mafiose13

Thank you Coulomb, flashed 2 units and running perfectly as far as I can tell. The other 2 units are a bit farther geographically from me, for now ill let them be as is since I am not getting any complaints from the users.

So 55.81 is unpatched, factory firmware!? I have 4 units at my direct disposal that could use a fix of the "stuck at 60".

So the 55.81 is the latest compatible U1 to VMIIIs 4kw (24v system), that replace the outdated 2 year old 455.06 (patched version of 55.06)?

Hello everyone, so I have decided to take on a challenging project to build an external power management system that can communicate with Voltronic inverters and manage external load, load shedding, schedules, etc...I appreciate your ideas, input. Problem/Scenario: - In my country we have 2 sources of grid power, let's call them G1 and G2 (G1 = goverment Grid, G2 = Neighbourhood Common generator), both have load shedding schedules covering about 16 hours of the 24hr day. - Most installs never utilize their PV production potential - Charging batteries on G2 is more expensive than G1, so charging needs to be prioritized, based on availability, time of day and battery charge status. - As far as load, besides general household loads, I would like to dedicate 2 loads to a special handling system, that uses excess PV power throughout the day and divert it to those 2 loads in priority (P1 = Water heater, P2 = Home heating). - PV System priorities would be to power current loads, charge batteries, use excess to power G1 until a certain temp is reached with the excess PV power, then taper that and introduce G2. Since I want this setup to be a universal solution to replicate with different models and later custom produce it for commercial use, it's best to assume the we will be talking to the inverter via it's communication port, and not tapping into any hardware modifications. I am thinking about creating a board with different microprocessors for the different tasks at hand and have it communicate with the inverter by command parameters then processing those parameters to various elements based on feedback received back to the inverter. Any implementation ideas? What would be a practical solution to always get the maximum PV output from inverter, externally? and this has to have a feedback to taper off and re-prioritize based on PV irradiance fluctuations (clouds, weather inclements and time of day).

No wonder why I can't get any internet connection from connecting to the inverter "LAN" 😆😆😆

On this particular installation, the LAN goes to a dedicated pc with Watchtower software always on for continuous monitoring from a nearby shed to inside the house about 20m length cable. The wifi watchpower or other wifi apps are not live data ....they typically update every few minutes, as opposed to pc version.

I wish i can, it's not an easy task i hear, unless there are some clear instructions/tutorials out there to walk me through it.

It's a non-twin.

Sorry for not reporting back to you on this, had a big installation over the past 2+ days. So about 3 days on this version, no errors, no warnings, no "never float" issue. To narrow things down, the current patch work on this version is not the culprit. Probably compatibility issue between the original code and whatever code is being inserted as premature float fix.

I just happen to have installed this 11k max E unit 3 days ago. U1 93.04 U2 144.01 Completely different stock firmware and numbers way off. Although, so far very stable other than the typical voltronic known bugs, which on this installation will not likely to be noticed. Unfortunately, i have no means to extract this firmware for the OP.

Patch 455.06 flashed...tomorrow by this time I'll have a definite answer as to whether it has isolated the "never float" issue at least. No worries....many thank for you zealous work and patience. Cheers

It's probably the case since it's patch-related somehow. Last night I had grid power overnight from 3-8am, so sunshine came in with battery already at 29.2V @ 4amps charge current, within 1 hr current dropped to 0amps, it stayed like this till sunset with occasional trickle charge to maintain bulk set voltage of 29.2v (over 8hrs). During the day i switched back n forth User to Fld and changed float from 26.5 to 27.2 a few times. Nothing triggered floating. The behavior seems to consider bulk voltage as float voltage. Out of fear of ruining the batteries I reflashed stock 55.06 again last night. Today, bulk/float works fine. While this is figured out, Can we meanwhile do a version without the "premature float" patch code, this way I can test and tell you if that code is the source of the problem or not. At least we know which path to take in finding the solution. Unless you have other ideas. PS: Edit: I don't know if this clue makes any difference. when flashing the patched firmware the unit behaves normally on that day. It's only when it starts a new solar charging cycle (ie next morning) that it goes into the never floating mode.

Hey @Coulomb I flashed 355.06 last night, no errors or warnings since then. I also did not notice any foul play with MPPT stuck at any odd voltage so far, I'll keep observing as some of these issues started 1.5-2 days into the previous patch flash. However, the "Never floating" issue & staying stuck all day till sunset at bulk voltage 29.2v (even when charging amps drip to zero) has returned with this patched version as well, it had disappeared on the upatched version when i reflashed it in the interim between patch buggy 255.06 and this 355.06 . Somehow it's related to the patching code, placement...no idea

24hrs after reflashing the unpatched 55.06. All is functioning normally. No errors, no warnings, Battery reaches bulk n returns to float at 27v. Obviously what was happening was post patching. Any chance this bug above was causing this haywire behavior or something else missed? Ill flash this later tonight, test it tomorrow and report back, unless you figure out some other root for this.

I volunteered this 1 unit for testing purposes and if that's what it takes...it is what it is. No worries 🙂👍...luckily as is it seems there was no permanent harm done, hopefully the next 24hr will tell. I'll keep a close eye. cheers

After some investigation, it looks like all this started to happen around 4:15-4:30pm when the sun is low (30 min pre sunset). It shouldn't have and it's never has. I can't put my finger on a cause. I was running super low loads 200W or so, batteries full since noon.

Tried switching back and forth User to Fld n vice versa, changed value for bulk, float, cv via Watchpower sofware and through my phone App, reboot inverter between changes and after...None worked. It's stuck in the "never floating" mode. I left the inverter unattended at noon, came back at 6pm to no power at home, it was flashing 61 (communication lost-only available when battery setting as PYL per manual description), and mine was in Fld setting....so go figure!!! 🙄😬 (see attached) So I powered down all breakers, inverter...restarted everything. Error 61 message disappeared...10 min later I get a buzzer n error F52 (low bus voltage). Another power down...didn't clear it. At this point I decided to reflash the un-patched 55.06. The inverter rebooted normally, no warnings yet it's been 2 hrs....and was immediately at float voltage 27.2v. All this bugginess & acting up...It's got to be something off with patch, it's beyond me.

It's the first thing I thought about but we don't have this option on this model, the setting menu skips it. The settings are straight off the battery (Eastman 240Ah Lead acid). They list Bulk 14.6v and 11.1v cutoff, 13.6v float charge. I usually set a higher cutoft at 12v. It is cold out here, not freezing...7-15c temperatures. I think it's fine, I have temperature sensors on my set, never beyond 2-4 degrees from ambient temperature. I am under USE battery setting now. Im thinking about trying it under Fld to see if there is any difference, but the thing is i don't like that mode's default CV of 10.5v. I'll keep USE today, and try Fld tomorrow. Since the patch code checks out...any code thought/other ideas on your end?

Today was purely sunny not a single cloud in sight, so nothing happened of the sort. I'll keep you posted on that issue. However, i noticed another problem yesterday but didn't make much of it because i thought clouds were coming and going maybe it didn't reach float and never check battery charging voltage. But today with sunny weather I can confirm that we went from "premature float" to "never float". 🙂 We reached bulk target voltage 29.2v by 10AM, by 2PM charging amps were down to 0A charge at full bulk 29.2v and it stayed at 29.2v till sunset 5pm, it showed 0 to 4 amps charging during this time, while oddly discharging 0-4amps oppositely....but maintained bulk voltage 29.2v never switched to float voltage 27.2v. I have LA batteries. This has got to be Not normal. Edit: (11pm) Low battery 4 alarm, while battery at 24.8v. 🙃 I'm thinking the inverter is now measuring and thinking that 29.2v is float and referencing it in calculating SOC, thus an alarm at this voltage.

At the peak production of 2.7-2.9kw, i am usually at 215-230v & 12.5-13.5A. I am running 6x550w Jinko tiger pro panels. (Specs below)

@Coulomb First observation, there seems to be a glitch. It's a pretty sunny day today, however one passing small cloud briefly obstructed the sun for 15-20 seconds and went back to full sun. Obviously, power went terribly down but after that the MPPT stayed stuck at that mode voltage was 265-275....0.3-0.5A....50-150W. I waited 10 min of full sun and didn't recover. I had to manual switch off panel breaker and when on...it went back to 2.7kw production. Never done that before. Edit: The above was the first cloud of the day. 2hrs later, More clouds have come and go, this hasn't happended again for now. Odd! Maybe a learning curve?! I can already attest to the premature float bug being fixed. Cloud have been intermittent, so can't judge that yet.

@Coulomb Many thanks for patching this version. I do have a couple of questions. With reference to the Max II 56.05 thread, the 656.05 was the progressive best version after the many trials and error, and i take it the we put in the resulting lessons-learned into this one? Was any of Georg patches ie shadow patch or any other included? Obviously aside from premature float, the other fixes specifically target stuck at 120v in cloudy/bad weather, no difference will be noticed in bad weather. I've installed it on 1 unit, kept another for comparison on stock. I'll keep you posted on updates in couple days.

I had one installation, that exhibited similarly an odd 60v base line during off-sun periods (see my previous post on this thread about it). Never went down to 0v at night. Since this was an update on a previous installation, changing inverter and installing newer panels 6x550 in series, the PV cables running from basement to roof of 6 story building (30meters) were re-used. It turns out that there was a missed junction box in which 20A blocking diodes were installed on those PV lines. Removing them removed that 60v night time baseline. I cannot explain why. The diode flow orientation allowed current to flow from Panel positive cable to inverter and from inverter through negative cable to panels to complete that circuit in that flow, but blocked any current in reverse. Not sure why they would be installed on a series panels and not sure why removing them removed the 60v. Maybe someone can explain it? PS: switching off the panel breaker (while they were installed) gave 0v at night, that's how i narrowed it down to an issue with cabling/panel connections in the first place) @lucassNot sure if ur 60v is similar...but check ur lines, make sure nothing is blocking free flow in any direction or interfering

Yet another bug....(perhaps) At night for some odd reason, I always have a constant voltage of about 60v. (check attached screenshot). The problem this creates is that if we do get government grid power I think the inverter is seing this PV 60v contribution and only giving me about 10-12A charging from grid since it's SNU setting output and solar first charging. Max total charge set at 30A, Utility at 30A. As you can see in the 2nd photo, 3-4 hours of grid stayed at about 10A battery only reached 25.5v during this time. Am I missing anything in terms of settings? or is this 60v causing the inverter to balance charging between what it perceives as pv contribution and grid? On a 2nd note @Coulomb, how hard would it be to set the mppt point to 90 vs stock 120 on this firmware?

After consulting with felicity dealer on another continent. He supplied the following. Looks like it's PYL setting which I've not tried, I'll also double check my pin connection. Hopefully, it works, but asking around all my friends in the field no one has been able to successfully connect any felicity lithium to a voltronic....i hope it's as easy of a fix as that. Felicitysolar battery using guide (6).pdf