EG4 Chargeverter: throttle output due to heat? (new title)

[jimf909]

Hello,

EG4 recommends using their Chargeverter at only 80 amps and not using the full 100 amp output of the charger. They say this is due to heat generated at the full 100 amps (both in their documents and in a phone conversation on their tech line).

Edit: the manual says 85 amps, the tech rep at EG4 said 80 amps.

How many folks are using their Chargeverter at the full 100 amps and has his been a problem for you?

I'll be mounting mine on cement board with 4' of clearance to the top and over a foot on each side and I'd like to use the full 100amp output of the charger to charge a 400ah battery bank. The heat output will actually be desirable in the 50 degree utility room where it will be mounted.

Thanks.

 

[42OhmsPA]

It should be advertised as 80 amps then...
I know a bunch of other members are using them, I'm sure they will chime in shortly.

 

[B-Mod]

I would be pissed if I bought one, and now can only run at 80% of what I was sold.

 

[HighTechLab]

You can run 100%, but you can also drive your car down the freeway with the gas pedal floored...The same thing will happen to both - they won't last as long.

I just installed 12 chargeverters on a system and am only running them at 80A because the heat just becomes difficult to deal with at full load. Sure, running at 100% would have saved me a few units, but with much more expense in cooling equipment to deal with the heat.

 

[Zapper77]

Hello,

EG4 recommends using their Chargeverter at only 80 amps and not using the full 100 amp output of the charger. They say this is due to heat generated at the full 100 amps (both in their documents and in a phone conversation on their tech line).

How many folks are using their Chargeverter at the full 100 amps and has his been a problem for you?

I'll be mounting mine on cement board with 4' of clearance to the top and over a foot on each side and I'd like to use the full 100amp output of the charger to charge a 400ah battery bank. The heat output will actually be desirable in the 50 degree utility room where it will be mounted.

Thanks.

What's the charge curve of your 400ah battery?

 

[jimf909]

I would be pissed if I bought one, and now can only run at 80% of what I was sold.

I agree on being pissed given that they advertise 100 amps.

I learned this after reading the manual and seeing it on the last page (6) where it says 85 amps is the max recommended charging rate. When I called their tech line I was told 80 amps was the max recommended charge rate. This was before buying, my guess is that less than 10% of the buyers are reading the manual before buying,

Manual (see page six)

https://eg4electronics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Chargeverter-5kW-Manual_1.4.0.pdf

 

[jimf909]

You can run 100%, but you can also drive your car down the freeway with the gas pedal floored...The same thing will happen to both - they won't last as long.

I just installed 12 chargeverters on a system and am only running them at 80A because the heat just becomes difficult to deal with at full load. Sure, running at 100% would have saved me a few units, but with much more expense in cooling equipment to deal with the heat.

EG4 doesn't mention anywhere that running at 100 amps will shorten the product's life. Are you saying that I should expect a shorter lifecycle if it's run at the advertised capacity? If so, I strongly recommend that you add that caveat to the glowing copy on your product page advertising an "astounding capacity of 100 amps". Seriously.

"The EG4 Chargeverter is a game-changing 48V battery charger with an astounding charging capacity of 100 Amps or over 5000 Watts. This cutting-edge device revolutionizes the way you charge your batteries, providing lightning-fast charging rates and unparalleled convenience."

By the way, I placed my order with you for the Chargeverter this morning. Jason was top-notch and answered all of my questions. I could have used a $50 off coupon at SS to buy it for $50 less than you but they wouldn't answer their phones (multiple 30 minute waits) and I only spoke with someone when I selected tech support who recommended using it at only 80% capacity. I suggest changing your copy because of the retailers selling EG4 you seem to be the only one with reasonable T&Cs and service. Please maintain your integrity by transparently communicating recommended limits of the products you sell.

 

[jimf909]

What's the charge curve of your 400ah battery?

The question I have is what happens when folks run the EG4 Chargeverter at the advertised 100 amp capacity.
- Is the heat production unmanageable under some conditions?
- Are cooling fans needed?
- Have they seen mounting surfaces singe if not mounted on cement board as recommended?
- Has the unit failed in short order as suggested?

I'm guessing you may want to help with managing the charge rate but I don't want to derail this thread with anything other than responses to how the EG4 Chargeverter operates when run at the advertised capacity of 100 amps.

Thanks.

 

[B-Mod]

You can run 100%, but you can also drive your car down the freeway with the gas pedal floored...The same thing will happen to both - they won't last as long.

I just installed 12 chargeverters on a system and am only running them at 80A because the heat just becomes difficult to deal with at full load. Sure, running at 100% would have saved me a few units, but with much more expense in cooling equipment to deal with the heat.

If you advertise something as 100a 5120w, it better be rated to be used for that.

 

[Zapper77]

I run mine at 100 amps, 80 amps and 30 amps. Just depends what I'm powering the CV with. Heck I've even ran it at 17amps (120v), just to see which charger was more efficient (the 18amp charger vs the CV).

 

[timselectric]

I run it at 100a , all of the time.
If my 100a chargeverter fails, I'll send it back for a replacement.

 

[HighTechLab]

As far as I'm concerned, if a customer runs it at full bore and that somehow causes a failure because of running it at full bore, it's still under warranty and I'll accept the claim. From there it's on me to fight with EG4 for warranty coverage, not you...you are in good hands.

Now, I wasn't on the phone with EG4 to hear what they told anyone, but let's look at the documented information.

it says 85 amps is the max recommended charging rate.

I now realize you're bending the verbiage of the manual. It does NOT say 85 amps is the max recommended charging rate. It simply says it "to reduce the heat output of the unit"

By the way, read the spec again - If the battery voltage is over 51.2v, you're NOT getting 100a out - the 5120w limit kicks in and current tapers back to maintain constant output wattage.

 

[Tomthumb62]

EG4 doesn't mention anywhere that running at 100 amps will shorten the product's life. Are you saying that I should expect a shorter lifecycle if it's run at the advertised capacity? If so, I strongly recommend that you add that caveat to the glowing copy on your product page advertising an "astounding capacity of 100 amps". Seriously.

"The EG4 Chargeverter is a game-changing 48V battery charger with an astounding charging capacity of 100 Amps or over 5000 Watts. This cutting-edge device revolutionizes the way you charge your batteries, providing lightning-fast charging rates and unparalleled convenience."

By the way, I placed my order with you for the Chargeverter this morning. Jason was top-notch and answered all of my questions. I could have used a $50 off coupon at SS to buy it for $50 less than you but they wouldn't answer their phones (multiple 30 minute waits) and I only spoke with someone when I selected tech support who recommended using it at only 80% capacity. I suggest changing your copy because of the retailers selling EG4 you seem to be the only one with reasonable T&Cs and service. Please maintain your integrity by transparently communicating recommended limits of the products you sell.

But the speedometer on my 1987 Subaru Wagon goes to 120MPH. FALSE ADVERTISING!! When I drove it that fast, the engine overheated after an hour at 120MPH.

I guess I don’t see your point. Anything electrical is going to create heat. Heat kills electrical things. More heat kills them faster. It’s as simple as that.

Perhaps they could’ve designed it to operate more cool at 100A, but that would increase the price. Would’ve you bought it if the price was $100 more for such a benefit? $160 more? It’s the game any designer has the play…matching price to function to find the sweet spot that makes their R&D investment worth it and that more than a few elite can afford to benefit from it.

 

[jimf909]

As far as I'm concerned, if a customer runs it at full bore and that somehow causes a failure because of running it at full bore, it's still under warranty and I'll accept the claim. From there it's on me to fight with EG4 for warranty coverage, not you...you are in good hands.

Now, I wasn't on the phone with EG4 to hear what they told anyone, but let's look at the documented information.





I now realize you're bending the verbiage of the manual. It does NOT say 85 amps is the max recommended charging rate. It simply says it "to reduce the heat output of the unit"

By the way, read the spec again - If the battery voltage is over 51.2v, you're NOT getting 100a out - the 5120w limit kicks in and current tapers back to maintain constant output wattage.

• I appreciate your point on the warranty coverage. Thanks.
• Who's bending words? The manual DOES say: "Recommended...85 amp total charging rate to reduce the heat of the unit". It's great that EG4 put this in the manual so manual readers like me can make an informed decision before buying.
• The discrepancy lies in the constant hype of a 100 amp charing rate but the mfr actually recommends only 80 or 85 amps.
• I understand the declining amps as voltage increases. Thanks for pointing this out just in case I missed that.

It surprised me a bit to read your post saying that if run at 100 amps it "won't last as long". I think that duty cycle is something that EG4 and CC should be more clear about when describing the 100 amp charge capacity.

Regardless, I knew that EG4 recommended running it at 80% (or 85%) of capacity and bought it anyway. I posted after I bought it to learn: How many folks are using their Chargeverter at the full 100 amps and has his been a problem for you? I'm still interested in hearing more on this.

Thanks!

 

[G00SE]

It seems that in portions of the solar world, running things at advertised capacity is considered the norm, or even advantageous
“Run string voltage as high as possible but with safe margin for temp”
“Run charge controllers at max amperage or overpanel”
Inverters seem to go either way. Many could use more output but we all must make sensible financial choices

I personally wouldn’t plan on running a chargeverter at 100a continuous just as I don’t prefer to run my generators at max continuous. But I suppose that’s just old school thinking that doesn’t always align with certain aspects of solar

 

[DIYrich]

Run the generator at 70%, CV at 80%, wire at 83%, who has seen the rated output of solar panels, how many inverters get flakey with the waveform near the rated output. The general advice for a lot of things is not to run at 100%.

 

[HighTechLab]

surprised me a bit to read your post saying that if run at 100 amps it "won't last as long". I think that duty cycle is something that EG4 and CC should be more clear about when describing the 100 amp charge capacity.

Frankly I posted without first researching the manual - based on the information in post 1, 2 & 3. My bad.

 

[jimf909]

Frankly I posted without first researching the manual - based on the information in post 1, 2 & 3. My bad.

How do the first three posts deviate substantially from the manual?

 

[RV10flyer]

80% is my limit on anything electronic from China.

 

[Mattb4]

Ratings are not always what people think they are. I would expect a standard battery charger to produce the rated amperage for the normal length of time to charge a standard battery. In the energy storage world however a lot of batteries are not standard. Some setups are massive in terms of stored amp-hours. So a battery charger designed for such application is going to have to be industrial quality.

But how many folks want to pay several thousand dollars for an industrial quality charger?