February 21, 20233 yr I'm looking for help with a battery issue. Background: Sunsynk 8kw + 2x Raystech 5100S batteries and No panels (yet) installed +- 1 month ago. System ran fine for the first few weeks, carrying decent loads during Load Shedding. The problems started about 1 week ago when the Inverter tripped with the error F56 DC Low Volt when it was under load. Since then, the batteries haven't wanted to fully charge, even though there have been enough opportunities to do so from the grid (Setting is to charge them to 90%, Grid charge amps 60A). SoC gradually decreasing: But wait, there's more! Yesterday, I woke up to the batteries reporting 1% SOC according to the inverter, with the 'Master' battery making a clicking noise repeatedly (Cycling On / Off / On / Off permanently), and both batteries refusing to charge. (Click link for video). SoC dropped from 51% to 1% Readings from Smart BESS appear to be okay, with both batteries cell voltages appearing 'okay' (All cells report between 2.98v and 3.02v), with both SoC values being 0, and voltage of 1 battery at 49v (The tripping one), and the other at 51.3v (The original 'slave') The inverter LiBMS screen shows a fault code 0x03, and 'Request Force Charge' (The battery manual doesn't mention this value in the fault code list). Things I've tried with no success (i.e. The batteries refuse to charge): - Swap the Master and Slave batteries - Switch to AGM V Battery mode to force a charge - Double check the Work mode settings (Use timer checked and not checked) - Run only the non-tripping battery temporarily in Lithium and AGM V modes - Requested Sunsynk Firmware update - went from MCU 6014 to 6022 Current status is that the Installer has spoken to Raystech, and they are working on a Firmware update that *might* fix the issue - but in the mean time I don't have backup power :S Has anyone else experienced something similar? Any ideas?
February 23, 20233 yr Author Update: Raystech support assisted with getting the battery that was tripping to charge by removing the parallel DC connections and setting the inverter to AGM Voltage mode, with values for voltage: Float 53.6v, Absorption 53.8v. The other battery refuses to charge, and doesn't toggle the internal breaker when turned on. (I don't like these digital on off switches that toggle the internal breaker electronically. More points of failure) Might need help on the second point.
February 24, 20233 yr Author Update: Looks like one of the batteries was dead-on arrival and the installer somehow didn't notice (haha). Today it gives off that sweet smell of exposed lithium. They are both being replaced under warranty. Would not recommend Raystech batteries.
March 17, 20233 yr Author Addendum: new Raystech batteries installed, continuously cycle between 90 and 100. Once they hit 100, they stop charging (expected) but then refused any charging all the way down to 90. Once they hit 90, they charge to 100. And cycle like that over and over. So, if the sun is out and the battery hits 100, the inverter happily ignores incoming PV and runs the load from the battery down to 90. Maybe in a country where the grid is reliable and it doesn't matter if you enter the evening on 100 or 90 percent, that's probably fine. But overall, my review on the Raystech 5100S battery is that they have a terrible BMS, and are totally not suited to South African users. 1/5 stars Oh NICE, the sun is hitting my panels! OH, but the load is coming only from the batteries because they recently hit 100%. And of course, there's no way to stop charging from PV at 99%. Edited March 17, 20233 yr by MeepMoop add media
March 28, 20233 yr Author Another addition: New firmware for CFE and Raystech makes that they cycle down to below 95% before charging to 100% again. Not perfect, but I would still go as far as to say that they have false marketing in that they do not disclose this behaviour anywhere, and it's up to the end customer to find out on their own. Review still stands. Not good. Deceptive marketing
April 17, 20233 yr I had a similar issue. I have 6 of these batteries. during extended power outage, my batteries slowly discharged. when they hit 40% they suddenly dropped to 1% and refused to come back on. Once power came back I checked everything and lo and behold 2 of the batteries were now reporting 66/69% SOH. After about a month of back and forth VOLTEX had them repaired at the supplier. 3 weeks later EXACT same story, but with 2 different batteries this time. 40% then instantly 1%, and when things came back the batteries were 71/73% SOH. Before this they were all 99% SOH. I'm now fighting with VOLTEX to try resolve but they're giving me the run around
April 17, 20233 yr 11 minutes ago, Zkrige said: I had a similar issue. I have 6 of these batteries. during extended power outage, my batteries slowly discharged. when they hit 40% they suddenly dropped to 1% and refused to come back on. Once power came back I checked everything and lo and behold 2 of the batteries were now reporting 66/69% SOH. After about a month of back and forth VOLTEX had them repaired at the supplier. 3 weeks later EXACT same story, but with 2 different batteries this time. 40% then instantly 1%, and when things came back the batteries were 71/73% SOH. Before this they were all 99% SOH. I'm now fighting with VOLTEX to try resolve but they're giving me the run around hmmm not ideal @Zkrige - i've contacted both CFE and Solar Advice to try get more information. Mine charge back up but i'm concerned this is killing the battery (and the bleddy inconvenience of it). Has anyone figured out how to properly interface with the battery via cable or WIFI to update firmware? The apps don't have that option, from what i've been able to make out... It should also give a battery health indication, can't find that anywhere either.
April 18, 20233 yr Author @GrantCPT When the batteries drop to 1%, do you check on the app what each individual SoC is? In my case, the batteries were waaay out of sync. Something like 65% and 35% Regarding Battery SOH, the only place I can see that is on the Inverter LiBMS screen.
April 18, 20233 yr 1 hour ago, MeepMoop said: @GrantCPT When the batteries drop to 1%, do you check on the app what each individual SoC is? In my case, the batteries were waaay out of sync. Something like 65% and 35% Regarding Battery SOH, the only place I can see that is on the Inverter LiBMS screen. very interesting @MeepMoop although when mine dropped to 1% it then charged up normally so i don't think it was a synching issue. Have just had CFE work on the system they confirmed the state of health is 100% for both batteries and have updated the firmware to the latest stable version - also updated the inverter. I shall continue holding thumbs...
April 18, 20233 yr Author 29 minutes ago, GrantCPT said: very interesting @MeepMoop although when mine dropped to 1% it then charged up normally so i don't think it was a synching issue. Have just had CFE work on the system they confirmed the state of health is 100% for both batteries and have updated the firmware to the latest stable version - also updated the inverter. I shall continue holding thumbs... Alright. Good luck
April 21, 20233 yr @GrantCPT how is your batterys after the firmware update? Mine is doing the same as yours at 40% just drops down to 1%. Charge back up without any issues. I can't see anything on the app it is connected but batterys are always offline. But on the inverter the readings are also strange it reported 72% SOC with a voltage of 51.2volt then at 40% it was at 51.1volt then in seconds dropped to 50.9 volt and 1% SOC. My inverter was set to cut at 50% DOD as I don't want to run them hard if not needed and changed it to 30% because if the 4 hour loadshedding. But they die before the 30%
April 21, 20233 yr Update. Got one battery showing "online" looks fine with all 16 cells at 3.33 volt each. Temp at 31 status:Normal. Other battery still showing offline. The one showing offline is the primary and was used to configure the wifi access as well.
April 22, 20233 yr 17 hours ago, Danie Schoeman said: @GrantCPT how is your batterys after the firmware update? Mine is doing the same as yours at 40% just drops down to 1%. Charge back up without any issues. I can't see anything on the app it is connected but batterys are always offline. But on the inverter the readings are also strange it reported 72% SOC with a voltage of 51.2volt then at 40% it was at 51.1volt then in seconds dropped to 50.9 volt and 1% SOC. My inverter was set to cut at 50% DOD as I don't want to run them hard if not needed and changed it to 30% because if the 4 hour loadshedding. But they die before the 30% Hey @Danie Schoeman yes the issue seems to have been resolved with the firmware update - Get your installer to add you to a whatsapp support group with CFE tech team Nancy from CFE updated mine - You will need to have the batteries online or perhaps the installer can do it manually via cable?
April 22, 20233 yr Author 7 minutes ago, GrantCPT said: Hey @Danie Schoeman yes the issue seems to have been resolved with the firmware update - Get your installer to add you to a whatsapp support group with CFE tech team Nancy from CFE updated mine - You will need to have the batteries online or perhaps the installer can do it manually via cable? Hey @GrantCPT. So you've cycled the batteries down passed 40% and they survived okay? If so, that's great!
April 22, 20233 yr 1 hour ago, MeepMoop said: Hey @GrantCPT. So you've cycled the batteries down passed 40% and they survived okay? If so, that's great! Yes @MeepMoop they have gone down to 15 where I have an auto shutdown a few times now... rain and extra load shedding really not helping - but seems to be holding up. I also asked them to check each battery health and both were still 100% so happy about that too.
April 22, 20233 yr Author 10 minutes ago, GrantCPT said: Yes @MeepMoop they have gone down to 15 where I have an auto shutdown a few times now... rain and extra load shedding really not helping - but seems to be holding up. I also asked them to check each battery health and both were still 100% so happy about that too. Awesome! Glad you're sorted
April 29, 20233 yr Myne is sorted as well tech from Raystech came to my house did the upgrade and check the health and they are still 100%. Had them to 15% 2 times already.
May 3, 20233 yr CFE did a firmware update, but sadly it just masked the problem. I have 5 batteries, which is 25kwh. I pulled all the logs from the inverter and put it into excel. essentially the batteries are draining faster than they should based on the current drawn from them. At one point the BMS reports 50% but according to calculations it should still be at 71%. So effectively ive lost ~40% of my batteries. The SOH shows 99% on all of them but I suspect the CFE upgrade did something to fudge that number, because previously it was 69%
May 11, 20233 yr What is the final verdict on these batteries? I have the CFE 5.1kw and having the discharging from 100% to 90% problem. Does not use PV power during this period. Lose a lot this way.
May 12, 20233 yr Author @Jason5 Get CFE to update your firmware to at least let them only cycle between 95 and 100. Verdict. Who knows. Some people are okay with it, some aren't.
October 13, 20232 yr My CFE batteries discharges to 58 persent then suddenfly drop all the wat down so 0 persent. In the battery wifiapp I saw 2 of the 4 batterues have bad sells which drop voltages much lower than the other cells. Stay away from CFE and Raystech batteries!!!
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