Hi all. 

Please can you assist. 

A backup system consisting of a Mecer SOL-IX-AX-5P inverter and 2x US2000 Pylontech lithium batteries was removed to be relocated to another house. 

Batteries stood +- 3-4 weeks before the system was re installed with 6 x JA 455w panels. 

The invert will now not switch on. The batteries voltage is 0.068V. Does this particular Mecer inverter only switch on with battery power and not mains?

Thank you 

32 minutes ago, Daniel.moat said:

Does this particular Mecer inverter only switch on with battery power and not mains?

Correct,  the machine requires battery supply to switch on. 

You may have a  bootstrap (deadlock) problem, whereby the machine needs battery power to start up, but the battery needs machine power to charge up to an adequate threshold.  That is to say the battery is not faulty, and that the discharge  path has been disabled due to battery low. 

The only way to bootstrap the system is to add a power supply or external charger to the battery terminals to excite the system. But this must be done in a controlled manner by competent person. 

 

 

Thank you so much for the reply. Much appreciated. Can I take the batteries and get them charged somewhere? I don't want to just stick a charger on myself and damage the batteries. 

 

Thanks again. 

1 minute ago, Daniel.moat said:

Thank you so much for the reply. Much appreciated. Can I take the batteries and get them charged somewhere? I don't want to just stick a charger on myself and damage the batteries. 

 

Thanks again. 

Yes, by all means, thats a good call.  Good luck, let me know  the progress.  The battery does not need to get fully charge , only enough to 'open its discharge doors'. 

Managed to switch it on by holding down the 2 red buttons marked "sw" together for 3+ seconds. 

Can anyone assist with the settings? 

Have 6 x 455w panels, 2 x US2000 Pylontech lithium batteries. The system only gets charged by the panels and not by the mains at all. Then feeds the property with power during load shedding. 

Your model (like mine) will only utility charge when in line mode (which shows as BYPASS on the LC Display). You might do better with SOL output source priority (setting 1) which changes the inverter to line mode at sunset. Or even to UTI output source priority, which only runs in battery mode when the mains is off.

I'm guessing you're using SBU output priority, which tries to use mains power as little as possible.

To keep the battery charged ready for load shedding, charger source priority (setting 16) should be set to SNU (Solar aNd Utility).

29 minutes ago, Coulomb said:

Your model (like mine) will only utility charge when in line mode (which shows as BYPASS on the LC Display). You might do better with SOL output source priority (setting 1) which changes the inverter to line mode at sunset. Or even to UTI output source priority, which only runs in battery mode when the mains is off.

I'm guessing you're using SBU output priority, which tries to use mains power as little as possible.

To keep the battery charged ready for load shedding, charger source priority (setting 16) should be set to SNU (Solar aNd Utility).

This mode seems to be the safest bet for us with all the LS which can happen and increase at any time. Not a time to try and maximise gains from PV. 

On 2023/06/23 at 4:18 PM, Scorp007 said:

This mode seems to be the safest bet for us with all the LS which can happen and increase at any time. Not a time to try and maximise gains from PV. 

Can you please help. 

I am having big issues with my system. System installed is attached (6 x 455w JA Panels). We have a main DB with 2 x Sub DB's quite far from the house and main DB. Instead of running new cable to the main DB we installed 2 x automatic Change over switches. One at main DB and one at the System and sub DB. For some reason last night when there was load shedding the change over switches worked 100% and solar system kicked in and ran during load shedding with no issues at 1am the system tripped/switched off. Reset in the morning and solar system keeps tripping, each time the intervals between trips is different.

 

It can't be that the batteries power is depleted as it is during the day and there is sunshine and inverter was showing batteries were charging. I'm not sure if change over switches are not communicating properly. Not sure if it's because of settings. Have now re wired the change of switche at main DB and set sub DB change over to manual so that main house, poll pump house and laundry and garage are running only on mains. Idea is to have solar system only feeding back to main house during load shedding. Pool house laundry and garage to run off mains and not solar. Big challenge 🙈🙈🙈💩💩💩

17 minutes ago, Daniel.moat said:

Can you please help. 

I am having big issues with my system. System installed is attached (6 x 455w JA Panels). We have a main DB with 2 x Sub DB's quite far from the house and main DB. Instead of running new cable to the main DB we installed 2 x automatic Change over switches. One at main DB and one at the System and sub DB. For some reason last night when there was load shedding the change over switches worked 100% and solar system kicked in and ran during load shedding with no issues at 1am the system tripped/switched off. Reset in the morning and solar system keeps tripping, each time the intervals between trips is different.

 

It can't be that the batteries power is depleted as it is during the day and there is sunshine and inverter was showing batteries were charging. I'm not sure if change over switches are not communicating properly. Not sure if it's because of settings. Have now re wired the change of switche at main DB and set sub DB change over to manual so that main house, poll pump house and laundry and garage are running only on mains. Idea is to have solar system only feeding back to main house during load shedding. Pool house laundry and garage to run off mains and not solar. Big challenge 🙈🙈🙈💩💩💩

You would have to be sure the battery is not just charging but at what level of charge. Also what load have you got on the inverter even if there is solar charging. 

The system is situated at the 2nd sub DB +-50m away from the main DB. The cable running between DB's is only a 2 core so we cannot have main power running to the sub DB's and solar power running back to the main DB on 1 cable. Where the system is situated we need main power and not only solar as we use welding machines. So the solar system needs to feed back to the main DB in the existing cable. Thought was that 2 x change over switches would be needed. When load shedding kicks in the ATS at Main DB switches over and so does one at system and then power feeds back to main DB to feed house. 

 

We not sure what is tripping system, haven't figured out yet. There is a plug circuit breaker which is tripping the mains but when solar system on it doesn't trip imme, only after a while. 

 

My brain is fried on this one, so many scenarios 🤔

What is strange is that the installation was completed yesat around 14:30pm. It was running perfectly. At 6pm load shedding kicked in, the ATS (BOTH) kicked in and the system ran perfect during load shedding till 8pm and when Powe came back on again both ATS switched over. No issues over this period till +-1am when app for alarm system showed a drop in AC power and that's when noticed that solar system shut down and no power to pool house or laundry /garage. This morning switched system back on and repeatedly kept tripping and every time at different time intervals. Stayed on between 5mins - 1hr but kept tripping. Eventually bypass system and put everything to run from mains till we figure out the issue. 

Could it be that you have a residual current breaker with overload (we call that an RCBO in Australia) that is tripping due to the earth leakage from the inverter input to earth? That would cause random trips, as an inverter's leakage is often close to the tripping point, and the RCBOs tend to trip at different points depending on temperature and other factors. Plus, some loads will have additional leakage to earth when they are switched on, pushing the RCBO(s) towards tripping.

The solution is to either not have an RCBO before the inverter, or change it to one with a higher threshold (say 100 mA instead of the standard 30 mA). Increasing the threshold isn't great as it reduces safety, but if the breaker has to be there to satisfy regulations, then so be it. The best solution would be to have loads on a separate RCBO that trips at 30 mA, and either no RCBO or a high threshold one feeding the inverter.

But the cause may be something else. If you have a neutral mis-wired, that can cause RCBOs to trip apparently randomly as well, though you might be able to establish a pattern based on what loads come or already are on when it trips.

So the first question, as above is: what exactly trips? Maybe you just notice that there is a click and all power is off, but what mechanical levers have changed? What do you do to overcome the trip? If you just restart the inverter, then that's a whole different situation.

Edit: With power running back and forth long distances, that could be the source of the problem. You may need to move the inverter closer to where the loads it will be servicing are. A diagram would be very helpful, for us to be able to help you. I'm confused about where the inverter is, and where the loads are.

Edited June 25, 20233 yr by Coulomb

No help here but it is one of the difficult ones to find if it takes up to an hour to trip. This one calls for giving yourself LS after batteries have been charged during day time. Then you can monitor the level of the battery with say PV switched off. 01h not a time to try and find the problem. 

On 2023/06/25 at 8:22 AM, Coulomb said:

Could it be that you have a residual current breaker with overload (we call that an RCBO in Australia) that is tripping due to the earth leakage from the inverter input to earth? That would cause random trips, as an inverter's leakage is often close to the tripping point, and the RCBOs tend to trip at different points depending on temperature and other factors. Plus, some loads will have additional leakage to earth when they are switched on, pushing the RCBO(s) towards tripping.

The solution is to either not have an RCBO before the inverter, or change it to one with a higher threshold (say 100 mA instead of the standard 30 mA). Increasing the threshold isn't great as it reduces safety, but if the breaker has to be there to satisfy regulations, then so be it. The best solution would be to have loads on a separate RCBO that trips at 30 mA, and either no RCBO or a high threshold one feeding the inverter.

But the cause may be something else. If you have a neutral mis-wired, that can cause RCBOs to trip apparently randomly as well, though you might be able to establish a pattern based on what loads come or already are on when it trips.

So the first question, as above is: what exactly trips? Maybe you just notice that there is a click and all power is off, but what mechanical levers have changed? What do you do to overcome the trip? If you just restart the inverter, then that's a whole different situation.

Edit: With power running back and forth long distances, that could be the source of the problem. You may need to move the inverter closer to where the loads it will be servicing are. A diagram would be very helpful, for us to be able to help you. I'm confused about where the inverter is, and where the loads are.

Hi. 

So we managed to stop the system tripping and it switches over perfectly when there's load shedding or main power is lost, we ran it today and no issues . The problem we have now is that we had load shedding at 8pm, every switched over perfectly and system ran but after 35mins the system switched off, nothing tripped but the inverter turned off/shut down. Reset it and it shows batteries are almost full but again switched off after a while. I know obviously the panels are not charging batteries because it's night but (bearing in mind it shows there is battery power stored) why in day there's no shutdown but at night when load shedding there is? Image attached 

19 hours ago, Daniel.moat said:

we had load shedding at 8pm, every switched over perfectly and system ran but after 35mins the system switched off, nothing tripped but the inverter turned off/shut down.

You need to watch the LC Display or monitoring software to find out why it's shutting down.

* Is there a fault code shown?

* Is there a warning code shown?

* Does the beeper come on?

* What does the battery voltage show, especially towards the end when it's about to shut down?

* Do the battery modules show any warning lights or the like?

Since the Pylontech battery modules were standing unused for several weeks, they likely became somewhat unbalanced. It may be that it will take a few more weeks to equalise the battery cell voltages. Around 35 minutes of runtime does sound very short for an unbalanced battery, though.

Hello @Coulomb

Please forgive me for jumping in here.

Perhaps you can give me some advice. I have a client with an Axpert MKS 5k inverter and two PylonTech US3000C batteries that is solar and grid charged.

Today he called me as his power failed. I found that the inverter will not start and suspect the batteries reached the shut off limit of the inverter. If not that, then perhaps the inverter has blown a fuse. On the batteries, the RUN LED flashes as per normal, though there is no indication of the state of charge.

Can you please tell me if it is possible that the client has discharged his batteries to the lower limit of the inverter battery setting, and how do I recover from that? Also, if the batteries have been discharged too deeply, is there a method I can use to restart the charging on these batteries?

 

Thank you AS ALWAYS!

 

Regards

On 2023/07/09 at 1:44 AM, Sass said:

If not that, then perhaps the inverter has blown a fuse.

It's very rare that Voltronic inverters blow a fuse.

On 2023/07/09 at 1:44 AM, Sass said:

please tell me if it is possible that the client has discharged his batteries to the lower limit of the inverter battery setting, and how do I recover from that?

It's certainly possible. I don't own a Pylontech or similar, my battery is DIY. An LFP battery like this with BMS will not discharge so low that the inverter won't charge it.

On 2023/07/09 at 1:44 AM, Sass said:

is there a method I can use to restart the charging on these batteries?

I believe that you long press the power button, or maybe two buttons at once; I've seen it on this forum somewhere.

Hello again @Coulomb

Thank you for the assistance. I gave the info as received from the client. 

 

However, I visited him today and found the problem. It was unrelated to the PylonTech batteries, and also not related to the inverter.

There was a failed breaker between the batteries and the inverter which I duly replaced, and it is working fine now.

Thank you once again.

Regards