Here in SoCal, as a poor retiree, my off-peak rate is 37 cents/kwh, and peak rate of 75 cents/kwh in the summer, probably the highest in the nation, and we are getting another 18% increase this month as well. So for this month's usage of 1k kwh, my bill, with the $30% discount, is $300 without the solar. My system will be up and running in a week, and I should be able to pay it off in 3 years or sooner if the rates keep ballooning up, and they will, here in California. Thanks for the video, great job! Cheers!
I came here to say the same thing. I'm in central California. I laugh at all the people on social media that are paying 15 cents per kwh. I pay 33 cent per kwh for only the first 14 kwh and then it jumps up to 44 cents. But, yes, 3 year pay off.
@@brian_onthetrail Same here So Cal. I just about spit out my drink when he said .15 per kwh. Summer rates here are obscene. .78 kwh. Lowest is .37, I think.
I'm in So Cal as well and not gonna continue being a SLAVE to the grid for much longer. Putting a system on my RV 1st then the off-grid system to run my property. Predicted increases here over 4 years are +40%, and people think the power companies are on the hook for the FIRES. REALLY, they have just passed all that on to us. I guess I need to buy stock in electrical companies, like PG&E, SCE and SDG&E. I'll do that AFTER I put my system to work.
@@marcelracine4154 good on you for becoming independent. I just invested in HE which may be just on the cusp of returning the slow climb to old valuation. Don't invest unless you have fully done your own diligence though. I hope my investment will pay off, now that they have a settlement agreement. We'll see.
it is good you are able to reduce your reliance on the monopoly known as the national electric grid. We said goodbye to the grid and have never regretted it. That's right, no connection whatsoever to the grid. We have not needed it. We have an EG4 18Kpv, 60 kilowatts of DIY Apexium batteries and 36 Bi-Facial solar panels @405 watts for a total of 14.6 kilowatts. System cost was less than $20K. Freedom is not measured in terms of ROI (Return On Investment). Our power is secure from outside computers disconnecting our power like with a smart meter attached to the grid. Our batteries are topped off by noon every day, even with the AC running.
Ground mount. we live in Michigan and experience lake effect snow, so we have to be able to clean them off. Completely off grid as of February 2024. Our batteries almost never fall below 95% state of charge.
Our rack mount is adjustable for winter and summer. we use way more power in the summer with the AC units than winter. Even though we have 6 days of power from the 60 kilowatts, If the sun dose not shine and we think the batteries will fall below 50% which they never have i will start the 6500 watt All-Powers Diesel generator and with the EG4 Chargeverter we will bring them back to full. The generator runs on waste veggie-oil that we collect from a local restaurant. It is settled for two weeks and then the clear liquid is sent through a 400, 200, 100 and 75 micron bucket filter. afterwards we add 10% gasoline to the oil and send it through a 20, 5 and 1 micron finishing filters. The oil is kept in a 275 gallon IBC Tote where it waits for use latter on. all of the filters are cleanable and reusable. In the winter the Bi-Facial panels supply pretty much everything we need due to the cold and the snow hitting the back side. The generator takes the place of the grid and is cheaper per kilowatt to run.
Be happy to get mine online finally. Been working on building a shed for it all and at least now have two of three inverters hanging, waiting on the third to show up on back order. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks. Got a 12k mini split already installed waiting for power to make working a little more enjoyable. 96, 300 ah battery cells sitting on the floor waiting to become battery packs. Beginning to see a little light at the end now..........
@@supremeautomotive6749 Yeah, my parents had the same issue and they only have off grid power. We installed a softstart and I don't think they have any dimming anymore.
Electrical note - they are not 120v legs - they are 240v from the transformer. The split-phase neutral allows either 240v leg to provide 120v. When no neutral is in use, it's 240v :)
I just tested my EG4 6000 unit just like yours with the EG4 14.3 Kwh (48V 280Ah) Battery last Tuesday (7-30-24) running my 2 ton A/C unit. This was at my camp/house in Mississippi, 97 degrees was the high, sunny and had my A/C set at a very comfortable 72 degrees for the whole test. I was able to push right at 8 hours out of it until the battery hit 15% SOC. Ran like a champ! I was running the A/C only it was pulling just below 2,500 watts while running. Just thought I would share this info.
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay you're helping and it's making a difference. Just please try not to get yourself into what I refer to as the CZcamsr "INFOMERCIAL" industry. Keep things technical and as unbiased as you can and you'll be good to go.
Awesome videos ray thanks for the content. Me and my dad just installed the 6000xp using your video as reference and it went smoothly! Also we have a plan where we have free energy at night so it helps to fully charge the batteries and also run heavy loads such as laundry at night for even more savings!
.13 cents a KWh where we live in Texas with no off peak different rates. Selling energy back to electricity company is at .03 cents a KWh. I feel really fortunate now seeing some of the other rates here.
Running the numbers and showing folks what the break even is going to be is very important because the upfront costs scare away the risk averse who are basically 90% of those asking about my system. The power companies are only going to continue to make your life miserable until you break away and take control of your energy consumption and production. DIY is the best and quickest way to getting to break even. I did not DIY mine 8 years ago and that added several years to my break even number. Times have changed and it’s never been easier. I will be upgrading soon based on very good channels such as this and doing it myself. Very nice breakdown and presentation. 👍🏻👍🏻
I had the problem of shutting down with unbalanced leg by requiring more current off one 120V side I solved the problem by finding a 220V to 120V transformer with high current capability. I us the output from that to run ALL my 120V items. There is a slight efficiency loss but no more unbalanced leg. Just make sure there is primary to secondary isolation and connect one 120V wire to neutral and be sure ground is secure. This connection carries the full current load for all the 120V loads combined. Ground should carry no current. Also, be sure to fuse the primary. This feeds all my 120V breakers that would normally be connected to the split phase. All 220V loads works normally. The electrician knew exactly what to do.
Really appreciate you sharing this! Showing people cost comparisons is a big deal a lot of people are curious about to see if going solar is right for them. Great job explaining your point. Enjoyed the content!
Great Video! I see a 2nd channel in the making @11:05 called "Gardening with Ray Loveless". Also overall I think we can see that these old style a/c units will go the way of the dino, the power usage I read on the mini-splits is incredibly lower
That’s a nice vegetable garden in front of those panels. Maybe a video on that soon? All part of going off grid :-)😮 15 cents a KWh for electricity is very cheap. San Diego is up to around 47 cents at peak rate from 4 to 9 pm. And Oct 1, 2025 will bring a fixed fee of $24 that everyone on the grid has to pay. Fixed fees incentivize going off grid rather than using the 6000XP grid input feature. But ofc, one has to have capacity for cloudy days (aka marine layer in San Diego from the Pacific from Jan to June depending how many miles inland one lives). That means more pricey batteries from China which we may go to war with over South Asia
10.57 cents per kilowatt hour in Union County, NC. Electric coop which has a stake in a nuclear power plant. Unfortunately, such a low rate means it would take nearly 11 years to break even on a DIY kit.
You could also get a dual fuel generator that can hook up to your natural gas feed... And you can have it kick on automatically when your batteries get low. That would save you from having to buy a really large battery bank.
@DIY nice update, and i truly hope the two XP works out for you, however the best solution for your application is an hybrid inverter with zero export like the 12Kpv or 18Kpv , 100% of you solar production will be used 100% of the time if you have ANY load in your main panel or load panel or for batteries, 100% nothing is wasted with an Hybrid inverter and allot more simpler to setup, off-grid inverters are truly best when using then for critical loads emergency power backup and or truly off grid, not for peak shaving and other type of basic saving best to use an hybrid inverter with zero export.
@@bhbaker220 technically no because one unit right now he can’t even capture 100% of the solar production, and if you are care about having EG4 inverter, you can by Growatt MIN XH with grid interactive feature and setup zero export they cost less than a EG4 XP and has the same capacity at a 18Kpv the 11.4k version anyways, right now he is planning of using 2 XP to try to solve is issue, i have done this for over 10 years so many lower cost ways to achieve the same thing for this application.. Growatt 11.4k MIN grid tie setup in off-grid mode zero export that cost less than one XP with the capacity of an 18Kpv is truly all he needs, but it’s fun to watch what others do.
Once you pass 1kw in input fans become really loud. I have the predecessor to these the lv6548 and did the same thing as you powering the main breaker box. I didn't know that about the input switching both legs to grid over if 1 leg goes over. I'm waiting for a few 2awg butt splices to come in to run my AC bypass. I'm going to buy $200 worth of ff2 flashing and a few xr10 rails and install 30 panels on my roof instead of having them in the yard. You have to get rid of the central ac to run completely off solar.
Put your Fans on Slope to stop it from jumping to your setting of say 70%. I use 100% Slope. You need it to cool according to its internal heat or it could damage it.
My grid cost for power rises to .60/kwh in peak hours, so searching options to affect the costs of power AFTER I get a .27/kwh credit for the production of my 10YO 7950W of existing solar. I'm in the SW area of the country and gotta get this cost under control as we move to retirement.
The 6000xp is a great off-grid solar inverter and I don’t think anything comes close for the price. Great to see you are saving money! My bills have dropped as well and I’m generally saving 500-750 kWh a month compared to before installing mine. Will hook up my 2nd one as soon as I install additional panels and that should get me 99% off the grid. Thanks for sharing videos as it helps us all learn! 👍
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay installed the inverters in January running off (12) 405w panels (only using 1 MPPT). Haven’t yet hooked up the 2nd inverter but one is running my house at night now. Am waiting on a back ordered brightmount rack from Signature Solar to finish installing the remaining panels and hooking up the second inverter. Will post a video if I ever get it finished! 🤣😂👍. Love your channel!
@@terrahillfarmGood off grid inverter, what's the power draw at idle...? Let's say 60W...? A same power victron inverter will draw less then half of that. Low idle consumption is key for off grid, that's make all EG4 pretty bad for this situation.
@@honumoorea873 Victron is hands down, a higher quality inverter than the EG4. It also costs 4 times as much to do the same thing. Two 6000xp cost $3,000 for 12k output. A 10k output Victron system costs over $12,000. If your family’s survival depends on reliable off grid power, you should buy the Victron, if not, you have cheaper options. Everyone’s solar use case is different. 👍
First you videos are great! Been binging them all to learn more so keep it up! With this setup if you don't have have Solar for a few days will the system continue to run without issue (autoswitch to gid)? I read the 6000xp has an ATS but wasnt sure if it would basically prioritize Battery/Solar then grid and switchback to solar once you have PV input.
GOOD diy research Ray! 🤓 (on B.E.S.S.) From 20+ years in industry, I found that most have no clue how much energy they consume 🙀🔥 so if serious owners (diy/ future offgriders, etc.) Learn & PRACTICE Living off-grid for A YEAR with min. needs (Refrigerator, LEDs, Wash. Machine & bedroom mini-split s, etc.) , then they are able live comfortably, & stress free, as long as needed on Solar PV+ battery only when grid fails , with most 💵💲saved!🗽 🌅🔋💡
ROI is also user experience, keeping doing your stuff without interruptions is value. I like to think the ROI is cash + good experience, so it pays itself a little faster
I live just north of you in Idaho Falls. I’d love to show you my 48v system I put in my motorhome via video call sometime (unless I can find time the first week of Sept when I take it down to the Ogden area for a weekend trip). I think you would be one of the few people to appreciate what I did. Spoiler alert…. 20kw of lithium and a 6000xp inverter!
PVREA electric cooperative here in northern Colorado has great rates and is very supportive of supplying green power (a voluntary $1.00 per month fee). My PEAK rate 4pm to 9pm is $0.168 per kWh and the rest of the time is $0.0597 per kWh. It makes our new electric car next to free to fuel up. I do have concerns about significant duration outages, but so far have had a hard time justifying a system for lowering my daily use. Good video as always. Thanks!
Have you not had issues with only 3kw available to each phase? My AC is 3ton, and uses about 2kW each phase (about 4kw total hottest part of day) and my standing load is about 800w with all the silly vampir devices. Doesn’t leave a lot of room for additional load when we’re already using about 2500w on each phase.
I was under the impression the inverter takes from grid only the difference between what the load requires to run and whats not being produced by solar. Didnt know the whole thing switches over to grid.
If the inverter is connected to the grid, don't you have to have a transfer switch in the electrical panel? Because I though you said in the video that it AUTOMATICALLY switches from battery to grid power when the battery is low, but don't you have to flip the transfer switch MANUALLY from battery to grid so that you run off only one OR the other but not both at the same time? I'm very new to the solar scene. Thanks for all your videos. Well done.
It all passes through the inverter. There's a bypass mode that turns off the inverter and just feeds the grid line directly to his load and at the same time charge the batteries. Ray ended up using wire tappers (Forgot which brand) on his connection from the grid before it hits the main breaker for the electrical panel for the EG4 6000xp.
@@TheNodeChannel , The EG4 6k, as well as my Sungold 6k are Hybrid inverters, connected to the grid without backfeeding the grid by design. My Sungold CAN be grid tie enabled, but I don't have permission to do that. My unit simply is connected to the grid to automatically switch power to the house thru the solar/battery array and grid in that order. Cheers!
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ha ha. That would be a last resort for me. I thought just showing her the electric bill during the summer would do it. Nope. She's got every last wall, fence and open space covered with flowers or plants in the backyard. I'm not doing roof mount. Way too much headache here in CA.
Instead of solar panels, could you think of using a vertical axis wind turbine of 6kW or less? That may give you day-and-night power, and has a small footprint on the ground. Just a thought.
I plan on getting one in the future. If you live in a state that has a lot of red tape, you may want to get the eg4 12k or the 18k because those have more certification
thanks for the break down. I am looking to instal a simuler system in my next home. The home I have now has way to much to support. Pool heat pump, pool pump, elc dryer, house heat pump, Tesla charger and 2 40gal waterheaters. We consume 2500kiloW a month and thats a low month. Yup.. but our next home we will have a lot less appliances. PS how many kilow is you battery bank? thanks sean from Montreal
Honestly your house and ADU need to be on either the 12k or 18k from EG4. My money would be the 18k because it has 200 amp passthrough and will not kick the solar to just the battery's if you overload one leg of the bus, the 12K is only 80 amp passthrough.
The only downside is if the 12k or 18k are connected to grid, it will attempt to sell back even if it's turned off in settings. I think even EG4 just recommends having multiple 6000xp inverters instead of using their grid tie systems.
@@TheNodeChannel IMO would not spend that much money unless your going to do a full permit and interconnect agreement. The 18KPV and power pro battery is the only one they sell that is UL9540A as a ESS system inverter + battery which is quickly becoming required in all states. The 12K and 6000xp does not have the UL9540A ESS cert yet I'm sure it's in the works.
16kw or 18kw hydrid is ideal. Future-proof and lots of solar capability. Huge expansion possible with extra batteries. Forget selling back to grid, just use power from electric company on those very heavy dark rainy days.
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRaySignature solo actually said that the 12k is certified in more places than the 18k is because of maximum power demands allowed in some locations.
So how much was the total cost of the product with associated hardware completely installed and running (parts and labor)? I'm just trying to figure how long it will take before it is paid for. So far, from everything I've researched, solar only truly benefits people who are completely off-grid (with no dependence on the power company). Otherwise it's just a high maintenance experiment/toy for people with deep pockets. Nice setup though...
What was your total import from the grid over the two months? Unfortunately the app does not display it on the screen but it might be on the web based app in the data section.
I'm trying to understand if the 220 HVAC is really pulling 4000 watts at 20 Amps or if that was an example. I have a similar HVAC with soft start and still pulling 28 Amps.
Peace be among you but what would you recommend if a person has not even ten dollars save and lives literally on whatever I can make . To try and start getting to just Power a fridge and a fan. Bad times are coming the cheapest rig on your opinion on someone like me. Thanks for what you do to. Peace be among you and your family.
Here in SoCal, as a poor retiree, my off-peak rate is 37 cents/kwh, and peak rate of 75 cents/kwh in the summer, probably the highest in the nation, and we are getting another 18% increase this month as well. So for this month's usage of 1k kwh, my bill, with the $30% discount, is $300 without the solar. My system will be up and running in a week, and I should be able to pay it off in 3 years or sooner if the rates keep ballooning up, and they will, here in California. Thanks for the video, great job! Cheers!
Nice! That's a good return! What type of system did you end up going with?
I came here to say the same thing. I'm in central California. I laugh at all the people on social media that are paying 15 cents per kwh. I pay 33 cent per kwh for only the first 14 kwh and then it jumps up to 44 cents. But, yes, 3 year pay off.
@@brian_onthetrail Same here So Cal. I just about spit out my drink when he said .15 per kwh. Summer rates here are obscene. .78 kwh. Lowest is .37, I think.
I'm in So Cal as well and not gonna continue being a SLAVE to the grid for much longer. Putting a system on my RV 1st then the off-grid system to run my property. Predicted increases here over 4 years are +40%, and people think the power companies are on the hook for the FIRES. REALLY, they have just passed all that on to us. I guess I need to buy stock in electrical companies, like PG&E, SCE and SDG&E. I'll do that AFTER I put my system to work.
@@marcelracine4154 good on you for becoming independent. I just invested in HE which may be just on the cusp of returning the slow climb to old valuation. Don't invest unless you have fully done your own diligence though. I hope my investment will pay off, now that they have a settlement agreement. We'll see.
it is good you are able to reduce your reliance on the monopoly known as the national electric grid. We said goodbye to the grid and have never regretted it. That's right, no connection whatsoever to the grid. We have not needed it. We have an EG4 18Kpv, 60 kilowatts of DIY Apexium batteries and 36 Bi-Facial solar panels @405 watts for a total of 14.6 kilowatts. System cost was less than $20K. Freedom is not measured in terms of ROI (Return On Investment). Our power is secure from outside computers disconnecting our power like with a smart meter attached to the grid. Our batteries are topped off by noon every day, even with the AC running.
@@stevenfrazier8939 damn, that's one hell of a setup. Is it on the roof or ground? How long have you had it up and running?
More info please.
Nice! I'd love to make a call to the local power company and have them disconnect me!!
Ground mount. we live in Michigan and experience lake effect snow, so we have to be able to clean them off. Completely off grid as of February 2024. Our batteries almost never fall below 95% state of charge.
Our rack mount is adjustable for winter and summer. we use way more power in the summer with the AC units than winter. Even though we have 6 days of power from the 60 kilowatts, If the sun dose not shine and we think the batteries will fall below 50% which they never have i will start the 6500 watt All-Powers Diesel generator and with the EG4 Chargeverter we will bring them back to full. The generator runs on waste veggie-oil that we collect from a local restaurant. It is settled for two weeks and then the clear liquid is sent through a 400, 200, 100 and 75 micron bucket filter. afterwards we add 10% gasoline to the oil and send it through a 20, 5 and 1 micron finishing filters. The oil is kept in a 275 gallon IBC Tote where it waits for use latter on. all of the filters are cleanable and reusable. In the winter the Bi-Facial panels supply pretty much everything we need due to the cold and the snow hitting the back side. The generator takes the place of the grid and is cheaper per kilowatt to run.
Nice work on this one. You’re going to love having 2 XP’s in parallel.
Be happy to get mine online finally. Been working on building a shed for it all and at least now have two of three inverters hanging, waiting on the third to show up on back order. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks. Got a 12k mini split already installed waiting for power to make working a little more enjoyable. 96, 300 ah battery cells sitting on the floor waiting to become battery packs.
Beginning to see a little light at the end now..........
Nice. I like the idea of having everything in a shed or a large cabinet away from the house.
Yeah I like it, gets around problems. Need to get the door hung so my chickens quit using it for a play pen. lol
Use Hardy boards behind all electronics in shed. It's fire resistant
Micro-air soft start will likely take care of the lights dimming that is caused by the inrush current on the hvac condenser.
I have new wires new box on my house and my lights will flicker when ac kicks on and I'm on grid only
@@supremeautomotive6749 Yeah, my parents had the same issue and they only have off grid power. We installed a softstart and I don't think they have any dimming anymore.
Electrical note - they are not 120v legs - they are 240v from the transformer. The split-phase neutral allows either 240v leg to provide 120v. When no neutral is in use, it's 240v :)
I just tested my EG4 6000 unit just like yours with the EG4 14.3 Kwh (48V 280Ah) Battery last Tuesday (7-30-24) running my 2 ton A/C unit. This was at my camp/house in Mississippi, 97 degrees was the high, sunny and had my A/C set at a very comfortable 72 degrees for the whole test. I was able to push right at 8 hours out of it until the battery hit 15% SOC. Ran like a champ! I was running the A/C only it was pulling just below 2,500 watts while running. Just thought I would share this info.
Install a soft start
@@LReno-di9cm I did.
Appreciate all of your hard work and for sharing the results with all of us.
Thanks, when I am editing these videos I am sometimes wondering if it is worth it. :)
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay you're helping and it's making a difference. Just please try not to get yourself into what I refer to as the CZcamsr "INFOMERCIAL" industry. Keep things technical and as unbiased as you can and you'll be good to go.
Awesome videos ray thanks for the content. Me and my dad just installed the 6000xp using your video as reference and it went smoothly! Also we have a plan where we have free energy at night so it helps to fully charge the batteries and also run heavy loads such as laundry at night for even more savings!
.13 cents a KWh where we live in Texas with no off peak different rates. Selling energy back to electricity company is at .03 cents a KWh. I feel really fortunate now seeing some of the other rates here.
Florida about $.15 a kwh.
Running the numbers and showing folks what the break even is going to be is very important because the upfront costs scare away the risk averse who are basically 90% of those asking about my system. The power companies are only going to continue to make your life miserable until you break away and take control of your energy consumption and production. DIY is the best and quickest way to getting to break even. I did not DIY mine 8 years ago and that added several years to my break even number. Times have changed and it’s never been easier. I will be upgrading soon based on very good channels such as this and doing it myself. Very nice breakdown and presentation. 👍🏻👍🏻
Looking forward to when you post the next video on paralleling the two inverters!
congrats on your new solar array! Very impressive.
I had the problem of shutting down with unbalanced leg by requiring more current off one 120V side I solved the problem by finding a 220V to 120V transformer with high current capability. I us the output from that to run ALL my 120V items. There is a slight efficiency loss but no more unbalanced leg. Just make sure there is primary to secondary isolation and connect one 120V wire to neutral and be sure ground is secure. This connection carries the full current load for all the 120V loads combined. Ground should carry no current. Also, be sure to fuse the primary. This feeds all my 120V breakers that would normally be connected to the split phase. All 220V loads works normally. The electrician knew exactly what to do.
Very interesting! Could you email me some pictures of what the electrician did and the transformer he used?
Might want to consider some EG4 24k mini split systems. they will run directly off the panels.
"keeping the power on when the power goes out" ... priceless.
Really appreciate you sharing this! Showing people cost comparisons is a big deal a lot of people are curious about to see if going solar is right for them. Great job explaining your point. Enjoyed the content!
Thanks! I should have some good stuff coming still
Great Video! I see a 2nd channel in the making @11:05 called "Gardening with Ray Loveless". Also overall I think we can see that these old style a/c units will go the way of the dino, the power usage I read on the mini-splits is incredibly lower
That’s a nice vegetable garden in front of those panels. Maybe a video on that soon? All part of going off grid :-)😮
15 cents a KWh for electricity is very cheap. San Diego is up to around 47 cents at peak rate from 4 to 9 pm. And Oct 1, 2025 will bring a fixed fee of $24 that everyone on the grid has to pay. Fixed fees incentivize going off grid rather than using the 6000XP grid input feature. But ofc, one has to have capacity for cloudy days (aka marine layer in San Diego from the Pacific from Jan to June depending how many miles inland one lives). That means more pricey batteries from China which we may go to war with over South Asia
10.57 cents per kilowatt hour in Union County, NC. Electric coop which has a stake in a nuclear power plant. Unfortunately, such a low rate means it would take nearly 11 years to break even on a DIY kit.
You could also get a dual fuel generator that can hook up to your natural gas feed... And you can have it kick on automatically when your batteries get low. That would save you from having to buy a really large battery bank.
I'd give it a couple years. We were recently at those prices.
great video ray, I wonder how your going to charge 2 diff battery bank while combine 2 inverters in the same time, looking forward for the next video
@DIY nice update, and i truly hope the two XP works out for you, however the best solution for your application is an hybrid inverter with zero export like the 12Kpv or 18Kpv , 100% of you solar production will be used 100% of the time if you have ANY load in your main panel or load panel or for batteries, 100% nothing is wasted with an Hybrid inverter and allot more simpler to setup, off-grid inverters are truly best when using then for critical loads emergency power backup and or truly off grid, not for peak shaving and other type of basic saving best to use an hybrid inverter with zero export.
If you just had the one 6000XP vs a hybrid, the payout time would twice as long.
@@bhbaker220 technically no because one unit right now he can’t even capture 100% of the solar production, and if you are care about having EG4 inverter, you can by Growatt MIN XH with grid interactive feature and setup zero export they cost less than a EG4 XP and has the same capacity at a 18Kpv the 11.4k version anyways, right now he is planning of using 2 XP to try to solve is issue, i have done this for over 10 years so many lower cost ways to achieve the same thing for this application.. Growatt 11.4k MIN grid tie setup in off-grid mode zero export that cost less than one XP with the capacity of an 18Kpv is truly all he needs, but it’s fun to watch what others do.
Once you pass 1kw in input fans become really loud. I have the predecessor to these the lv6548 and did the same thing as you powering the main breaker box. I didn't know that about the input switching both legs to grid over if 1 leg goes over. I'm waiting for a few 2awg butt splices to come in to run my AC bypass.
I'm going to buy $200 worth of ff2 flashing and a few xr10 rails and install 30 panels on my roof instead of having them in the yard.
You have to get rid of the central ac to run completely off solar.
Put your Fans on Slope to stop it from jumping to your setting of say 70%. I use 100% Slope. You need it to cool according to its internal heat or it could damage it.
You could put a soft start on your ac it will stop light flickering and use less electricity
My grid cost for power rises to .60/kwh in peak hours, so searching options to affect the costs of power AFTER I get a .27/kwh credit for the production of my 10YO 7950W of existing solar. I'm in the SW area of the country and gotta get this cost under control as we move to retirement.
Thanks, I like videos that give you the facts and no fluff.
Thank you Ray. Excellent job.
The 6000xp is a great off-grid solar inverter and I don’t think anything comes close for the price. Great to see you are saving money! My bills have dropped as well and I’m generally saving 500-750 kWh a month compared to before installing mine. Will hook up my 2nd one as soon as I install additional panels and that should get me 99% off the grid. Thanks for sharing videos as it helps us all learn! 👍
Nice. Have you had it a while? How many watts of panels do you have?
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay installed the inverters in January running off (12) 405w panels (only using 1 MPPT). Haven’t yet hooked up the 2nd inverter but one is running my house at night now. Am waiting on a back ordered brightmount rack from Signature Solar to finish installing the remaining panels and hooking up the second inverter. Will post a video if I ever get it finished! 🤣😂👍. Love your channel!
@@terrahillfarmGood off grid inverter, what's the power draw at idle...? Let's say 60W...? A same power victron inverter will draw less then half of that. Low idle consumption is key for off grid, that's make all EG4 pretty bad for this situation.
@@honumoorea873 Victron is hands down, a higher quality inverter than the EG4. It also costs 4 times as much to do the same thing. Two 6000xp cost $3,000 for 12k output. A 10k output Victron system costs over $12,000. If your family’s survival depends on reliable off grid power, you should buy the Victron, if not, you have cheaper options. Everyone’s solar use case is different. 👍
Have you looked at a soft start for the AC? That should also avoid dimming on startup and would make your compressor last longer.
First you videos are great! Been binging them all to learn more so keep it up! With this setup if you don't have have Solar for a few days will the system continue to run without issue (autoswitch to gid)? I read the 6000xp has an ATS but wasnt sure if it would basically prioritize Battery/Solar then grid and switchback to solar once you have PV input.
GOOD diy research Ray! 🤓 (on B.E.S.S.) From 20+ years in industry, I found that most have no clue how much energy they consume 🙀🔥 so if serious owners (diy/ future offgriders, etc.) Learn & PRACTICE Living off-grid for A YEAR with min. needs (Refrigerator, LEDs, Wash. Machine & bedroom mini-split s, etc.) , then they are able live comfortably, & stress free, as long as needed on Solar PV+ battery only when grid fails , with most 💵💲saved!🗽 🌅🔋💡
Very informative sir , you did a great job on this video !
ROI is also user experience, keeping doing your stuff without interruptions is value. I like to think the ROI is cash + good experience, so it pays itself a little faster
Someone else mentioned here that "freedom is not measured in terms of ROI". I like that
I live just north of you in Idaho Falls. I’d love to show you my 48v system I put in my motorhome via video call sometime (unless I can find time the first week of Sept when I take it down to the Ogden area for a weekend trip). I think you would be one of the few people to appreciate what I did. Spoiler alert…. 20kw of lithium and a 6000xp inverter!
Nice!!! Feel free to email me some pics.
Get a soft start for your ac
To fix the dimming lights problem
Yes that would be definitely ideal but I want to keep it off just to test the dimming on different inverters
Your pricing also assumes new panels which have a much higher cost. If you're on a budget, used panels can be had for far less.
$0.56 per Kwh here in central California.
Wow!
That's insane! It's $0.15 per kwh here in Dallas.
Here in the Los Angeles area, it's $0.75 peak rate, dang it.
PVREA electric cooperative here in northern Colorado has great rates and is very supportive of supplying green power (a voluntary $1.00 per month fee). My PEAK rate 4pm to 9pm is $0.168 per kWh and the rest of the time is $0.0597 per kWh. It makes our new electric car next to free to fuel up. I do have concerns about significant duration outages, but so far have had a hard time justifying a system for lowering my daily use. Good video as always. Thanks!
Ventura, TOU, $.47 peak, but inherited a PPA with 4.4 kW at $.21. We just got an EV and I now want a 6000XP for the car charger.
Wow 15 cents per kwh is about 50% higher then much of the country. The average was 10 cents per kwh but I'm not sure what it is in 2024..
Have you not had issues with only 3kw available to each phase? My AC is 3ton, and uses about 2kW each phase (about 4kw total hottest part of day) and my standing load is about 800w with all the silly vampir devices. Doesn’t leave a lot of room for additional load when we’re already using about 2500w on each phase.
Thanks for update great information as usual! My 6000xp does not have the muscle to run my well pump unfortunately
They make 48 v. DC well pumps that use less power. I wonder if that's an option?
TY
I was under the impression the inverter takes from grid only the difference between what the load requires to run and whats not being produced by solar. Didnt know the whole thing switches over to grid.
I was under this same impression at first
If the inverter is connected to the grid, don't you have to have a transfer switch in the electrical panel? Because I though you said in the video that it AUTOMATICALLY switches from battery to grid power when the battery is low, but don't you have to flip the transfer switch MANUALLY from battery to grid so that you run off only one OR the other but not both at the same time? I'm very new to the solar scene. Thanks for all your videos. Well done.
It all passes through the inverter. There's a bypass mode that turns off the inverter and just feeds the grid line directly to his load and at the same time charge the batteries. Ray ended up using wire tappers (Forgot which brand) on his connection from the grid before it hits the main breaker for the electrical panel for the EG4 6000xp.
Yup. There's more details in the original install video. Thanks. 👍
@@TheNodeChannel Thanks much for your reply. I don’t know what wire tapper is but I’ll re-watch the original install videos.
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Thanks Ray. Appreciate it.
@@TheNodeChannel , The EG4 6k, as well as my Sungold 6k are Hybrid inverters, connected to the grid without backfeeding the grid by design. My Sungold CAN be grid tie enabled, but I don't have permission to do that. My unit simply is connected to the grid to automatically switch power to the house thru the solar/battery array and grid in that order. Cheers!
They make soft start units for the a/c.
My wife told me to not even think about putting panels anywhere. I'm stuck with only an inverter and batteries. I envy you.
For me, I had to turn off the power for a couple of days. That did the trick. ;)
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Ha ha. That would be a last resort for me. I thought just showing her the electric bill during the summer would do it. Nope. She's got every last wall, fence and open space covered with flowers or plants in the backyard. I'm not doing roof mount. Way too much headache here in CA.
Instead of solar panels, could you think of using a vertical axis wind turbine of 6kW or less? That may give you day-and-night power, and has a small footprint on the ground. Just a thought.
@@rtsrts2317 Replace your wife...
@@honumoorea873that would be extraordinarily more expensive than any electric bill.
Great video Ray , now hurry up and drop that solar array build video. You’ve done enough editing 😂😂😅- j/k but seriously, we want to see the video!
Thanks. I'm not done yet though. Getting close :).
Nice setup and info! Regarding the inverter, did you need a permit? Same question for the solar installation.
I plan on getting one in the future. If you live in a state that has a lot of red tape, you may want to get the eg4 12k or the 18k because those have more certification
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Thanks
550 watt panels.... wow.. pallets of panels for $330 @ san tan
Is that a low frequency inverter?
No. High frequency
Wow, your old array doing 15kWh a day and now your new array doing 25kWh a day!
thanks for the break down. I am looking to instal a simuler system in my next home. The home I have now has way to much to support. Pool heat pump, pool pump, elc dryer, house heat pump, Tesla charger and 2 40gal waterheaters. We consume 2500kiloW a month and thats a low month. Yup.. but our next home we will have a lot less appliances.
PS how many kilow is you battery bank?
thanks sean from Montreal
Only 3 batteries for now... which is about 15kwh.
Honestly your house and ADU need to be on either the 12k or 18k from EG4. My money would be the 18k because it has 200 amp passthrough and will not kick the solar to just the battery's if you overload one leg of the bus, the 12K is only 80 amp passthrough.
The only downside is if the 12k or 18k are connected to grid, it will attempt to sell back even if it's turned off in settings. I think even EG4 just recommends having multiple 6000xp inverters instead of using their grid tie systems.
@@TheNodeChannel IMO would not spend that much money unless your going to do a full permit and interconnect agreement. The 18KPV and power pro battery is the only one they sell that is UL9540A as a ESS system inverter + battery which is quickly becoming required in all states. The 12K and 6000xp does not have the UL9540A ESS cert yet I'm sure it's in the works.
16kw or 18kw hydrid is ideal. Future-proof and lots of solar capability. Huge expansion possible with extra batteries. Forget selling back to grid, just use power from electric company on those very heavy dark rainy days.
@Mike-01234 hmmm... I could be wrong, but I was under the impression that the 12K had all the same certifications as 18Kpv.
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRaySignature solo actually said that the 12k is certified in more places than the 18k is because of maximum power demands allowed in some locations.
So how much was the total cost of the product with associated hardware completely installed and running (parts and labor)? I'm just trying to figure how long it will take before it is paid for. So far, from everything I've researched, solar only truly benefits people who are completely off-grid (with no dependence on the power company). Otherwise it's just a high maintenance experiment/toy for people with deep pockets. Nice setup though...
Thanks,, I break down the prices at the beginning of the original install video. 👍
I have same inverter but EG4 batteries.
What are your battery settings?
What was your total import from the grid over the two months? Unfortunately the app does not display it on the screen but it might be on the web based app in the data section.
Have you considered installing a soft start for your air conditioner?
Yes but they are fairly pricey so I think I'm going to first try adding that second 6000 XP. Hopefully that will fix the dimming.
I'm not seeing the solar array build video.😕
It's almost finished :).
Good content..
I'm trying to understand if the 220 HVAC is really pulling 4000 watts at 20 Amps or if that was an example. I have a similar HVAC with soft start and still pulling 28 Amps.
It 240v AC used about 3600 watts when it's running.
Thanks Ray. Like 679
Peace be among you but what would you recommend if a person has not even ten dollars save and lives literally on whatever I can make . To try and start getting to just Power a fridge and a fan. Bad times are coming the cheapest rig on your opinion on someone like me. Thanks for what you do to. Peace be among you and your family.
What country do you live in?
Usa texas
Nice hobby
The 6000xp have been failing....
Do you have some sources? I haven't heard this.