Easy DIY Home Backup Solar Power System & Battery

Easy DIY Home Backup Solar Power System & Battery - 6000xp Install and Test

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-Eg4 6000XP(SignatureSolar)...signaturesolar.com/eg4-6000xp... ($50 Discount Code: RAY)
-Eg4 6000XP(Current Connected)...www.currentconnected.com/prod...
-RUIXU Battery...www.currentconnected.com/prod...
-RUIXU Battery Site... www.ruixubattery.com/?ref=fOK... (2% Discount Code: RAY)
-EG4 V2 LL Battery...signaturesolar.com/eg4-ll-lit... ($50 Discount Code: RAY)
-EG4 LifePower4 Battery...signaturesolar.com/eg4-lifepo...
FULL KIT (affiliate links)
-Eg4 6000XP(SignatureSolar)...signaturesolar.com/eg4-6000xp... ($50 Discount Code: RAY)
-Ferrule Crimping tool...amzn.to/3xgw7oE
-HardieBacker Cement Backerboard...www.homedepot.com/p/James-Har... (Thank you LithiumSolar for recommending this)
-60 breaker(Verify that this fits your panel): amzn.to/44PXwKG
-Polaris Connectors: amzn.to/4bDdNog
-Torque Screwdriver: amzn.to/3V5q7Iz
-MaxiFlex Nitrile Palm Coated Gloves...amzn.to/3J0K4JD (I love these)
-Wire Guage chat: www.bluesea.com/support/artic...
-2/0 Crimping Tool(Only needed for eg4 wall-mount batteries): amzn.to/3yp8Z7T
Klein cl900 Meter: amzn.to/4bKuDBK
-BATTERY OPTIONS:
---RUIXU Server Rack Battery: www.currentconnected.com/prod...
---EG4 LifePower4 Server Rack Battery: signaturesolar.com/eg4-lifepo...
---EG4-WallMount Indoor Battery(Self heating): signaturesolar.com/eg4-wallmo...
---EG4 PowerPro WallMount Battery(Fully Waterproof): signaturesolar.com/eg4-powerp...
Here I'm installing an Off-Grid Battery backup and Solar Power System on my house. This is a simple DIY emergency power backup option in case the power goes out. Step by Step.
Chapters
0:00 Intro
3:35 Installing 6000XP
21:19 Connecting RUIXU batteries and Communication with EG4 6000xp Inverter
23:42 Selecting Breakers and Wire Sizing
27:27 Ruixu Racking System
27:53 LOAD TESTING (eg4 6000XP)
37:43 6960 Watts on one leg...Unbalanced.
38:34 Summary
Recommended Solar Stores (Using these links will help support the channel)
Current Connected........ currentconnected.com/?ref=diy...
Signature Solar.............. signaturesolar.com/?ref=DiySo... ($50 Discount Code: RAY)
SanTan Solar................. www.santansolar.com/?ref=DiyS... (%5 Discount Code: RAY)
ShopSolarKits................ shopsolarkits.com/1302 ($100 Discount Code: RAY)
Ruixu Batteries.............. www.ruixubattery.com/?ref=fOK... (Discount Code: RAY)
PowerQueen Batteries.. ipowerqueen.com/?ref=DiySolar... (Discount Code: RAY)
Contact info
If you want to get a hold you me you can email me at: diysolarpowerfunRay@gmail.com
I am not available for personal consulting. Please reach out to me in the video comments where I and others can provide feedback to you
Disclaimer
I am not a licensed electrician. Working with electricity is dangerous and can lead to injury or death, even when following documentation and instructions. I can not be held liable for such damage or injury. I am not giving or seeking to give advice on how to work with electricity. You should consult with a licensed professional whenever possible and get all work reviewed by an inspector and follow any local regulations in your area. I'm documenting my projects for informational purposes only. Electricity can kill you! BE CAREFUL!

Пікірлер: 260

@solarcharging9743 2 ай бұрын

Just a suggestion. Normally, an inverter's output, especially a small 6kW inverter's output is never wired directly to a home's main electrical panel. The reason for this is that during a power outage (with a family and renters) you typically will not be able to control the energy usage of your home's occupants which will lead to overloading and shutdown of your inverter. Especially when firing up multiple high inductance loads such as refrigerators, microwaves, AC units etc. A much better and safer way to hook up your loads is to select the emergency loads that you wish to operate during an outage which are within the 6kW limit of your inverter and remove those circuits from your main panel and install those circuits in an isolated subpanel that is fed only by your inverter through its internal AC transfer switch. This will also eliminate the need to flip the main disconnect that you purchased on and off every time you have a power outage. My company has sold thousands of off grid system all over the US and this is how we trained our contractor network to install these inverter-based backup power systems over the past 25 years.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for the comment. My situation is a little bit different than the one you described. In my scenario I will be running my house all the time on my inverter. If the power goes out I won't even notice. However if the grid goes down and we try and turn on the large 240 volt appliances my system will need to restart and I will notice that. In that scenario... if i noticed the grid is down I will turn off the large 240 volt appliances in the breaker panel so they don't get turned on by accident and overload the system. I know people have been using critical sub house for a long time... I chose to go this route because it will save me money my power bill and also act as a back up. I also like like the idea of having all of my Outlets available... who knows when grandma might move into my house and will need oxygen in her room. I don't want to have to always rewire that critical subpanel... if I really want to narrow it down to only a few circuits I can just flip some more Breakers pretty easy. Thanks for the comment.

@lamjk10 Ай бұрын

Do most or all hybrid inverters have this jnternal AC switch? Is it possible also to just split the mains and have 2 breaker boxes?

@nismor3490 Ай бұрын

@@diySolarPowerFunWithRayhave you thought about paralleling 2 or 3 to split the load?

@dwightyoung5495 Ай бұрын

@@min2olyAre you sure you paid attention? I believe the metal slider switch he installed would prevent that.

@jeanronaldantoine7095 Ай бұрын

Hi where the neutral wire come from

@sophiegrisom Ай бұрын

It appears your grid supply to the 6000XP is not via a breaker, rather direct from the meter. You apparently rely on the downstream Grid breaker at the 6000XP to protect the wiring. Perhaps fine per NEC code (I'm an engineer, not an electrician). Since you used individual wires in conduit, you could have used 8 awg (rated 55 A at 90 C). The exception to that is if you have more than 3 active conductors in the conduit. The 40 A limit is for NM (Romex) cable, or if any terminals are rated 200 A-hr, but didn't want to pay that much ($2500) and the 100 A-hr seems to suffice. I mainly wanted a battery to avoid drawing from the grid during 5-8p Summer peak pricing, after solar (PV) tapers off. Battery comm works, I think via the "Pylon CAN" choice (started working while trying stuff, can't see current protocol). I have 7.7 kW of panels. The 6000XP can't mix PV and grid power to supply the load. It can combine PV + battery (termed "EPS") to supply the load (or charge battery). It can also switch to grid (termed "Consumption") to power the load, while using PV + grid to charge the battery. Likely this prevents any back-feed to the grid. I set so the grid never charges the battery, because I want the battery to store only excess PV. It shows the grid still supplying a minimal ~50 W to the battery when PV is down. I suspect that keeps the battery alive and perhaps heated. I set the grid to be active only before 8 am and after 9 pm. If not, the grid was charging the battery in early morning to ~100%, leaving no space to store excess PV later. If PV + Batt doesn't suffice during daytime, it auto-switches to grid (Bypass) and appears to stay on Grid for some time (15 min?), showing "UPS insufficient " (or such), then switches back to PV + Batt. I haven't seen any glitches in the house when this happens (PC doesn't reboot). Once you connect the 6000XP to your home wireless, it sends data to an EG4 web server. You can view that data on a smartphone app or on a PC webpage. Those only update ~5 min intervals, but you can click to request an update.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Thanks for the info. On the app(also configurable on the web) I have it configured to use State Of Charge "SOC" charging. In the charge setting. if the battery goes low it will only charge with grid up to 30%(fully configurable) and not to 100%.... Just in case the sun is about to come out and charge things.

@kidcompany Ай бұрын

Great summary. Thanks!

@OrtexVideos Ай бұрын

Thanks for the info!

@mikee2765 Ай бұрын

This is the best detailed explanation I have seen to date. There are no assumptions made regarding level of knowledge. Thank you :)

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Thank you

@OrtexVideos Ай бұрын

Now this is a genius system!!!! Thank you so much for making this video. I have spent many late nights looking through the manual of this inverter wondering if this setup was possible, because it is truly ideal from a cost and regulatory standpoint. You answered all my questions!!! Also I love the transfer switch and the intercepting of your main lines, such an elegant solution. Disregard all the safety inspectors in the comments, they can go bother someone with a grid tied system 😂. You did a excellent and safe DIY.

@unnitocases4174 Ай бұрын

ray ive been searching for a video like this for sooo long! Ive not found anybody to describe an installation with an offgrid inverter with grid backup in this way. This is exactly what im trying to do, save money and use grid as backup. Thanks so much!!

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Thank you. If you use the links and discount codes, Email me your order number... I might have some items left to mail out as part of a the give away program.

@kidcompany Ай бұрын

Excellent over view. Love the real world testing and showing the details. Thanks!

@jeff-millieesterline4209 2 ай бұрын

Awesome Video Ray! I have been researching this setup (Inverter) for myself. I plan to use a 10 circuit transfer switch to run all of my critical circuits on solar 100% of the time. I installed an Emporia Energy Monitoring System for about $200. The insight into my energy usage has been incredible. I highly recommend the smart outlets to supplement the main unit As much as you seem to enjoy this, you would definitely like it too.

@robertcetti6935 Ай бұрын

I enjoyed the testing with normal high house loads such as the a/c, dryer, stove. This video answered a lot of questions I had about this particular model of inverter.

@robertcetti6935 Ай бұрын

I have a question though. At 36:03 you say 1300 watts are coming in from the grid. However the reading on the display looks like 13,016 watts. Which figure is correct?

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Dang it. Yeah, it was 13,000 from grid.

@russell7489 Ай бұрын

Great Post. You did a fantastic time explaining without drowning us with info. Your speeded up videos are stellar. Of course this is a reasonably robust test system, but it's not going to power your big loads, you'll need to make sure those are off (and tenants don't have say room heaters on) before switching between line and Inverter / Load Center. Your idea is the future, no back feeding. Utilities make out like a bandit on that and they own the gov't so we get paid almost NOTHING. It's not just the 'power', its the wear and tear on the system. Areas with solar back feeding into it from our homes, especially on hot sunning high load days, we are greately reducing stress on conductors 'down the line' that no longer have to pass through all that power we are feeding back in. Cables have a defined life based on load, less load, longer life. Home solar backfeeders get NOTHING for this huge capital cost savings we generate. Usually we don't even get the same rate we'll be charged for 'peak period' which is almost 3 mo of the year where i am. Things I'd have done differently as I'm REALLY cautious 1. 200 amp main breaker. You're close to 100 if stove, oven, AC etc all on a hot day when everything AC, Refrig will be laboring under max load to work. Every panel needs a max sized main breaker so a novice can shut everything off 2. If you see something running over 100% load, turn it off 3. Main disconnect above panel and Inverter / Load Center It does not need to be fused, just a disconnect marked MAIN POWER SHUT OFF so in emergency ANYONE can figure what to do to kill all power to everything fastest way possble 4. Bus bar sized for 200 amp. with lugs enough for - 200 amp on to panel via a transfer switch, 75 amp cable to Inverter / Load Center, as it feeds a 60 amp breaker and I want the wire to be on the safe side if there's a short / overload. You'll need a 200 Amp bus bar bar installation to feed 4 of these units eventually to power up the whole panel with maximum safety and flexibility. Actually I think you need 2 100 Amp bus bars, one for L1, one for L2. 5. 75 Amp down from bus bar to inverter / load center 6. 75 Amp up from bus bar to inverter / load center to another 2 bus bars, sized for 200 amps with lugs for 4 of these units... 7. 200 Amp cable from bus bars to transfer switch 6. Transfer switch line to Inverter / Load Center 9. 200 Amp line Into Power Panel Yeah that's like a grand or two of bus bars, switches, etc.. Might as well do that next as those prices are fairly stable whereas the Inverter / Load Centers will continue to drop in cost. Then you'd get more batteries, enough for 12 hrs? use? You'll need battery bus bars and circuti breakers too. Then finally more inverter / load centers. Bootstrapping like this is always the way to go. I am doing something just like this, to 4 or 5 batteries, to serve refrig, furnace, some outlets all the time from solar / solar to battery even on partly cloudy days so an over sized solar system, as an emergency power system, as power goes out here multiple times a month.

@public0105 Ай бұрын

Best In Depth discussion of application capability of an exceptional EG4 inverter!

@benkanobe7500 2 ай бұрын

Outstanding Job and outstanding well narrated testing. I could follow everything because of the way you explained it.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 2 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@coolcat312 Ай бұрын

This is extremely interesting! I already have a manual transfer lockout (like the one you installed) wired to a generator inlet that we use for our portable generator during power outages. I would really love an automatic battery backup system and this is looking like a possible solution, although I will have to do my own research. I thank you for sharing what you’ve done!

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Awesome, looks like you're half way there. This unit is new and has been very popular.

@tomallgeyer6606 Ай бұрын

Thanks for the post, you have applied the 6000XP in a unique way. It appears in your situation, the 6000XP inverter is running in bypass mode which means the inverter turned off....which equates to no money being saved. This assumes you cannot control your tenants usage. So.. when you put the 6000XP (in grid by-pass) in parallel with your service panel nothing is gained. In fact, your home loads are limited by the inverters 50amp by-pass rating (your testing showed 58amps). Additionally, your inverter is turned off after you service panels draws above the 6000w limit of the inverter. Now lets look at a grid down situation. During a grid down situation, one try's to minimize the reactionary activity associated maintaining power on critical circuits. During emergency power (Grid is down) the inverter is the only source of power. Meaning running at maximum by-pass will cause the inverter to shut-down immediately during the grid down event. you will need to shut off brakers to decrease the demand below 6000watt of the inverter. All of this seems avoidable by adding a 10-circuit ProTran transfer switch. Simply install next to your service panel. Benefits: your always saving money on those 10 circuits without regard to your tenants usage. And when the grid is lost you literally are not fussing around with maintaining power to the 10 circuits. Because you matched you 600W of inverter power to those 10 essential circuits. Just another thought.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

I might switch one of the appliances over to gas... or add another one of these 6000xp. Summer will provide a lot of good testing scenarios to see how everything performs. I'll provide an update. I looked a adding a critical subpanel(10 circuits only). I didn't like it. It's an extra $400 and wouldn't provide the energy cost savings I was looking for. I also couldn't decide which circuit to add.. because I could only choose 10 and it may change in the future. In a power down scenario(doesn't happen often in my area) I'll shut down everything except for 10 circuits I've specifically selected(for now) to save battery power. and I can easily change what circuits are critical if needed....God forbidding the in-laws move in with c-pap machines. Thanks for the comment.

@nikolatesla3708 Ай бұрын

you answered all my questions as I'm looking to run the same setup. excellent video, thanks!

@Fester_ 2 ай бұрын

Good job, I enjoyed that. Check and test check and test test test. Real world loads. Nice. Enjoy.

@Nera-whimwhams Ай бұрын

This is the setup I was looking to buy as well. I appreciate your time doing all of this. I know the ac in on the inverter has a 50amp breaker, but just in case you need to shut off ac, while still wanting to run loads, and as added protection to the inverter, a shut off 50amp between the polaris grid out and inverter might be nice, so you don't have to go outside to the main.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Yeah that would be nice. I'm trying to think of where to put that while keeping everything looking clean.

@f.w.1318 Ай бұрын

When I was moving and looking for rental come across a home with a setup like this, the home had regular outlets but in the kitchen and Tv room there where other outlets with different color face plates, the realtor guy said it they where wired to back up system, and in the garage was a inverter box similar to what your showing, thanks for demonstrating this, I’m not an electrician and not familiar with this stuff,

@peterw.3816 Ай бұрын

Great idea there. This is just the way to do a setup for this inverter. Run separate adequately sized 3 wire romex to multi outlet surface mount junction boxes mounted near appliance clusters (ie kitchen countertops and fridge, laundry room, entertainment center, etc). Land those romex onto a small load with breakers, all fed by the two EG4 inverter output lines.

@korishan Ай бұрын

Stumbled on your video/project, YT recommendation. Overall you are doing a really good job of explaining of everything 😎👍 One thing to note is that when shutting off a DC load (whether that be battery charging or some other DC device) while under heavy current, it's not the sudden "stop" that's the issue. Even tho electricians like to use water/piping as a comparison, the electrons don't slosh like water. Instead, the issue here is the actual switch that's cutting the load. If it can't handle the DC Arc that is created when disconnecting (think of a DC Arc Welder), then the switch will fail quickly, and when it does, it may go up in flames. Very nasty stuff The second thing, I noticed at about 36:40 point, is that your wires going into the breakers/switches are either not pushed far enough in, or have too much wire stripped bare. You should not be able to see bare wire easily if it is installed correctly into the lug terminals. You might want to consider snipping 1/8" off those wires, maybe even 1/4" if needed, then reseat them. The reason for this is that these are live conductors. If "anything" can make a bridge between those conductors, best case is there's a "Pop!", worst case is there's slow heating that leads to a fire. Lizards, spiders and snakes like to make homes in any kind of space they can fit into.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Thank for that advise. I'll definitely trim those wire ends

@Savageliv-yf5zc Ай бұрын

Great video, it's 90% everything I want to do myself. Thanks for creating the video.

@saeidmofrad6276 Ай бұрын

Great job on the video. While viewing, I noticed a significant imbalance in the loads between the inverter outputs for L1 and L2. This imbalance is concerning because your inverter lacks a transformer and, therefore, does not possess a load-balancing feature. In off-grid scenarios, it's quite common for one of the legs to become overloaded due to unbalanced 120v loads, which may be beyond your control, while the load on the other leg remains significantly lower. As a result, the inverter may shut down, preventing it from delivering the nominal continuous load due to unbalanced loads. The recommended solution is to add an auto transformer between the inverter and the circuit breaker panel. This setup ensures that the load drawn from the inverter's legs remains balanced, even if the loads on the panel's legs are unbalanced. The auto transformer will correct the imbalance on the inverter side. However, it's important to note that adding an auto transformer can be complex, and it's important to consult a licensed electrician. This is particularly important for proper grounding and to ensure that the installation does not interfere with the utility transformer on the nearby pole, which could lead to voltage discrepancies and potential damage.

@sophiegrisom Ай бұрын

Perhaps, but any big loads are often 240 VAC, which draw almost equal from both legs. Even before installing my 6000XP, I found an imbalance problem in my kitchen. A 20 A breaker would trip when both the new Microwave and new Air Fryer were on together. I measured both had ~12 A draw. I moved the Air Fryer to another outlet which was on another breaker and no more problem. That outlet is on the other leg of the subpanel, so better balanced. I recall the NEC code requires kitchen outlets to be wired that way, perhaps to balance grid loading.

@nihongobenkyoshimasu3190 Ай бұрын

I would add a monitoring device, like Emporia, to monitor the consumption, and in particular check the balance between each phase.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

That was one of the main items I wanted to test as part of this review as I heard that the very popular Sol-Ark 15k transformerless inverter has balancing issues and would trip easily in off-grid scenarios. I tested the 3000 watts on a single leg in a off grid scenario and this unit did awesome! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pKd6ddx_t6nbYJ8.html. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pKd6ddx_t6nbYJ8.html I'm not sure what they did differently but this unit handles it great!

@bhbaker220 Ай бұрын

Great video Ray. I have the EG4 3k inverter and thought about doing what you did in the video except in a sub panel that I have. I would have overloaded the unit occasionally and decided to go with the ProTran manual transfer switch. I had the Emporia Vue monitoring system before so I knew what circuits had the largest power consumption (ex the AC). If this 6k inverter had been out when I put mine in, I think I would do what you did. For me, the real elephant in the room is the 4 ton AC unit. I did put a soft start in it so the generator would start it. I’m pretty sure the 6k would run it but I don’t have enough solar and batteries to run it 24/7. I also have a grid tied inverter but the buy back rate has just dropped to $0.03/kWh which sucks! Thanks again for sharing the video.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Wow only three cents! That's pretty bad. I think these Battery Systems are going to start to be more popular. The nice thing about having grid connected to this is I don't need to add the expensive soft start on my air conditioner. The grid kicks in just for a split second to kick on air conditioner and then we'll turn off. I'm liking it so far. I will do a follow-up video on how much money it will save me in the summer. Hopefully when the air conditioning is running it won't pull a lot from the grid.

@stacyhackney6100 28 күн бұрын

Thank you. I didn't understand most of it but what I did understand was facsinating. I'll re-watch to better understand. Best regards.

@portlandlocalchurch8168 Ай бұрын

An Emporia power meter system will give you usage stats for your power... I installed one with 16 feeds and it's great to have that information...

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

I also installed one of these. Unfortunately it only takes the average high during a given window and I can't see the absolute peak power draw through out the month.

@mondotv4216 Ай бұрын

Batteries in parallel do not deviate over time. In fact the voltage has to be equal. With LiFePO4 they probably won't balance exactly until they fully charge or discharge as the voltage curve is very flat.

@cleversolarpower Ай бұрын

Great video Ray. I have linked to your video if people want more information about interlocking the breakers.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Great, thanks. I was just watching some of your videos today also. Good stuff!

@jasonbroom7147 Ай бұрын

I sure hope your neighbor laughed and threw that bid back in the contractor's face! :) It looks like that single 6000XP can be a tremendous value, even if you're still supplementing with grid power. I honestly hadn't considered that option. I was going to install two of the 6000XP units, but maybe one is all I'll need, freeing up money for more solar panels or batteries! :)

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Yeah. If you have to buy two, it's not a bad thing because you'll have redundancy if one of the units goes bad. If you only have two 240 appliances I think you would be totally fine with one. I am probably pushing it with three of those large appliances around.

@dtdionne 20 күн бұрын

Great video man, well done and thank you.

@Joelwilly57 22 күн бұрын

I got a price for Solar $137K I told them that they are crazy so I’m going on an DYI journey so thanks for this video!

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 22 күн бұрын

Wow, crazy what they charge.

@MrJar1rad 21 күн бұрын

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay what size are your conductors coming from your main box , that you tap your 6 awg into ?

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 20 күн бұрын

@MrJar1rad 2 awg. 👍

@jimgraham290 2 ай бұрын

Ray, great video. Very timely since I want to do the same thing when I upgrade from my Growatt 24v 3K to the EG4 6000 48v. This box is a beast. However, I think you maybe need 2 of these rather than running 1 at 100+ percent all the time! 😅

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 2 ай бұрын

I think you might be right. It should be interesting when summer comes along my air conditioning is running all the time.. If I convert that dryer downstairs to run on gas instead of electricity I think one unit might work for me. I'll try to run this system in the summer though and give it a try as is anyways. If you do end up wanting to purchase it, use my affiliate links and that will help the channel. They should also let you use my discount code as well. Thanks

@jimgraham290 2 ай бұрын

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Who have you had the best luck with, Signature Solar or Current Connected? Price for the EG4 6000 is the same at both places...

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 2 ай бұрын

@jimgraham290 the only thing I don't like about signature solar is sometimes you have to wait a while to get through to tech support. They are good about returns but It does take a long time. I have never returned anything from current connected... when I call current connected to tech support team, they answer right away. Both companies have good support though and are very knowledgeable. So that's a tough one. Signature solar is larger. So that could be a good thing or a bad thing. I like both companies though

@kidcompany Ай бұрын

@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Took me forever to get an RMA out of signature solar for a bad unit. They are growing and busy. Doing what they can to keep up. Support times are hit / miss, but when you do get them on the line they are helpful. Typical growing pains. The techs say they love the 6000XP's. Great units.

@DuncanCunningham Ай бұрын

I've learned a lot by watching you. I'm going to be trying something similar in my garage (EG4 6000xp) and have it like an off grid setup, batteries will take me a while to save up to build to what I want. I wonder if you are over loading that inverter, it will age faster, I don't know. Maybe look into a nice Sol Ark 15K, that is designed to do what you are trying. you can set it up to never push the excess solar to the grid and it is certified so if you ever have an inspection it should pass and the power company (and city) will have nothing to be worried about. I'm sure the EG4 6000XP is okay on the grid too, I just don't know that much about it yet. I feel safe off grid and connecting it to pull power like you are doing.. I'm just not as brave as you.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

I think most of the time it will be idling low. Like showing in the beginning of the video. Except maybe during the summer? Davidpoz did a review of the 15k and it didn't do very well in off grid mode. It kept shutting down because he couldn't quite get his loads to balance right. I'm sure it does awesome with grid connected though. This system is nice though in not having to pay for the extra grid Interactive functionality. Another thing nice about this system is if you buy two you have redundancy if one inverter goes bad. Solar 15K would be awesome but it would be a single point of failure. I hear they are nice though.

@devonhallassociates9524 2 ай бұрын

Excellent video. Very informative.

@MrButuz Ай бұрын

Good solid vid. Man the 100,000 quote for your neighbour they sure were trying to rip your poor neighbour a new one! For 100k i would be expecting 100kw of solar 30+kw of inverter and a 50kw battery at the least!

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

The sad thing is it was the same size battery Bank as the one I have in this video.

@MrButuz Ай бұрын

What? 10kwh for 100 grand? Man they may as well have just walked in to your neighbours house and robbed them properly!! :( @@diySolarPowerFunWithRay

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

@MrButuz he's well off...He ordered 2 of them for 2 houses he owns. I wasn't sure what to say when he told me he bought those systems.

@MrButuz Ай бұрын

Oh well what can you do. Theres an old saying in my country: a fool and his money are easily parted. @@diySolarPowerFunWithRay

@AbigailSanchez-kc6eh Ай бұрын

@@diySolarPowerFunWithRayshould have offered to do the installs for 50k

@todddunn945 9 күн бұрын

Just a comment about your batteries. Each of your batteries has its output current limited to 100 amps by its internal Battery Monitoring System. Since you have two batteries in parallel that means that your battery system can output up to 200 amps. Ideally you should size the wires from the batteries to the inverter to carry 200 amps. The current carrying capacity of wires (ampacity) depends on the size of the wire AND the temperature rating of the insulation. The table you used is for wire with 105C rated insulation. The temperature rating of the wire's insulation should be printed on the wire. For your application I would want 2/0 sized wire to be able to carry the 200 amps that your two battery bank can supply. You also need a 200A class T fuse in the positive lead between the batteries and the inverter. As far as your solar array is concerned, remember to keep the open circuit voltage of your solar array below the inverter's maximum rating of 480 VDC. I would suggest staying 50 VDC or more below that. Remember that the open circuit voltage of a series wired multi panel array is the sum of the individual panel open circuit voltages. So if your panels have a 60 volt open circuit rating you can use no more than 8 panels in series and preferably no more than 7. Also make sure your solar lead wire is rated for the maximum open circuit voltage of your array. I have one comment about that inverter. It appears to be a high frequency inverter, which is less robust than a low frequency design. If your really want to power your home for a long time, I would look into a low frequency inverter. Also I don't know what your wall is made of, but unless it is cement board, the fire code likely requires that your inverter be mounted with a metal backing plate. Finally, as pointed out below, you would be advised to install a secondary transfer panel for critical loads. That sort of panel serves two purposes. One it isolates the circuits on it from back feeding the grid when they are being fed from an inverter or generator and two, a transfer switch panel doesn't include the large loads like the AC or electric range which will drain your batteries very quickly. At present you have only a 10 Kwh battery bank, so the AC drawing 35-50 amps at 240 volts will completely drain your batteries in an hour. The electric stove will do about the same. Not only do you need a MUCH more robust inverter to consistently run those loads, but you also need a much larger battery bank (say 5-10 times larger) if you want to run those loads off the batteries. Ideally the battery bank should be able to run all attached loads for 4-5 days by itself for an off grid system. Also don't forget that your solar output will drop significantly in winter. How much it drops depends on your location. Check out pvwatts.nrel.gov/ to get a very good idea of just how much solar you will really need.

@ibenglish 2 ай бұрын

You do a very good step by step process. I was thinking of this for my garage but am sort of leaning towards daisy chaining the 18000 version with my solar edge grid tie to make it a battery back up and also add more solar panels. Any suggestions?

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

I would love to hear some thoughts from others on integrating this type of system with a existing solar Edge system..

@wellselectric3221 10 күн бұрын

My first time seeing a recessed meter and disconnect. Wow.

@stevec5000 6 күн бұрын

The 6KW inverter seems a bit undersized for a large home with such a big A/C unit or keep the same size but get one with a large overload capacity such as 18KW.

@Dan_H_MT 2 ай бұрын

Ray, thanks for the video. You're missing the link for the Torque Screwdriver. Thanks

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 2 ай бұрын

Thanks 👍

@nwsteffey 14 күн бұрын

So how would you connect a second 6000xp to the electrical panel? Ideally you’d have another 60 amp double pole braker. But that wouldn’t work with the interlock switch. Do they make interlock switches that can handle more than one breaker? The other option would be to replace the 60 amp with a 100 or 120 and connect both 6000xp outputs to that one breaker. Might need a combiner box. Have you seen a setup with two of these?

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 10 күн бұрын

Yes you can definitely hook multiple of these together for more power. Possibly up to six units. I can't remember the exact number. I haven't seen an interlock kit that supports multiple Breakers.... so not sure on that one. You could get a larger double pole breaker to back feed into but you have to be careful that your panel will support the higher amps. If I hook multiple of these units together I think I might lean towards a manual transfer switch so I can feed the panel directly from the top. The manual transfer switch will determine if the power comes from grid or from my inverters. I think I'll do a video on this... 👍

@LarryRichelli 4 күн бұрын

You are fortunate that you can turn you meter off. Mine has seal on it and I would have to call my electrical company to turn it off which I don't think they will do. I really wanted to do exactly what you are doing.

@dylan_lewis9309 Ай бұрын

This was a great video man, really good tests! I just purchased one of these unit and like you was thinking I might have to get a 2nd unit eventually. Our house is older and has 2 sub panels. I was thinking of installing a 240/120, 50A, 10 circuit transfer switch at each sub panel. That way I could run some dedicated loads on 100% solar/battery and the remaining loads in the sub panel and transfer switch on grid. Then if the power if out for an extended period of time I can set both transfer switches to the inverter supply and be mindful of which loads are running concurrently. In the future I would setup a 2nd inverter and run each sub panel/transfer switch off of its own inverter. But if you can basically power the entire 6 bedroom house from one unit (with grid supplemental) maybe I don't even need the 10 circuit transfer switches, just setup both of my main sub panels like you did here with the disconnect.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Cool. I initially looked at adding a critical subpanel... however I more liked the idea of simply powering everything and during a emergency I can just turn off the non-critical circuits. That will also give the freedom to easily change what is a critical circuit if my living condition changes.

@dylan_lewis9309 Ай бұрын

@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Thank you for the replay. I see there are a lot of "run modes" does this allow the inverter to automatically run loads on solar and switch to grid if it starts to draw more than the battery/solar capacity and then switch back to solar/battery when the load decreases.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

@dylan_lewis9309 yes, it's really easy to set up. The default mode was exactly what you described.. for me. If I have a heavy load it will automatically switch over to grid and the lights won't even flicker... for me.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

@@dylan_lewis9309 you will definitely want to set up the app on your phone. I made a little video on that as well a few weeks ago if it gets complicated for you.

@dylan_lewis9309 Ай бұрын

@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Thank you so much for the feedback and great video. This is my 1st venture into solar and this unit looked like it could provide all the features we wanted for long term backup power. I think once we have used the system for a little bit I'll invest in a larger panel array, a couple more EG4 batteries for our 6 slot rack, and a 2nd inverter. That way I can dedicate an inverter to each of the two sub panels in our house. If I used two inverters, one for each sub panel, would I need to make sure both isolator disconnects were in the same position before feeding via grid or solar to prevent backfeeding since both panels are fed from the same meter?

@benkanobe7500 2 ай бұрын

Ray. My cheap system (not near the quality of yours) has Current Transformers ("current clamps") that monitor L1 and L2 so my solar, when there is excess, does not back feed the grid anything. On a typical summer day starting around 7:00AM my SmartMeter drops down to a total of 5watts and stays there all day until after 6:00PM. If my house A/C comes on (almost never as we have a window unit the solar can accommodate) then the meter jumps up to about 2kilowatts as I don't have enough inverter(s) or solar to handle that. I want to replicate my system but with more inverter capability both out put and solar acceptance/utilization, but need the ability I have now with Current Transformers monitoring my load and automatically adjusting. With the current transformers my system does automatically what your new system does without the need to switch anything. For those wondering what happens when the grid goes down, I have a small function generator that produces a perfect 60Hz sine wave so I can turn off my main breaker (manually) and turn on the function generator tricking the solar to turn back on. I have this tied to a generator manual transfer switch so no risk to the grid. At night I have batteries and two more cheap inverters ($350.00) that operate exactly as the day time ones do only they draw from my Sealed Lead Acid batteries (that work perfect for now). Those inverters remain "off" during the day and are turned on by simple "Christmas tree timers". So, ....... I was wondering if this new system of yours inverter has Current Transfomers so I could replicate my system but with way more capability. (my house heating, stove, and water heating are all propane so my electrical bill is seldom as much as $40.00 and we pay 0.69cents!!/kilowatt)

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 2 ай бұрын

No CT 's on this one... I need to think of a way to hook this up to a house that has pre-installed solar grid system.

@benkanobe7500 Ай бұрын

@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Happy Easter!

@SamSung-jn5fi Ай бұрын

During grid pass through, the grid alone is supplying power? Or will the inverter share the load with grid assistance? I assume the former only, with these inverters.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

I haven't tested too much, but It looks like grid only... from looking at the app during the last testing segments in the video. However it looks like, if solar is out at that same time, the solar will be charging the batteries. During sunny conditions, if the batteries are full with a heavy load, perhaps the grid just supplements...?

@pstoneking3418 3 күн бұрын

I yse the grid as my first backup, so i still have it connected. The downside of leaving it connected is that my monthly bill is still abiy$14/month with no ectric use because of their delivery charges. The onky way i can get a $0.00 bill is to have my power disconnected.

@frankh7234 2 ай бұрын

Good morning, the breaker in the inverter is a C50, the 63amp is the maximum the breaker will support, but it will trip at 50, type C devices are designed to trip at 5-10 times In (50-100A for a 10A device).

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 2 ай бұрын

In the video I was running 58 amps thru it and it wasn't tripping. But let me double check the spec sheet....

@Falling_Down_1776 Ай бұрын

@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay He's right. they are 50A breakers. go to the Chint website and find out.

@Darren-C Ай бұрын

Hey boss. These are just the calculations I needed. Thanks for the explanation! I’m building a larger electrical mobile unit out of an enclosed trailer I’ve converted to be powered by the 6000xp with 10.2kwh server no alternator charge tied. My biggest question is grounding the system in a mobile application with no grid tie. Is grounding to the frame fine because of wood blocks and rubber tires. Or do I need to tie the ground to a rod at every location. I’m worried times I’ll be around pavement only. Thanks again boss!!

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 27 күн бұрын

If there is no GRID and subsequently no Ground Neutral(GN) Bond...this unit should have a relay that will make the GN bond or connection... If you connect a plug to the grid input so you can charge when you're near "Shore power" or in a RV park, the relay should disconnect and use the GN bond that's in your RV park. I'd test and confirm this though, if it was me. Regarding earth ground... I'm not sure what the best solution for this is with a RV. You could carry a ground rod and pound it into the ground where ever you go camping and connect it to the Ground and Frame of your RV... But that would obviously be annoying. Maybe others have some ideas. Hope this helps. Thanks! Sounds like a sweet setup.

@Darren-C 24 күн бұрын

@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Thanks Ray!! I heard this system had a ground relay option when not connected to the grid so I’ll follow up with EG4. Hopefully I’ll pass inspection sending the grounds back to the sub panel and grounding the panel to the frame and to the inverter. Thanks for the encouragement!!

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 23 күн бұрын

I had to enable setting 26 to get the dynamic G/N bonding to work.

@Darren-C 23 күн бұрын

@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Good to know. Thanks

@robwatson7401 Ай бұрын

So if I understand what you did here correctly,.. when the power goes out, you still have to run to your breaker box to shut off the mains for the interlock and turn on the breaker you installed that accepts power from the inverter. Did I get that right? Because that doesn't make sense. I get not wanting to back-feed, but I would think the inverter already does that power switching. Seems like that is not THE point, but a main point of having a system like this... but maybe I'm not understanding this whole thing...

@quickquote1568 2 ай бұрын

There are several high quality brands of low frequency, transformer based inverters on the market that outperform the 6000XP. One brand in particular is called Sigineer Power. They've been around a lot longer than the EG4 brand and they offer much higher surge capacities and a longer life expectancy. They have built-in MPPT, automatic generator start and transfer switch and they're UL1741 & CSA22.2 Certified. Plus they're only $350 more than the 6000XP.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Thanks, I'd like to check out that model. Do you have it? I wonder if the fan is louder on the Transformer base inverters to keep them cool.

@quickquote1568 Ай бұрын

@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Fans on high frequency inverters typically are noisier because high frequency inverters run hotter due to their much higher switching speeds 2 kiloHertz to 15 kiloHertz (15 thousand times per second).. The fans on low frequency are typically quieter because all of the circuitry in a low frequency inverter operates at only 60 Hertz (60 times per second)

@Falling_Down_1776 Ай бұрын

Yeah, but the PV Voc is too low.

@kidcompany Ай бұрын

@@Falling_Down_1776 It's a low frequency inverter so it has higher AMPs. 250v / 80Amp vs 480v / 25Amp.

@kidcompany Ай бұрын

Thanks for tip. This looks like a good low frequency inverter alternative to the 6000xp for larger inductive motor applications.

@hedelima 27 күн бұрын

Exelent video, good job

@bobcole3852 Ай бұрын

Good job on the video. Wondering why you put in the interlock for your grid main. This inverter doesn't backfeed to the grid, it just uses grid if needed, like the AC condenser. You should have a breaker in your main panel to feed inverter and also a "grid" breaker in the inverter so you shouldn't have to use the interlock at all. If you have to add another inverter you would just put in another 2p50 for it. No Polaris, you have them ahead of main breaker, VERY unsafe!

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Thanks, they make those grid interlock kits specifically for when you are connecting a generator to run your main panel. If you don't have that main breaker turned off the generator/inverter power will automatically feed back into the grid charging the power lines and putting any linemen in danger if they are working on down power lines. Regarding the breakers and Polaris Connectors: towards the end of the video, before I do the load testing, I mentioned the breakers I have in place for protection. Hope that section makes sense. Thanks for the comment.

@peterw.3816 Ай бұрын

Watch the video again. You missed a couple important points he made on why he set it up this way.

@benfaubion Ай бұрын

Great video! Load test was really helpful. Amazing how much solar installers charge, what a rip-off! So I liked that this was an extremely simple setup you did, and we could see how the 6000xp handled the surge and bypass. I may consider actually trying out a single 6000xp rather than two, or the 18kpv. I have only a single 240 appliance, the oven.. in addition to my 5-ton AC, which I only use for afternoons in the summer, or the heat uses the blower plus gas. Everything else is gas, including the water heater. I guess if I’m willing for the unit to bypass when starting the AC, one unit could work. What size is your AC? Can I ask, why did you go with the grid interlock and split from the main like that, rather than something like a manual transfer switch? Do you know if everything here is up to electrical code?

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Thank, My air condition specs are here(kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pKd6ddx_t6nbYJ8.html). I'd probably want to use a clamp meter on your main house terminals(L1 and L2) to measure how many amps it's drawing when it's on to make sure it can cover that. If it's under 25 amps on each leg while your AC is running it should be able to run it from battery/solar. Regarding Code: My neighbor that's a 30 yr master electrical mentioned using the polaris connectors to tap into the main line for grid access. But, I still need to have him come and look everything over. Other's mentioned that I need stress relief when the wires enter the main panel and a grommet for all wires entering the inverter... I forgot that. Regarding the manual transfer kit: I could have done that but I wanted to keep it simple and not buy the extra wire runs and box for the transfer switch. If I want a full 200amp pass through I would use a transfer switch.... although square D offers a 125 amp 2 pole breaker that can provide a lot of power into my panel(www.amazon.com/Square-Schneider-Electric-HOM2125CP-Homeline/dp/B0002YSR1S/ref=asc_df_B0002YSR1S/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=242027088707&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1341041991574683142&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029671&hvtargid=pla-409475795270&psc=1&mcid=477b9868f9333c51a7dacafb09be3a7b&gclid=CjwKCAjw26KxBhBDEiwAu6KXt2xD7l4vpu5nP7O8Vc1MktZU0keeStBnOr9VVxf8eO5eMyLK-wfvhBoCFy4QAvD_BwE). Engineer775 explains using a manual transfer switch well here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mdZhdrJ6ndioeqc.html .

@MrJar1rad 22 күн бұрын

I was trying this setup but I have 2 inverters and my main load panel is 20ft. Away should I be using 4awg wire or the 6 like on this video

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 18 күн бұрын

There is a link to the wire gauge chart I was using. It has a column where you can figure in length. It would never hurt to go on the thicker side. The breakers can't accept two awg copper stranded THHN wire. Good luck www.bluesea.com/support/articles/Circuit_Protection/1437/Part_1%3A_Choosing_the_Correct_Wire_Size_for_a_DC_Circuit

@mikee2765 Ай бұрын

Great video, thank you, The link for the Polaris connectors go to a search page, Which Polaris connector is the correct one?

@mikee2765 Ай бұрын

Pretty sure this is the correct connector www.amazon.com/OhLectric-Multi-Cable-Insulated-Pre-Filled-Electrical/dp/B0BXZPLP6M

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 12 күн бұрын

@@mikee2765 That looks correct to me. I'll update the link. Thanks.

@jimgraham290 Ай бұрын

Ray, after I watched this video I was convinced that back feeding my panel with a 50 amp breaker and Interlock switch is the way to go. I was going to install a Pro-Tran 10 Circuit Generator Transfer Switch. Cost $400 This would require me to select 10 circuits I could run via my inverter (soon to be EG4 6000XP - currently Growatt 3K w/ ProTran 6 breaker Transfer Switch). After seeing how you did your interconnect, I was sold. I am going to run my #6 wires from the Polaris Connectors through a 60 amp AC Disconnect box: EATON CORPORATION DPB222RP This will allow me to remove the inverter without shutting off the main breaker at the meter. Thanks!!!

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Yeah those 10 circuit sub panels didn't make sense to me either. Good idea with the EATON box. I think I need to add that.

@Fatpumpumlovah2 Ай бұрын

at 10:28 when you start talking again you can see arcing in the panel on the right.

@rsj3039 2 ай бұрын

doing similar with EG4 3000, My house has Natural gas piped in, so no 240 volt.

@BigBillFL Ай бұрын

Greetings Ray - I just purchased a 6000XP after watching this video and many others. You do a great job or cutting the 'fluff' out of YT vids. I have one concern. That is, running grid power to the input of the 6000XP. I haven't gotten into the literature yet that came with my unit, but want to know if there is 'any' possibility that current generated from the 6000XP can be exported or somehow pushed back into the Grid? I realize that The PV, GEN, and GRID connections are INPUT only with circuit breakers, and this unit is an OFF GRID device only. I saw a post where someone mentioned that the 6000XP is able to export power to the grid in other countries. My friend is a lineman and expressed his concerns with my plans to copy what you did. Can you and any of the other folks here comment further. Thanks again for a great effort on this video.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

This unit is only designed to accept power from the grid input terminal and not back feed. I added a interlock kit so power won't go back to the grid when I'm sending power to my electrical home panel. Hope that makes sense. I haven't tried to power anything from the grid input terminal... Although this would be a good test. If you used my Affiliate Links an Discount codes, email me your order number... I might have some items left to mail you as part of the give-a-way program.

@nowayoutstp4 Ай бұрын

This is my preferred method as well.

@sh839c Ай бұрын

This is an excellent video sir.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Thank you.

@mondotv4216 Ай бұрын

Just looking at your setup your battery cables look way undersized. As a general rule of thumb I think a minimum of 2.0 guage (70mm2) is good for the connection between the inverter and battery. That inverter can peak at a 12kW which is 240amps.

@meilyn22 Ай бұрын

Did you even watch the video?

@mondotv4216 Ай бұрын

@@meilyn22 I made the comment as soon as I saw the battery wires. And at the end when talking about upgrading the connection he is still mentioning 6kW when the inverter specs say peak power for 10 seconds is 12kW. Not everyone watches videos to the end.

@kidcompany Ай бұрын

Try watching the video! :)

@XxTWMLxX 25 күн бұрын

Im trying to install a 18k pv. (The bigger brother to the 6000xp) But my utility company wont allow me to grid tie my solar. Since its not through a company. Wonder if i can install similar to this and ommit the main feed split/grid in to inverter just run bat/solar interlocked. Or grid by its self. No possiblilty of backfeed. No solar attached to grid. Its stupid red tape rules. Have to use company x y z to install but they will only install what they sell.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 25 күн бұрын

That's lame. I imagine there's a feature on the 18K PV to disable the back feed functionality. Then it would pretty much function the same way as mine but with more power. I'm thinking about doing that same thing...

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 23 күн бұрын

You should be able to hire an electrician to come and set it up for you

@InVinoVeritas. 28 күн бұрын

Great video!! Hope to get the same inverter. Question, so as the title implies, is your electric bill now @ $0?

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 27 күн бұрын

Right now it's pretty much zero but the real test will be when the air conditioning is running in the summer. I will do a 3-month update after some summer months to see how it does, also comparing my power bills. So we'll see :).

@InVinoVeritas. 27 күн бұрын

@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Terrific, thank you!!

@SashiOno Ай бұрын

well done. Thanks

@ScottieBMan 2 ай бұрын

My 6000xp does well but my well pump will occasionally overload it and putt into frown mode…but that’s 3/4 hp with high surge, most the time it handles it but have tripped it 4 times, that’s in addition to my furnace, and living room power, just enough to trip it…

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Nice. How many batteries do you have connected? I bet it trips at night without solar connected. Just a guess

@ScottieBMan Ай бұрын

@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay it trips randomly, likely bc I do not have the battery power right now, only 2 EG4 LL’s right bow

@Falling_Down_1776 Ай бұрын

Age of pump and well depth?🤔 Is your 6000XP supplemented by the grid or 100% Off Grid?

@ScottieBMan Ай бұрын

@@Falling_Down_1776pump is about 20 years old I think, I inherited it with house, well depth not sure. It will run the pump but I suspect when the furnace, living room power going the surge is too much for it…

@AspiredLife Ай бұрын

I love discovering LDS infulence on KZfaq. It’s the paintings that did it.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

The neighbor kid came over and thought that was Aquaman :-)

@AspiredLife Ай бұрын

@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 😂

@gdad0683 Ай бұрын

Very dangerous to run the battery cables through a metal cabinet knockout hole with NO grommets

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

I do need to add those. Thank you for pointing that out.

@chuckkie9159 Ай бұрын

In what State in the US are you in? what did your electric company say about your system? did it get inspected and by whom?

@tylerknight1596 Ай бұрын

I was thinking the same thing suer the inverter has a breaker on it but what about the 4 foot of wire in the conduit and the lugs? What if they go bad there’s not a breaker or a way to turn the power off.

@jasperthomas8048 2 ай бұрын

Anyone know if adding a polaris connector between the meter and the main fuse box is a code violation?

@uhjyuff2095 Ай бұрын

his polaris was after the first disconnecting means. The issue I see is he added #6 AWG copper on a 100 amp breaker. Secondly, non metalic flexible conduit should be strapped within 12 inches of the connectors.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

The #6 AWG copper is protected by the the 60a breaker in the inverter(kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pKd6ddx_t6nbYJ8.html). Thanks for mentioning the 12 inch strap. I'll check that out.

@arksonephimmasane5134 11 күн бұрын

Great job and very educational. Thank you for sharing! I’m looking for entrepreneurs partner to start up business in Laos for salor adventures.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 10 күн бұрын

Best of luck!

@thefix2573 Ай бұрын

I figure, if the dryer is running, so would the washer, and the water heater. Probably have the A/C on too...

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

This summer should be interesting. 3 240 appliances might be pushing it. 2 should be fine....I'll have an update in the summer. My water heater is gas. Thanks

@robertmuntz799 Ай бұрын

This DYI is very good. I could see having a slightly smaller generator to maintain the house with help from the batteries.

@spicemasterii6775 Ай бұрын

How did you size the system?

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

I couldn't find a lot of the information on how the bypass mode worked so that was One part of this video... testing that part out. The nice thing about this is It's easily expandable if I find out I don't have enough power in the summer with my air conditioner. But I'll have to wait for the summer to fully test that out. If I didn't have renters downstairs I could just tell my family to not start the dryer at the same time as the stove and then I think I would be fine.

@michaelcoghlan9124 Ай бұрын

interesting thank you. M

@marcellowithtwols Ай бұрын

So a single hair dryer draws 25 amps @110v?? What kinda dryer is that???

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

I'm not sure what time segment you are referring to but I think there were other loads running at the same time because my hairdryer on high uses about 1700 Watts.

@marcellowithtwols Ай бұрын

@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay I was watching your vid at minute 28:32 when you turned on a single hair dryer and it appeared to bring your L2 to 103% utilization. So I'm really confused, as I thought this inverter could handle more than a hair drier per leg.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

@@marcellowithtwols there were two hair dryers running during that segment. Sorry for that confusion

@jamesglach3229 2 ай бұрын

Your battery wires need strain reliefs going into the panel!! This is a code failure.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 2 ай бұрын

Thank you, I will add that. 👍

@beekang6708 23 күн бұрын

6kwatts is the minimum. Also. Do not operate air conditioning unit. If you do connect air conditioning unit. The size of air conditioning should be 2 tons max. Also many sola install company charge super highe dollar.

@Falling_Down_1776 Ай бұрын

36:41 63 x 240 = 1500? I know what you meant.😏

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Dang it! I meant 15000. thanks!

@wva5089 2 ай бұрын

split phase does not match the diagram you drew.. @4:16 it stacks.. instead of overlaps.

@wva5089 2 ай бұрын

your diagram is 2 phase.. your house is single phase.. split into two 120 legs.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for the comment. This is where I came up with my drawing: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/iM54n7uSnr65e4U.htmlsi=24GAUUG6WCwDFsh3

@Do_the_Dishes Ай бұрын

@@wva5089No, what he drew is correct. Split phase is 180 degrees out of phase with each other and that is what is shown. If it were 2 phase, which is 90 degrees, then the start point of one of the lines would be at the peak or valley of the other.

@gottfriedschuss5999 28 күн бұрын

And, 2-phase, while it does exist in certain limited geographic areas of the United States, is virtually nonexistent. I love when electricians who don’t know about 2-phase, give me crap when I mention it. Like I’m the one who doesn’t know what I’m talking about. That’s often true, just not in this case. 😂

@Do_the_Dishes 27 күн бұрын

@@gottfriedschuss5999 Yes, Niagara Falls Power Station was one of the last power plants still producing 2 phase power. Not sure if they still do now but they did when I visited about 15 years ago. This was to support some of the old factorys that still had some of those old style 2 phase motors in use. The other thing I just learned is that it really isn't even "split phase". It just seems 180 degrees apart because the old ocilloscopes had to use ground as a reference point. Two guys on youtube explain this: (Dave Gordon - In-Phase or Out-of-Phase) and (Charles Staton - 120/240 is NOT 180 degrees out of phase)

@mmcmillan601 2 ай бұрын

Wait till they brew coffee for run a space heater.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay 2 ай бұрын

Those are the easy ones. :)

@PeterJ-ij6mm Ай бұрын

The current flow in the live and neutral should be equal. There is something weird going on there !

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Thanks, What time section in the video are you referring to? I can check it out.

@PeterJ-ij6mm Ай бұрын

@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Hi, at 33:54 you are testing what appears to be the live and neutral on a double pole breaker. If this the case then I find the different current on each leg confusing. The current going out on the live should be the same value returning on the neutral.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Those 2 wires are L1 and L2 feeding power into my panel. Both hots feeding into the double pull. My white is the neutral.

@PeterJ-ij6mm Ай бұрын

@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Sorry but this still makes no sense to me. Each live wire should be on its own single pole breaker and not share a double pole breaker with another live wire. The normal purpose of a double pole breaker is to switch Live & Neutral and not two lives carrying different loads. I need to find a manual for this inverter and see if I can figure out what's going on.

@peterw.3816 Ай бұрын

@@PeterJ-ij6mm You NEVER switch NEUTRALS. Only switch hot wires from the the two lines. Ideally, you want the neutral returning both legs to be near 0 if L1 and L2 are roughly the same load. The sine waves from each leg counteract each other.

@user-tv8ey6qy9j Ай бұрын

This setup makes no sense to me. No way would I wire the output to my main panel. What if you are not home when the grid goes down. you will be back feeding the grid, at least till the eg4 is overloaded and the breaker pops. Also you need permission to ever back feed the grid. Or maybe I just don't understand.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

This unit doesn't back feed through it's specified "grid" connection port. Different from the 18k which has grid interactive features. The interlock kit protects the grid when I'm feeding into my house panel. Hope that makes sense. Thanks for the comment.

@JBoy340a Ай бұрын

Great system. I wish I had the skills and certifications to install my own batteries and solar. Unfortunately, I did not. So, we went with Tesla Powerwalls and solar and love the results. From $500/mo. average to under $10/mo. Payback in about 8 years.

@user-zy9xy4ru3f Ай бұрын

wife's all say the something, that's going to Ture all my stuff on?

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Yup. :)

@rv10flyer84 Ай бұрын

Good luck. If someone doesn’t like the price contractors charge, DIY. Just don’t call them when it breaks or you can’t get warranty, tech support or repair parts. Most will just laugh at our caller id.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

Yes, I hear that solar contractors are only around for a couple years so their support is really bad. I like the ability to know the system and work on it myself.

@meilyn22 Ай бұрын

Thanks for the advice. Why would anyone want to call a thief?

@rv10flyer84 Ай бұрын

@@meilyn22 it’s funny people rarely say that about automotive dealerships, banks, ATV sales and restaurants in the USA. But when a contractor makes $50-60,000 a year, they’re a thief.

@meilyn22 Ай бұрын

@@rv10flyer84 People say that about banks and dealerships all the time. Imagine charging 100k for something that can be done for 10k at the highest.

@rv10flyer84 Ай бұрын

@@meilyn22 well, it’s nice that we can choose if we want to DIY or not. We all spend our money on what we want to and what we feel is important to us.

@gdad0683 Ай бұрын

You are trying to run your whole house, a 200 amp panel, through a 50 amp breaker?….

@kidcompany Ай бұрын

60 amp and does not need all 60 amp at once. At least until summer time (when he will most likely be buying another 6000xp due to AC usage). :)

@TheObserver567 Ай бұрын

I got so ripped off with solar. 70,000 dollars and zero power bill savings.

@jpm3066 27 күн бұрын

Pretty much

@MrUnknownCamaro Ай бұрын

Why did you decide to purchase your solar panels from SunTan? Signature Solar has better deals. With SS you get new panels that produce more watts at a lower cost. When you buy the panels new, you get the full warranty too. With Shipping both companies have sales when they offer free shipping. Is there something I am missing? Do you have an affiliate link with SunTan that they give you a better deal. Or did SunTan give you the panles? I am not judging. I am trying to understand.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

I think either way would work... especially if they go on sale from signature solar. I bough new panels for my rv (which had limited space). I did a review video of these used panels against my new RV panels last month and these performed the same. I might do a install on my brother's house and we might go with new panels from signature solar. These used ones are only 5 years old and I think they're better quality than the new ones from signature solar. Just don't go with the super cheap ones form SanTan, I no longer like those... Not very energy dense for the size

@user-fy7ru4ii1i Ай бұрын

Don't forget to tell people, it costs thousands of dollars, at minimum, even for the most basic solar setup. (tens of thousands for a high end set up). SO...the money you spend on solar, you wont see back for a couple years, at least.

@kidcompany Ай бұрын

Not true. As a DIYer my entire solar system cost me less than $6k!

@user-bf1uv5ch3u 16 күн бұрын

You can't have urpower by pass ur lockout that makes no sense

@International444Ford 16 күн бұрын

Shutup Kyle!

@diegojines-us9pc Ай бұрын

nice it keep the TV on for a few hours. no not water. no heat, no ac, no stove. but you got your games and cell phones. oh wait if the power is out you have no cell phones or interent . because thy have no power. so i stay with candles. at least its heat.

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

I would still have hot water, a hot plate stove, and heat from my gas furnace running... as long as my natural gas stays on during a power outage. Fingers crossed 🤞

@diegojines-us9pc Ай бұрын

@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay then get a natural gas back up gen. its cheaper than solar anyway.

@kidcompany Ай бұрын

TV would stay on for more than a few hours. More like two days. He uses gas for water and heat. Did you not watch the video?

@kidcompany Ай бұрын

@@diegojines-us9pc Natural gas is not cheaper than solar in the long run.

@kickgas7171 2 ай бұрын

Low budget Chinese made, high frequency, transformerless inverters have much shorter life expectancies and poorer peak power capacities than more reliable, heavy duty, low frequency, transformer-based inverters. And because there's no transformer in these inverters, there's no galvanic isolation between the DC boost stage and the AC output which makes for less safe operation during a catastrophic failure of the H-bridge circuit and the AC output monitoring circuitry. For just a few hundred dollars more, you can buy a low frequency, transformer-based inverter charger with MPPT which provides a much higher surge capacity, a built in AC transfer switch, grid or generator battery charger with automatic generator start and a much longer life expectancy with galvanic isolation.

@stephensanchez5761 2 ай бұрын

what do you recommend and can you post link.

@cl3ansl879 2 ай бұрын

non- chinese made, low frequency, transformer based with mppt that match this specs(or better) for a few hundred dollars more does not exist.. . you have to pay premium for all that options @kickgas7171 has mentioned.

@kickgas7171 2 ай бұрын

@@stephensanchez5761 Magnum Energy, Schneider Electric, Sigineer Power, Outback Power or Victron Energy all make high quality, heavy duty, long lived, low frequency, transformer based inverter chargers that offer high peak power capacities.

@cl3ansl879 2 ай бұрын

none of those are close to "a few hundred dollars more". also, most of those companies don't sell all-in-one converter similar to the 6000xp. you have to spend extra to add a good mppt charger. If you do have the funds, however, those systems are solid and reliable. specifically victron. there's no other company that can match its support no matter what country you're in

@kickgas7171 2 ай бұрын

You must never have shopped Amazon for Sigineer Power inverters or Sigineer's own website. They offer low frequency, inverter chargers with built-in MPPT, a much higher peak power capacity and a longer life expectancy for only a few hundred dollars more than the 6000XP.

@sciglassblower Ай бұрын

You are do far off on so many issues that I cannot take the time! No Body Should Trust a Single Thing you Said! I have been installing and Testing Solar for many years and have 2 6000XP's and 6 Rack Batteries. People need to look at Will Prowse and Ignore Anything You Say!

@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ай бұрын

So your 6000xp's behave different than mine?