Latest big project coming is DIY Solar. The channel has mainly been random projects around the house from installing an oven to building a garage. I hope to get better at video editing and provide more detailed content for the solar build project. Disclaimer: I am not a professional engineer so the information I provide on my channel is for entertainment purposes and hopefully results in you knowing what type of things you need to consider when doing a similar project.
Gary Could you tell me or draw a diagram where the wires in the fused disconnect come from and go to. The same for the bypass disconnect. i am a little confused . The boxes with the terminals marked or written own would be nice. This is my initial setting up.
Drawing is here: ru-vid.com/show-UC2uGt3IC0ApijJmEKdwvoPgcommunity?lb=UgkxEpVJce4cYhsnehZPYKJwNmOXQ-ELGRsC Picture of Transfer Switch: ru-vid.com/show-UC2uGt3IC0ApijJmEKdwvoPgcommunity?lb=UgkxGb65XS_T7CDRn9Mo3d_ufMAGzzvRyY9H Picture of Fused Disconnect: ru-vid.com/show-UC2uGt3IC0ApijJmEKdwvoPgcommunity?lb=UgkxGb65XS_T7CDRn9Mo3d_ufMAGzzvRyY9H
Gary Could you tell me or draw a diagram where the wires in the fused disconnect come from and go to. The same for the bypass disconnect. i am a little confused . The boxes with the terminals marked or written own would be nice. This is my initial setting up.
No, only the disconnect switch. I put the manual transfer switch in to enable me to work on the system and still get power to the house at the same time. If you are planning a system you should check with your inspector and the utility company as requirements are different depending on where you live. If I was starting over, I would still put in the manual transfer switch.
maybe it's just me, but i find something wrong with having to get a private company's "permission" to operate a solar array on your own property. Personally, if the Gov wants to go after monopolies, why not break up these power monopolies . Great looking system.
Good job Gary! I would like to ask you a question. Where were Neutral and Ground bond together? at the Disconnect box or at the Manual Transfer box? Thanks
I guess it would depend on how much you are moving it, but I don't think so. I only moved it up around 8 to 10 inches and then set it back down in about the same spot. If you need to relocate the condenser you will probably need someone to come out and vacuum it down relocate the unit and reconnect everything and put the Freon back.
Great videos. Question regarding pass-through: When the house load exceeds the AC output of the inverter (supply from battery or solar or both), does the inverter passthrough the grid completely? Or does the inverter passthrough only the incremental power from grid? Example: If house load goes from 10kw to 17kw, will it passthrough all of the 17kw from grid? or just the additional 5kw from grid (17kw load - 12kw output rating) . Thank you
Only the incremental power. That is the way I have it set up anyway. It is completely seamless. It will maximize your solar and battery until there is no sun and the battery is drained down to the shutoff limit you have set. I only drain the battery down to 60% so if the grid power goes down in the middle of the night I still have enough power to run the air conditioner until utility power comes back or the sun comes back up. If you do not have a grid tie agreement with the utility you may have to set it up in EPS mode. In that case when there is not enough power from the solar and battery it will switch completely over to the grid.
Looks great. I wish you would have opened up the two siemens panels so we could see the breakers and wiring. I too have purchased the EG4 pv and power pro batteries. I now will be looking for someone to help me install panels on my shop roof and install the system and set up here in north Texas. Thanks for sharing your video.
I know the battery bracket just holds the battery from going away from the wall and the battery actually sits on the ground so does the inverter actually stands on the wiring box and that bracket holds it to the wall or does that inverter bracket take all the weight of the inverter. Thanks for all the tips
The conduit box is not very sturdy. I have the weight of the inverter on the mounting bracket and set so the bottom of the inverter just rests on the top of the conduit box.
Thanks for sharing all the info on the routing of everything... I'm about to install the same exact setup (EG4 & batt) and want to grid-tie. Just having trouble finding an electrician for hookup. Nice job on yours! 👍
I lifted it at least 8 inches. Enough space to put 4 inches of concrete and enough room for the float to level it all up. I also did it when it was could out, so if I did crack a line I would have plenty of time to get it fixed. Not sure I would try it in the middle of summer.
Great videos! Looking to install the same setup. Would you you be able to post a short video of the inside wiring in your fused disconnect and manual transfer cabinet? I am just a bit confused when comparing what you said and the eg4 manual. Thanks!
EG4 18Kpv resetting more than 10 times a day. 11 days there sending a rma. SS been great trying to set the system. TO MANY REBOOTS A DAY TO DEAL WITH. APPLIANCE's (PF)
Mine has been running for 6 months now with zero issues. Grid tied with sell back and two powerpro batteries. I have only paid the basic meter charge to the power company since Feb. Knock on wood, it keeps running like this.
@@Gary_Pauls_DIY nice cnl not understand why my unit not working right what a pain to install and remove it. Bought for its 10 warranty. lol and got 10 days of headaches after dark.
I have the same problem only by pad is tilted towards the house. I’ve been pondering this same thing the ladder is a good idea. I have a 10 ft A frame and chain hoist. I may try to use. It only needs to be lifted long enough to pull the concrete pad out add dirt and rest.
My hvac guy told me just over $1000 for them to evacuate and refill my system so I could move the unit and pour the pad. I just want to level the unit and get rid of the plastic pad it’s sitting on. I thought about doing something like you did but was unsure how much movement the lines could take, I feel better about doing it now. Thanks for posting this video.
Crazy flagging a metal box. But do add ductseal around exposed holes to stop dirt and bugs. Add a weeb washer on ground lug. DC wires inside needs to be in metal conduit. Exposed DC wires outside need to be in conduit(liquid tight was ok for us). Under panels needs to be protected where someone can touch(we used hardware cloth). Good luck.
our inspectors would have trouble with inverter behind door and probably your wiring near the water heater with gas and water present also rapid shut down external switch eg4electronics.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/EG4%C2%AE-18kPV-Version-1-External-RSD-Initiator-Install-Instructions.pdf
Hi Gary. Awesome video. I am about to make my purchase soon. Have a couple of questions. 1) could you post a video showing the wiring on the switch, disconnect and main panel with a bit of explaining? 2) do you plan to install any lightning protection?
Looks like your conductor between your fused disconnect and your panel inside your garage could see up to 250 amps, grid + 50 amps from 18kpv. Curious as to how others may view this setup. Maybe add a 200 amp breaker between fused disconnect and transfer switch?
The NEC requires a 1/8" air gap between components on a DIN rail or direct mount. By looking at your wiring in the box, the PV wires should go into the top of the center breakers and out of the bottom. I am curious why you used crimp connectors at the top of the breakers and not the bottoms. Where the enclosure is mounted may be a problem: If there is ever a fire, you may not be able to get to the enclosure to turn off the breakers. PV fires can happen and never trip the breakers and the firemen cannot put the fire out.
Do you have the NEC reference number for the DIN rail spacing? I installed this box as more of a switch than breakers, so If I need to work on any wiring going into the inverter. The breakers in this location are not required. I could have just installed an IMO Switch, but I had the breakers and did it this way to save a few dollars. I wired the breakers based on the schematic printed on the side of the breaker. So input and output is per drawing. If the solar panels catch on fire there is another disconnect at the inverter (not that it will make that much difference). The PV wire is stranded, so I used ferrules on all the ends, not just the top of the breakers, so must be the angel of the camera is the reason you don't see them on the bottom.
Hi Gary. I’m in the process of installing my system just like yours. I talked to signature solar about installing m batteries in front of each other like your talking about. They had no problem with my doing that. That’s how I’m doing it.
You can mount the wall plate at a level where the battery feet are on the ground and the wall plate keeps it from tipping over or you can mount the battery up off of the floor. Either way works. My first battery is about 1/4 inch off the floor. My second battery sits on the floor. This is due to the garage floor being sloped toward the main door.
For $1,200 less than what you paid for this, you could have easily DIY'd a 15.56kWh battery with grade A cells and an advanced JK BMS with active balancing, low temp sensing and communication ports, bus bars and free shipping. And you wouldn't have all these lifting issues.
