Wingman

Where do I buy a BMV and what make should I search for or are all models of BMVs the same? I live in the city bowl in Cape Town. I understand there is a "shop" in Somerset West or is there a place closer to home I can buy one?

Plonkster, thanks for the explanation of what a BMV does, but I thought that is precisely what my expensive 5KV Inverter is suppose to do. Where am I going wrong?

How does the BMV help you without the other "fancy stuff"? May I please come and have a look at what you build?

Thank you. PLEASE mail me the drawing to [email protected] Thanking you in advance. "Wingman".

I am HUMBLED by all the FANTASTIC help I receive on this forum. I so hope I meet some of you at some stage so I can buy you a beer to show my appreciation. I live in Cape Town - Devils Peak (city bowl) and would welcome if someone can show me what to do or allow me to visit them and see what they have done and hopefully build the courage to have my PC do the thinking and controlling. I can handle "spanners and steam" and installed the panels myself and it looks super on my roof but it is the "bliksem" Inverter that "check-matt" me.

Thanks ebrsa for the effort you made to educate me. The AICC thing appears to be way above my abilities cause I am "old school" and still live in the "spanners and coal" era and not PCs and software. Does the BMV702 simply connect to the batteries so I can see whats what with the batteries and manually stop charging or keep on charging? Is the BMV702 a device that I connect to the battery bank? If I don't have to get al tied-up with PCs and software I would prefer not to ...... "spanners and coal" remember. Is Rasberry Pi a thing/guage/tool or a software program? Please will you answer without losing "gedult"? ;-)

Thanks "TinkerBoy" for your explanation. I am grateful the FORUM has not kicked me out yet cause I keep on asking questions you FORUM members has most probably already forget the answers to cause you guys are SO FAR ahead. ;-)

Thank you for your reply. I have almost no idea what you are talking about ..... only understand from what you write that AICC is a computer program and that you still have an old Windows version. My PC is not connected to my INVERTER. Is there something else I can get/buy. I am advised to get a battery monitor. Is AICC a battery monitor? SORRY, but I am COMPLETLY out of my depth and in the DARK. ;-(

Please tell me what is a AICC and where do I buy one? THANKS!

WOW ..... thanks ...... almost every forum member teaches me something NEW. What is a AICC please? What program on my INVERTER do I set the 2AMP ESKOM "FLOAT" charging or does the AICC do that? If you have the time, please explain in very simple language. THANKS!

Hi TinkerBoy. Thanks for suggestions. During sunshine hours I charge the Batteries and use only solar. When the sun sets I use Eskom so as to "save" the batteries for when there is NO Eskom. Am I dong the right thing? By the way, you suggest I set ESKOM to 2 Amps ....... are you talking about setting "11" where I have 20 Amps? Keenly awaiting your or anyone else's reply.

I prefer using the solar panels but I thought it prudent to select ALL the correct settings on the INVERTER so that I can't get caught out during something "unforeseen".

Thank you once again for all you clever guys out there that answered my desperate call for help. With the mass of info I received from so many forum members I have NOW programmed my RCT - AXPERT 5K Inverter as follows and kindly request any advice/correction should I have misinterpreted some of the well-meaning info. The info I really wish to be confirmed/completed is in BOLD. I have 8 (2 X 4 in series) 100Ah lead acid batteries providing 48V 6 (3x2 in series) 310W Solar panels – Voc = 42.1V (The whole idea behind my system is to have "back-up" for the deep-freeze and lights when Eskom stops and not so much to go completely off-grid. I have a very efficient solar water heater and so NO large current is demanded except for a 1000W microwave oven.) Inverter settings are as follows: 1 – SOL (Output source priority) 2 – 20A (Max Charging Current) 3 – UPS (AC Input Volt Range) 4 – SdS (Power Saving Mode) 5 – USE (Batt Type) 6 - LⱵd (Auto Restart) 7 - There is no 8 9 – 50Hz There is no 10 11 – 20A (Max Eskom Charging) 12 – 46V (Volt POINT BACK to Eskom) 13 – ???? (Volt POINT BACK to battery when SBU or SOL in program 1) PLEASE There is no 14 There is no 15 16 – OSO (Charging source priority) There is no 17 18 – b0N (Alarm) 19 - ⱵEP (Auto return to default display) 20 – LON (Back Light) There is no 21 22 – AON (Beeps while primary source is interrupted) 23 – bYE (Overload Bypass) There is no 24 25 – FEN (Record fault Code) 26 – 58.0V (summer) and 58.8 (winter) (BULK CHARGING VOLTS) 27 – 54.0V (FLOATING CHARGE) There is no 28 29 – ????? (Low DC Cut-Off Voltage) PLEASE There is no 30 31 – SbE (Solar Power Balance) Thanking you ALL once again, cause I was close to "cutting my wrists".

To all you guys out there that answered my call for help, PLEASE accept my sincere gratitude. This week I will reinstall the batteries and set the Inverter as suggested by you guys. Also, thank you all for not only suggesting I get a battery monitor but also for telling what type and thus saving me another headache. Kind regards. Bernard Vreulink

Hi Jaco. I was so scared I "cook" the batteries due to overcharging I think I only charged the bank to 52V. I was also scared I "kill" them due to over discharge that at 47V Utilities took over the load. I am going to start by setting Bulk Charge to 58.8V and Float Charge to 54V as advised Thanks again for yours AND Plonkers reply and help. I still hope Chris of Graaf Reinett hears my cry for help and "give me a piece of his mind". ;-)