diy solar

diy solar

EG4 new AIO rated 12K output and 18kPV aka "EG4-18Kpv-12LV"

I can work from home sometimes several days a week. Really, really early in the game shortly after I started running(this past June), I had something similar happen. When the unit turned on, as the sun was rising and the batteries charged up past 10% (from 5) my transfer switch cut over, and 1/2 the lighting in the house was flickering, the other half was steady and bright. At the time, I went out and simply shut everything completely off, all the breakers, batteries, loads, pv, everything, then brought it back online, batteries, pv, transfer switch and it was fine. I note I was *not* tied to the grid at all at the time. This made me nervous to leave home before the switchover. Weeks later after one of the early firmware upgrades, I had something similar happen again, but this time it only lasted for maybe 5-10 seconds, then the units seemed to reset on their own and everything was fine (I went out with a meter and o-scope and checked everything).

Again, I am NOT tied to the grid, nor have I seen this since. I've done several firmware updates on the inverters, and things have been increasingly stable. I did have a few other weird issues solved by updating the BMC firmware on the batteries. There are multiple parameters for grid tie. I know that the unit is listening and will react to changes of frequency and voltage from the grid. I'm sure the EG4 engineers have some ideas, but I'd double check the firmware on your batteries for sanity reasons. I'd guess something from the grid triggered a firmware bug. If something from the grid is triggering the response it may be a little harder to diagnose and correct.

Good luck ,the EG4 folks here will get you squared away if you keep them informed.
 
I have not seen anything like this on my inverter.
But, I am seriously impressed this did not blow it up. These seem to be incredibly strong machines.
Marcus, have you ever damaged one in testing ?
 
Next time I try to start my Quincy compressor, checking the line voltages per leg may help figure why it's not starting the unit. I do notice the flickering lights as it turns it over. I normally just switch back to grid to the shop when I need it but it would be nice if I didn't need to. Working good with the 1 update but wonder if some of the newer updates would make it even better. You guys said, if its working leave it alone and it is, just not perfect.
 
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@Markus_EG4

Hey man, thank you so much. You can pause my tests for a while. I tested everything from the main breaker and into the house and pinpointed where the problem is. The outlet where the two fridges are connected. If i turn off that breaker the energy stabilizes right away.

If it wasnt for your time and research i dont know when i was going to catch that voltage difference between both legs. Thank you so much!
 
rakitejada said:
@Markus_EG4

Hey man, thank you so much. You can pause my tests for a while. I tested everything from the main breaker and into the house and pinpointed where the problem is. The outlet where the two fridges are connected. If i turn off that breaker the energy stabilizes right away.

If it wasnt for your time and research i dont know when i was going to catch that voltage difference between both legs. Thank you so much!
Click to expand...
Please share if you figure out what was going on with that specific circuit.
 
Adam De Lay said:
Please share if you figure out what was going on with that specific circuit.
Click to expand...
I was wrong, its not that specific circuit, its any time the grid has a load over 1kW on any leg that trips a difference of 10volts between each leg (L1 L2)

We are going to trace the neutral line since its our prime suspect
 
The neutral seems to be fine. I changed a couple of connections that weren't very clean, i thought that could’ve been the problem, but the outcome did not change. Still having a 10volt difference between both legs when loads are being handled by the grid.

I had the idea of turning of the grid and letting the generator feed the house. It was steady 119v on each leg even when i turned on more than 6kw on 1 leg and only 500w on the other leg. And all the wiring is the same the feeds the house and the inverter, because the generator transfer switch is in the front of the house right next to the grid main breaker. So i have electricity coming from either grid or generator, but through the same wires.

So since the generator was stable we started analizing the contactors of the switch transfer. One sounds very loud (the one that sends the grid to feed the house) so tomorrow we are going to do some testing feeding the house directly without the contactor (bypassing and turning off the generator). This way we can easily see if the contactor is the one causing the problems.

Thanks for all the help and worries
 
rakitejada said:
The neutral seems to be fine. I changed a couple of connections that weren't very clean, i thought that could’ve been the problem, but the outcome did not change. Still having a 10volt difference between both legs when loads are being handled by the grid.

I had the idea of turning of the grid and letting the generator feed the house. It was steady 119v on each leg even when i turned on more than 6kw on 1 leg and only 500w on the other leg. And all the wiring is the same the feeds the house and the inverter, because the generator transfer switch is in the front of the house right next to the grid main breaker. So i have electricity coming from either grid or generator, but through the same wires.

So since the generator was stable we started analizing the contactors of the switch transfer. One sounds very loud (the one that sends the grid to feed the house) so tomorrow we are going to do some testing feeding the house directly without the contactor (bypassing and turning off the generator). This way we can easily see if the contactor is the one causing the problems.

Thanks for all the help and worries
Click to expand...
That would also make sense. If one of the relays wasnt closing all the way. Im anxious to hear the results
 
rakitejada said:
The neutral seems to be fine. I changed a couple of connections that weren't very clean, i thought that could’ve been the problem, but the outcome did not change. Still having a 10volt difference between both legs when loads are being handled by the grid.

I had the idea of turning of the grid and letting the generator feed the house. It was steady 119v on each leg even when i turned on more than 6kw on 1 leg and only 500w on the other leg. And all the wiring is the same the feeds the house and the inverter, because the generator transfer switch is in the front of the house right next to the grid main breaker. So i have electricity coming from either grid or generator, but through the same wires.

So since the generator was stable we started analizing the contactors of the switch transfer. One sounds very loud (the one that sends the grid to feed the house) so tomorrow we are going to do some testing feeding the house directly without the contactor (bypassing and turning off the generator). This way we can easily see if the contactor is the one causing the problems.

Thanks for all the help and worries
Click to expand...
Everything worked well for months and then this? You didn't make any changes to anything? Now, you get this random issue and at different times?
Have you tightened all the wires in your panel(s)?
Have you checked the connections of all the wires new to your house on ac & dc sides?
 
Gotshocked! said:
Everything worked well for months and then this? You didn't make any changes to anything? Now, you get this random issue and at different times?
Have you tightened all the wires in your panel(s)?
Have you checked the connections of all the wires new to your house on ac & dc sides?
Click to expand...
I didnt go up to the panels because the problem is only on the ac side coming from grid.

Its an old house, from the 80’s, that contactor from the transfer switch could probably be 15-18 years old, when the grid is on, the power goes through the contactor to the house. If its not solid, it’ll cause problems. Im going step by step, hopefully find the problem today.

As i mentioned before, i upgraded a few wore connections that were old yesterday, but that wasnt the problem, the problem remains. Right now the inverter is using the grid only and the volt difference is ranging between 14-16volts

Thanks for the feedback
 

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rakitejada said:
I didnt go up to the panels because the problem is only on the ac side coming from grid.

Its an old house, from the 80’s, that contactor from the transfer switch could probably be 15-18 years old, when the grid is on, the power goes through the contactor to the house. If its not solid, it’ll cause problems. Im going step by step, hopefully find the problem today.

As i mentioned before, i upgraded a few wore connections that were old yesterday, but that wasnt the problem, the problem remains. Right now the inverter is using the grid only and the volt difference is ranging between 14-16volts

Thanks for the feedback
Click to expand...
Have you measured the grid voltage directly? Ie not through the inverter?
 
Sure sounds like a neutral problem, but I guess either line could cause this too, depending where the bad connection is and how current is finding it's way around it.
Quite a dangerous situation, get it figured out ASAP.
 
Quattrohead said:
Sure sounds like a neutral problem, but I guess either line could cause this too, depending where the bad connection is and how current is finding it's way around it.
Quite a dangerous situation, get it figured out ASAP.
Click to expand...
Working on it right now. Hopefully its the contactor of the transfer switch
 
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