Batteries stopped charging/discharging

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kevinc asked Apr 10, '24

Batteries stopped charging/discharging

Hi, my system has been running well for over a year, looking at the VRM app today i see that the batteries have stopped charging and discharging, with the batteries being stuck at 29% since the 4th of April. They should have been chanrginf and discharging daily.

Looking at the remote console notifications there allot of messages saying "Low battery voltage" from the multiplus2.

To try and resolve i swithced the pylontech battereies on and off but now the remote console says batteries anot connected and MPPT says error 67

Will it take a little time for the batteries to auto connect or is there other problems?

Multiplus-II cerbo gx Pylontech mppt rs

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Alexandra ♦ commented · Apr 10 at 10:35 AM

@KevinC

If the pylontec is not appearing under the devices list, then battery Comms are the issue. Check the can cable and set up there.

Error 67 means the same thing. The battery is not communicating.

So that is the side to troubleshoot.

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kevinc Alexandra ♦ commented · Apr 15 at 01:30 PM

Thanks Alexandres, i have everything communicating now but there is still no power going into or out of the batteries

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Alexandra answered · Apr 16 at 02:05 PM

@KevinC

Is the fuse between the battery and the system ok?

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duivert commented · Apr 16 at 02:19 PM

good point! @Alexandra

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Answer 1 · 2024-04-13T03:49:49Z

Paul B answered · Apr 13 at 03:49 AM

or the pylontecs BMS has turned the battery off, maybe a cell issue, so check your bms readings

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kevinc commented · Apr 15 at 01:38 PM

Thanks Paul, where would i find the bms readings, i only have the VRM app and do not see it on there.

Everything is communicating now but no power goes into or out of the battery (from grid or solar)

The power lights are flashing on the battery so they look switched on, however on the Remote console/ notifications Multi plus -11 is getting a Low battery voltage alarm.

At present, i am getting power from the MPPT but it will only go through to the inverter to get used for AC loads and Grid. If change my Battery SOC setting from 10 to above the current battery level to force a charge, then power from the MPPT goes to zero

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Answer 2 · 2024-04-15T14:12:35Z

duivert answered · Apr 15 at 02:12 PM

VRM app > remote console > device list > pylontech battery

there you can see all the available pylontech data

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Answer 3 · 2024-04-15T14:24:20Z

kevinc answered · Apr 15 at 02:24 PM

so looking in the battery section i see no problems although i dont really know what i am looking for, there is nothing obvious.

Details, there are 0 modules offline

Nr of modules blocking charge / discharge zero

Alarms, all say ok

Module level alarms is blank

Device, connected is Yes

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duivert commented · Apr 15 at 05:07 PM

That looks fine indeed, maybe check all your other settings in the gx,

Under settings, dvcc should be forced on by the pylontech bms

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kevinc duivert commented · Apr 15 at 06:06 PM

Here are the dvcc settings, are they ok?

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screenshot-20240415-183128-vrm.jpg (433.3 KiB)

screenshot-20240415-183150-vrm.jpg (436.0 KiB)

duivert kevinc commented · Apr 15 at 07:05 PM

Yeah looks ok

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Fideri commented · Apr 15 at 05:36 PM

Also, get software from Pylontech to look inside each module.

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kevinc Fideri commented · Apr 15 at 06:07 PM

This sounds like it may be above my pay grade, i am the homeowner with no real experience with this.

Would it be hard to do?

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duivert kevinc commented · Apr 15 at 07:11 PM

Did you install the system yourself or let a installer do it? In the last case you might want to contact them before chaning settings yourself

Checking the batterys with pylontech software is an option, but without technical understanding its not recommended

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kevinc duivert commented · Apr 16 at 07:34 AM

I had one of my friends install it, he does install systems but this was his first victron system.

Yes i agree, if this is not an easy fix i will contact him.

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Answer 4 · 2024-04-16T07:38:33Z

kevinc answered · Apr 16 at 07:38 AM

This is the only notification that i am getting now, can you confirm i am getting this on the multiplus because there is no power flowing from the pylontech batteries

screenshot-20240416-083512-vrm.jpg (467.7 KiB)

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duivert commented · Apr 16 at 09:32 AM

what is the actual battery voltage?

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Answer 5 · 2024-04-16T09:53:01Z

duivert answered · Apr 16 at 09:53 AM

maybe also follow all steps in these manuals with your friend, to see if everything is setup right:

https://www.victronenergy.com/live/battery_compatibility:pylontech_phantom

and if your system is configured as ESS:

https://www.victronenergy.com/media/pg/Energy_Storage_System/en/index-en.html

there is a chapter in the ESS manual about low battery alarms:

10.5. Q5: How can I suppress low battery warnings?

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kevinc commented · Apr 16 at 10:09 AM

Thanks.

The system was up and running for over a year so i asume it was set up correctly.

I assume the low battery warning is because there is no power coming from or going to the battery?

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Answer 6 · 2024-04-16T09:58:35Z

kevinc answered · Apr 16 at 09:58 AM

Here are some screenshots showing battery info

screenshot-20240416-105433-vrm.jpg (408.4 KiB)

screenshot-20240416-105307-vrm.jpg (439.5 KiB)

screenshot-20240416-105733-vrm.jpg (422.8 KiB)

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Answer 7 · 2024-04-16T11:39:20Z

duivert answered · Apr 16 at 11:39 AM

what is in the pylontech parameters in remote console?

VRM app > remote console > device list > pylontech battery > parameters

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Answer 8 · 2024-04-16T11:46:32Z

duivert answered · Apr 16 at 11:46 AM

you could also check with the victron connect app (different app then vrm app) what your mppt settings are, should be these values:

MPPT Parameter	Setting
Battery voltage.	48V
Absorption voltage	52V

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Answer 9 · 2024-04-16T12:20:11Z

kevinc answered · Apr 16 at 12:20 PM

Here is the battery parameters from the remote console

screenshot-20240416-131027-vrm.jpg (371.2 KiB)

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Answer 10 · 2024-04-16T12:26:20Z

kevinc answered · Apr 16 at 12:26 PM

Looking at the Victron connect app, i do not see mppt settings.

What do i want to connect to with the victron connect app, is it the mppt or cerbo?

This is what i see whaen connecting to the mppt, i do notice when looking here that sometimes the battery voltage is over 53.2V, could that be the problem?

screenshot-20240416-131553.jpg (382.7 KiB)

screenshot-20240416-131504.jpg (371.2 KiB)

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duivert commented · Apr 16 at 12:37 PM

mppt, click on the gearwheel for settings

battery readings in your last preview are not the battery it self, its the DC bus voltage

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kevinc duivert commented · Apr 16 at 12:46 PM

ah, what is the path to the parameters you need, i cant see them.

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Answer 11 · 2024-04-16T12:54:13Z

duivert answered · Apr 16 at 12:54 PM

mppt > gearwheel > battery

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Answer 12 · 2024-04-16T13:12:36Z

kevinc answered · Apr 16 at 01:12 PM

Sorry, i see it now

Looks like they are correct?

screenshot-20240416-140735.jpg (304.7 KiB)

screenshot-20240416-140742.jpg (293.6 KiB)

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duivert commented · Apr 16 at 02:01 PM

yes looks good... i don't see why its not charging the battery's... it should do that

did you already try to restart the whole system? by turning everything off and restart

(connected equipment on AC out will turn off also!)

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kevinc duivert commented · Apr 16 at 02:28 PM

Yeh, i had done that and just did it again now to be sure. Still the same problem

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Answer 13 · 2024-04-16T14:31:02Z

kevinc answered · Apr 16 at 02:31 PM

The fuses visually look ok but i have not had an electriciaqn check them.

20240416-152448.jpg (3.1 MiB)

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Answer 14 · 2024-04-16T14:45:20Z

kevinc answered · Apr 16 at 02:45 PM

If these fuses blow is there any visual signs or would the victron system pick it up and give a warning?

No power is going into or out of the battery and if you guys dont see any problems with the settings, indeed i guess this might be the problem.

If i switch everything off and remove the fuse might it show visual signs on the hidden side?

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duivert commented · Apr 16 at 03:35 PM

Could be visual signs best is to measure it with an ohm or continuity tester

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Answer 15 · 2024-04-17T12:34:32Z

kevinc answered · Apr 17 at 12:34 PM

Thanks guys, i have ordered a new fuse and plan to swap it over tomorrow, lets wait and see.

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duivert commented · Apr 17 at 12:38 PM

did you have an change to measure the fuse or was it visualy broken?

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Alexandra ♦ duivert commented · Apr 17 at 12:54 PM

The window is on the other side. They would have to be removed to visually check them .

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duivert Alexandra ♦ commented · Apr 17 at 01:07 PM

i know, i was just wondering if it really was only broken a fuse :)

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kevinc duivert commented · Apr 17 at 04:32 PM

i didnt check it or take it out, i will do that tomorrow when the new one arrives and i will just swap it over.

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Answer 16 · 2024-04-18T12:31:58Z

kevinc answered · Apr 18 at 12:31 PM

Thanks again guys.

The new Mega fuse arrived this morning so i switched everything off and removed the old fuse, indeed on the hidden side there was a window which did show it had blown, i have no idea why it would not be installed with the window visable!

I replaced it with the new fuse and everything is working now :)

20240418-104552.jpg (1.2 MiB)

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duivert commented · Apr 18 at 12:45 PM

great to hear the problem is solved!

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Answer 17 · 2024-04-18T14:20:54Z

kevinc answered · Apr 18 at 02:20 PM

Yes i know, a big thanks to you and Alexandra for getting to the bottom of this

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