Just can't beat hands-on experience and reporting! This is the way to go. You get so much flexibility with the power station in the loop. Just being able to leave the generator turned off much of the time is a big deal. Generators tend to be most efficient at 50% load, that's very typical for generators and you pretty much proved it in your tests. In any case, your experience is how most power stations with a UPS mode work. The UPS mode is just a relay that connects/disconnects the AC input to the AC output. The inverter can either charge the battery (by running in reverse... typically its a hybrid inverter inside the power station), or it can operate the AC outputs by discharging the battery, but not both. And it can't help with the AC outputs while the mains are connected through because the inverter in the power station is not designed to do that (to be synchronized to the mains and to be able to augment the power). Just not part of its design. Having solar reduces your generator's fuel consumption even more. Going full-on with discrete gear: Solar, charge controllers, batteries, inverter, and battery charger more or less removes all the restrictions you have with power stations. All the various pieces can run concurrently without any penalties. -Matt
Try setting the ac charge rate lower like 10% first on E3600LFP and with AC running, then start generator and walk the charge rate up incrementally. I think it may be a balancing issue in start up.
We did pretty well with the 1500LFP + expansion battery. We did fridge/CPAP/fan and occasionally internet and was usually at 40-50% in the morning where we would use solar to recharge(ground array 1200w). We could run our window AC unit, but we're afraid we would be out of power for a week or more. We were only out until Friday night here in central Florida. Did you find it better to stay wide open for an hour vs. using eco mode and rubbing the generator for longer periods of time?
@nicktroendle3972 I set the charge rate at fifty percent using the standard plug to get the unit recharged. Then, I let it pass through power until the generator died. I'd expect about seven hundred watts would be the most effective charge setting for fuel economy. That's something I plan on testing in a future video. I'd also like to get a solar setup and take those same appliances off the grid indefinitely. I am waiting to purchase solar panels until I get my expansion batteries. I'm thinking 395W byfacial panels. Those seemed to meet all of the specifications for the unit. I'll need 10 of them.
Will it charge from a non-inverter generator? I have a Generac whole-home that I want to be able to turn-off and run from battery for a while. I've read that EG4 inverters don't like non-inverter generator power, so I'm curious about the Pecron. Thanks
Are you able to pass-through charge while using the gas generator? It’s my understanding that you should be able to output up to 1800W while connected to your generator with the 15A cable and up to 3200W using the 30A cable. Any output less than that would go towards charging the battery. Correct? The issue you had with the AC makes me wonder what the problem is.
Yes! If my total load was 600W and I had my charging set to 100 percent, i would see a total load on the generator of around 1800W with 600W going to loads, and the other 600W going into the battery. I can't wait to get a solar setup to test charging and using AC power at the same time! I've seen in other videos where it prioritizes solar over a generator and grid charging. I'd really like to validate that for myself.
FYI it’s not great for the inverter board on the generator to cut power at full load. Gen manufacturers suggest starting genny then adding load and removing load before shutting it down. My E3600lfp with firman dual fuel genny kept us going during Helene, great combo.
@@hickshomestead113 I can't have solar yet and I ordered two E3600LFPs for 220VAC so I can hook up direct to my house 220VAC and not have extension cords everywhere but I can't use pass-throguh mode with the AC charging plugs since the AC inputs are disabled by Pecron. Until I can do solar, I'm going to have to buy AC to DC converters and use the DC solar input to charge my batteries in 220VAC mode with my generator. My Wen 4800 Gen is a 3600 watt constant output so I'm going to have to try to supply 1800 watts through the solar DC inputs per E3600LFP for now.
That is 100% correct! However, the app has a few issues staying connected. Hopefully that will get fixed in the next update. It would be great to monitor the Pecron remotely over the internet.
Good stuff thanks!
Good video definitely do another update video please
Just can't beat hands-on experience and reporting! This is the way to go. You get so much flexibility with the power station in the loop. Just being able to leave the generator turned off much of the time is a big deal. Generators tend to be most efficient at 50% load, that's very typical for generators and you pretty much proved it in your tests.
In any case, your experience is how most power stations with a UPS mode work. The UPS mode is just a relay that connects/disconnects the AC input to the AC output. The inverter can either charge the battery (by running in reverse... typically its a hybrid inverter inside the power station), or it can operate the AC outputs by discharging the battery, but not both. And it can't help with the AC outputs while the mains are connected through because the inverter in the power station is not designed to do that (to be synchronized to the mains and to be able to augment the power). Just not part of its design.
Having solar reduces your generator's fuel consumption even more.
Going full-on with discrete gear: Solar, charge controllers, batteries, inverter, and battery charger more or less removes all the restrictions you have with power stations. All the various pieces can run concurrently without any penalties.
-Matt
Try setting the ac charge rate lower like 10% first on E3600LFP and with AC running, then start generator and walk the charge rate up incrementally. I think it may be a balancing issue in start up.
Ahh, interesting, when in pass through it’s only utilizing the power of the generator including the surge limit.
We did pretty well with the 1500LFP + expansion battery. We did fridge/CPAP/fan and occasionally internet and was usually at 40-50% in the morning where we would use solar to recharge(ground array 1200w). We could run our window AC unit, but we're afraid we would be out of power for a week or more. We were only out until Friday night here in central Florida.
Did you find it better to stay wide open for an hour vs. using eco mode and rubbing the generator for longer periods of time?
@nicktroendle3972 I set the charge rate at fifty percent using the standard plug to get the unit recharged. Then, I let it pass through power until the generator died. I'd expect about seven hundred watts would be the most effective charge setting for fuel economy. That's something I plan on testing in a future video. I'd also like to get a solar setup and take those same appliances off the grid indefinitely. I am waiting to purchase solar panels until I get my expansion batteries. I'm thinking 395W byfacial panels. Those seemed to meet all of the specifications for the unit. I'll need 10 of them.
Will it charge from a non-inverter generator?
I have a Generac whole-home that I want to be able to turn-off and run from battery for a while.
I've read that EG4 inverters don't like non-inverter generator power, so I'm curious about the Pecron. Thanks
Yes, it will. I have a regular generator as well.
Are you able to pass-through charge while using the gas generator? It’s my understanding that you should be able to output up to 1800W while connected to your generator with the 15A cable and up to 3200W using the 30A cable. Any output less than that would go towards charging the battery. Correct? The issue you had with the AC makes me wonder what the problem is.
Yes! If my total load was 600W and I had my charging set to 100 percent, i would see a total load on the generator of around 1800W with 600W going to loads, and the other 600W going into the battery. I can't wait to get a solar setup to test charging and using AC power at the same time! I've seen in other videos where it prioritizes solar over a generator and grid charging. I'd really like to validate that for myself.
FYI it’s not great for the inverter board on the generator to cut power at full load. Gen manufacturers suggest starting genny then adding load and removing load before shutting it down. My E3600lfp with firman dual fuel genny kept us going during Helene, great combo.
@@hickshomestead113 I can't have solar yet and I ordered two E3600LFPs for 220VAC so I can hook up direct to my house 220VAC and not have extension cords everywhere but I can't use pass-throguh mode with the AC charging plugs since the AC inputs are disabled by Pecron. Until I can do solar, I'm going to have to buy AC to DC converters and use the DC solar input to charge my batteries in 220VAC mode with my generator. My Wen 4800 Gen is a 3600 watt constant output so I'm going to have to try to supply 1800 watts through the solar DC inputs per E3600LFP for now.
You could use your app and not have to go through all the steps
That is 100% correct! However, the app has a few issues staying connected. Hopefully that will get fixed in the next update. It would be great to monitor the Pecron remotely over the internet.
Plus the app doesn’t let you change the charging input. The app has just basic settings.
You need to exercise more, you were panting like running a marathon.