Is this normal?

[Fractal_Stevie_S]

My roommate and I are new to DIY solar and set up a 6000XP last fall to power a few loads in our place. Lately we've noticed the AC input clicks on and off every minute or so when ECO mode is active overnight. We're only pulling a few watts after dark, so we're wondering if this flickering is expected behavior or if we're barking up the wrong tree.

 

[Geek-Wizard]

If it's what I think it is, then it's the inverter waking up to check if you need more and power on fully. It should be a feature of the eco mode. Have you noticed any other strange behaviour?

 

[Fractal_Stevie_S]

We haven't noticed any other unusual behavior from the unit. Is there a setting to adjust the polling interval so it does not cycle on and off quite so often?

 

[Coops]

ECO mode on the 6000XP is basically a gimmick for light loads, it ends up doing more harm than good. That constant clicking you're hearing? It's the inverter struggling to justify staying awake for a few watts, cycling itself like it's indecisive.

It may save a few pennies on idle draw, but it puts wear on relays and capacitors, and can confuse sensitive electronics. If your nighttime load is consistent even if it's small, turn ECO off and let the inverter do its job without the drama

 

[Fractal_Stevie_S]

We turned off the ECO mode a few nights ago and the clicking completely stopped. The inverter struggling with a tiny load was very helpful for us to understand what was happening. We're curious how much idle power the inverter consumes now, is there a simple way to check its self consumption?