Search results

I would keep it. There's no guarantee "EMP hardened" will do anything. It's a good marketing gimmick though. If an EMP goes off and it fails, who are you going to call...assuming you could place a call? It would be cheaper to get a backup unit like a 6000XP and put it in a faraday box or...

As others have said, that Growatt should not be outdoors.

That lower basement room would make a great wine room or fallout shelter.

I went through this exercise, but in the reverse. My Honda couldn't start my 4 ton HVAC even with an EasyStart installed. My first option was to purchase an inverter portable AC. That worked fine for a bit and it's nice to have the option to cool a single area during an outage without spending a...

Yeah...there are many benefits to having battery as your primary backup source. It's quiet, and it also converts all of the generator output to stored energy to be used later. With just a generator, you're wasting fuel during periods of low loads, though some can run at lower RPMs to make them...

I had the same issue with a heavy generator and a big hill. My "solution" was to install a battery backup in the basement and only use the generator for recharging. The last two outages we had lasted 8 hours and 6 hours, and the battery backup didn't even go down to 60%. We recharged it after...

Just buy a new one and take the federal tax credit. Most BMS software keeps track of the number of cycles on the battery, but you'd need a laptop to connect and check it. The owner could also send a screenshot of this to you before you arrange anything. I wouldn't offer more than $700 for it...

I don't see any benefit but I'm no expert. Exhaust from a generator is much less than an idling car, especially running on natural gas. Outdoors, it will simply blend with the air and dissipate. I've seen enclosures for keeping the sound down and most of those have exhaust fans to keep the...

I set my Growatt to run off voltage instead of BMS communications after running into issues with battery sag during high inrush loads. Kept getting errors. That said, my setup is for emergency backup only and I don't have solar panels so it is rarely in use.

The main switch is flipped down (on) not up (power saver) right? Also, check settings 12 and 13 to make sure they are correct. Set 13 to 100% to ensure it runs on battery when fully charged, especially if you have no other inputs.

Make sure the switches on the bottom of the Growatt are turned on. You don't need AC input to run the Growatt, just the battery is needed for testing. If your battery is providing voltage and the Growatt is set to use battery power, you should be seeing AC at the output. Setting 01 should be set...

I agree with the other poster. Get two 6000XP. This gives you much more available power and also builds in redundancy in case one craps out.

Check for loose connections, especially near the input terminals.

Check out NEC section 110.26. This permit checklist from PA includes a check for clearances around all equipment: https://www.ckcog.com/wp-content/uploads/Photovoltaic-PV-System-Checklist-2022.pdf

Does code allow a battery rack to block an inverter? I know there is something regarding the ground space near an electrical panel but not sure about inverters.

looks like the seller has been around for 20 years:

I've posted that video on other threads. Anyone interested in the technical aspects and benefits of the EasyStart should watch it.

EG4 6000XP $1449 EG4 Lifepower4 $1267 Done.

I have an older 4-ton HVAC and even with an EasyStart 368 soft starter, the inrush current can be as high as 63A @240VAC. My Growatt 12k inverter can start it, but it is a low frequency model and has a large transformer. If you have other stuff running when your AC turns on, you might be limited...

You could still get a 6000XP and not use the AC input. Just get a Chargeverter for the batteries. That way, if you ever want 240 later, you have it without having to buy another inverter.

Will did a video on these units...they can be a pretty clean install:

Most LF inverters aren't stackable. I have the Growatt 12k, but if I was considering more power and expandability on a budget, I might look at 4 of these: https://signaturesolar.com/eg4-6000xp-off-grid-inverter-split-phase/ If I had the money, I'd get a couple of Sol-Ark 15ks.

With regards to power in a prolonged grid down scenario, some people are saying that many secondary utilities will no longer be available. My primary emergency backup power is batteries and an inverter, but I also have a tri-fuel generator for recharging. I have natural gas to the property and...

What if a major storm or tornado takes out your panels? How long can you run on generator or backup power?

I believe what we're observing at the border might actually be a covert operation to import a large number of fighting age mercenaries to eventually do what American service members won't. They'll likely be offered amnesty and citizenship as a reward for their "service". We witness the systemic...

You could get a Chargeverter powered by the EVSE and connect it directly to the battery, bypassing the Sigineer.

It may be losing a lot of efficiency through heat. Try running it at 70-80% and see if it changes.

That unit does have surge capability. Have you checked for a loose neutral connection on the outlet the washer is connected to? I had flickering lights when my Maytag Commercial washer was agitating and it turned out that the neutral coming into the house from the utility had to be replaced. I...

A LF inverter will handle those motor surges better than a HF inverter. Which model inverter do you have?

This is good info. When I installed my EasyStart, I replaced the run cap with a high quality Amrad capacitor. I also replaced the contactor. I also upgraded to a larger cap in the EasyStart as per MicroAir's recommendations for my borderline X48 4 ton unit.

I have an EasyStart 368 X48 on my 4 ton unit. It reduced the inrush a lot, but also had a bunch of faults in the log over time. When I spoke with one of the guys at Micro-Air they recommended installing the capacitor from the X72 unit and this solved my problems. I'd recommend the X72 model if...

Can you put a Chargeverter between the Honda and the Battery pack, bypassing the inverters? This would allow the Honda to run at a constant level without having to worry about surges on the load side.

When you say the inverter wants a >10kW input...wouldn't that depend on the max charge setting you decide on? If you lower this, then you can manage the load on the generator. Another option is to parallel two inverter generators to get the pure sine wave output power you need.

What voltage are you charging them to?

I'm not understanding the interlock neutral concern. When an interlock breaker is feeding voltage from a generator or a battery inverter, the neutrals from these systems are tied to ground in the panel. In my case, my generator is a floating neutral model and my Growatt inverter uses an auto...