Markus_EG4
I am from Germany. Don't mean to come off rude
I fixed it boss you are correct
The next thing? Inverter or Battery? All in 1?
- Thread starter Markus_EG4
- Start date
Adam De Lay
Solar Wizard
I realize a lot of these could be pipe dreams, but who knows, maybe it’ll spark some idea.
You’ve got the EG4 bright mount. What about a customizable racking system for a covered trailer which allows you to “unfold/open” more panels for additional production when you park the trailer. Then when you need to move the trailer, you can collapse the panels down.
You’ve got the EG4 bright mount. What about a customizable racking system for a covered trailer which allows you to “unfold/open” more panels for additional production when you park the trailer. Then when you need to move the trailer, you can collapse the panels down.
Brucey
Solar Wizard
Sounds like a midnite b17.
Brucey
Solar Wizard
Improve the BMS on the eg4 batteries to allow for 2A balancing like the jks can do. So owners don't have to deal with potentially many cycles and holding at full charge for days/weeks which may not be possible in a mobile situation to get them to properly balance.
Markus_EG4
I am from Germany. Don't mean to come off rude
Don’t the LLs do this and wall mounts?
yodamota
Solar Enthusiast
Canadian distributors
Brucey
Solar Wizard
I've never seen the LLs advertised as having a higher balancing current than the lifepower4s. Should prob be better publicized if that's the case to get the upsell.
Markus_EG4
I am from Germany. Don't mean to come off rude
That’s coming or is already in placeCanadian distributors
ksmithaz1
Solar / EV Junkie
A standard duplex/multiplex connector and smart bus for solar panels. Daisy chaining panels should plug A-B-C-...-AIO, the electronics in the box could have a protocol to reconfigure the parallel/serial chaining as desired / optimized, and handle any RSD requirements. The box on the panel should be dual socket no wires, connection cables should be separate and purchased/sized to the appropriate length to reach the next device.
You ought to be able to build something for $10-15/panel. ie the panels should be smart, and if one is a problem, I should be able to query all the panels in the chain and find it. Coupla solid state relay devices and a small cheap microcontroller.
You ought to be able to build something for $10-15/panel. ie the panels should be smart, and if one is a problem, I should be able to query all the panels in the chain and find it. Coupla solid state relay devices and a small cheap microcontroller.
Lt.Dan
Solar Wizard
Cheaper racking! Dear lord mounting solutions are more expensive than the solar panels they are holding!
I would love to see more from EG4 talking about failure modes and how to create a safe installation/what you do for safety in your design. I'm also in the camp that loves the 280Ah solution... but the logistics of moving it DIY are a bit on the challenging side, so I would love to see something showing UL approval for a 6-high or ideally 8-high cabinet as a single unit for code.
Mattb4
Solar addict
I described some of the things I would like to see in my Thread on Off grid AIO: https://diysolarforum.com/threads/an-off-grid-aio-i-would-like-to-see.83391/ along with others.
I am not all that conversant with EG4 products other than what I read here on the Forum but I noted some issues with how the software that control the 6000xp functions. In particular the seeming inability to easily select a mode and also the confusing battery communication and time settings. Sometimes advances made by designers are more of a step backwards in usability or, for that matter, complete loss of things that folks want and need.
So at the very least I would suggest before you bring any unit to the market to have some ordinary folks look at and use it. Not just fellow geeks and aficionados.
I am not all that conversant with EG4 products other than what I read here on the Forum but I noted some issues with how the software that control the 6000xp functions. In particular the seeming inability to easily select a mode and also the confusing battery communication and time settings. Sometimes advances made by designers are more of a step backwards in usability or, for that matter, complete loss of things that folks want and need.
So at the very least I would suggest before you bring any unit to the market to have some ordinary folks look at and use it. Not just fellow geeks and aficionados.
Here’s some of the things I wanted in an inverter and you guys have mentioned a number of them as well.
The idea of having all the switch gear inside the inverter was attractive to keep it simple and neat … and avoid lots of interconnected boxes on the wall ... and the bare minimum of external wiring.
And having a modular design to make any servicing quicker and easier. You can change a module over in this inside 10 minutes and several of them are interchangeable. So this could be user serviceable. Unfortunately I haven’t built a batch of spare modules yet, but the bits are here.
And of course it’s so big there’s no room for charge controllers or mppts … so they all fit in a separate box … or they will when the box is finished. That was something else I wanted because most of us need multiple mppts … so why not put them and the switching into one unit.
These are easily serviceable and can be unscrewed and removed in probably 5 minutes … while the rest remain working.
While it’s not a new idea, another feature I wanted was to be able to use the inverter to provide my own “grid” … then hook up additional grid tie inverters to add to the system … but still remain off grid. These additional GTI's will backfeed through the Warpverter to charge the battery when there is excess power.
It has gone the wrong way voltage wise though and stayed at 48V. If I could have found some Nissan Leaf batteries when I first started I may have aimed for 96 or maybe 120V. I do know a guy who built one of these to run off about 250V from a Toyota Prius … so there’s lots of possibilities.
It’s old school low frequency inverter design, so that gives it massive surge capability. This one can run up to 15kW and theoretically at least double that for surges … not that I’ve had the courage to try that yet.
I’m not planning on manufacturing these mind you, but it's nice to see that others have similar ideas.
The inverter design/circuit is not mine ... this is just my interpretation of a Warpverter.
I still need to disappear the wiring for the Growatt.
The idea of having all the switch gear inside the inverter was attractive to keep it simple and neat … and avoid lots of interconnected boxes on the wall ... and the bare minimum of external wiring.
And having a modular design to make any servicing quicker and easier. You can change a module over in this inside 10 minutes and several of them are interchangeable. So this could be user serviceable. Unfortunately I haven’t built a batch of spare modules yet, but the bits are here.
And of course it’s so big there’s no room for charge controllers or mppts … so they all fit in a separate box … or they will when the box is finished. That was something else I wanted because most of us need multiple mppts … so why not put them and the switching into one unit.
These are easily serviceable and can be unscrewed and removed in probably 5 minutes … while the rest remain working.
While it’s not a new idea, another feature I wanted was to be able to use the inverter to provide my own “grid” … then hook up additional grid tie inverters to add to the system … but still remain off grid. These additional GTI's will backfeed through the Warpverter to charge the battery when there is excess power.
It has gone the wrong way voltage wise though and stayed at 48V. If I could have found some Nissan Leaf batteries when I first started I may have aimed for 96 or maybe 120V. I do know a guy who built one of these to run off about 250V from a Toyota Prius … so there’s lots of possibilities.
It’s old school low frequency inverter design, so that gives it massive surge capability. This one can run up to 15kW and theoretically at least double that for surges … not that I’ve had the courage to try that yet.
I’m not planning on manufacturing these mind you, but it's nice to see that others have similar ideas.
The inverter design/circuit is not mine ... this is just my interpretation of a Warpverter.
I still need to disappear the wiring for the Growatt.
Brucey
Solar Wizard
That really is a thing of beauty.
Markus_EG4
I am from Germany. Don't mean to come off rude
Who built this I’m amazedHere’s some of the things I wanted in an inverter and you guys have mentioned a number of them as well.
The idea of having all the switch gear inside the inverter was attractive to keep it simple and neat … and avoid lots of interconnected boxes on the wall ... and the bare minimum of external wiring.
And having a modular design to make any servicing quicker and easier. You can change a module over in this inside 10 minutes and several of them are interchangeable. So this could be user serviceable. Unfortunately I haven’t built a batch of spare modules yet, but the bits are here.
And of course it’s so big there’s no room for charge controllers or mppts … so they all fit in a separate box … or they will when the box is finished. That was something else I wanted because most of us need multiple mppts … so why not put them and the switching into one unit.
These are easily serviceable and can be unscrewed and removed in probably 5 minutes … while the rest remain working.
While it’s not a new idea, another feature I wanted was to be able to use the inverter to provide my own “grid” … then hook up additional grid tie inverters to add to the system … but still remain off grid. These additional GTI's will backfeed through the Warpverter to charge the battery when there is excess power.
It has gone the wrong way voltage wise though and stayed at 48V. If I could have found some Nissan Leaf batteries when I first started I may have aimed for 96 or maybe 120V. I do know a guy who built one of these to run off about 250V from a Toyota Prius … so there’s lots of possibilities.
It’s old school low frequency inverter design, so that gives it massive surge capability. This one can run up to 15kW and theoretically at least double that for surges … not that I’ve had the courage to try that yet.
I’m not planning on manufacturing these mind you, but it's nice to see that others have similar ideas.
The inverter design/circuit is not mine ... this is just my interpretation of a Warpverter.
View attachment 214406
I still need to disappear the wiring for the Growatt.
View attachment 214407
Aridom82
Learning addict
I would be careful not to go over 88 mph with that thing in my car
Looks nice. I'd like to see a L.F.-18KPV model with thous toroid transformers built in to it as a heavy duty off grid inverter.
My next thought would be an external surge box mounted next to the 18kpv which in turn has automatic soft start with surge suppression. incorporated with a high capacitance charge storage system to help in added amperage capabilities when needed to start high surge items. A plug and play accessory for those using the 18kpv maybe others as well, that need up to 20amp additional inrush current to start items that regularly would time out or shut down the inverter. Once the inverter has started the large surge item, the inrush go's away and the invert handles the normal power. This could possibly be used for several inverters. It could be called The EG4/LUX-POWER KICKER
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It would be nice, as well as opening up a wider potential customer base, if your batteries carried a general UL9450 certificate. There are a few other batteries which do, and as more and more localities are requiring UL9540, they are poised to picking up that market. EG4 could tap into that if they got the certs.
Dan_Austin
New Member
Conduit boxes for the PowerPro with reversible doors. Longer paralleling cables, longer Powerpro to inverter batter cables. Micro-inverters that can communicate with 18Kpv (think 1741sa+) allowing load-side AC coupling. A heat pump water heater that works and is not silly expensive compared to conventional unit...
n2aws
Solar Addict
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2022
- Messages
- 795
It's cool that a company is asking everyday users for input on how to improve the product line. Missing products, missing features, tweaks to existing products/features.
He are some things I've thought about over the last few months:
1) Expanding the capability of the "smart loads" terminals. Right now, it can be used to power non-essential loads based on various criteria. However, what if we reversed the capability? Having it be available for critical loads that always need power? Right now, To use the "smart loads". the main output lugs need to be energized. It seems like they share a relay or something. I'm thinking of being able to wire the main house panel to the 200A lugs.. and a critical loads panel to the "smart loads/gen" port. Set the main terminals to only power on if the battery is above X percent, bt be able to leave the smart loads on until Y percent. The goal would be to set the "main panel" as a load shed at say.. 60% battery, but keep the "smart loads" going until the battery is at 20, 10, 5, 1%... etc.
2) A separate MPPT controller that has 1 or 2 MPPT inputs, capable of 600V voc.. and can communicate with the 6kxp or 18kpv. This would allow people to bring in more solar and track it, without necessarily needing to also increase their inverter output numbers (and cost).
3) Modularized systems. We've all seen the epcube and solix systems now. They look great, but since they "stack" on each other.. if the 3rd battery has an issue, you have to take everything above it off the wall to get to it. Imagine something like a server rack with a blade chassis in it. All the comms/AC/DC connectors are built into the back of the chassis. Inverters, batteries, mppts, etc all just "slide in" to the sever rack, make a positive connection to the connectors in the back, and it's done. You'd do all your AC and DC wiring to the "cabinet", and the individual components don't need anything special. just insert and remove as desired.
4) 120V inputs, across the board: All of these AIO inverter units are nice.. but with the number of people doing overlanding, vanlife, RV, etc.. it'd be awesome if these inverters could take 120V or 240V inputs, so that no matter what the campsite offers, it's useful. Right now, if I have a 6kxp in an RV and pull into a location that only has 120V input, I' still "offgrid" unless I add a chargeverter or some other battery charger) this gets to another point)
5) The chargeverter should have a "per leg" setting. Right now, you can set it for a total power output. Given an RV scenario like above (#4) it'd be nice if you could tell the chargverter to draw "15A per leg" (as an example). If plugged into 120V, it'd output 1800w (15*120). but if connected to 240V with the same setting, it'd output 3600w (15*240). This would allow you to mount hte device neatly and discreetly out of the way, and not have to fiddle with the settings everytime you pulled into a camp with a different power availability. (I realize some places may offer 20A 120v, or 30A 120V, etc.. thats why my example shows 15A.. it'd work with any of those options, *even if* you could have drawn more power from a 30A outlet, the goal would be to have it be more "set and forget", even if it provides lower power than the max theoretical)
6) an EV charger that communicates with the inverters in some way, and makes decisions based on that. ie, don't charge if the house battery is below 85%. OR, "maintain the house battery at 85%" (which would allow the MPPTS in the inverter to draw full power from the PV arrays, and since it knows how much power is available, dynamically change the cars charging rate to maximize the sun to charge the EV without draining the house battery. battery is charged up to your desired mark, and the inverter is still drawing 3,000 watts from the array? Charge the car with 3,000w. some shading occurs, reduce the car charge rate to match available PV. sun comes back out and now there is 8,000w, charge car at 8,000w. (obviously these examples don't mention changing house loads for the sake of simple explanation, but you'd want to factor that in to the overall EV charge rate)
7) With the ever-growing popularity of high voltage DC battery banks, a lineup of HV inverters would be cool. Especially if the sodium ion batteries deliver on some of their promises (the voltages of sodium ion swing heavily based on SOC, so HV inverters would need a wide DC operating votage to accomodate. And if sodium-ion never really takes off, we still have LiFePo4.
8) per circuit, or per device detection capabilities. maybe creating a smart panel-esque system with built in power flow monitoring. Add a relay, and you could have smart load shedding for the entire house. Make the panels flexible and affordable (unlike SPAN and lutron), and available to DIYers.
9) The ability to "AC couple" to the output of offgrid inverters. ie, using a 6,000xp as a "string inverter" for an 18kpv. Example scenario: 6kxp connected to 2 strings of solar panels at a remote building on the property. a barn, workshop, etc. Have the "output" of the 6kxp provide "AC Coupled input" to the 18kpv. 18kpv raises/lowers the frequency to throttle the 6kxp if needed. Bonus points if this additional power generation can be used in the calulations for the EV charge rate listed in #6.
I'm sure I have more ideas, but this has already turned into a book. What do others think? what would you add or change to the above? anyhing obvious I've missed?
He are some things I've thought about over the last few months:
1) Expanding the capability of the "smart loads" terminals. Right now, it can be used to power non-essential loads based on various criteria. However, what if we reversed the capability? Having it be available for critical loads that always need power? Right now, To use the "smart loads". the main output lugs need to be energized. It seems like they share a relay or something. I'm thinking of being able to wire the main house panel to the 200A lugs.. and a critical loads panel to the "smart loads/gen" port. Set the main terminals to only power on if the battery is above X percent, bt be able to leave the smart loads on until Y percent. The goal would be to set the "main panel" as a load shed at say.. 60% battery, but keep the "smart loads" going until the battery is at 20, 10, 5, 1%... etc.
2) A separate MPPT controller that has 1 or 2 MPPT inputs, capable of 600V voc.. and can communicate with the 6kxp or 18kpv. This would allow people to bring in more solar and track it, without necessarily needing to also increase their inverter output numbers (and cost).
3) Modularized systems. We've all seen the epcube and solix systems now. They look great, but since they "stack" on each other.. if the 3rd battery has an issue, you have to take everything above it off the wall to get to it. Imagine something like a server rack with a blade chassis in it. All the comms/AC/DC connectors are built into the back of the chassis. Inverters, batteries, mppts, etc all just "slide in" to the sever rack, make a positive connection to the connectors in the back, and it's done. You'd do all your AC and DC wiring to the "cabinet", and the individual components don't need anything special. just insert and remove as desired.
4) 120V inputs, across the board: All of these AIO inverter units are nice.. but with the number of people doing overlanding, vanlife, RV, etc.. it'd be awesome if these inverters could take 120V or 240V inputs, so that no matter what the campsite offers, it's useful. Right now, if I have a 6kxp in an RV and pull into a location that only has 120V input, I' still "offgrid" unless I add a chargeverter or some other battery charger) this gets to another point)
5) The chargeverter should have a "per leg" setting. Right now, you can set it for a total power output. Given an RV scenario like above (#4) it'd be nice if you could tell the chargverter to draw "15A per leg" (as an example). If plugged into 120V, it'd output 1800w (15*120). but if connected to 240V with the same setting, it'd output 3600w (15*240). This would allow you to mount hte device neatly and discreetly out of the way, and not have to fiddle with the settings everytime you pulled into a camp with a different power availability. (I realize some places may offer 20A 120v, or 30A 120V, etc.. thats why my example shows 15A.. it'd work with any of those options, *even if* you could have drawn more power from a 30A outlet, the goal would be to have it be more "set and forget", even if it provides lower power than the max theoretical)
6) an EV charger that communicates with the inverters in some way, and makes decisions based on that. ie, don't charge if the house battery is below 85%. OR, "maintain the house battery at 85%" (which would allow the MPPTS in the inverter to draw full power from the PV arrays, and since it knows how much power is available, dynamically change the cars charging rate to maximize the sun to charge the EV without draining the house battery. battery is charged up to your desired mark, and the inverter is still drawing 3,000 watts from the array? Charge the car with 3,000w. some shading occurs, reduce the car charge rate to match available PV. sun comes back out and now there is 8,000w, charge car at 8,000w. (obviously these examples don't mention changing house loads for the sake of simple explanation, but you'd want to factor that in to the overall EV charge rate)
7) With the ever-growing popularity of high voltage DC battery banks, a lineup of HV inverters would be cool. Especially if the sodium ion batteries deliver on some of their promises (the voltages of sodium ion swing heavily based on SOC, so HV inverters would need a wide DC operating votage to accomodate. And if sodium-ion never really takes off, we still have LiFePo4.
8) per circuit, or per device detection capabilities. maybe creating a smart panel-esque system with built in power flow monitoring. Add a relay, and you could have smart load shedding for the entire house. Make the panels flexible and affordable (unlike SPAN and lutron), and available to DIYers.
9) The ability to "AC couple" to the output of offgrid inverters. ie, using a 6,000xp as a "string inverter" for an 18kpv. Example scenario: 6kxp connected to 2 strings of solar panels at a remote building on the property. a barn, workshop, etc. Have the "output" of the 6kxp provide "AC Coupled input" to the 18kpv. 18kpv raises/lowers the frequency to throttle the 6kxp if needed. Bonus points if this additional power generation can be used in the calulations for the EV charge rate listed in #6.
I'm sure I have more ideas, but this has already turned into a book. What do others think? what would you add or change to the above? anyhing obvious I've missed?
Haha, thanks very much.
Thanks
The inverter design is by Warpspeed who's here on this forum. There's a thread all about the concept here.I built the inverter and wound the transformers etc over the last three years with lots of guidance from Warpspeed.
There's some threads about it over on thebackshed forum.
https://www.thebackshed.com/forum/ViewTopic.php?FID=4&TID=16626
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2022
- Messages
- 21,369
That is not possible because it's doesn't use a split-phase input.
It's a variable voltage single phase input.
But it does automatically limit the output by 50% when connected to 120v. (Half the voltage in = Half the power out)
It would take a complete redesign to work the way you suggest.
With different internal power supplies. (Twice the size)
Also how about 8k Watts output, 10kWatts output with the toroid transformers built in and able to parallel to 2,4,6 Inverters with 4 or 6 MPPTS each, with naming to include: 8,000Watts & 16,000 Watts PV (simple to understand) ect.
n2aws
Solar Addict
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2022
- Messages
- 795
So.. heres the thing. I would agree with you that the current design wouldn't be able to do it. but the original post said "I want to get anyone’s thoughts on what they think the next thing is. Or what’s missing, what could be better. Please feel free to share your thoughts." and with that, the sky is the limit. For what it's worth, the 18k couldn't to the critical loads thing either, without a hardware refresh and adding additional relays. So, theres that.
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