when you are on solar, grid and battery modes? All lights or only some? Do all loads induce it or only certain things being on?

Well, the 240v is splitting 4800 watts across both inverters. I put the inverter to never charge by the grid. Most of the time it does not flicker now after changing that setting so I’ll I’ve to test it this weekend. I think if I get more batteries I won’t have this issue anymore. My 25kw battery bank is charging my 62kw EV. I rarely do a full charge but I think doubling my battery bank size will help a lot.

 

[PreppenWolf]

If I had an EV my starting battery bank would be no less than 2x the EV batt size. What is your daily power usage?

 

[SolarPhoton]

I have 2 EX6500, spring 2022 units, the update didn't resolve their three big issues that I can test:

- Flickering lights when PV charging, then strobing at 100% SOC;
- Both displays report incorrect AC output voltage which fluctuates between 119-121V while PV charging; however, the voltmeter shows actual range of 119.9-120.2V;
- After charged to 100% SOC the voltmeter records actual AC voltage output fluctuations of 120.6-121.9V while the units display incorrect AC voltage output and fluctuations between 115-137V.

Once PV/MPPT is done for the day, the displays are steady at 120V, voltmeter reports no AC voltage fluctuation, and lights do not flicker or strobe.

Anyone else have similar issues?

View attachment 134562View attachment 134563View attachment 134564

Nice graphs of the problem..
What did you use to capture those wave forms? Really nice.
So far I've seen no cure for the blinky lights. Crazy.

 

[SolarPhoton]

I am working with SS tech support and @BenFromSignatureSolar on this issue but I now believe at least one inverter (2P1, which is listed as inverter 2 in SA) has unresolvable hardware issues, if not both since 2P2 does the same thing as 2P1 just not as big of swings in range or as often.

Hi again, Anything new? As in a fix .. or do I have to change out my 6500 for something?

I, have only one 6500 running off grid and feeding 2 freezers and two refrigerators and 1 desk lamp and no matter what, either night or day, the lights on my computer desk flicker. ( about 3 times per hour) Now I removed all loads except for the desk lamp. Not much flickering but have seen it happen during the day.

I tried removing the surge suppressors.. no good. I tried removing the one ground fault outlet I have. also no good.

Looks like it's all in the design of the 6500.

I'm sure glad this forum is here to search out these problems. I may call SS soon. Got to get this stuff working. It's a small build but still costly.

Two strings of 400 watt bi-facial with 5 modules each.

 

[Zwy]

Hi again, Anything new? As in a fix .. or do I have to change out my 6500 for something?

I, have only one 6500 running off grid and feeding 2 freezers and two refrigerators and 1 desk lamp and no matter what, either night or day, the lights on my computer desk flicker. ( about 3 times per hour) Now I removed all loads except for the desk lamp. Not much flickering but have seen it happen during the day.

I tried removing the surge suppressors.. no good. I tried removing the one ground fault outlet I have. also no good.

Looks like it's all in the design of the 6500.

I'm sure glad this forum is here to search out these problems. I may call SS soon. Got to get this stuff working. It's a small build but still costly.

Two strings of 400 watt bi-facial with 5 modules each.

Good luck.

I ended up with LV6548's. https://diysolarforum.com/threads/n...t-without-the-bonding-screw.53547/post-781863

No light flicker, voltage is steady, no problems.

 

[SolarPhoton]

Good luck.

I ended up with LV6548's. https://diysolarforum.com/threads/n...t-without-the-bonding-screw.53547/post-781863

No light flicker, voltage is steady, no problems.

I was looking for a 6548.. SS doesn't list them.. where did you buy yours? You can pm me if you like ...

 

[#40Fan]

watts247 has the LV6548's.

 

[SolarPhoton]

watts247 has the LV6548's.

Thanks.. Looks to me like this equipment has many "names" on them. EG4, MPP, DinoBlaster.. All the same. (except for that last one. (grin))

 

[#40Fan]

I'm guessing that each "label-er" has a set of requirements that makes them slightly different on the inside.

 

[Gavin Stone]

I'm guessing that each "label-er" has a set of requirements that makes them slightly different on the inside.

Mostly the same besides voc and firmware.