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diy solar

Shop system build- Out of the box

One thing I have noticed is Load never equaled Grid Power and PV Power when under setting #34 Mixed Load on Solar Assistant. It does seem correct when running with setting #34 set to dIS and setting #1 Sbu for Battery. I do have SA set for inverter self consumption to 0W.
 
That air compressor had me nervous, sounded like a cold motor firing up🤣.
I was really hoping they started it. Did you ever try it with the LV6548's?

Doesn't your clamp meter have a zero feature you hit before you clamp?
 
That air compressor had me nervous, sounded like a cold motor firing up🤣.

It takes a little to get that thing rolling. I have a 15 hp 3 phase and it starts up, then dumps the unloader once the pulley/flywheel are up to speed. It isn't in this shop. The unloader is working on the 5 hp, I checked. It works with centrifugal force but it does work differently for engagement.

I was really hoping they started it. Did you ever try it with the LV6548's?

LV6548's are in the house. It's possible with 3 SRNE ASP's it just might have enough kick after the start capacitors have discharged to get the run circuit engaged. I checked the capacitor bank, all checked out good and tried a 20uf (center cap, the rest are around 900uf) instead of the 15uf to see if it might need just a little more kick. The lights in the shop would flash on/off when attempting the start. I checked to make sure I didn't miss anything.

Lifts all run 2 hp motors and inverters handle those fine. I'm certain when I pull the old work trailer in to tear it apart for install in the new trailer, the 5 hp single stage 120/240V compressor in there will start just fine off the inverters. As I am installing a 48V inverter in the trailer, I will try to start the smaller compressor using just one SRNE ASP and see how it handles it. I don't need to use that compressor without grid power as I have a 18 hp engine driven in there too. It just would be handy if an inverter can start the single stage 5 hp compressor on 120V. I haven't decided what inverter I will install in the trailer, might just put a pair of SRNE ASP's in the house and use a LV6548 in the trailer. I use to have a Trailblazer welder/generator in back of the truck. Genny power was around 4 Kw continuous (4.5Kw surge) if I recall correctly and I had to change the work trailer compressor over to 240V to get it to run off the genny.

Doesn't your clamp meter have a zero feature you hit before you clamp?
I tried but it won't zero out. It will zero out on inrush. I checked with an amps probe connected to multimeter and did record it but readings were about the same. I thought it was strange the grid draw kept getting higher until it hit me the sun was heading down and PV was getting less.

I don't know if it is a setting that overload didn't kick the inverter over to grid power. It should have but I haven't found a setting that would help.
 
I don't know if it is a setting that overload didn't kick the inverter over to grid power. It should have but I haven't found a setting that would help.
I think the overload bypass only kicks in if you're running SBU with MIXLOAD off but really I'm just speculating.
 
I'll have to go back thru the settings again but I didn't see anything the other day. If mixed load would use PV and battery first supplemented by grid it would be perfect.
Here's a few observations from testing I've done with these settings:
  • [01] UTI is forced on (as far as I've seen) when [34] = MIXLOD, hence the steady draw
  • [27] = ENA (the default) should bypass to grid on overload. From your video, it seemed like the spike in starting the compressor wasn't enough to push it into overload, just enough to need to turn the compressor off so as not to hurt the motor
  • [34] = MIXLOD opens up the somewhat mystical [71]. Default value is CHARGE, you might try LOAD if it's not set that way
  • When you have grid input turned on, the inverters seem to get their running power from grid vs. battery. Mine always show a small draw (even if SA says grid load = 0) until there's enough PV, then it'll use that for self-sustaining.
The architecture of these inverters can pool PV and grid or PV and battery, but not all 3.

I've left MIXLOD on for most of a day during one of the storms to keep the batteries available in case of mains loss entirely. They swapped us to a new digital meter last year, I didn't get any grumpy calls or visits. SA never showed export (though I have no idea what it measures and how accurate it is). Our well and sump cycle all the time (especially the sump). I might try some testing, for science.

I need to give my Sanborn with the old 220A cast iron motor a whirl once I switch my barn over to inverter supply. Kinda curious if it'll be able to start it.
 
Here's a few observations from testing I've done with these settings:
  • [01] UTI is forced on (as far as I've seen) when [34] = MIXLOD, hence the steady draw

Correct, once [34] is set to MIXLOD, then [01] changes automatically to UTI. Loads are powered by PV and remaining loads power comes from grid. Nothing from battery other than inverter consumption.

  • [27] = ENA (the default) should bypass to grid on overload. From your video, it seemed like the spike in starting the compressor wasn't enough to push it into overload, just enough to need to turn the compressor off so as not to hurt the motor

[27] was set to ENA. Even though SA showed around 13.9Kw peak load, it has to be higher with 141A of inrush per leg. 141x120V= 16.29 Kw x 2= 33.84Kw. Spec sheet says 20Kw peak load but for how long? Lights were flashing and routers even cycled off during the test. I like how the spec sheet says just one inverter can start a 6 hp motor but a pair would not start this 5 hp. It should have switched to grid.


  • [34] = MIXLOD opens up the somewhat mystical [71]. Default value is CHARGE, you might try LOAD if it's not set that way

[71] is PV energy priority and PV was being used for powering loads according to SA here


  • When you have grid input turned on, the inverters seem to get their running power from grid vs. battery. Mine always show a small draw (even if SA says grid load = 0) until there's enough PV, then it'll use that for self-sustaining.

I noticed that with [34] on MIXLOD, the grid draw was always a minimum of around 150W, this helps with the bias towards current flow to the inverter and not backfeed. As @Crowz reported, the inverter self consumption is from the batteries and not grid power.
The architecture of these inverters can pool PV and grid or PV and battery, but not all 3.

If it switched to grid when an overload occurs, it would help those who might have an occasional high demand load.

I've left MIXLOD on for most of a day during one of the storms to keep the batteries available in case of mains loss entirely. They swapped us to a new digital meter last year, I didn't get any grumpy calls or visits. SA never showed export (though I have no idea what it measures and how accurate it is). Our well and sump cycle all the time (especially the sump). I might try some testing, for science.

Switch [34] to ONGRD next time if you are lonely. :)

I need to give my Sanborn with the old 220A cast iron motor a whirl once I switch my barn over to inverter supply. Kinda curious if it'll be able to start it.
I'm certain this will easily handle the single stage 5 hp in my work trailer on 120V. I could just add a small compressor to keep the tank full off solar when compressed air demand is light. I'm just waiting to see what the utility bill is over the next few months. I have an aqueous parts washer and the heating element in that must be about 4.5Kw plus it has a 2 hp pump on it. That is on the subpanel that remained supplied by grid. It doesn't get used often. Air compressor doesn't get used everyday either, cordless tools are way more handy. One lift has air jacks and running an impact or tire machine are the main uses for compressed air in winter but for the other 3 months of the year I have an air conditioning flush machine that uses large volumes of air for the purge cycle. That is why the work trailer has the 18 hp 50 cfm Kaeser scroll.
 
Switch [34] to ONGRD next time if you are lonely. :)
Yeah you won't be lonely long :)



Disclaimer for those that don't have a sense of humor or don't get it.

** For those that run across this and have these inverters if you don't have a grid connect agreement with your power company DONT DO THIS!!!
** Never set 34 to ONGRD unless you are allowed to sell power to the power company.
 
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I did get the Chargeverter control box done. I used the 100A panel I originally installed on the battery/inverter box. Pulled the 3/4" welder circuit conduit out, used some of the wire for AC input to the inverters and replaced it with 1" conduit with 4 AWG to the 100A breaker panel. 60A breaker goes to the welder outlet from this box now and the 30A goes to the contactor on the left. I had run 2" conduit from the shop to the house and pulled 4 10AWG wires thru it (conduit fill was not a problem) plus ground wire. One pair is to the Chargeverter in the house, the other pair comes from the house to the contactor on the right which is connected to the 30A Chargeverter outlet. The reason for the 2" is I could always pull out the 10AWG and run 4/0 cable.

Chargeverter control box.jpg

Contactor control is thru Shelly Smart Plugs. I've had some trouble with the wireless on the house Shelly Smart Plug and will be changing it out to see if it is just defective. Cords are recycled microwave cords that were laying around.

Chargeverter Shelly plugs.jpg


I mounted the Chargeverter to the wall with some unistrut attached to the concrete and I did tie up the cord later. Cables were ran into the charge controller output junction box. I had one space left on the busbars and just used a cable gland which the Chargeverter cable lug fit thru on the side of the box. I did get lucky with the cable to the Lynx busbar, it was 1/0 and large enough to carry the amps from both the Chargeverter and both charge controllers.

Chargeverter mounted house.jpg

Chargeverter connection.jpg

I saw as high as 12.5Kw going into the batteries, loads were light as the wife was gone. I did set the Chargeverter as high as 75A. I wanted to get to full SOC in order to swap out the 16 cells that have been troublesome on balance. No sun the day before and started at around 8:30 AM and was to about 90% by noon. I slowed the Chargeverter down to about 30A and wouldn't you know it? It clouded over.

Chargeverter charging.jpg

This was almost like adding another array, charge controller and panels. As I wasn't in the shop all day, I didn't care what SOC the shop system would end up at for the day as it could get recharged the following day.

The Chargeverter didn't care about the voltage drop, I never measured the voltage drop but I'm sure at 17A and 240 feet plus another 20 feet there has to be some voltage drop. Using a VD calculator, 17A at 260 feet with 10AWG comes to almost a 3.9% voltage drop. I wondered how well this would work but one never knows unless you try. I was impressed.

I'm not certain if I will add more array for the house or shop after setting this up and using it. I might only add the 7 vertical panels on the back shed which will bring total PV to just under 20 Kw. I won't be in the shop as often on weekends (I have some fishing to catch up on) and with the 48 more cells arriving this next week I might have enough PV plus battery to get by. I can always take a nice day off during the week and go fishing to let the battery banks catch up.

I'll put together a video sometime but it most likely will have some background noise.
 
Loving the hinges, I'm sure I'll be stealing that idea in the future.
Stainless of course. I was planning on using aluminum sheet but the sheet was drop from a friend's welding shop with spatter/scratches. Tool dealer was here and I mentioned I'd have to paint the aluminum or burnish it for a brushed look, I didn't want to polish it with all those holes. He said it probably would look nicer painted.

Material switched to steel, if I have to paint it, might as well use steel. The hinges came with #10 stainless wood screws, I needed 1/4" holes for the unistrut nuts. I had to drill out the holes larger and countersink bigger. Good thing I have a really good countersink.

The spacers are 1.25" stainless washers and I had to clip part of it off to use both screw holes. Easy work in the throatless shear. When test fitting I realized the washers would bend so I had to triple them up.

Most were probably wondering why I put cells in the top shelves on this side first. This is the reason, easier access for the compression rods.

On a side note, I ordered some pvc raceway back on Jan 6th and UPS showed it bounced around between Ft Worth and Des Moines a few times before it was returned to sender. I guess it was damaged, probably due to poor packaging not in a good cardboard tube. I called the company yesterday, it is called RS. Never order from them, they do not respond to emails and they hung up on the phone call after they claimed the package had been in Iowa and I told them it never arrived. I did a chargeback on my credit card. Worthless company. Zoro ended up being cheaper with free shipping and a coupon that expired yesterday. It was $55 worth of material, free shipping and a 20% off coupon and I still received free shipping. I know it will be here tomorrow. I would have bought from Zoro first but had to dig thru the catalog to find what I wanted.
 
Box Party. You are all welcome to come install cells and balance leads. Raceway for balance leads might be here tomorrow.

Need to cut more poron. Shop Chargeverter was finished this morning.
 
who makes this box again?
Link?
Think you said you got this and your other ones cheap. So jealous!
Box is a used Hoffman electrical cabinet, you find these on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace from time to time. The one in the house is 12" deep x 52" wide. That cabinet is a little tight, it took some time to get everything to fit. The shop cabinet is 18" deep x 61" wide. This is the one you want as you have plenty of room if only putting in 4 batteries the full width across or if 8 batteries you can have 2 rows of cells. There is another Hoffman cabinet I think I've seen out there that is something like 72" wide and that would allow more room in between for BMS's, cables and busbars.

I paid about $200 for each cabinet.
 
Box is a used Hoffman electrical cabinet, you find these on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace from time to time. The one in the house is 12" deep x 52" wide. That cabinet is a little tight, it took some time to get everything to fit. The shop cabinet is 18" deep x 61" wide. This is the one you want as you have plenty of room if only putting in 4 batteries the full width across or if 8 batteries you can have 2 rows of cells. There is another Hoffman cabinet I think I've seen out there that is something like 72" wide and that would allow more room in between for BMS's, cables and busbars.

I paid about $200 for each cabinet.
You stole it - just looked up what those sell for OMFG.
 
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that is criminally cheap - would fit in my back yard against the property line wall. Not waterproof, though.
If you are handy with a welder or know someone who is, it doesn't take much to patch holes. These are made of 10 gauge steel. There are stainless cabinets out there too as these are used in packing plants. I saw one for sale in WI or MI for about $1K . Harder to drill holes but won't ever rust.
 
@Zwy Did you find yours locally or make a road trip to get it?
A few hours drive on the second one and an hour on the first one. Not a big deal in rural Iowa. My daughter's boyfriend removes transformers from power plants around the country and they used to run across a cabinet now and then but hasn't come across one in the last few years.
 

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