Just waiting on a couple of 6000's to be delivered. I've got a Fluke 789 that I keep calibrated every year but also got a few of those little disposable 15 -20 dollar meters stuck here and there for convenience. I bounce them off of my Fluke for accuracy and all of them work extremely well. You'd be surprised. If I bust one of them up it's not a great loss. Better than trashing my $800 meter.
I don't need anything that expensive lol i could get my 2nd invertor for that cost lol. I'm happy with a$50 meter. You aren't going to wait for my final conclusions before you buy your 6000s? Lol I should be done sometime this decade... 🤣 My biggest challenge is setting it up for non server rack batteries and having to find the right voltage setting to make it work right. Still working on that! More in a later video on that. Hoping you the best with your 6000s. Thanks for your comment, Take care
A 50% larger breaker box in each place would have been helpful. Maybe say something in your next video to point that out to others. You never know what you will do later or others will do. They should thank you when you future proof things. Thanks for sharing.
Ya I just went with this smaller panel box and plan to get a full size box when/if I get the other inverter. It will be in the same spot, and I've left plenty of wire in it but eventually it will all be moved to my retirement homestead home so none of it's permanent. I'm still trying to decide if this is my final inverter brand, type, etc 1st so this little box will do the job for one inverter. Good point for others who might be wanting to add another inverter then this panel is way too small lol. Thanks for the comment. Take care.
9:21 I have a similar UNI-T meter I bought in 2020 and I like it. I think the small size makes sense for the 200A range, and is actually great for getting the clamp into a crowded junction box. However I have one complaint about the build quality: the wheel/selector. The red rubber grip around the wheel on mine has gradually disintegrated and fallen off, which makes it harder to turn. I have also found it helpful to use a silver pen to color the pip on the wheel for visibility, as UNI-T did not paint it, unlike the wheel on your Klein meter.
Interesting idea. I have to admit, I'm beginning to like this little meter especially for it's price. I haven't had any problems with it yet and you are right, it does fit in tight places better. I'm re-thinking my opinion on it lol Thanks for the comment! Take care.
No im not, just another cost and something else to monitor. If you balance the batteries right and do so every so often I don't think you need them. Good Question, thanks for your comment.
Looks like you might have 8 gauge on ACout and perhaps 6 gauge on ACin. Is that right and what size breakers do you have then tied to in your subpanels? If you have 8 gauge and a 40 amp breaker on ACout and 6 gauge with a 50 amp breaker on ACin, will you overload the 8 gauge wire and perhaps have some nuisance tripping of the 40 amp breaker if the unit goes into grid bypass due to little PV and/or batteries for the load? Just trying to understand the best way to wire this unit.
Yes I did. I have a grounding rod for the inverter and I used the inverter ground. The inverter is almost always off grid. I got several different answers at different times from the supplier so I'm stayed with inverter ground. I don't think there is a right answer if you are using A/C input. If you are using AC input it needs to be from main panel, if not it needs to be inverter and since I use both, neither is good and I'm not manually switching it between uses! That's when the supplier told me this inverter should only be used off grid, I'm pretty sure to cover themselves lol I have no answer for it and went what I use most so grounded to inverter it is.... I have no good advice on ground bond for this inverter if you use AC too
@@LivingFree4All if you have the grid input hooked from the main then that would supply your ground. Unless you’re a good distance away from your main then you wouldn’t want a second ground to that. These inverters have a pass through/ common neutral design.
@@GavinStoneDIY I am about 200' from the main and very rarely do I even use the grid power especially now I've got twice the battery, a later video. I was told by supplier to use the inverter as a grund , then later told use my main so it got confusing. Since I am 99% of the time totally off grid, I choose to use the inverter ground bond. When I found out my Toaster wasn't waterproof, I was shocked! Lol just a Dad joke! I've only been shocked a few times... just another joke!! Let me know your thoughts! Thanks for watching my video. Take care!
@@LivingFree4All always glad to see more solar channels. You’re doing a great job by the way. So if you have the grid input wires hooked up at all, that is supplying the bond. Whether you are using the grid or not it is supply a g/n bond from the main. So you don’t want to bond it again at another location. You can clarify this with EG4 tech support. They will sometimes do a better job with advice on the more technical aspects of wiring then signature Solar tech support.
Adding a 60 AMP/240V disconnect box prior feeding the Inverter would be a good idea instead running all the way to the other side of the house. maybe in the future ? by the way, the UNI-T meter isn't bad for the price but there are bigger models u can order .
I actually used a 50 amp breaker. For now, I'll just walk to the back room and pull that breaker, since I've already connected it. I still have some many other things I want to do with this, that's just not high in my priorities yet. I have to admit, the little Amp meter isn't bad after all lol. Thanks for your comments! Take care.
Interesting question, I have about 175' to panels, I used 8 gauge wire but all my panels are in series so only about 8amps are going through it at about 340Vs. I don't notice much if any voltage drop. Definitely not enough it matters to me.
@@LivingFree4All good to know. We will be mounting our array on top of our High Cube Sea Container so distance to combiner and inverter is quite short. Love your set up!
Super Thanks, just keep you volts as high as you can get so your wire can be smaller with the cold factor included. Panels get a lot higher on cold mornings. Thanks for your comments, Take care!@@rongray4118
Did you put a fuse or breaker for your PV panels in series or did you tie it straight into the inverter? I know that inverter has breakers for the PV built in.
I put in 10amp fuses every 2 panels since they are in series and only about 8 amps before it goes to a DC double throw breaker between all panels and line heading to house. Then another DP one inside the house before connecting to inverter. That gives me the ability to work on the buried wire to house if needed.
Only when inverter needs excess power does it rev up. Pretty quite for a inverter. What you hear in my video is how it sounds up close, as you walk away, like when I turn to look out the door, it's noticeable quieter, so what you hear is as bad as it gets. You can set the fan speed as well. I have mine at 30% and it's pretty quite to me. You can hear it in background. I don't think I would put it in a bedroom but I wouldn't say it's loud. Pulling 5000W off AC isn't really loud either. I've only pulled 1800W off PV and again not that noticeable but I'm getting old and my kids say I can't hear anything anyway anymore lol. I can watch TV pretty easy in same room. Guess it really depends on your noise level comfort.
LOL i just edited it and this. When its running 50% of the time, I would say its about as loud as a typical house fan on medium level. It rev's up slowly so its a gentle build up too. Otherwise its completely quiet while running smaller loads. I was just about to call it a night, No problem, Thanks for comment, Take care@@booterone1
Ya it might be too small to require one and it's a high frequency so you might be right! I just try to not make more problems for myself lol. I should look into it. It's definitely not on the "how to start up" the inverter list in the manual. Super thanks for the comment!
@@GavinStoneDIY Hay Gavin Thanks for joying on. I've watched several of your videos as well and enjoyed them. I've always used a resistor anyway after seeing it on Wil P and off grid Garage. I have seen a spark when doing so I was sold on it. Thanks for the reply
Just waiting on a couple of 6000's to be delivered.
I've got a Fluke 789 that I keep calibrated every year but also got a few of those little disposable 15 -20 dollar meters stuck here and there for convenience. I bounce them off of my Fluke for accuracy and all of them work extremely well. You'd be surprised. If I bust one of them up it's not a great loss. Better than trashing my $800 meter.
I don't need anything that expensive lol i could get my 2nd invertor for that cost lol. I'm happy with a$50 meter. You aren't going to wait for my final conclusions before you buy your 6000s? Lol I should be done sometime this decade... 🤣 My biggest challenge is setting it up for non server rack batteries and having to find the right voltage setting to make it work right. Still working on that! More in a later video on that. Hoping you the best with your 6000s. Thanks for your comment, Take care
I think the blue conduit is for low voltage wiring only.
A 50% larger breaker box in each place would have been helpful. Maybe say something in your next video to point that out to others. You never know what you will do later or others will do. They should thank you when you future proof things.
Thanks for sharing.
Ya I just went with this smaller panel box and plan to get a full size box when/if I get the other inverter. It will be in the same spot, and I've left plenty of wire in it but eventually it will all be moved to my retirement homestead home so none of it's permanent. I'm still trying to decide if this is my final inverter brand, type, etc 1st so this little box will do the job for one inverter. Good point for others who might be wanting to add another inverter then this panel is way too small lol. Thanks for the comment. Take care.
9:21 I have a similar UNI-T meter I bought in 2020 and I like it. I think the small size makes sense for the 200A range, and is actually great for getting the clamp into a crowded junction box. However I have one complaint about the build quality: the wheel/selector. The red rubber grip around the wheel on mine has gradually disintegrated and fallen off, which makes it harder to turn. I have also found it helpful to use a silver pen to color the pip on the wheel for visibility, as UNI-T did not paint it, unlike the wheel on your Klein meter.
Interesting idea. I have to admit, I'm beginning to like this little meter especially for it's price. I haven't had any problems with it yet and you are right, it does fit in tight places better. I'm re-thinking my opinion on it lol Thanks for the comment! Take care.
I had balance issues with my 4S 12v battery setup until adding an active balancer. Do you plan to add one?
No im not, just another cost and something else to monitor. If you balance the batteries right and do so every so often I don't think you need them. Good Question, thanks for your comment.
Looks like you might have 8 gauge on ACout and perhaps 6 gauge on ACin. Is that right and what size breakers do you have then tied to in your subpanels? If you have 8 gauge and a 40 amp breaker on ACout and 6 gauge with a 50 amp breaker on ACin, will you overload the 8 gauge wire and perhaps have some nuisance tripping of the 40 amp breaker if the unit goes into grid bypass due to little PV and/or batteries for the load? Just trying to understand the best way to wire this unit.
Did you ever get the ground/neutral bond figured out when you want to charge your batteries from the grid?
Yes I did. I have a grounding rod for the inverter and I used the inverter ground. The inverter is almost always off grid. I got several different answers at different times from the supplier so I'm stayed with inverter ground. I don't think there is a right answer if you are using A/C input. If you are using AC input it needs to be from main panel, if not it needs to be inverter and since I use both, neither is good and I'm not manually switching it between uses! That's when the supplier told me this inverter should only be used off grid, I'm pretty sure to cover themselves lol I have no answer for it and went what I use most so grounded to inverter it is.... I have no good advice on ground bond for this inverter if you use AC too
@@LivingFree4All if you have the grid input hooked from the main then that would supply your ground. Unless you’re a good distance away from your main then you wouldn’t want a second ground to that. These inverters have a pass through/ common neutral design.
@@GavinStoneDIY I am about 200' from the main and very rarely do I even use the grid power especially now I've got twice the battery, a later video. I was told by supplier to use the inverter as a grund , then later told use my main so it got confusing. Since I am 99% of the time totally off grid, I choose to use the inverter ground bond. When I found out my Toaster wasn't waterproof, I was shocked! Lol just a Dad joke! I've only been shocked a few times... just another joke!! Let me know your thoughts! Thanks for watching my video. Take care!
@@LivingFree4All always glad to see more solar channels. You’re doing a great job by the way.
So if you have the grid input wires hooked up at all, that is supplying the bond. Whether you are using the grid or not it is supply a g/n bond from the main. So you don’t want to bond it again at another location. You can clarify this with EG4 tech support. They will sometimes do a better job with advice on the more technical aspects of wiring then signature Solar tech support.
Adding a 60 AMP/240V disconnect box prior feeding the Inverter would be a good idea instead running all the way to the other side of the house. maybe in the future ? by the way, the UNI-T meter isn't bad for the price but there are bigger models u can order .
I actually used a 50 amp breaker. For now, I'll just walk to the back room and pull that breaker, since I've already connected it. I still have some many other things I want to do with this, that's just not high in my priorities yet. I have to admit, the little Amp meter isn't bad after all lol. Thanks for your comments! Take care.
How far away is your array from the inverter? That is a long run - I always wonder how great the losses are from point to point.
Interesting question, I have about 175' to panels, I used 8 gauge wire but all my panels are in series so only about 8amps are going through it at about 340Vs. I don't notice much if any voltage drop. Definitely not enough it matters to me.
@@LivingFree4All good to know. We will be mounting our array on top of our High Cube Sea Container so distance to combiner and inverter is quite short. Love your set up!
Super Thanks, just keep you volts as high as you can get so your wire can be smaller with the cold factor included. Panels get a lot higher on cold mornings. Thanks for your comments, Take care!@@rongray4118
Did you put a fuse or breaker for your PV panels in series or did you tie it straight into the inverter? I know that inverter has breakers for the PV built in.
I put in 10amp fuses every 2 panels since they are in series and only about 8 amps before it goes to a DC double throw breaker between all panels and line heading to house. Then another DP one inside the house before connecting to inverter. That gives me the ability to work on the buried wire to house if needed.
How noisy are the cooling fans and do they run all the time or only after the inverter is in use for some time?
Only when inverter needs excess power does it rev up. Pretty quite for a inverter. What you hear in my video is how it sounds up close, as you walk away, like when I turn to look out the door, it's noticeable quieter, so what you hear is as bad as it gets. You can set the fan speed as well. I have mine at 30% and it's pretty quite to me. You can hear it in background. I don't think I would put it in a bedroom but I wouldn't say it's loud. Pulling 5000W off AC isn't really loud either. I've only pulled 1800W off PV and again not that noticeable but I'm getting old and my kids say I can't hear anything anyway anymore lol. I can watch TV pretty easy in same room. Guess it really depends on your noise level comfort.
@@LivingFree4All Thank you for the quick response and the information.
LOL i just edited it and this. When its running 50% of the time, I would say its about as loud as a typical house fan on medium level. It rev's up slowly so its a gentle build up too. Otherwise its completely quiet while running smaller loads. I was just about to call it a night, No problem, Thanks for comment, Take care@@booterone1
I heard/read that precharge resistor not required with this inverter.
Ya it might be too small to require one and it's a high frequency so you might be right! I just try to not make more problems for myself lol. I should look into it. It's definitely not on the "how to start up" the inverter list in the manual. Super thanks for the comment!
A precharge resistor is required with any inverter assuming you are using lifpo.
@@GavinStoneDIY Hay Gavin Thanks for joying on. I've watched several of your videos as well and enjoyed them. I've always used a resistor anyway after seeing it on Wil P and off grid Garage. I have seen a spark when doing so I was sold on it. Thanks for the reply