Racer

Hi P Are these items still on the market, if so would you consider selling the 5 Kw Microcare Inverter separately?

Anyone have a Microcare 5Kw 48v Inverter in good order for sale

Hi W I am looking for a Microcare 5kw 48v inverter. Your ad is old but maybe you still have one for sale, let me know? many thanks

Hi Deon What size, dimensions and price is a Mason 280 battery enclosure sincerely Racer

I am looking for a Daly Smart BMS Touch Display, LBSA used to sell them, does anyone have one for sale? Racer

Hi Ian, Are the 16 cells and BMS still available & asking price? I am interested thanks, Racer

Many thanks

Looking for a Microcare Battery Monitor Sensor like this one, 200 or 400 amp. Anyone perhaps have a spare or unused one they would part with?

Microcare MPPT 60 or 100A, 48v. Firmware for Lithium Battery

Hi 20VT, A long shot, almost a year ago, do you still have the60A Microcare MPPT for sale?

@Andy Y Hi, nice to hear from you. Good move to the Natal Midlands, nice climate and it is the Garden province. I actually changed direction once I found out more about the modular design of the Victron which required add-ons to get it working properly and the extra expensive cable to connect to the PC. I then decided on a MicroCare unit which has a built in display, is easy to set-up and importantly made in RSA. I went the LifePo4 do it yourself route and followed what others have done, using a smart BMS and it seems to work like a charm so far. I have no PV panels either, but will get some at a future date. I am sure my installation will also see me "till the end of time". Fortunately our estate saw fit to allow roof panels and a number have installed them and are happy with the setups.

@LouisvdwI wish to thank you ever so much for your patience and being prepared to provide useful advice to my query on a Victron inverter and batteries a month or more ago. I also thank other forum members who responded to my request with input. I finally decided to purchase a 3 Kw MicroCare Inverter from PE and 16 x LifePo4 cells from Lithium Batteries with a Smart BMS. The MicroCare charge/voltage settings used were recommended by Bain of Lithium Batteries. I installed the unit and the battery pack and commissioned it on 2020-10-20. It has worked for a month without problem and the batteries charge back to 100% after use without hassle. I have no interconnect between the inverter and BMS/batteries and all seems well. I attach photo's of the installation fyi. Take care.

Louisvdw Many thanks for answering my numerous questions, I have a few more to ask if possible: The non GX Multiplus with a DIY LifePo4 works for you. The Cerbo GX add-on comes at 5k+, can I avoid buying it or is it a must have for the Raspberry Pi? Where does your Pi connect to? As I am not going the Pylontech route, I would not need the VE.Can to Can-Bus BMS cable. I would actually like to get away with just the Multiplus and the MK3 cable and not have GX at this stage and use the "DIY" LifePo4, will this work? Bain (Lithium supplies) has a Smart BMS shown below, it looks similar to the one you have in your install photo. Is this the one to buy and does it have an interconnect to enable using the Raspberry Pi - Venus driver setup to monitor SOC? The Daly BMS seems robust but basic, with no takeoff's. Does the Smart BMS have voltage adjustments for high/low cell voltages and balance the cells or does it just monitor cell voltage? Does the Smart BMS have an internal cutoff relay or does the Raspberry Pi talk to the Multiplus to reduce charge rate? Many thanks

Louisvdw Back again, thank you for the feedback, much appreciated. I do not have an MPPT nor intend adding one at this time, I think you might have your BMS interconnect into the MPPT? I am only looking at purchasing an inverter with the USB MK3 cable. 3.2v 120Ah cells are available right now. Lithium also supplies a BMS, the model BMS does not have bluetooth or outputs to the inverter, would you like to comment on whether you think this might work, the responsibility is mine alone, I would value your opinion? They are out of stock on the smart BMS but if necessary I would wait. I phoned Victron in Durban and asked whether the non GX Victron model would charge the "DIY" Lifepo4 battery without any link between the Victron and DIY LifePo4. The advisor seemed to think it would be OK and would charge according the Victron Lithium settings or the user settings put into the charger. I did mention to the Victron adviser I would use a DIY LifePo4 with independent BMS. (from Lithium Battery) I have read of instances where the Victron has gone into "sleep" mode and does not want to wake up and the battery can be low after use, have you ever had that problem? Is there any advantage in me getting the GX model? The GX does offer remote monitoring but I don't necessarily need something that is a nice to have. Not sure whether it will assist in connecting to the DIY LifePo4. I cannot be far off ordering my components.

Louisvdw I apologize for this list of questions before I begin and I hope you can and will be willing to share your knowledge with me. A few items are unfamiliar to me and that is why call on the one who knows to reveal these secrets. I do appreciate your full install 48v Victron system and would like to copy it and use it in my installation if you don't mind. It did not take long to discover that where inverters are concerned, the more I know, the less I find that I know and I am most grateful to those on the forum who have interacted with me and offered valuable advice. I discovered after looking at the Victron Multiplus installation circuit drawings and following up with the supplier that if I purchase a Victron Multiplus 48/3000/35-32 "non GX version" I will not be able to use a Pylontech US2000B lithium battery without one of the GX add-ons as the VE.Can to Can-Bus BMS cable only works through a GX add-on which in turn enables the Pylontech to "talk" to the Victron. I don't want to pay for the more expensive GX version or the GX add-on which also comes at a premium. Your stated goals are exactly what I have in mind, to use it as a UPS initially and later add on panels when my budget permits. Back to your system. You have put together and assembled a DIY LifePo4 battery pack which is well within my capability to put together. Now for the questions: Any idea where I can buy LifePo4 cells similar to yours and what the approximate going rate is for them? The cells appear to be 3.2v each, what is the Ah rating? Is the Victron communicating in anyway with your LifePo4 pack? I have read your carefully provided installation details but am unfamiliar with the Rasberry Pi3. I hope to improve my knowledge of it and looked up the Rasberry Pi3 to learn that it requires an operating system install followed by the Victron Venus driver and so on. Where does one get the collection of wires that connect the BMS to each cell together with the connector that plugs into the smart BMS? (You provided the source of the BMS which I shall source. By the way is it OK to give card details when buying from China), I have to date avoided ordering from the East with a card. Where can the Bluetooth card and connecting plug to the BMS be bought? Where does one get the cellphone app from? What are the LifePo4 BMS settings and parameters? I gather these must be adjustable using Bluetooth on the android phone with an app. The BMS to battery connections are not 100% clear in your photo. Can you advise me on which wires connect where on the BMS board? I note the BMS board is connected (soldered I presume) on the negative wire only and the fuse is also on the negative. The negative cable looks too large to solder onto the BMS, is it soldered onto the board? Does the BMS not require input from the positive? I cannot clearly make out the connections, perhaps you could advise me on that issue? Also there are two wires that appear to have been attached on either side of the BMS, where do they connect? If I obtain the necessary LifePo4 cells similar to what you have and connect them as per your example, set the BMS which I trust you will advise me on and then connect to the Victron it should work? I don't see a connection from the BMS to the Victron, is that correct? Connected up exactly as you have done, does the Multiplus require any other settings which I see are done on the Victron app installed on a PC using the MK3 cable? I do trust you will not mind me asking further questions as I go along as it is inevitable that I will run into more brick walls.

gooseberry Hi gooseberry, it is the exact model trolley supplied by a CT firm. The firm could not have been more helpful and co-operative with me but I am thinking of selling the unit for what I can get and buying a modular type like the Victron Multiplus after receiving numerous responses on power forum. However I have not made a final decision yet and have not closed my mind to further input from the forum. The battery spec I received today is: LifePo4 Battery TE12100C SPECS.pdf Hope this helps.

gooseberry It's likely you have a 24V system (2 12V batteries in series) while the US2000 is a 48V bank. You can look at https://lithiumbatteriessa.co.za/collections/frontpage/products/24v-120ah-3kwh-lifepo4-wall-mount-solar-ups-battery?variant=35354510950567 either get that or buy the cells and BMS listed separately and build it into your trolley. Just check if you can adjust the charging voltages to what Bain recommends on your system. Hi gooseberry Thank you, I will investigate and make contact with Bain re LifPo4. My hands are tied as far as settings are concerned as I cannot change any parameters on the trolley. It is 2 x 12 volt 100 Ah in series = 24 volt.

Louisvdv, Many thanks for your input. Charge voltages are fixed by the trolley controller, I cannot change any parameters. The trolley supplier says it will not work with a Pylontech but will with a LifPo4. The Easysolar 48/3000/ on the pricelist is rather more expensive, although does include an MPPT and requires less wiring, switches etc. The Multiplus I know will require those add-ons but they will have to wait until my budget allows. I shall look into the Blue Nova LifPo4, thank you for the recommendations. How does one determine which Axpert clones are best?

Swartkat, thank you for your time and passing on your experience. I really don't need to tinker but I definitely want to be able to configure and set parameters, something the trolley unit I have does not allow. The trolley is a one size fits all unit, connect it up, switch it on was the reason I bought it. Now I am doing what I should have done in the beginning, spending time looking into the ins and outs before parting with more money. I intend adding panels as soon as my budget allows but not immediately as I have to still jump over the first hurdles. Victron seems to have a good reputation and has a building block system allowing one to add-on components, is the extra cost for these justified, if so I will heed the advice of those who have had the experience. Some reports say Chinese sourced units last around 5 years, these may be exceptions. If they stop working can they be repaired after two and a half years and the warranty over? I mentioned the Growatt has a longer warranty (5 Years) and it is a great deal cheaper than a Victron, I was hoping the forum may offer some idea on how long these last. Warranties always sound good but sometimes are not what they seem and the customers ends up paying the price. I am very hesitant to buy anything that leaves me in the lurch. Louisvdv, Many thanks for your input. Charge voltages are fixed by the trolley controller, I cannot change any parameters. The trolley supplier says it will not work with a Pylontech but will with a LifPo4. The Easysolar 48/3000/ on the pricelist is rather more expensive, although does include an MPPT and requires less wiring, switches etc. The Multiplus I know will require those add-ons but they will have to wait until my budget allows. I shall look into the Blue Nova LifPo4, thank you for the recommendations. How does one determine which Axpert clones are best?

Hi gooseberry, thank you for replying. The machine may not be broken as it still charges and delivers power from the batteries for a short time before the low voltage alarm goes and the gradient meter indicates battery voltage low and the main DC switch disconnects. I am reluctant to buy new batteries that last 18 months and without good batteries I cannot be absolutely sure the machine works as it should. The problem is; The low voltage cutoff is set at the highest option of 11.1 volts. Acid batteries apparently should not discharge below 50% or 12.2 volts on a 12 volt battery for it to last. When asked the supplier advised it was not designed to charge Li-Ion, I did specifically say Pylontech. I have just received feedback from the supplier today to say lifepo4 could be used. The supplier has Lifepo4 batteries on order that will work but they are as costly as the Pylontech. Not sure how to go about a DIY lithium pack, can you advise? .

Well I am very pleased to join the powerforum which I have followed for some time as an retired octogenarian, still able to get things done and living in the Natal midlands. In December 2018 I bought a trolley 1 kw pure sine wave inverter online with 2 x 12 volt 100 amp gel batteries. Eighteen months down the road, the batteries and unit no longer work, and the capital cost over 19 months amounts to R800.00 in capital cost per month, considering the short life. I had the unit connected through an independent separate distribution board and a 15 amp plug in each room with an LED globe in the table lamp, used when needed and one medium sized TV with Explora decoder, and when needed used with a desktop PC. It was basically used as a UPS. As I have no desire to repeat my mistake I have come to the Power-forum members for advice. I have a limited budget and would like advice on the following choices which I have priced: 1. A Victron Multiplus 48/3000/35-32 (5 year warranty) with one Pylontech US2000B Li-ion battery (7 year warranty) which battery backup size is adequate for the present Eskom load shedding periods. Initially this will be used as a UPS and when the budget permits, to add solar panels. Victron is the very top end of my budget. Otherwise I could try and find a second hand Victron. 2. Alternatively; a Growatt 3kw (5 Year Warranty) or Axpert 3 kw (2 year warranty) inverter which is a much cheaper option and still use a Pylontech US2000B Li-Ion battery with the same usage as above. 3. I have read on this forum and on internet reviews that the Victron is a stable and reliable unit, only much more expensive. The Chinese-Eastern brands are more budget friendly. I have read somewhere that the battery warranty on the Pylontech may require it to be used on a hybrid inverter only, maybe untrue! The big question, Which or what inverter should I buy? I will definitely only use a Li-Ion battery and will appreciate any advice that you can offer. - many thanks - Racer