EG4 6500EX-48 LED lights flicker

[FurryAlpaca]

It looks like this has been the topic of some posts already, but I think I'm having a slightly different issue. I have 2 EG4 6500EX-48 in split phase powering a critical loads panel. The circuit I'm having the light flicker in is in my main panel, NOT in the critical loads panel. The issue only happens when I'm in grid pass through mode, SBU on battery works fine. I had a similar configuration with 2 3k Growatt inverters and didn't have this issue. Has anyone else run into this? Thanks!

 

[DanielS]

Can you provide a quick sketch of your ground and neutral wiring associated with your inverters? Example do you have both AC input and output ground wires connected? You might just have a ground loop on your critical loads panel that is causing some ground imbalance in your Main panel.

 

[FurryAlpaca]

Attached a diagram. It's pretty basic; the inputs are connected to the main panel, one inverter hot to each phase and the ground and neutrals are on the neutral bar (bonded). The outputs are connected to the critical loads panel, one inverter hot to each phase and the neutrals on the neutral bar, grounds on the ground bar, not bonded.

 

[DanielS]

Yeah, I’d likely recommend starting by removing one of the output grounds. If that doesn’t work then I would remove both output grounds and then tie the ground between the two panels if possible. Basically you don’t want to create loops, which is what you have in that config.

 

[FurryAlpaca]

Thanks, will give that a try tonight.

 

[FurryAlpaca]

Thanks for the suggestions, but still no luck. I also tried shutting off all circuits in my critical loads panel except the inverters, shutting off solar, I tried swapping phases of inverters in main panel thinking that one inverter was causing the issue. The flicker isn't constant. Appears to really only happen in utility mode when not charging batteries. When charging batteries in utility it still happens but much less frequently. Any other thoughts?

 

[DanielS]

Did you try removing both output grounds and wiring your main panel ground to your critical panel ground? I’d try to measure your ground wires into the inverters to see if you have anything showing up there.

 

[FurryAlpaca]

Yes, I currently have my output grounds from the inverters to the critical loads panel disconnected and have connected the ground from my critical loads panel to the ground in my main panel. I have an IotaWatt and am monitoring that ground (critical loads to main), nothing more that a few hundred milliwatts. I'll try monitoring the grounds to from the mains to the inverter inputs.

 

[DanielS]

Well this is all odd then... The inverter circuitry in Grid mode is just the bypass and charging. If you have no loads on your critical panel and you're not charging batteries at the same time, then this is pretty odd.

1. Batt/Solar Mode = No flickering in Main Loads
2. Grid Mode, No loads on inverter, no charging = Still flicker on Main Loads
3. Grid Mode, No loads on inverter, but charging DC = Less flickering in Main Loads
4. Grid Mode, Inverter 1 powered off = ?
5. Grid Mode, Inverter 2 powered off = ?
6. Grid Mode, Both Inverters powered off = ?

Not sure if you have solar, but I'm assuming you've tried having that disconnected as well?

 

[FurryAlpaca]

Wanted to circle back on this one. I still haven't found the cause, but the solution I found for now was to replace all my lights with non-dimmable LEDs. Not a great solution but got my wife off my back for now!

 

[Adam De Lay]

I had my kitchen lights on an LED rated dimmer and the lights flickered like crazy (driving me and my wife crazy). Once I removed the dimmer and put in a regular switch, the flickering drastically was reduced. Might end up having to swap out all the bulbs to non dimmable to stop the rest, but it’s still better than it was.

 

[JCSchwarb]

Wanted to circle back on this one. I still haven't found the cause, but the solution I found for now was to replace all my lights with non-dimmable LEDs. Not a great solution but got my wife off my back for now!

How’s the flicker doing? I recently installed 6 EG4s in split mode with 10 LP4’s. All NG bonds in inverters intact and main panel only. The only time lights “surge” is under heavy load demand such as tankless 75A water heater and when pulsing my blender. Note that the pulse is likely due to reduced voltage as the incandescent bulbs show this draw down as well. I may increase voltage to 125 to see if that reduces the draw down. Note my inverters and batteries are 140’ from my main house.

Look forward to hearing how yours is going.

 

[Quattrohead]

A constant flickering is different from the single brief dim you can have from a heavy load starting up.

 

[JCSchwarb]

A constant flickering is different from the single brief dim you can have from a heavy load starting up.

Agreed about the implied flicker definition. I am not sure if everyone uses it the same way. I used the term surge to describe my system that is directly tied to load demand. I am curious about all the factors that may be causing it. I am pretty sure my LEDs are pretty bottom barrel, Chinese no name

 

[SolarScott]

Agreed about the implied flicker definition. I am not sure if everyone uses it the same way. I used the term surge to describe my system that is directly tied to load demand. I am curious about all the factors that may be causing it. I am pretty sure my LEDs are pretty bottom barrel, Chinese no name

Any luck with the flicker? My two EG4 are causing flicker on incandescent bulbs and the Christmas tree lights.

 

[PreppenWolf]

This was discussed in another thread somewhere I happened across. Have you updated the firmware recently? There was some fix for load monitoring in the recent release that supposedly prevents flickering.

I have not had this issue with any LED lighting whether standard bulbs, dimmable or LED strips. Our entire house is LED lighting of one form or another.

 

[SolarScott]

This was discussed in another thread somewhere I happened across. Have you updated the firmware recently? There was some fix for load monitoring in the recent release that supposedly prevents flickering.

I have not had this issue with any LED lighting whether standard bulbs, dimmable or LED strips. Our entire house is LED lighting of one form or another.

I just turned off my AC in to the inverters....just on solar and battery....no flicker. I have not done the firmware update yet. Maybe this will help. I am waiting on my third inverter to ship. Could not make it with just two. Too many variables to balance with cook stove, water well, water heaters, microwave being used at same time. Three should allow me to be less concerned about what is on at the same time.

 

[JCSchwarb]

Any luck with the flicker? My two EG4 are causing flicker on incandescent bulbs and the Christmas tree lights.

My lights only show draw down under heavy or instant load. No constant flicker. When my 75A tankless water heater is on, the lights flicker including incandescent. I am not sure why this doesn’t smooth out though, like the 6 inverters can’t supply enough juice, which doesn’t seem logical with 39 kW continuous rating.

 

[Samsonite801]

Wanted to circle back on this one. I still haven't found the cause, but the solution I found for now was to replace all my lights with non-dimmable LEDs. Not a great solution but got my wife off my back for now!

If you still want dimmable bulbs in certain locations, you could try the RGB style LED bulbs which have WiFi remote control, and you dim them from the app, and can change them to any color you like as well, or any color temperature on white... Those do dimming on the low-voltage side of the LED circuit so they may not flicker like the dimmables which rely on dimmer control from the main power supply line.

I have a few of those RGB LED dimmables and they seem to work good, can change the light from the phone app, and still turn them on/off from the light switch.

The bulbs I use are ones that work with the Smart Life app, and you can even set up bulb groups, so for example you can control dimming on an array of bulbs in the same chandelier or in all the bulbs everywhere in a room or something. Also can control the lights anywhere in the world. If you're worried about security you can connect them to your guest network and still control them via the cloud server connection.

Just a thought anyways...

 

[PreppenWolf]

Strange. I'm on bypass now and no flicker in this mode either. I'm doing more work on the system this week. I'll try heavy loading it this weekend with shops toys all turned on to see if I can replicate.