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Wick

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Wick last won the day on August 8 2020

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  1. See this VictronConnect informational video. Notice how you can click "remote console" and it will show equivalent display to CCGX, on your phone. On my EasySolar-II GX, I've connected to its wifi network from laptop, gone to http://venus.local in browser, and opened that same CCGX-style view by pressing "pages" at the bottom of the remote menu. So there really are a few ways to make it happen!
  2. Wick

    Panel Sizing

    Per string, maintaining the same current through those 15A rated cables attached to the panels. Yes. For most, people 1 series string will do the trick, and you would generally purchase your series of panels with the MPPT max input voltage in mind (or vice versa if you already have panels), never exceeding the voltage rating on your MPPTs - or even coming close, to play it safe. Series adds voltage. Parallel adds current. More current = more copper = higher cost for cabling. So get away with the highest voltage, lowest current, and shortest cables possible. If this means splitting across 2 MPPTs, do so, although there will be more copper AFTER the MPPTs outputs merge (say 15A x2 = 30A) - the only benefit I can see to two MPPTs (aside from partial shading conditions) is if each panel string's voltage is so high that you cannot run off one MPPT alone.
  3. Wick

    Panel Sizing

    Impp vs Isc - whichever is higher. For my panels 9.89 Impp, I've seen 12-15A suggested due to MPPT adjusting the charge current upward somewhat. Probably just go with 15A in this case - or whatever is inscribed on your factory-attached cables leading out from the panel(mine are 15A 4mm MC4). Re other panels - better to just work with what you've got? 400+W is a decent output. I know JA Solar do similar to Candian Solar at similar costs if you want to look at other 400W. Will be interesting to see what others say about splitting across 2 MPPTs.
  4. Put the LiFePo4 battery pairs / 12V series into 48V series last night, today drilled out lugs, cut battery positive and connected 100A fuse, connected phase and neutral, connected to mains ground, tested voltage on input terminals which looked too low, tightened all bolts on busbars, tested again and looked OK at +52.6V. Then the moment of truth - shut the 100A fuse holder - and flipped the on switch (to I, not II, in case any new Victron MP/ES owners read this). Fan hummed gently and GX display came on without error! Connected to its wi-fi network without hassles and will be exploring the EasySolar-II's capabilities further. Thanks to @Bain Viljoen @ Lithium Batteries SA and @Geoff Earnshaw @ Sustainable Energy Solutions for their assistance in sourcing the primary goods: batteries and inverter-charger.
  5. *user ignored for gaaning aan and derailing thread further*
  6. @Plaasjapie Have answered you privately so as to avoid derailing thread further.
  7. @Horsyatza That's P.E. for you. Experienced similar. Email is not a thing in P.E., they just don't reply. It's phone / whatsapp or nothing. I dropped into El Nino Solar in Newton Park, gave them my details and what I was interested in, they promised quotes but I never heard another thing. Google "solar newton park" on google maps... there are quite a few solar shops in Newton Park. Spend an afternoon or three shopping around. Dixon Batteries in Newton Park has the kinds of batteries you need - deep cycle AGM. ACDC in Newton Park is very good, but they are not specifically geared to solar, more general electrical gear. Rubicon in North End is very good, although they are not solar specific, they do stock a lot of useful stuff like MC4, cabling etc. - highly recommend. Around the corner from them (2 min walk) is Cosmotronics who also do specialised electrical equipment. Solar Equipment in North End were actually pretty helpful - maybe give them a call. Bear in mind re the solar suppliers, that even if you shop in P.E., they will need to retrieve stock from JHB/DBN/CPT. So you may want to be ready to test (batteries etc.) if you don't want to miss the 7-14 day returns window.
  8. Wick

    "my water plant from sea water to fresh water"

    Do tell more? You seem pretty industrious!

  9. I read your post and understood it very clearly. I'm not sure the reverse could be said, or that you follow the actual issue brought up in this thread yesterday. Prior to that, this thread had been dormant for some time and it was for the sole reason of warning LiFePO4 newcomers that I woke it up. You can find it as offensive as you like: that's what it's called when someone tries to steer a thread in a direction that is self-serving and / or doesn't have to do with the original topic. And the fact remains you _are_ a newbie to LiFePO4. As are many of us. Well, you've been helped and weren't interested in the accurate answers I gave you, given your minimal knowledge of LiFePO4 setups as admitted by you. Indeed your tone is at best unfriendly, at worst aggressive, for reasons I'm not entirely clear on. Remember that it serves the learner to keep an open mind. Plonkster teaches all of us, incidentally. Best of luck to you.
  10. Having now clearly stated you're using a PylonTech - you are using a BMS per se - nothing wrong with your setup. Cell-level balancing is happening all the time. Congrats. My claim is that, for newcomers, not using any BMS at all for lithium, is unsafe, as newcomers may not be rigourous about manual cell-balancing and failure to do so can cause problems and loss of durability over the longer term. "BMS / inverter comms or not" is a whole separate discussion from what I broached here yesterday. Hope that clarifies. It is important, given the viewership of sites like this, and quantities of money involved, to advise in the most responsible way possible.
  11. It would be interesting to view the variation in profiles between your cells by this stage, especially after 8 months of heavy usage. The main purpose of a BMS is cell-level balancing, which through evening out charge and discharge between cells, ultimately preserves individual cell lifetimes across the pack(s), rather than allowing some to age more quickly than others (through "getting out of balance" relative to one another).
  12. @ebrsa Please don't hijack threads; rather start a new one to ask about your specific situation. You mean BMV-7xx series battery monitors, not BMS-700 (it is not a BMS). BMV is only going to offer battery-level monitoring, not cell-level monitoring, and certainly not cell-level balancing (as they are _monitors_ only, they don't control charge / discharge) which is essential for LiFePO4 - hence my remarks above. It is for newbies like you that I gave that warning - DO NOT avoid a BMS with LiFePO4. This is to preserve your cells' lifetime. For lead acid chemistries (which is what you have had in your Trojan), a BMS is purely optional, which is why you don't have one. For lithium chemistries which are very sensitive, BMS are strongly recommended even if not technically mandatory. So in conclusion: your present setup does not address all requirements for LiFePO4, since your lead acid setup lacks a BMS for cell level balancing.
  13. LiFePO4 cells (16x 2p) on lower shelf / tray. Riveted 2mm gauge angle onto all 4 lower edges, creating strength so chequer plate shelf now holds 100 kg of cells without flex. Will soon connect in series, through 100A HRC fuse, then to Victron EasySolar-II unit for its first run. Right now cells are just resting / balancing after paralleling.
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