Working on load panel updates and trying to design-in the needs of the inverter/battery/charger. Will's video shows each inverter using hot/neutral/ground conductors; one set for each inverter. I have a 75 foot run, is it necessary to use two neutrals and grounds, or, can I just use hot/hot/neutral/ground (black, red, white, green)?
Question about EG4 6500 wiring
- Thread starter donb108
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Samsonite801
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You can use one neutral, but it needs to be sized to handle the 120v loads from both legs combined... Single ground is fine.
Good point, wasn't thinking of it that way. I did some measurements recently; switched on every 120v load I had and it only drew about 16 amps. It didn't include microwave, vacuum sweepers, washer, gas dryer, or other plug-in appliances, so I'll have to check those.
Generac sells a cable bundle for 24kw generators (Three #3AWG - One #8AWG - Six #18AWG), using the same gauge for hot/hot/neutral, so I was thinking of doing the same. I'll double check my list.
Generac sells a cable bundle for 24kw generators (Three #3AWG - One #8AWG - Six #18AWG), using the same gauge for hot/hot/neutral, so I was thinking of doing the same. I'll double check my list.
Samsonite801
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So I have some of the MPP Solar LV6548s which the EG4 6500EX are based very similar in design. Before I had purchased them, I had asked MPP Solar to give me a few specs on them in which they replied to my email with:
"
These are High frequency inverter, and still with transformer built in .
As long as your ac load size will not exceed the size of inverter, it will work fine .
Inverter is designed in 6500w continuous power. surge power 13kw ( withhold 5 second ). And for 2 inverter in parallel , it will be a 13kw inverter system / surge power 26kw
For working under a 110vac, the support output ac current is 118.18A , or under 240vac ac output , it is 54.16A .
We have many different model of inverter designed in similar way, unbalance power is confirmed not an issue.
"
So in my eyes, the number you might want to size the 120v neutral wire for is the 118.18a number, maybe adding some in for surge load (to be able to take advantage of the inverter's full output)...
And remember you should add in a circuit breaker between the inverter and the cable (as the breaker is designed to protect the wire), so it should be sized for the gauge of the cable. They have online calculators to help determine max current ampacity for different gauge cables and lengths, etc.
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Hmm, hadn't planned to operate purely with 120v circuits, but I'll double check to make sure they're covered.
Yep, already have the breaker planned in, but a little confused on the wire gauge. Looking at a chart from Cerrowire, they rate 6 gauge for 65 amps, but EG4 installation instructions recommend 4 gauge for 54 amps (for both AC input and AC output). The voltage drop calculation is well under 3% for my runs, so that's probably not the issue. Not sure why the extra size, maybe some surge issue or something.
Cerrowire Resources - Ampacity Charts
Ampacity is the maximum current that a conductor can carry continuously under the conditions of use without exceeding its temperature rating. Cerrowire's ampacity chart helps calculate the load requirement for a circuit.
www.cerrowire.com
Samsonite801
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Hmm, hadn't planned to operate purely with 120v circuits, but I'll double check to make sure they're covered.
Yep, already have the breaker planned in, but a little confused on the wire gauge. Looking at a chart from Cerrowire, they rate 6 gauge for 65 amps, but EG4 installation instructions recommend 4 gauge for 54 amps (for both AC input and AC output). The voltage drop calculation is well under 3% for my runs, so that's probably not the issue. Not sure why the extra size, maybe some surge issue or something.
Cerrowire Resources - Ampacity Charts
Ampacity is the maximum current that a conductor can carry continuously under the conditions of use without exceeding its temperature rating. Cerrowire's ampacity chart helps calculate the load requirement for a circuit.
Yeah, so you have to size the breaker to protect the wire, but if you hit a surge that can make the amps double its normal max amps, then it would blow your breaker. So then if you put in a bigger breaker to handle surge, you now need a bigger wire, since the breaker is sized to protect the wire. MPP Solar is saying a pair of those inverters can surge to 26 KW for 5 seconds (probably why they're recommending that big of wire)...
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