One of three Quattros makes sound when charging, is this normal?

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ehsab asked Dec 8, '19

One of three Quattros makes sound when charging, is this normal?

Hi,

I just finished an installation of three 5kVA Quattros in threephase configuration and a 380Ah AGM batterybank supervised by a Venus GX.

I'm using the Lynx shunt and PowerIn/Distribution.

When i configured the ESS to always keep batteries charged, one of the quattros started to make a strange noise. Is this normal behaviour or sould i be worried?

I would also like to know how to get the SOC visable in remote console, i believed the Lynx shunt would do this automatically, but it doesnt.

As of now i have ESS mode Optimized (with BatteryLife) configured and minimum SOC is 80%.

The LEDs that are on now is Mains On, Absorption and Inverter on, guess that is normal?

Kind Regards

M

battery charging

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ehsab commented · Dec 08, 2019 at 05:19 PM

After removing the blue metalcover at the bottom, the noise is now gone. I'd really like som input on what could have caused the noise.
I don't think the fans even rotaded since they are not moving atm after 10min of charging. What could the screws have contacted inside for the noise to start? Whats on the other side of the screwhole?

Now that i can charge safely i also see that the SOC is 100%.

Kind Regards

M

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Matthias Lange - DE ♦ commented · Dec 08, 2019 at 05:28 PM

Without hearing the noise it's hard to say what it could be/what it was.

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ehsab Matthias Lange - DE ♦ commented · Dec 08, 2019 at 05:47 PM

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final.mp4 (18.8 MiB)

Modifications Space

Node Red Space

Answer 1 · 2019-12-09T10:28:06Z

Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff) answered · Dec 09, 2019 at 10:28 AM

Hi @ehsab

Does the unit make the same noise with the final battery wiring installed?

You write: without the bottom cover the sound is gone, in the video there is a sound, is the bottom cover loose / resonating? or are you talking about another cover?

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ehsab commented · Dec 09, 2019 at 11:46 AM

Hi,

I don't have the final batterycable yet, so i have no/very littleload with this 4sqmm cable atm. I have also limit charge/discharge power for now. Don't think its a wire issue since all three is wired exactly the same and its only one that has noise issue.

In the video i have not removed the BOTTOM (not front) cover. I'm talking about the blue punched metal cover underneath the fans.

However, today i shut everything down, restarted it again and the noise came back.
I switched from keep batteries charged to Optimized again and the noise disappeared.
Switching back to keep batteries charged again, the noise doesnt come back.

Atm all three quattros are in absorbation mode, and will soon switch to float i guess since the battery is almost 100% charged.

I'll do some more testing, i don't know what happends when the quattro is powered on, if there are some conductors being charged or something. I dont know what can cause the noise.

Also, none of my fans have started to move ever, perhaps this is normal, but the noise is therefore not related to the rotors of the fans.

I'll do some more testing.

Kind Regards

M

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Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ ehsab commented · Dec 09, 2019 at 12:06 PM

Hi @ehsab

Please don't keep running with these cables, it is bad for the units, and when ac-in drops out, there is no power limit on the units (inverter mode).

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ehsab commented · Dec 09, 2019 at 01:00 PM

Hi,

Dont worry, i wont.

Any ideas about the noise?

Kind Regards

M

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Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ ehsab commented · Dec 09, 2019 at 01:11 PM

could have to do with the thin wires...

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ehsab Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ commented · Dec 09, 2019 at 03:45 PM

Ok, could you please elaborate on that thought?

It's the same wiresize on all three units, its not noisy everytime i switch to keep battery charged only sometimes, and not constantly the same time either.

I had an electrician over today, to him it sounded like a transistor issue or a glitch somewhere.

I'm waiting for the new cable and will replace the thin one on wednesday.
In the meantime i'd like to know your theory to the noise if you'd like to share it.

What steps should i take if the noise doesn't disappear when i have changed the wire?
Contact my supplier i guess?

Kind Regards

M

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ehsab commented · Dec 09, 2019 at 06:09 PM

Here is a better video showing the events from coldstart.

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img-3867.mp4 (20.1 MiB)

Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ ehsab commented · Dec 09, 2019 at 07:53 PM

@ehsab

Please first get the wiring up to spec, than check again.

if you want to speed up: set this unit as stand alone with two good DC cables and test as single phase.

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Answer 2 · 2019-12-12T18:16:11Z

ehsab answered · Dec 12, 2019 at 06:16 PM

@Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff)

Still getting the noise with the correct (70sqmm) sized cable.

Seems like the L2 unit cant charge more then 350W also, thats the unit making the noise. Other units deliver more charge power.

Now what do you recommend me to try?

Kind Regards

videozip-3.mp4 (13.8 MiB)

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Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ commented · Dec 12, 2019 at 07:18 PM

Hi @ehsab

Did you test the unit as stand-alone as I suggested? also record the numbers your writing about (in the same video?) all this without any assistants in the unit.

why all this trouble? this way your distributor has enough data to just replace the unit for you as fast as possible (if indeed it is broken). If not enough data like this, your distributor has to test everything again before he/she can replace the unit for you.

Is the system online already? (on VRM), this also helps: I can download the log files and help determine the cause or help you determining if the unit needs to be replaced.

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ehsab Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ commented · Dec 12, 2019 at 07:47 PM

Hi,
No, i didn't test it in standalone. I need 3ph and didn't see the point in testing it in standalone. If it doesn't make noise in standalone it doesn't help me much?
But if its neccessary for troubleshooting purposes i can do it.

What trouble do you mean? I'm gonna call my distributor in the morning and ask if they can send out someone to test the unit or replace it.
I don't have much time to roubleshoot myself atm.
I do however appreciate your (and the community's ) effort in this case.

The system is online on vrm (L230), but since i'm not at the site i don't feel confertable having current passing to the unit if it is faulty.

Kind Regards

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Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ ehsab commented · Dec 12, 2019 at 07:58 PM

Hi @ehsab

I can see the L2 unit did less power than the rest, but your battery was already fully charged unfortunately so that doesn't say much.

The noise it shouldn't make of course, so hopefully the distributor can bring a spare unit when visiting.

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ehsab Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ commented · Dec 13, 2019 at 07:58 AM

Hi Daniel,
Do you have any ideas to what's making the sound?
What made you think it had to do with the wiresize?

A more technical explenation would be nice.

Kind Rergards

M

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ehsab Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ commented · Jan 19, 2020 at 06:22 PM

@Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff)
The distributor sent me a new device, after replacing the old unit everything is fine. No clicking no other noise. Perfect.

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