EG4 6000EX Conundrum

[OpenNRG]

Sig Solar has them in their Clearance section. $898.00.

Refurbished | EG4 6K Off-Grid Split Phase Inverter | 6000EX-48HV | 6000W Output | 7500W PV Input | 500V VOC Input | Split Phase 120/240VAC | All In One Solar Inverter

Signature Solar provides solar panels, off-grid solar systems, grid-tie, and hybrid systems. Quality solar inverters, bifacial solar panels, complete solar kits, solar batteries. Featuring brands such as EG4 Electronics with their solar battery, LifePower4 and EG4 LLifePower4 and EG4 LL

signaturesolar.com

 

[wildbillpdx]

Sig Solar has them in their Clearance section. $898.00.

Refurbished | EG4 6K Off-Grid Split Phase Inverter | 6000EX-48HV | 6000W Output | 7500W PV Input | 500V VOC Input | Split Phase 120/240VAC | All In One Solar Inverter

Signature Solar provides solar panels, off-grid solar systems, grid-tie, and hybrid systems. Quality solar inverters, bifacial solar panels, complete solar kits, solar batteries. Featuring brands such as EG4 Electronics with their solar battery, LifePower4 and EG4 LLifePower4 and EG4 LL

signaturesolar.com

Try adding one to your cart...

 

[wildbillpdx]

Received my AC power splitter from Amazon and ran a test on the microwave. In rush seems to be 15.8 amps which at 120v would be 1896 watts, yes? So the 6000ex should be able to handle that without needing to supplement from the grid with adequate battery and solar, right? I have 3 LifePower4 48v batteries for the system which, if reasonably charged, should be adequate, I think.

 

[iamrich]

A little skeptical of the seller

Yeah, that is always an issue. Ironic that the seller is in the same town as Signature...

 

[wildbillpdx]

Yeah, that is always an issue. Ironic that the seller is in the same town as Signature...

Didn’t see that. ?

 

[smr.ruby]

Not easily…goes via an existing transfer switch and I don’t want to rewire it.

@wildbillpdx when you have an issue with the microwave are you running the 6000EX with AC power input (grid or generator) live? I find that my 6000EX - and the similar LVX6048 I had before it - handles surge load great when running from battery or solar but not well when passing AC power through. For example I can run an 11kw 240volt arc welder off if it no problem on batteries - for a brief period of course as this is in its overload condition. However, my microwave will pulse the lights and sounds funny if I have AC power going in and other loads on it.

On these inverters and presumably others when it is in AC power it cannot "supplement" with battery dynamically and easily - it has to transfer back and forth. My fix is to not run AC into the inverter ever, but use AC through separate battery charger (telecom rectifier or chargeverter). My system is off grid though so AC input is uncommon anyway. For your well pump consider a VFD if you can do three-phase or at least a soft-start to get through the initial starting torque/amps. I think the 18K unit and others have larger pass-through capability than they do inverter capability - I feel like the 6000EX and its lineage are the opposite?

[edit:] seeing post #23 I see you do have grid. Try disconnecting the grid and see if that fixes your problem? If it does then just use something else to charge batteries from AC to DC and don't rely on the all-in-one to do all unfortunately.

 

[wildbillpdx]

@wildbillpdx when you have an issue with the microwave are you running the 6000EX with AC power input (grid or generator) live? I find that my 6000EX - and the similar LVX6048 I had before it - handles surge load great when running from battery or solar but not well when passing AC power through. For example I can run an 11kw 240volt arc welder off if it no problem on batteries - for a brief period of course as this is in its overload condition. However, my microwave will pulse the lights and sounds funny if I have AC power going in and other loads on it.

On these inverters and presumably others when it is in AC power it cannot "supplement" with battery dynamically and easily - it has to transfer back and forth. My fix is to not run AC into the inverter ever, but use AC through separate battery charger (telecom rectifier or chargeverter). My system is off grid though so AC input is uncommon anyway. For your well pump consider a VFD if you can do three-phase or at least a soft-start to get through the initial starting torque/amps. I think the 18K unit and others have larger pass-through capability than they do inverter capability - I feel like the 6000EX and its lineage are the opposite?

[edit:] seeing post #23 I see you do have grid. Try disconnecting the grid and see if that fixes your problem? If it does then just use something else to charge batteries from AC to DC and don't rely on the all-in-one to do all unfortunately.

I need grid power right now since solar production is down substantially due to rain and fog here in Oregon. I’ll do some testing without it to see what happens. Using my ChargeVerter regularly doesn’t make any sense since grid has to be less expensive than gasoline. I haven’t tried the well pump yet. All of this works fine connected to my generator.

 

[smr.ruby]

Using my ChargeVerter regularly doesn’t make any sense since grid has to be less expensive than gasoline.

For sure. Not proposing you use the generator. Chargeverter works plugged into grid power as well. Just proposing you may be able to resolve your surge issue by having something other than the all-in-one provide your source of AC grid power and just let the all-in-one be an inverter.

 

[wildbillpdx]

I'd like to get back to my original issue. I have one EG4 6000ex and need to stack a second to run in parallel. As I initially stated, there aren't any of these AIOs available, used or refurbished. I feel ill-used by EG4 and Signature Solar since my only option seems to be rip out the 6000ex and replace it with two of something else. I have reluctance to do that since then I'm faced with what may happen if I need to expand in the future.

Why is it that I can't stack another brand of inverter (a different LV6048 for example) with the 6000ex and run them in parallel? This seems like something that should work and would solve any number of issues. I know that the problem comes down to firmware differences, but isn't there someway to make them work together?

 

[42OhmsPA]

I'd like to get back to my original issue. I have one EG4 6000ex and need to stack a second to run in parallel. As I initially stated, there aren't any of these AIOs available, used or refurbished. I feel ill-used by EG4 and Signature Solar since my only option seems to be rip out the 6000ex and replace it with two of something else. I have reluctance to do that since then I'm faced with what may happen if I need to expand in the future.

Why is it that I can't stack another brand of inverter (a different LV6048 for example) with the 6000ex and run them in parallel? This seems like something that should work and would solve any number of issues. I know that the problem comes down to firmware differences, but isn't there someway to make them work together?

I know I've seen a photo of an LVX6048 and TP6048 running in parallel with the same firmware. Iirc the 6000ex firmware is not compatible with its siblings.
Would it be a pita to rewire a panel and feed a different inverter to it?

 

[wildbillpdx]

I know I've seen a photo of an LVX6048 and TP6048 running in parallel with the same firmware. Iirc the 6000ex firmware is not compatible with its siblings.
Would it be a pita to rewire a panel and feed a different inverter to it?

Yeah, another panel is too much. Also not sure that would fix my need for surge on the microwave and well pump.

My main is somewhat of a mess from previous work by actual electricians. Had the main panel replaced either last year or the year before because it was too small. Also, all the wiring for the existing transfer switch feeds into the main. All this is in the house and the AIO and batteries are in the garage. There is a feed from the AIO to the transfer switch which will also be used for my generator. At some point I need to trace all the breakers in the new panel because many are mislabeled due to the panel replacement, so I don't really know what breaker controls what.

 

[42OhmsPA]

I've worked on a panel like that once, it sucks.

Hopefully SS takes care of you.

 

[smr.ruby]

As I initially stated, there aren't any of these AIOs available, used or refurbished. I feel ill-used by EG4 and Signature Solar since my only option seems to be rip out the 6000ex and replace it with two of something else. I have reluctance to do that since then I'm faced with what may happen if I need to expand in the future.

While I can't help you with the fact that we both bought a product weeks or months before it became obsolete I will sell you my 6000EX (that I just bought August 7th) great condition, limited use. so I can go buy a 6000XP.