SPF Growatt 5000 ES System. Design review and suggestions

[automatikdonn]

I just watched your video again and realized if the unit still charges it probably still uses the idle 60 watt/hr. Oh well, I will keep thinking about it.

So what happens when the solar outputting power is the unit will turn off.. so turning off the unit is probably not a great option. I didn't find this info out until I came back into the shop this morning.

 

[automatikdonn]

I 've gotten the same negative response from Signature Solar. They could sell $18K to $20K of solar to me based on them saying and advertise a lot of promises, but when you ask them to explain, they like to say DIY, just DIY. Their reputation is rapidly going into the toilet. So many people say "Just call Signature, they are so helpful". I HAVEN'T SEEN THEIR HELPFUL SIDE YET. I'm beginning to think the ones saying that are the ones getting paid by them. I've been wanting to order from them, but their not willing to help attitude is holding me back.

I am not being paid by anyone, but I did provide a diagram. DIY is a community effort in most cases. I find this in the software circles I work with as well. Unless you are going to pay someone for a push button system, you probably won't find any disti that will provide more than what the manufacturer ships.

Signature Solar is a disti (distributor), and until they start offering pro services I am not so sure it's reasonable to ask them for this kind of information. I know they are going through some growing pains as any growing business does.

I am still working my BOM and build video that should help clear a lot of this up for people. I am close, I just have this darn day job thing that keeps holding me up.

 

[ArkRob]

I am not being paid by anyone, but I did provide a diagram. DIY is a community effort in most cases. I find this in the software circles I work with as well. Unless you are going to pay someone for a push button system, you probably won't find any disti that will provide more than what the manufacturer ships.

Signature Solar is a disti (distributor), and until they start offering pro services I am not so sure it's reasonable to ask them for this kind of information. I know they are going through some growing pains as any growing business does.

I am still working my BOM and build video that should help clear a lot of this up for people. I am close, I just have this darn day job thing that keeps holding me up.

Tell them you have something important that needs to be done. I'm sure they will understand....

 

[automatikdonn]

Tell them you have something important that needs to be done. I'm sure they will understand....

 

[Solar Guy Richard]

I'd like to remind everyone in this thread that if you have a breaker on your midpoint transformer and it trips, you will have a "lost" or "floating" neutral and your service panel will be feeding your 120V phases in series at 240V.

Depending on what you have running, your 120V appliances could be seeing 240V.

While not having the transformer on a breaker presents a small risk (sometimes a winding rubs through its insulation and contacts the case) a blown transformer is far cheaper to replace than half of your home's appliances going up in smoke.

I did manage to disassemble my transformer to have a look just for peace of mind.

Also, I went back-and-forth contemplating connecting the AC IN to my USA grid. Turns out you can just run the black and red hot legs to it without a problem, just use a breaker on your grid service panel to feed it.

Here's how I connected mine:

Keep your eyes open for a solution to this soon!

 

[Solar Guy Richard]

I asked Signature Solar for some help with a wiring diagram for a very similar setup to this and this was their reply:

"We do not advise on wiring in the Tech department, due to different areas requiring different configurations depending on where you live. We recommend contacting a licensed electrician before altering any Grid power sources."

I find that amazing given that this should be diagrammed in detail by them since they are promoting the use of the Growatt 5K ES with the SolarEdge transformer and their lithium batteries. Great on paper, but without some instructions on how to set up the entire system, too risky for me to take on. I'm not even comfortable hiring an electrician. How do I know they know all the system implications to get this "right"? I would actually gladly pay Signature Solar for a couple of hours of consulting time and a wiring diagram. This response was received after trying to get any response from their tech department for over 2 weeks, btw.

Hey there Rick,

We have been absolutely doing our best to answer questions and helping customers, but with the way the year has gone as far as growth we know some things have fallen through the cracks. Making videos and diagrams with (general) setups is on the way as well as consultation services. We aren't quite 100% there yet but keep your eyes and ears open!

 

[Solar Guy Richard]

I 've gotten the same negative response from Signature Solar. They could sell $18K to $20K of solar to me based on them saying and advertise a lot of promises, but when you ask them to explain, they like to say DIY, just DIY. Their reputation is rapidly going into the toilet. So many people say "Just call Signature, they are so helpful". I HAVEN'T SEEN THEIR HELPFUL SIDE YET. I'm beginning to think the ones saying that are the ones getting paid by them. I've been wanting to order from them, but their not willing to help attitude is holding me back.

Jim,

Hoping to change your mind on us with some help. We have experienced a huge influx of phone and email traffic and are doing our best to catch up. Unfortunately a few things have fallen through the cracks but we are doing our best to catch up. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help, and keep your eyes and ears open for some great new implementations we are making that will be a huge help to all the DIYers we do our best to be there for.

 

[Sun in Lithium]

So what happens when the solar outputting power is the unit will turn off.. so turning off the unit is probably not a great option. I didn't find this info out until I came back into the shop this morning.

Were you getting any solar the morning you checked?
When I turn my lvx6048 inverter off it goes to sleep when there is no solar power. And then wakes back up when it gets sufficiently power from the pv.

 

[Jim Lee]

Were you getting any solar the morning you checked?
When I turn my lvx6048 inverter off it goes to sleep when there is no solar power. And then wakes back up when it gets sufficiently power from the pv.

I'd like to hear more about this. (How the GW reacts to being shut off and no PV) Does it go to sleep or ??.

 

[Jim Lee]

I am not being paid by anyone, but I did provide a diagram. DIY is a community effort in most cases. I find this in the software circles I work with as well. Unless you are going to pay someone for a push button system, you probably won't find any disti that will provide more than what the manufacturer ships.

Signature Solar is a disti (distributor), and until they start offering pro services I am not so sure it's reasonable to ask them for this kind of information. I know they are going through some growing pains as any growing business does.

I am still working my BOM and build video that should help clear a lot of this up for people. I am close, I just have this darn day job thing that keeps holding me up.

I understand Sig Solar's situation and I trust your responses. I would love to hear a response to #58 comment about his inverters going to sleep and waking up when powered again. Would you be able to test that theory.

 

[Firemedicntx]

Don't most people that want an off grid converter that is grid tied because they want PV first then battery then grid then generator. Doesn't that cover all the bases. Power no matter what. I'm in the planning process and ready to purchase 30 -395 watt panels. 2 x 6s2p and 1 x 3s2p. Each of the 3 string is wire to 1 of the 3 Growatt SPF 5000 ES inverter. 6 Li Fe EG4 Batteries connected to the inverters. The 3 inverters connected to a separate circuit box with a 50A breaker each. That breaker box set up with 1 or 2 (if safer) split phase Mid point transformers connected with 50A breakers. That breaker box is connected to my home main breaker box with a 60A or 100A breaker (not sure yet) connecting both circuit boxes. The Grid and my 19.5Kw Generac Generator pass through the 200A Transfer switch keeping the grid safe during grid outages is already installed. According to Signature Solar this is the system they want to sell me. Please explain to me why this won't work and what I need to do to make it work. I really don't want to burn my house down trying to improve it. Another question is when the grid goes down I think my generator will auto start even if I have PV or battery power. How could I control that. Any other suggestions would be appreciated, but please keep it simple if possible.

Thats how I did it with the exception of the batteries. I have 16 Northstar Blue 210ah AGMs connected to 3 growatt 240v US wired 5000es inverters. I have 18000watts of used Santan solar solar panels and an 18kw generac. I run off solar, then battery, then the grid at night after 8Pm until 0600.
If the grid goes down and the batteries deplete after sundown, the generac starts up and runs everying and charges the batteries. Once the growatts see the batteries are charged, the generac will stop. Hopefully by then the grid or sun will be back up.
All my power runs through the growatts and the generac auto transfer switch. Grid power comes from the meter to a disconnect panel then to a sub panel with 30amp breakers to each growatt. I don't agree with using 50amp breakers that growatt recommends. Power comes out of each growatt to its own 30amp double breaker in another sub panel. I have 3 auto transformers, each is connected to its own breaker in this same panel. This sub panel feeds the generac panel, and straight to the disconnect at the house. The way I put this together it backups the backup, and I can disconnect or isolate any part of the system. I switched my electric plan to txu free nights and solar days and use the timers and battery settings on the growatts to take advantage of free off-peak electricity to run the house and charge the batteries at night.
I also have a separate system to power my water wells and keep my 50amp camper powered using 6kw of panels and an MPP Solar LVX 6048 hooked to a bunch of walmart deep cycle batteries.

 

[automatikdonn]

Thats how I did it with the exception of the batteries. I have 16 Northstar Blue 210ah AGMs connected to 3 growatt 5000es inverters. 18000watts of used cheap solar panels and an 18kw generac. I run off solar, then battery, the grid. If the grid goes down and the batteries deplete after sundown, the generac starts up and runs everying and charges the batteries. Once the growatts see the batteries are charged, the generac will stop. Hopefully by then the grid or sun will be back up.
All my power runs through the growatts and the generac auto transfer switch. Grid power comes from the meter to a disconnect panel then to a sub panel with 30amp breakers to each growatt. Power comes out of each growatt to its own 30amp double breaker in another sub panel. Each auto transformer is connected to its own breaker in this same panel. This sub panel feeds the generac panel, and straight to the disconnect at the house. The way I put this together it backups the backup, and I can disconnect or isolate any part of the system. I switched my electric plan to txu free nights and solar days and use the timers on the growatts to take advantage of free off-peak electricity to run the house and charge the batteries.
I also have a separate system to power my water wells and keep my 50amp camper powered using 6kw of panels and an MPP Solar LVX 6048 hooked to a bunch of walmart deep cycle batteries.

I would love to see a video of your setup

 

[solardad]

@Jim Lee did you end up setting up your system of Growatts? Thanks!