The Battery Thread (Solar / Inverter)

AchmatK said:
No issues on my side with my pylontech batteries.

I have 6

3 x US3000B installed June 2020
1 x US3000C installed March 2021
1 x UP5000 installed April 2022
1 x UP5000 installed July 2023

Sunsynk 8kw with 10.37kwp View attachment 1807407View attachment 1807408
Click to expand...

Thanks, we have 3 UP5000's but don't have any issues, trying to help my BIL out as I bought the damn US3000C's originally.
 
Neuk_ said:
I am not, no, my BIL got some or other cable from his installer but I have no idea how it works or what software to use, etc.
Click to expand...

You would need to find the bad batteries and then book them in to get repaired/exchanged.
Maybe ask them for a list of authorised installers in the area and then pay one to diagnose and send the batteries in?

I had issues with another brand and all they wanted to do was upgrade the firmware so I just took it out drove to their repair centre and dropped it off. Had a new battery a few days later.

I'd also accept donations if he needs someone to cart them away.
 
B-1 said:
You would need to find the bad batteries and then book them in to get repaired/exchanged.
Maybe ask them for a list of authorised installers in the area and then pay one to diagnose and send the batteries in?

I had issues with another brand and all they wanted to do was upgrade the firmware so I just took it out drove to their repair centre and dropped it off. Had a new battery a few days later.

I'd also accept donations if he needs someone to cart them away.
Click to expand...

Yep, that is what he is trying to do, I have already discussed taking the 'good' batteries to add to our current stack of 3 UP5000's instead of buying another UP5000.
 
i dont believe in this 20 80 tripe that many believe will extend the life of their lithium batheries

I have an of grid inverter and thus requires a bit more effort to maximise savings

So haven't hit full voltage the last few days misjudged ie clouds rolled over

So today i enabled grid charging to do so according to battery bms's they were almost full 1 reported 100% the other 97%

What was missing was 2% of battery bank

Calculated 144wh missing
Charged 637wh
So the bms's drifted 493.5wh which represents 7% of bank capacity (small 7kwh)

So if i was thinking i am doing 20-80

After a little while i would actually be doing 13 =73

And i while later 3-63

Until it hopefully some day trips low battery to point out the drift
 
leon.davibe said:
i dont believe in this 20 80 tripe that many believe will extend the life of their lithium batheries

I have an of grid inverter and thus requires a bit more effort to maximise savings

So haven't hit full voltage the last few days misjudged ie clouds rolled over

So today i enabled grid charging to do so according to battery bms's they were almost full 1 reported 100% the other 97%

What was missing was 2% of battery bank

Calculated 144wh missing
Charged 637wh
So the bms's drifted 493.5wh which represents 7% of bank capacity (small 7kwh)

So if i was thinking i am doing 20-80

After a little while i would actually be doing 13 =73

And i while later 3-63

Until it hopefully some day trips low battery to point out the drift
Click to expand...

Good info about doing 20-80 will say you need to balance them once in a while.
Most batteries don't stay at the 100% level very long anyways so its probably more useful at a holiday home, loadshedding only setups or such where the system will stay charged for long periods at a time.
 
leon.davibe said:
i dont believe in this 20 80 tripe that many believe will extend the life of their lithium batheries

I have an of grid inverter and thus requires a bit more effort to maximise savings

So haven't hit full voltage the last few days misjudged ie clouds rolled over

So today i enabled grid charging to do so according to battery bms's they were almost full 1 reported 100% the other 97%

What was missing was 2% of battery bank

Calculated 144wh missing
Charged 637wh
So the bms's drifted 493.5wh which represents 7% of bank capacity (small 7kwh)

So if i was thinking i am doing 20-80

After a little while i would actually be doing 13 =73

And i while later 3-63

Until it hopefully some day trips low battery to point out the drift
Click to expand...
Main problem I see is that most batteries start to balance @ 3.45 volt per cell. N

3.45x16 = 55.2v (55 for some) For most batteries that's up in the 90% SOC.

So they really want to go the 90 to 100% charge.
 
DTBA said:
Main problem I see is that most batteries start to balance @ 3.45 volt per cell. N

3.45x16 = 55.2v (55 for some) For most batteries that's up in the 90% SOC.

So they really want to go the 90 to 100% charge.
Click to expand...
And it's right thig they only balance there when basically full i have set one of my batteries to start at 3.5v

Diy battery cell matching not great

If it starts sooner it will discharge a cell to charge others and then as the voltage lifts then it has to reverse the work as that cell becomes the lowest voltage past 3.5v and has to be receiver of balance current

Have had others say the same once they startvusing active balancers thst isn't voltage drpendant they struggle more with imbalance
 
chickenbeef said:
What's the general consensus on Lithium extinguishers? Would you even stand a chance putting a battery pack out with 1 of these?

I was looking at the 9L and they're pricey at R4.5k: https://securefire.fidelity-service...-fireblock-lithium-battery-fire-extinguisher/
Click to expand...

If you do get it put out it will likely just reingnite. I think keeping the rest of the house from catching fire is about the most you can do and with the amount of toxic smoke that will be quite difficult.
 
Hi guys, I have a shutdown/startupquestion: the installer left instructions on how to power the system down, but I forgot about the startup sequence.

Victron 5kVA Inverter, One Battery, Two MPPTs

Shutdown sequence: Switch Inverter OFF, Switch Battery OFF, Switch both MPPT units OFF

Should the startup sequence be:

a. Switch Inverter ON, Switch Battery ON, Switch both MPPT units ON,

or should it be

b. Switch both MPPT units ON, Switch Battery ON, Switch Inverter ON
 
Naks said:
Hi guys, I have a shutdown/startupquestion: the installer left instructions on how to power the system down, but I forgot about the startup sequence.

Victron 5kVA Inverter, One Battery, Two MPPTs

Shutdown sequence: Switch Inverter OFF, Switch Battery OFF, Switch both MPPT units OFF

Should the startup sequence be:

a. Switch Inverter ON, Switch Battery ON, Switch both MPPT units ON,

or should it be

b. Switch both MPPT units ON, Switch Battery ON, Switch Inverter ON
Click to expand...
battery has to be on before you switch on inverter

ie switch on should be switch off in reverse so if battery goes off last it should go on first
 
i would think think the only way to make sure your house doesn't burn down is to have a good gas mask cable cutter and a rope tied to the battery

gas mask on cut the cable drag it onto the lawn or into the pool

start crying for the cost you just dunked , then start laughing/celebrating cause the house is still standing
 
leon.davibe said:
i would think think the only way to make sure your house doesn't burn down is to have a good gas mask cable cutter and a rope tied to the battery

gas mask on cut the cable drag it onto the lawn or into the pool

start crying for the cost you just dunked , then start laughing/celebrating cause the house is still standing
Click to expand...

So you can set the whole neighborhood alight? :unsure:
 
Neuk_ said:
Anybody with PylonTech's having rapid battery SOC drop issues? Or a high cell voltage alarm?

My BIL has 3 US3000C's connected to a Victron Multiplus II 5kVa inverter with Venus GX control unit, two MPPT's and 10 550w panels setup in two strings. He has noticed for a while now that the battery SOC wil decrease 'normally' and then there is a period where it drops wuite a bit in a shrt space of time. As an example, last night, it dropped from 62% SOC at 22:06 to 42% SOC at 22:39 with an average load of 330W which is minimal.

View attachment 1807395

He gets the High cell voltage: Alarm multiples times per day but there are no other alarms other than grid loss/return.

View attachment 1807396

View attachment 1807398

He has contacted the local PylonTech agent who thus far has sent a single response email to ask what inverter he uses and hasn't otherwise been helpful, at all. My BIL is at the point where he is looking at other batteries and wants to go to the PylonTech office/warehouse/factory and drop off tthe batteries before harrassing them for answers. His installer who admittedly didn't purchase or install the batteries but did install the bulk of the other kit has tried to help but says this is becoming more and more common with PylonTech, as is their support or lack of it to the point that he is not doing any new installs with PylonTech.
Click to expand...

Update time...

My BIL picked up at least one cell in one of the US3000C's is giving issues, last I saw it was a low voltage faults but his inverter also reports over voltage from the battery stack. He contacted Power Forum Store who we bought the batteries from who tried to assist but couldn't so Segen was contacted who tried to assist but couldn't and the batteries were eventually removed this last Monday and are with Segen in the East Rand.

This is what the batteries did the last time my BIL lost mains supply, 99% - 30% SOC in under an hour with a load of around 400w...

1747213881670.png

My BIL is busy getting a 'chinese' 5kWh battery installed temporarily while he waits for feedback from Segen, which apparently will take a while.
 
Neuk_ said:
Update time...

My BIL picked up at least one cell in one of the US3000C's is giving issues, last I saw it was a low voltage faults but his inverter also reports over voltage from the battery stack. He contacted Power Forum Store who we bought the batteries from who tried to assist but couldn't so Segen was contacted who tried to assist but couldn't and the batteries were eventually removed this last Monday and are with Segen in the East Rand.

This is what the batteries did the last time my BIL lost mains supply, 99% - 30% SOC in under an hour with a load of around 400w...

View attachment 1820203

My BIL is busy getting a 'chinese' 5kWh battery installed temporarily while he waits for feedback from Segen, which apparently will take a while.
Click to expand...
Not uncommon if some cells are low , that other cells will trip over voltage warning

As the liw cells lag in voltage when the rest is full so the inverter use for the same pack voktage and thus any extra voltage will be divided between the full cells

If it bothers him he could set charge voltage lower until sorted

The bms recalibrates pack size itself when it shuts down low voltage with low cell

So lets say that low cell causes 1kwh caoaciyy charged when others tops out now your 100% soc is seen as 1kwh hence soc will fall quicker as it is all based on that capacity

Normally if you charge the low cell up again and do a full cycle it will calibrate to capacity chatged after triggering low warnings ( caoacity can be reduced if cell degraded)

But yea if still under warrantee you only scratch around if those avenues are exhausted
 
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