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diy solar

Terrible Signature Solar / EG4 18Kpv Experience - Returning and Replaced with Sol-Ark 15k

SniperX said:
Still waiting on my response from July 24th to SS...
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You realize that to them every day is a new day - if they have time during the day to answer your questions and emails then so be it -- but otherwise I honestly believe that at 0001 hours daily they literally wipe the email and phone slate clean and start each new day fresh...

Someone should do a poll asking - have you (a regular person - not someone with 100K followers) ever called SS or emailed SS and got a reply within 24hours? or at all??

I know that what I am about to say is going to not sound logical -- but you have to think of it from a money making point of view and not a customer service point of view ...

From a business perspective SS is smart ... selling brings in money -- customer service doesn't ... having an employee spend time doing customer service instead of selling actually loses them money -- 99% of the people that have bought something from SS is not going to be in the market for anything new any time soon anyway - so why would they waste time, labour and money trying to fix issues when that is not going to change their PROFIT bottom-line.

This is when you say - "OH but all these people are going to post negative things and people are going to stop buying SS yada yada yada" ...

Thats not going to happen for a while either -- go onto YouTube and look at all the posters that wet themselves over the SS stuff ... and SS loves that because they can simply write everyone thats leaving negative stuff as "one-offs" ...

Also - hell SS must be doing something right because their sales has not fallen at all ... Even when James gets on and accuses the OP of being a fraud and Liar - most people just wrote James off as being an unprofessional owner - BUT still people reading all of this thread is still going to roll the dice and order from SS on Monday ...

Sure SS puts out some good stuff -- you just have to pick and choose your battles and roll the dice hoping that you're buying some of those "time tested things" and not something that's so new that they themselves don't even know how it works - or maybe ever will ...

We have all seen this since c0vid -- with every industry -- customer service has gone to crap ... again -- everything you buy needs to be purchased through a BUYER BEWARE filter..
 
Will Prowse said:
Yes, did test this and still need to make that video. I loaded the inverter with 12,000 Watts, and then ran my car lift that goes up to 100 amps to 120 volts. It trips All of my inverters except for the 6500. You can also start a 5-ton AC without the grid connected. I really need to talk about this more and show it
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Yes, please put up that video, I've looked at the spec sheet for the 18Kpv and it gives various times for higher loads. There really isn't spec shown for only under battery power and it would be interesting to see how it handles it in real time.

Will Prowse said:
Yes the LV 6548s are really good. But I think you should try out an 18K if you can. It's just on a different level. Everything about it is better.
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I'm pretty happy with my current system, I added a pair of EG4 MPPT100-48 SCC's for my higher voltage strings. These can handle more PV input than the 6500EX's and take full advantage of string capacity. Inverters and charge controllers.jpg
 
Zwy said:
Yes, please put up that video, I've looked at the spec sheet for the 18Kpv and it gives various times for higher loads. There really isn't spec shown for only under battery power and it would be interesting to see how it handles it in real time.


I'm pretty happy with my current system, I added a pair of EG4 MPPT100-48 SCC's for my higher voltage strings. These can handle more PV input than the 6500EX's and take full advantage of string capacity. View attachment 162446
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nice Looking setup. I think u answered this somewhere else, but why are you using those charge controllers instead of the inverters built in charge controller, or are you using both
 
SniperX said:
What was in place for all the Growatt buyers? I just watched a video from Watts247 telling me my "low frequency" Growatt 12kw (purchased from SS after watching your video singing its praises) is really a high-frequency inverter... All those Growatts were sold with major issues. Did they offer a return to buy something different to get them off the market? If they did, I never heard about it. They sold all their stock and are dropping them... I am supposed to call China? I have not installed it because I am a very green newbie and I was waiting on a video that promised to show it wired up and then the controversy of N G came along and bam- nothing. My fault for being "influenced" and not researching or waiting to see what problems come up.
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Send me your email address on a DM. Let's talk about some options and work something out you can be happy with long term.
 
ghostwriter66 said:
You realize that to them every day is a new day - if they have time during the day to answer your questions and emails then so be it -- but otherwise I honestly believe that at 0001 hours daily they literally wipe the email and phone slate clean and start each new day fresh...

Someone should do a poll asking - have you (a regular person - not someone with 100K followers) ever called SS or emailed SS and got a reply within 24hours? or at all??

I know that what I am about to say is going to not sound logical -- but you have to think of it from a money making point of view and not a customer service point of view ...

From a business perspective SS is smart ... selling brings in money -- customer service doesn't ... having an employee spend time doing customer service instead of selling actually loses them money -- 99% of the people that have bought something from SS is not going to be in the market for anything new any time soon anyway - so why would they waste time, labour and money trying to fix issues when that is not going to change their PROFIT bottom-line.

This is when you say - "OH but all these people are going to post negative things and people are going to stop buying SS yada yada yada" ...

Thats not going to happen for a while either -- go onto YouTube and look at all the posters that wet themselves over the SS stuff ... and SS loves that because they can simply write everyone thats leaving negative stuff as "one-offs" ...

Also - hell SS must be doing something right because their sales has not fallen at all ... Even when James gets on and accuses the OP of being a fraud and Liar - most people just wrote James off as being an unprofessional owner - BUT still people reading all of this thread is still going to roll the dice and order from SS on Monday ...

Sure SS puts out some good stuff -- you just have to pick and choose your battles and roll the dice hoping that you're buying some of those "time tested things" and not something that's so new that they themselves don't even know how it works - or maybe ever will ...

We have all seen this since c0vid -- with every industry -- customer service has gone to crap ... again -- everything you buy needs to be purchased through a BUYER BEWARE filter..
Click to expand...
Hello Ghostwiter66,
Actually a business wants to retain customers. Retaining a loyal customer costs less in the long run. It is expensive and time consuming to attract new customers/business. I have been reading the posts, seems like there is a gap between customer expectations and what was delivered. Customer service has always been an afterthought for most businesses.
That is my 2 cents.
 
BenFromSignatureSolar said:
Send me your email address on a DM. Let's talk about some options and work something out you can be happy with long term.
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I watched Ian's video and around the 8 minute mark he is connecting the 240V from the supply to the inverter input, but the neutral to the inverter output. I think this is where his entire thesis goes wrong. That neutral should be isolated since it is being provided by the transformer inside the Growatt. The manual says not to connect the neutral from the incoming supply.
1691937794752.png

Read some of the comments on the video:
 
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Quattrohead said:
Yes could some of you please try some surge loads off grid with the 18K. It's not so much about whether you can trip it from overload but how does it handle big load switching on and off for you? Look at your lights, monitor voltages and let me know please.
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Mine seems to die right away. Being off grid with around 30k of battery and 3800w solar will not start any big loads. Quincy belt driven 5hp ( received a smooth start from SS but not hooked up yet) in about 1 second kills the KPV. Grizzly 3hp dist collector with motor starting relay, Kills KPV immediately. Handles well pump, 24k min.,split, fine. If washer is on when well kicks on, see flicker with cheap led lights. I have a 60 amp main in the shop, grid starts these loads easy. KPV don't even seem to try, its kinda like seeing a short. Still using firmware it came with - fa1-0, Build- faab-0c0d. May be I'm asking for to much, but in any case It's doing great else where. I did not have much of any load while trying to start theses unsuccessful loads in the shop. It also will start car lift just fine. Seems direct drive motors seem to start but not belt drives.
 
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Zwy said:
String voltage, array is 420 feet away one way distance.
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What size wire did you use for your 420ft string array? Your system looks real nice and professional. Is it located underground?
 
Farm Boy said:
Mine seems to die right away. Being off grid with around 30k of battery and 3800w solar will not start any big loads. Quincy belt driven 5hp ( received a smooth start from SS but not hooked up yet) in about 1 second kills the KPV. Grizzly 3hp dist collector with motor starting relay, Kills KPV immediately. Handles well pump, 24k min.,split, fine. If washer is on when well kicks on, see flicker with cheap led lights. I have a 60 amp main in the shop, grid starts these loads easy. KPV don't even seem to try, its kinda like seeing a short. Still using firmware it came with - fa1-0, Build- faab-0c0d. May be I'm asking for to much, but in any case It's doing great else where. I did not have much of any load while trying to start theses unsuccessful loads in the shop. It also will start car lift just fine. Seems direct drive motors seem to start but not belt drives.
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what firmware are you on? We can run a dryer a stove and start an air compressor with batteries only.
 
Markus_SignatureSolar said:
what firmware are you on? We can run a dryer a stove and start an air compressor with batteries only.
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You must not be reading my complete message or you would not be asking about my firm ware. When you say air compressor, lets get a proper comparison to a 5hp belt driven Quincy,. the stove is coming on burner by burner, not real load like a motor with more inrush. And you do this right next to each other. Try your test from building to building with a longer run. Try your belt driven compressor 5hp with about 1500w load to start. Compare apples to apples.
 
Farm Boy said:
You must not be reading my complete message or you would not be asking about my firm ware. When you say air compressor, lets get a proper comparison to a 5hp belt driven Quincy,. the stove is coming on burner by burner, not real load like a motor with more inrush. And you do this right next to each other. Try your test from building to building with a longer run. Try your belt driven compressor 5hp with about 1500w load to start. Compare apples to apples.
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The air compressor we use Is a 5hp 120v the surge on it it’s 95amps start up. Even tho its not belt driven it still kills every other inverter we test.
 
Quattrohead said:
The firmware mine shipped with could not handle heavy loads, talk to Markus about what current version will suit your needs. He can push it to you with your permission.
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I've been reading a lot of your posts, I believe you'd lead me in the right direction.
 
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