timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2022
- Messages
- 19,304
Who makes an 18k?
The next thing? Inverter or Battery? All in 1?
- Thread starter Markus_EG4
- Start date
Adam De Lay
Solar Wizard
What about modular wiring cabinets for the inverters? Different sizes for different needs.
Some people may have limited space and need a smaller wiring compartment on the bottom of the inverter, others hate playing “bloody knuckles” so they want enough room to climb inside, close the door and keep on wiring (you know, like the old Chevy truck engine compartments…).
Some people may have limited space and need a smaller wiring compartment on the bottom of the inverter, others hate playing “bloody knuckles” so they want enough room to climb inside, close the door and keep on wiring (you know, like the old Chevy truck engine compartments…).
Q-Dog
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
More blue boxes with UL listing.
Adam De Lay
Solar Wizard
Speaking of modular, what about a modular AIO where you pick the size components you need. Kinda like a “build your own AIO”. You select the size inverter, mppt, etc. If you decide down the road you need a larger component, you just upgrade that individual piece. Kinda goes along with the “user serviceability” that @42OhmsPA mentioned.
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2022
- Messages
- 19,304
You should probably learn what products you currently offer before thinking about what could be next.
Markus_EG4
I am from Germany. Don't mean to come off rude
I fixed it boss you are correct
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.
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
