Anyone run a Growatt inverter?

[keaton85]

Halfway planning a system install on a new purchase and I know I will probably end up going with Victron. BUT......

Has anyone run a Growatt off-grid inverter? I have one for my grid-tie and they are well built.

They have:
- 3kW of inverter out
- 2kW of MPPT solar input
- 1.4kW of shore charger (this seems a little on the light side)

Total shore + solar output of 140A/24vdc

Not bad to have all that for only $700.

[CharlieJ]

Does it have an auto relay to bond N>G when inverting that breaks the bond when passing through/charging?

[keaton85]

Originally Posted by CharlieJ

Does it have an auto relay to bond N>G when inverting that breaks the bond when passing through/charging?

I'm looking into that, it does sound like the newer ones might, yet You can also make your own bonding relay pretty simply. When gen/shore is online, release the relay and when not it will bond for inverting.

Edit: Confirmed, newer models have internal bonding and older units require an external contactor. Pretty easy...

[Statistical]

The only concern for me would be having solar integrated. All in ones are nice until they fail and then they are none in one.

Then again at that price even ignoring the solar charger it is a solid deal.

[keaton85]

Originally Posted by Statistical

The only concern for me would be having solar integrated. All in ones are nice until they fail and then they are none in one.

Then again at that price even ignoring the solar charger it is a solid deal.

True, but if that is the worry, it's easy enough to have a cheap MPPT charge controller on hand if doing far cruising. If then, its not hard to piece something together as losing an inverter is not an end all, you just have to run the main until it gets replaced. You would have to do that even if a stand-alone unit failed.

Less is more when building electrical systems in my opinion. I would love to just go with Victron to have power assist, but really not needed on a 41ft boat.

Even for the price and size, you could have a spare!

[jbinbi]

Which model are you looking at. Very interesting to me as I have 3 solar panels I am putting on, not very much power, and don’t want to purchase 3 victron controllers and a victron inverter. This solution is about a third the price!

[keaton85]

This is the unit I was asking about:
https://signaturesolar.com/growatt-2...grid-inverter/

You wouldn't need three separate Victron controllers, just a Victron MPPT 100/30 might just make it if the panel voltage is below about 30vdc open circuit (it could be close).

The one thing I like about the Victron is the monitoring ability for the novice, as well as the power assist if you get that model.

Edit: I see your other topic on this, your mixing and matching panels so your stuck with more than one controller. You don't need to have a Victron, as there are tons of cheap MPPT controllers for such a tiny amount of solar.

[jbinbi]

I was going to go with a Victron inverter so I figured I might as well get Victron controllers. I have used these before on my previous boat and like them alot, I think Victron is a very good brand. Plus, I have not found 'cheaper' controllers to be much less, the Victron 75/15 is $88.

I was thinking of paralleling the 2 50's into a single controller, they are not that much power to begin with that a separate controller will make that much difference?!