Adam De Lay
Solar Wizard
I’ll have to look and see if mine are still drifting, but I don’t have the EG4 batteries and was experiencing the drifting.
EG4-6500 losing clock and MPPT issues
- Thread starter Madco
- Start date
PreppenWolf
Solar Addict
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2022
- Messages
- 933
Mine have still not drifted. I haven't updated my firmware and mine are the black terminal with NG screw
Adam De Lay
Solar Wizard
Ok, I just reset them. Haven't looked at this in a while and they were a minute apart. I'll check back tomorrow and see if they've drifted.
Zapper77
Renaissance Man
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2022
- Messages
- 2,342
2P2 uses 2P1 for battery type...I don't think it matters what 2P2 battery type is displayed.
Adam De Lay
Solar Wizard
I’m still on 79.61 and I set the minute value at the exact same time this afternoon and now 2p1 is 1 min ahead.
Now I know some devices end up keeping their own internal “second counter” regardless of when you set the “minute” value. So if you set the “minute” value to “3”, the “second” counter could still be at “45”, so in 15 seconds it will change the “minute” value to “4”. It doesn’t reset the “seconds” counter when you set the “minute” value. Not sure if the inverters do this or not.
In my case, I was getting drifts of up to one hour. Definitely noticed big difference after the firmware update. With 79.03, the 2P1 clock would lag up to ~1hr by the end of the day if I set the clock correctly in the morning. Since the firmware update to 79.63, I have not had to make any changes to the clock.
BTW, reason I check on the clock accuracy is because I'm on time-of-use plan with my utility provider so I've been trying to utilize the timer setting features on these inverters.
mountkay
Camper
I have been having this issue. Although for me it is my 2P2 that will hover around 90v till interrupted. After shutting DC disconnect off and on, the voltage will increase and it will instantly put out more wattage. I have 2 stings of panels on 2P1. Sting of 7x340w and 6x340w. On 2P2 I have 1 string of 7x340w.
I mostly notice this in low light situations. If it is sunny enough, 2P2 will not hover at 90v. It will act normally.
I made a thread about it here.
EG4 6500 - stuck low PV voltage
Hello! I have 2x inverters, (running split phase). 3 strings of 340W panels, 2x strings of 7 panels and one of 6 panels. Inverter 1 is receiving a 7 panel input and 6 panel input. Inverter 2 just receives a 7 panel input. Inverter 1 will almost always have panel voltage above 90v. Inverter 2...
diysolarforum.com
It’s a pretty annoying issue. I don’t like having to turn the DC disconnect off and on to trick the MPPT into getting better wattage.
mountkay
Camper
Regarding the drifting clock, I have noticed this as well. Although my firmware isn’t updated.
2P1 is at 79.02 - 61.06
2P2 is at 79.03 - 61.02
I think I noticed the drift happen quickly even after I reset it.
My hypothesis is that the clock does not run when you are in the settings menu. Haha I don’t have much to support this, other than the clock seemed to hold well for a long time. Then I decided to reset it because it was off by a minute. And then I went through and double checked all of my settings (took a few min). And the clock was instantly off again. (Always loses time, never is ahead).
I just checked again and my 2P1 is slow by 26min. 2P2 is right on time.
EDIT: 1hour and 15 min after posting this and 2P1 is already slow by 15 min.
Trying to reset it to the correct time and I’m currently experiencing it not accepting the time when I input it. Maybe something like what DIYPV mentioned below:
I’ll try to document what’s going on with the clock more but I’m off grid and it doesn’t affect me much. The other issue mentioned by OP is causing me much more grief. One inverters MPPT hovers at 90v and doesn’t output full power until interrupted.
EDIT: I’ll be documenting my drifting clock below.
3/2 - 2P1 slow by 30 min. Reset it.
3/4 - slow by 25 min.
2P1 is at 79.02 - 61.06
2P2 is at 79.03 - 61.02
I think I noticed the drift happen quickly even after I reset it.
My hypothesis is that the clock does not run when you are in the settings menu. Haha I don’t have much to support this, other than the clock seemed to hold well for a long time. Then I decided to reset it because it was off by a minute. And then I went through and double checked all of my settings (took a few min). And the clock was instantly off again. (Always loses time, never is ahead).
I just checked again and my 2P1 is slow by 26min. 2P2 is right on time.
EDIT: 1hour and 15 min after posting this and 2P1 is already slow by 15 min.
Trying to reset it to the correct time and I’m currently experiencing it not accepting the time when I input it. Maybe something like what DIYPV mentioned below:
EDIT EDIT: got it to work by changing only the hour first, then backing out of the settings menu. Then going back into settings a 2nd time to change the minute.
I’ll try to document what’s going on with the clock more but I’m off grid and it doesn’t affect me much. The other issue mentioned by OP is causing me much more grief. One inverters MPPT hovers at 90v and doesn’t output full power until interrupted.
EDIT: I’ll be documenting my drifting clock below.
3/2 - 2P1 slow by 30 min. Reset it.
3/4 - slow by 25 min.
Last edited:
PreppenWolf
Solar Addict
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2022
- Messages
- 933
Mine lock around 90V in low light and climb from there. I haven't noticed my production being hurt by this though.
mountkay
Camper
On real low light mine are kinda the same. My issue is when 2 stings of panels going to 2P1 inverter will be at 200v and the 1 string going to 2P2 will be at 90v. There are no other variables that should be affecting the voltage besides the MPPT. This is confirmed by the fact that interrupting the 90v PV to the MPPT will immediately cause it to jump up to 200v like the other 2 strings. There is an increase in power at the same time.
mountkay
Camper
I only have 1 video of this happening but the string of panels immediately goes from
246w - 2.7a - 91v
to
(~470w) - 1.3a - 270v
The 470w on that was taken several seconds after taking all of the other readings so I believe it is off by a bit.
Even if you just use math the 270v at 1.3a is higher than the 90v power.
I don’t have a video but in a more extreme case recently I had 13 panels making ~800w. And the string of 7 only making 200w. Immediately after interrupting it with the DC disconnect, the string of 7 panels starts making ~400w, what it should be doing.
I know when working with low wattage a lot can kinda change quickly based on the amount of sunlight, but I’ve watched this happen many many times now and it definitely appears that I’m not getting as much power as I could be. It’s not a lot of power loss, but it’s on cloudy days when I need it the most.
246w - 2.7a - 91v
to
(~470w) - 1.3a - 270v
The 470w on that was taken several seconds after taking all of the other readings so I believe it is off by a bit.
Even if you just use math the 270v at 1.3a is higher than the 90v power.
I don’t have a video but in a more extreme case recently I had 13 panels making ~800w. And the string of 7 only making 200w. Immediately after interrupting it with the DC disconnect, the string of 7 panels starts making ~400w, what it should be doing.
I know when working with low wattage a lot can kinda change quickly based on the amount of sunlight, but I’ve watched this happen many many times now and it definitely appears that I’m not getting as much power as I could be. It’s not a lot of power loss, but it’s on cloudy days when I need it the most.
PreppenWolf
Solar Addict
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2022
- Messages
- 933
Certainly worth investigating. Unfortunately don't know anything about the control mechanisms, feedback loops or parameters for how MPPTs operate.
Adam De Lay
Solar Wizard
As far as the clock, my inverters are still only 1 minute apart. I'm still leaning towards the "independent second counter" idea. So one minute apart isn't that bad, nothing like the 15 min that @mountkay was experiencing.
As far as the mppt issue, I haven't noticed this in my environment and in MI, especially in winter, I have an awful lot of low light days.
I guess my thought would be to try updating the firmware on the inverters. I know there's been a lot of changes made since the 79.02 and 03 releases. Of course if @PreppenWolf hasn't experienced the issue and he's on the older hardware with the older firmware..who's to say...
As far as the mppt issue, I haven't noticed this in my environment and in MI, especially in winter, I have an awful lot of low light days.
I guess my thought would be to try updating the firmware on the inverters. I know there's been a lot of changes made since the 79.02 and 03 releases. Of course if @PreppenWolf hasn't experienced the issue and he's on the older hardware with the older firmware..who's to say...
mountkay
Camper
My 2P1 inverter that has been working fine is older hardware (black terminals) and 79.02. The other one, 2P2, that hovers around 90v is newer hardware (grey terminals) and 79.03 (OP was having this issue on one of his inverters that was 79.03, but his other one that was working property was also 79.03).
OP of this thread actually ran into a lot of trouble when trying to update firmware. So I’m pretty wary of updating.
Would be nice if there was a list of what each firmware update fixed, like patch notes for a video game or any other software that has regular updates.
Last edited:
Adam De Lay
Solar Wizard
I ran the 79.61 update several times and didn't have any issues (screen recording software didn't want to work properly, so I had to keep reflashing the firmware...)
I've asked several times for one. I started my own. https://diysolarforum.com/resources/eg4-6500-firmware-changelog.319/
SignatureSolarJames
Try Solar, the Grid will always take you back
changelogs coming in future
looks like the IV sweep can be improved, our team is on it
looks like the IV sweep can be improved, our team is on it
mountkay
Camper
Just got another video. This one is pretty clear on what’s happening
Idk if this helps at all @SignatureSolarJames