question

spinkb avatar image
spinkb asked

Guidance on ESS config 1560Ah 48v lithium 3-phase quattro 48/15000/200 x3

Some background: I have no support from the installer or local Victron people. The original installer disappeared, unreachable. 3 different Victron companies aren't interested in helping since they didn't install it, or take months between begging them to help (and I clearly told them I'm not expecting free help.)


So I am doing things myself. I wanted a newer firmware so I could control the voltages for lithium to more reasonable levels on my 48v system. 13s cells, 3v per cell is OK with min being 2.5v/cell. So 39v is my lower limit. I applied the firmware via the GX, and it never gave me the current config file...my internet took too long to restore, so I didn't get a config file to merge. I did have screenshots of everything I had except the ESS stuff.


I have a BMV700 connected that controls the batteries. However, the ESS "start assistant" tries to make me do LifePo4...and it asked a question that didn't make sense about my BMS to me, and so I suspect its not configured correctly now for the ESS.

It indicates:

A BMS assistant is installed configured for a VE.Bus BMS, but the VE.BUS BMS is not found!

Do I need to remove the ESS and re-add it again now and try another option?

(I would be happy to pay someone who knows this type of system for an hour consultation. I can setup the meeting, pay you in advance for your hour of time, and then just look through my config and talk over things. I would share back here what was learned, etc. I am not expecting free help, but I will certainly accept whatever help I am given.)


screen-shot-2021-10-13-at-151025.png (I lowered the charge current to 66 after the screenshot was taken as I wanted 200A max across all 3, not each.)

MultiPlus Quattro Inverter ChargerESSfirmware update
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spinkb avatar image spinkb commented ·

Also, FAQ#3 for what to do if the internet takes too long seems pointless as the config I would be downloading now is not the right config...no? Or I was supposed to have done that before I did the firmware update as a just in case?

Q3: Merging files: how to recover the old settings when something went wrong

https://www.victronenergy.com/live/venus-os:remote_ve.bus_firmware_updates

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shaneyake avatar image shaneyake commented ·

Do you actually have a VE.Bus BMS or only a BMV700?

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spinkb avatar image spinkb shaneyake commented ·

I believe before my firmware update lost all my settings I had a choice of two items to measure voltage and I always told it to use the BMV700. Its after I have had to reconfigure things that I don't know how to get it to that same point. So I don't know?


@shaneyake: I added screenshots and video below of the battery room.

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2 Answers
Rob Duthie avatar image
Rob Duthie answered ·

Hi

I could help, You should have gone for more cells in series as this make things easier for the voltage control etc.

You can just edit and update the ESS without removing it etc.

I have installed a few Victron system with Lithium and AGM battery setups etc

You can set your own battery voltages if required with the VE config program.

Regards
Rob D

New Zealand

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spinkb avatar image spinkb commented ·

Quattro 48/15000/200-2x100 now at firmware 487. This gives me better control over the voltages for the 13s Lithium pack. 39v to 54.6

screen-shot-2021-10-15-at-085442.png

screen-shot-2021-10-15-at-085456.png

screen-shot-2021-10-15-at-085513.png


@Rob Duthie When you said you can help...did that mean over a meeting? Or here only? My email is in my profile if you want to contact me for a meeting.


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shaneyake avatar image shaneyake spinkb commented ·
Emails are not public, only Victron can see the email address.


Can you post some pictures of the install?

Mainly how the BMS is connected?

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spinkb avatar image spinkb shaneyake commented ·

screen-shot-2021-10-16-at-090247.png

In the description its public. I'll get some picts of the install, the original installer never provided any drawings, etc, so its a matter of following the wires, etc.


Two mornings in a row now, the system has rebooted, and I have no idea why...it came back up automatically. No alarms reported, and I know my battery was not low. 47.64V.

screen-shot-2021-10-16-at-090427.png


After checking the Quattro, it was reporting it was Charger only, so maybe there was a grid power outage briefly, which would not be unusual...I changed the config back to "ON" which is what it was yesterday night...so I don't know how that changed.

screen-shot-2021-10-16-at-090628.png

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spinkb avatar image spinkb commented ·

So I tried adjusting the ESS as I show in this video and I have the results as shown in the video...


Its a BMV700 connected to the ColorControl.

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v1.mp4 (6.9 MiB)
spinkb avatar image spinkb commented ·

OK, here is a mini walk through video of me following the wires...



I also took a few pictures in the cramped room.


img-3972.jpg

img-3976.jpg

And the busbar / shunt?

img-3973.jpg

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img-3972.jpg (2.9 MiB)
img-3976.jpg (2.7 MiB)
img-3973.jpg (2.5 MiB)
spinkb avatar image
spinkb answered ·

So...I can't thank Shane enough. He knows his stuff. Summary of my issues from my understanding...

The ESS was incorrectly set for how my BMS was configured. I had to set it to the "Other type BMS" for one connected on the CAN bus. Additionally a major issue was the dynamic cut-off for the ESS setting the 2C to be 38v (not its default), and the others to be 1v higher at 39. The restart offset we were forced to bump up to 2.2v to make it up to the 41.2 minimum.


We then ultimately pushed this config to each Quattro...we tried to send the config through the color control, but it just couldn't seem to handle it, and so we did them one by one.


The changes he helped make made sense, and I now have a better understanding of the system in general...and when brave enough, may make some other recommended changes too!

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