Posted March 17, 20232 yr My folks recently had a system installed in their home - a Growatt 5KVA inverter with a 5KW battery (forgot the name). The inverter is wired into the kitchen - basically the whole home. The inverter fan is loud and just continues even when we aren't using heavy appliances. For example, the fan turned off and there was silence until we used the toaster then the inverter fan turned on. Eventually it turns off, but it turns off for a few minutes and then the fans turn on and continue for like 15-20 minutes. However right now the only appliances in use are a fridge and a freezer and 2 TV's and the inverter fans have kicked in again for who knows how long. Is this normal behaviour? The installer we used came highly recommended in the southern suburbs and he tells me the system is operating normally - that all inverters operate this way. But I just find it strange that the fans are kicking in so frequently even when load shedding is not happening - right now as I'm typing this we have Eskom power but the fans are kicking in. This would annoy the living crap out of me.
March 17, 20232 yr 4 minutes ago, Olorin said: My folks recently had a system installed in their home - a Growatt 5KVA inverter with a 5KW battery (forgot the name). The inverter is wired into the kitchen - basically the whole home. The inverter fan is loud and just continues even when we aren't using heavy appliances. For example, the fan turned off and there was silence until we used the toaster then the inverter fan turned on. Eventually it turns off, but it turns off for a few minutes and then the fans turn on and continue for like 15-20 minutes. However right now the only appliances in use are a fridge and a freezer and 2 TV's and the inverter fans have kicked in again for who knows how long. Is this normal behaviour? The installer we used came highly recommended in the southern suburbs and he tells me the system is operating normally - that all inverters operate this way. But I just find it strange that the fans are kicking in so frequently even when load shedding is not happening - right now as I'm typing this we have Eskom power but the fans are kicking in. This would annoy the living crap out of me. The inverter fans turn on on a specific load and could stay on for a period like 15min. Every time a fridge or freezer starts you could be drawing 2000W. Add this to 300W for the 2x TVs and you have far exceeded the threshold for fans to start. Some of these inverters start a fan above 150W. I cannot comment why if there is grid. On the other hand if the battery was used the inverter could be charging the battery and this is enough reason to start the fans. Heat is generated to charge a battery.
March 17, 20232 yr 22 minutes ago, Olorin said: My folks recently had a system installed in their home - a Growatt 5KVA inverter with a 5KW battery (forgot the name). The inverter is wired into the kitchen - basically the whole home. The inverter fan is loud and just continues even when we aren't using heavy appliances. For example, the fan turned off and there was silence until we used the toaster then the inverter fan turned on. Eventually it turns off, but it turns off for a few minutes and then the fans turn on and continue for like 15-20 minutes. However right now the only appliances in use are a fridge and a freezer and 2 TV's and the inverter fans have kicked in again for who knows how long. Is this normal behaviour? The installer we used came highly recommended in the southern suburbs and he tells me the system is operating normally - that all inverters operate this way. But I just find it strange that the fans are kicking in so frequently even when load shedding is not happening - right now as I'm typing this we have Eskom power but the fans are kicking in. This would annoy the living crap out of me. I wouldn't say that ALL inverters operate this way (mine is fanless), but I've seen other inverters operating this way - or worse. A toaster will use a fair bit of power on start up. The fan is there for cooling, and the inverter will react to the increased load by turning on the fan to cope with a likely increase in heat. And the fan will stay on for a while to make sure that everything cools down again. I think the on event is more likely to be triggered by current than by temperature. When you have grid power the inverter may need to charge the battery. Again this can result in a high current draw, and so the fans may turn on. I can't speak about the specific inverter that you have, but with some any increase in load on the backed up circuits will result in that same load being pulled through the inverter and so, again, there can be an increased current and so the inverter anticipates heat being generated. This is a factor with some brands of inverter, the Growatt is not the only such. Some have quieter fans, but they all get hot and so have to have a way of dealing with the heat.
March 17, 20232 yr 5 minutes ago, Antonio de Sa said: Yes. get use to it, Growatt inverters fans are a bit noisy. Indeed. But shouldn't the installer have provided some information here. especially when the site for the inverter was being discussed?
March 17, 20232 yr 3 minutes ago, Bobster. said: Indeed. But shouldn't the installer have provided some information here. especially when the site for the inverter was being discussed? Yes. agree with you, most installers really don't care, it's been discussed here many, many times, there are quite a few cowboys out there. Not saying the installer in question is one of them.
March 17, 20232 yr 1 hour ago, Olorin said: Is this normal behaviour? The installer we used came highly recommended in the southern suburbs and he tells me the system is operating normally - that all inverters operate this way. But I just find it strange that the fans are kicking in so frequently even when load shedding is not happening - right now as I'm typing this we have Eskom power but the fans are kicking in. Sometimes we think we have grid power, and really we do BUT the voltage is outside of what the inverter thinks is acceptable and so the inverter disconnects from the grid and uses battery. Then when the grid voltage stabilises, it has to get some charge back into the battery.
March 17, 20232 yr Author Many thanks for the replies. I mistakenly assumed the inverter would only be used ONCE Eskom power was turned off and the battery kicks in, but the reality is that it's working in-line ALL the time now. I guess I thought that during NON-Load shedding the fans shouldn't be kicking in so frequently but it's happening a lot. The fans are currently going max out. Even when we aren't using the microwave or the toaster or the oven, the fans kick in - earlier today they were at moderately loud but not terribly intrusive, but my lord, they are currently at maximum and it's flipping loud. The installer said that the only inverters he supplies that does not have noise are the Sunsynk inverters, but that was like R18000 more than the Growatt my dad bought. Oh well, I guess they will just have to accept the noise and live with it. Still, the frequency at which the fans are active is A LOT during non-load shedding - just having 2 TV's active, a fridge and a freezer is causing the fans to go bezerk and this is with a 5KVA inverter. I wouldn't have thought the inverter would be working so hard with that equipment. Edited March 17, 20232 yr by Olorin
March 17, 20232 yr Author 3 hours ago, Bobster. said: I wouldn't say that ALL inverters operate this way (mine is fanless), but I've seen other inverters operating this way - or worse. A toaster will use a fair bit of power on start up. The fan is there for cooling, and the inverter will react to the increased load by turning on the fan to cope with a likely increase in heat. And the fan will stay on for a while to make sure that everything cools down again. I think the on event is more likely to be triggered by current than by temperature. When you have grid power the inverter may need to charge the battery. Again this can result in a high current draw, and so the fans may turn on. I can't speak about the specific inverter that you have, but with some any increase in load on the backed up circuits will result in that same load being pulled through the inverter and so, again, there can be an increased current and so the inverter anticipates heat being generated. This is a factor with some brands of inverter, the Growatt is not the only such. Some have quieter fans, but they all get hot and so have to have a way of dealing with the heat. As a matter of interest which inverter do you have?
March 17, 20232 yr 4 hours ago, Bobster. said: This is a factor with some brands of inverter, the Growatt is not the only such. Some have quieter fans, but they all get hot and so have to have a way of dealing with the heat. Well put, unfortunately temperature management in inverters is critical, caps dry out in no time when temps are high. Its in the end a difference between an inverter lasting for 4 years vs one that can last for 8 years and beyound.
March 17, 20232 yr Some units are designed to be fanless. 50mm deep fins. My inverters have a heatsink from the top to the bottom and what a pleasure without a fan. On the other hand my Axpert's 2 fans have a 42dB level (0.5m away) and not a problem for me and a choice - noise or being in the dark during LS.
March 17, 20232 yr Author 38 minutes ago, Scorp007 said: Some units are designed to be fanless. 50mm deep fins. My inverters have a heatsink from the top to the bottom and what a pleasure without a fan. On the other hand my Axpert's 2 fans have a 42dB level (0.5m away) and not a problem for me and a choice - noise or being in the dark during LS. What fanless inverter do you have?
March 17, 20232 yr 41 minutes ago, Olorin said: What fanless inverter do you have? The unwanted Solis grid tied. I just love it.
March 17, 20232 yr check out (Firmware - Growatt 5000es ) in the inverter posts as they say the newer software version has fan control so the fan speed is regulated , it's worth checking that post out
March 17, 20232 yr 3 hours ago, Olorin said: As a matter of interest which inverter do you have? Goodwe ES. It's not silent. You may hear the clicking of relays.
March 18, 20232 yr Author 17 hours ago, GMAC said: check out (Firmware - Growatt 5000es ) in the inverter posts as they say the newer software version has fan control so the fan speed is regulated , it's worth checking that post out I went to the thread but I don't see anyone commenting on lower noise levels after the firmware update.
March 18, 20232 yr 6 hours ago, Olorin said: Are there any inverters under R20K that are fanless? Check out the Luxpower off grid. It has natural convection cooling.
March 19, 20232 yr The deye inverter are also very quiet but a little more expensive than 20k. It does have a fan but internal so you can't hear it .
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