How to use a combiner box with the EG4 12000xp to maximize your solar input

In this video I describe how to utilize a combiner box with the EG4 12000xp. I also show the new conduit box designed to work with the 12000xp.
Assistant editor Tabitha Stone
Affiliate links:
Links to the 12000xp
Signature Solar’s link, they include a discount when you use my links now.
signaturesolar...
Current Connected’s link, they have a discount when you create an account on their site
www.currentcon...
8/4 combiner box at Watts247
watts247.com/p...
1000 amp Overkill solar bus bar/terminal blocks I was using in the video.
overkillsolar....
Ferrule crimping tool kit
amzn.to/3TWm3sw
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#solarpower
#solarinverter
#offgridsolar
#eg4
#signaturesolar
#18kpv
#12000Xp

[@jimverh1868]

Hello on a side note I just wanted to say thank you for your help on my situation Jessica was a true blessing

[@GavinStoneDIY]

@@jimverh1868 so glad she could help. Jessica does a fantastic job.

[@ToddLarsen]

I use those ferrules for everything after I started watching your channel. Great job on the combiner box. That one looks great, I like the plexiglass glass cover. Thanks for sharing, and as always, keep building 👍

[@CountryLivingExperience]

Great in-depth video again brother! Thanks!

[@GavinStoneDIY]

Thanks man.

[@eekedout]

You can put 4 strings directly into the inverter and combine them that way, thus not needing a combiner box.

[@GavinStoneDIY]

If you didn’t want to have the full 24kw you can definitely do this. That’s what I mentioned in the beginning.

[@eekedout]

Nevermind the previous. I see now the 35 amps of input per MPPT. That changes things. That large allowance with the MPPT voltage range forces you into a combiner box.

[@greenlife24]

Does a pv combiner box need to be UL listed or certified? Hard to find that certification. Not seeing on Watts 24/7. Thanks for the awesome content!

[@GavinStoneDIY]

Good question. I haven’t seen any UL listed combiner boxes. Then again I haven’t searched before. I guess it would be worth checking with your local inspectors if you’re getting permits.

[@MarkGoudie-s2n4u]

Seriously!! That makes some older used panels now a good buy again. That is if you have the space, Lets say rated amps 8.37 (250Watt Panels) 2 strings 16.74 amp plus another 25.11 keeps you below the 80% "Rule"

[@GavinStoneDIY]

This is true. I was basing a lot of my numbers off newer panels. But yeah you’d need plenty of space.

[@bearupfarm1818]

Can you show how you parallel 2string . The problem is my panel are 400watt - l tried to put 7 string 1. With 373.8 volt and 17.8 amp. Parallel 2 string and my amps 35.6 witch is to high for 12xp. Thanks for the great video. Now I can max out my 12k . Thanks again great job.

[@GavinStoneDIY]

@@bearupfarm1818 that amperage will work fine. We don’t want to ever exceed the voltage limits. The unit won’t use more amperage than it needs though.

[@bearupfarm1818]

@ The 12xp says 35 amps per mppt

[@GavinStoneDIY]

@ it does. But amperage is pulled not pushed. For the same reason you can have 1000ah of battery on a small inverter. But it’ll only use the amperage it needs.

[@ray1dad]

A couple of problems with all this solar is 1 the way you guys present how you do everything is not normal homes and to achieve this in most homes takes a large investment. Second to have these big systems and one wants to incorporate solar with battery backup one needs lots of battery’s and a whole lot of panels. You need lots of land and a clear spot for them for the roof will not be enough. The batteries are better but the panels are the weak point.

[@GavinStoneDIY]

You’d need a fair amount of roof space or a nice sized ground array to achieve the maximum amount of solar for this unit. The solar is actually the cheapest part of the system. So it’s not necessarily a weak point. Plus the battery size depends on the house and your usage. It’s an investment for sure. But more and more people are doling it. Whether it’s just to save more, or for independence.

[@ray1dad]

@ Maybe I don’t understand things right. For a 15000pv to run it right you will need six batteries or 2 big ones. To charge those batteries by solar with 400 watt panels at peak time you would need at least 15 panels. To have some kind of grid slash solar to run house thru a large inverter you will need at least 15 to 30 solar panels.

[@GavinStoneDIY]

@ the 12000xp would run on 3 rack batteries. Or yes, 2 wall mount batteries. And then the solar amount would depend on your usage. So maybe anywhere from 8,000-24,000 watts. It could vary a lot depending on what you’re trying to accomplish. I have been running my whole house on 14,000 watts of solar. But I have a large battery bank. So each household will be a bit different, and not everyone wants to run their whole house. Maybe they only want to handle critical loads.

[@ray1dad]

@@GavinStoneDIY thank you for responding. How many solar panels do you have. The panels maybe the cheapest but you need a lot of them to charge your batteries I would think. I have to work out my where to put my critical pad panel and how much to rearrange it all before I dive in soon though.

[@GavinStoneDIY]

@ I have 36 panels up right now. But I started with 30. That’s going to depend on the wattage of the panels. They have some crazy 550 watt panels now. So you could possibly have less panels over all. Most of mine are 400 watt.

[@ceo4eva]

This inverter can't be maxed out with just series connections?

[@GavinStoneDIY]

@@ceo4eva no, the maximum voltage is 480v. So you can’t get to 12k per leg with those limitations in my opinion.

[@ceo4eva]

@GavinStoneDIY ah yeah that makes sense

[@tjmooney4181]

Combiner boxes were fun to use before all these amazing high voltage/low amperage eg4 inverters came out

[@furion77]

Where are those terminal blocks from?

[@GavinStoneDIY]

@@furion77 which terminal blocks?

[@furion77]

@ the ones next to the EG4 battery (bus bars)

[@GavinStoneDIY]

@@furion77 oh yeah. I’ll add a link to those now. I love them. They are 1000 amp too. Super nice.

[@MrDonking1967]

So what is input C and D for? where does it come out? Can this box be used to get the full 24,000 watts or would that require 2 o these boxes? Your explanation is a little confusing wish you covered the topic a little more clearly or at least do what you say can be done

[@GavinStoneDIY]

@@MrDonking1967 yes you could use this box to get the full input potential out of the 12,000xp. A/B would be for mppt 1. C/D would be for mppt2. The example I showed was just for MPPT 1. You’d just repeat the same process for mppt2. Combine 2 strings on A and send the third on B. And C would be combining 2 strings and D would go straight through. The actual concept isn’t hard. But it was rather difficult explaining in video form.

[@MrDonking1967]

@GavinStoneDIY Thanks. We are gonna connect 6 12000xp full solar inputs.

[@GavinStoneDIY]

@ wow! 6 XP’s in parallel?

[@MrDonking1967]

@@GavinStoneDIY Yes, for commercial use.

[@MrDonking1967]

approximately 4500 amp hours of battery.

[@quattrohead]

RTFM !!!!

[@GavinStoneDIY]

@@quattrohead 🥴

[@unlikeschool]

I'm more confused than before I started watching.

[@GavinStoneDIY]

@@unlikeschool you may not need the maximum wattage. If you don’t then it’s easy. But if you do you’ll need to parallel the strings. So that’s basically the gist of it. How to parallel 2 strings safely.

[@tslucam]

Come on Gavin....dive in to the grounding topic.

[@GavinStoneDIY]

Heck no. I’d sooner talk about politics. 😄 I’ll let people research it for themselves for now. Maybe I’ll make a video at some point. But we shall see.

[@quattrohead]

@@GavinStoneDIY 🤩