3 hours ago, Naz Essof said:

Hello,. Please can you recommend the best settings for the setup that I have listed below. 

Axpert 3kva inverter/charger (FCS-3K-VP-3000W)

6 x 335W solar panels in parallel (CS6U-335P)

4 x 12V gel batteries (Narada 200ah)

My preference in Program 01 is Uti, but my goal is to use solar energy to power my loads and charge batteries during the day, then use the batteries overnight.  Basically, I want to go off grid for everything that's connected to the inverter.

I thank you in advance for any help that you provide.

 

 

check this post and the one above it: https://powerforum.co.za/topic/2344-meceraxpert-inverter-settings/?do=findComment&comment=55716

Hi Guys

I started this thread about a year ago, and Coulomb was very helpful with my last questions. I just added 3 more panels and now need some help with my batteries. Not sure if I should be starting a new thread?

Anyway, my current and very small Off-The-Grid system:

• Mecer SOL-I-AX-3MPlus48 Inverter/Charger
• 6-300W Enersol panels X 4hrs=3600Wh[Watt hours] X.8=5760Wh power potential per day
• 4-12V 100amp/hour Vision batteries hooked in series=4800Wh storage potential [2400Wh at 50% SOC]
• Yamaha EF5500FW Generator

After adding the panels I didn't change any of the settings, and the panels seem to be working correctly - lots more power when the sun is shining - under a heavy load the PV input goes up to 1.45Kw. But the 4 year old batteries seem to be worse - not holding a charge into the evening or through the night as well as they did.

I checked their fully charged voltage in the middle of a sunny day - both connected and separated they read 14.01, 13.81, 13.85, and 13.78.

I wanted to disconnect them from the inverter and test again after a couple of hours to get a resting SOC, but when I disconnect the fuse the inverter goes off - blank screen - no power - nothing. Flip the fuse back in and all is well. Is this normal? Can't the PV panels run the inverter without the batteries?

Is there a way to test if the batteries are good?

kind regards

17 hours ago, Jesse said:

But the 4 year old batteries seem to be worse - not holding a charge

Alas, this is all too common with lead acid batteries. With your small system, you won't be running patched firmware, so the batteries could be chronically undercharged as well. 4 years is actually pretty good for lead acid, unless they're exceptional quality ones.

17 hours ago, Jesse said:

Can't the PV panels run the inverter without the batteries?

Most models can run the inverter, as in keep the LEDs on, but the smaller ones might not. You won't be able to generate any power without batteries, however, unless you have one of a very few models. 

Thanks Coulomb

Seems like it's time to bite the bullet and get some new batteries 😞

I am adding a small cabin with kitchenette to my load, so want to almost double my current storage capacity:

4-12V 100amp/hour AGM Vision 6FM100LP-X batteries hooked in series=4.8kWh storage potential [2.4kWh usable at 50% DOD]

Do you or anyone else have a suggestion as to what would be most cost-effective at this time?

 

Edited December 1, 20196 yr by Jesse

16 hours ago, Jesse said:

a suggestion as to what would be most cost-effective at this time?

Generally, lithium batteries (LFP or other lithium) work out more cost-effective in the long run, but they cost a fair bit more up front.

Thanks Coulomb

 

Unless you have another suggestion I plan to buy two of the Pylontech US3000 3.5kWh 48V Li-Ion Batteries, which will give me more than twice my current storage.

I see that they each need a cable pack. Is there anything else I will need to connect them together and also up to my Mecer SOL-I-AX-3MPlus48 Inverter/Charger?

 

Will I need to change any of the settings:

#26 [Bulk Charge] & #27 [Floating Charge] - Battery spec sheet says Charge Voltage(V): 52.5~53.5?

#29 [Low DC Cut-off Voltage] - 80% DOD would be 38.4, but Mecer minimum is 40.0?
 

regards

Jesse

Edited December 2, 20196 yr by Jesse

PS

No need to answer, as I got all of my questions answered by the battery manufacturers.

Thanks again for all your help.

Edited December 3, 20196 yr by Jesse

3 hours ago, Jesse said:

I got all of my questions answered by the battery manufacturers.

Well, that makes a pleasant change!

Morning all

Can someone perhaps please explain to me what "overcharging in line mode" means ?

i cannot find an answer to this -even from the person that sold and installed my 1200VA/2400VA inverter .

The continuous beeping noise is irritating.disappears when I switch it off but comes on randomly again.

Sorry to ask here but I found this discussion during my search.

thanks.

3 hours ago, AJB said:

Can someone perhaps please explain to me what "overcharging in line mode" means ?

Is this in relation to a warning code? I'm not as familiar with the lower power inverters.

My guess would be that the inverter is significantly overshooting its current target when charging from utility. Though my understanding is that the smaller inverters have a separate AC to DC converter for battery charging, so it doesn't have to be in line mode to utility charge the battery.

3 hours ago, AJB said:

i cannot find an answer to this -even from the person that sold and installed my 1200VA/2400VA inverter .

Can you tell us the exact model number, please? That makes things a lot easier.

Thanks for your speedy reply.

Currently have load shedding.

It is a mecer 1200VA/2400VA with a lead acid battery. It is only used for a pc, tv, 3 lamps and a wifi router during load shedding.

i am sending a link to the manual with "overcharging in line mode" fault. (flashing red light and continuous beeping)

http://www.essentialit.co.za/g/backuppower/MecerBatteryCentreUserGuide.pdf

Thanks again.

 

 

 

30 minutes ago, AJB said:

It is a mecer 1200VA/2400VA with a lead acid battery.

Um, it has to be one or the other. The manual covers two different models.

30 minutes ago, AJB said:

i am sending a link to the manual with "overcharging in line mode" fault.

Huh. It has a definite Voltronic Power feel to it, but the nearest model I can find is the Jaguar-M. The Jaguar-M is also simulated sine wave, also 1200 or 2400 VA. But the Jaguar is PF0.8; yours is PF0.6. And yours appears to have no PV charger at all; the Jaguar has one.

So I'm sorry to say that while I know a lot of the Voltronic Power models reasonably well, yours is new to me. So I have nothing to add to my original guess.

Good evening guys

sorry to jump in here

I have 2 x 5kw (parallel) MKS inverters (48V), off grid and 21 x 270w solar panels coupled to a 6 x 100AH 5kw li-on batteries.

Work well until yesterday when it ran out of battery power after 3 days of clouds. The system fell over and on restart it is giving an error code 80 on the SL inverter.

Has anyone come across this code and how do you fix it? 

9 hours ago, BAffled said:

The system fell over and on restart it is giving an error code 80 on the SL inverter.

The parallel guide says:

"1. Check if communication cables are connected well and restart the inverter.
 2. If the problem remains, please contact your installer."

By "communications cables", they mean the grey cables with the ~15 pin connectors, not RS-232 comms cables. I would check the current sharing cables too. Perhaps re-seat the plugs in the sockets, perhaps use a zero residue contact cleaner as well.

I have a theory that some of the parallel boards are failing in the heat. There has been plenty of heat here, I assume it's not much cooler in South Africa of late.

Hi Coulomb

Thank you very much it fixed the problem. Only after several attempts.

@Chris Hobson

Hi Chris, 

I have installed a Mecer branded Axpert 5kva hybrid 48V inverter attached to 4 Camistar 200Ah deep cycle gel batteries in series. 

At this stage, I have no PV panels installed. I will add on in future. Can you assist with best settings for the inverter and batteries as described. Thanks in advance. Sudesh

Hi - I started this thread and have now installed two US3000 Pylontech batteries to replace my 4 dying 12V 100amp/hour Vision AGM batteries, and they seem to be performing well, but there are two anomalies I would like to understand and correct if possible/needed.

Off-The-Grid Solar System:

Mecer SOL-I-AX-3MPlus48 Inverter/Charger

6-300W Enersol panels

2-Pylontech US3000 batteries hooked in series

Yamaha EF5500FW Generator

 

The only settings I changed, as per Pylontech’s recommendations, were:

#13 to 51V [even though with #01 set at Utility First this setting shouldn’t be relevant]

#26 to 53.2V

#27 to 53.1V [this was suggested by a technician at the online store [Solar Shop] where I bought the batteries from]

#29 to 47.5V

 

Current settings:

01, U?I [Utility first]

02, 20A [Maximum charging current]

03, UPS [AC input voltage range]

04, SDS [Power saving mode disabled]

05, USE [Battery type]

06, L?E [Restart enable]

07, ??E [Restart enable]

09, 50Hz [Output frequency]

11, 15A [Maximum utility charging current]

12, 48 [Irrelevant, since I have selected U?I in Program 01]

13, 51 [Irrelevant, since I have selected U?I in Program 01]

16, CU? [Charger source priority]

18, BOF [Alarm control]

19, ?EP [Auto return to default display screen]

20, LOF [Backlight control]

22, LOF [Beeps while primary source is interrupted]

23, BYE [Overload bypass]

25, FEN [Record fault code]

26, 53.2 [Bulk charging voltage] - Swellendam, Western Cape

27, 53.1 [Floating charging voltage]

29, 47.5 [Low DC cut-off voltage]

The anomalies are:

1) That whenever I turn on my kettle [1.8Kw], the 04 Fault code comes up [Battery Voltage Is Too Low] , usually towards the end of the heating.The Mecer monitor shows the battery voltage as fine - usually about 51 or 52V? Even if the fault is incorrect or insignificant, in order to dismiss the fault it seems I have to turn the inverter and the batteries off and then back on?

The other anomaly is that the Mecer's fan is turning on at a lower voltage than it did with the lead-acid batteries [and it's in our living room 😞 ]?

Any help at resolving these anomalies would be appreciated.

On 2020/01/17 at 12:14 AM, Jesse said:

2-Pylontech US3000 batteries hooked in series

I hope you mean in parallel. US3000 batteries are already 48 V nominal, correct?

Quote

#26 to 53.2V

#27 to 53.1V [this was suggested by a technician at the online store [Solar Shop] where I bought the batteries from]

Those value are quite high; consider lowering them a little if the battery gets stressed by over-voltage. Axperts are by no means perfect at preventing overshoots of battery voltage. I realise that these are recommended voltages.

Quote

#29 to 47.5V

I would change setting 29 to about 46 V. That should stop the low battery alarms.

Quote

02, 20A [Maximum charging current]

You could increase this to up to 70 A, if your inverter settings go that high. (Derivation: 35 A per US3000, x 2 paralleled units, divided by 1 charger.)

Quote

11, 15A [Maximum utility charging current]

Depending on your generator capability and expected loads, you may care to increase this value.

Quote

The anomalies are:

1) That whenever I turn on my kettle [1.8Kw], the 04 Fault code comes up [Battery Voltage Is Too Low] , usually towards the end of the heating.

See FAQ question 1.

Quote

Even if the fault is incorrect or insignificant, in order to dismiss the fault it seems I have to turn the inverter and the batteries off and then back on?

No. Per the FAQ, with unpatched firmware, you need the battery voltage to rise to 4.0 V more than setting 29 to turn off the alarm. At present, that's 51.5 V.

Quote

The other anomaly is that the Mecer's fan is turning on at a lower voltage than it did with the lead-acid batteries [and it's in our living room 😞 ]?

Perhaps consider moving the inverter? 😮

I don't know the lower power models all that well, and the fan control is something the manufacturer seems to change fairly frequently. So I don't know why it seems to come on at a lower battery voltage. As a point of interest, what is your main (U1) firmware version?

Edited July 9, 20205 yr by Coulomb

8 hours ago, Coulomb said:

8 hours ago, Coulomb said:

Wow - thanks Coulomb! To understand this a bit better, a few more questions 🙂

I hope you mean in parallel. US3000 batteries are already 48 V nominal, correct?

Yes, in parallel, my mistake.

Those value are quite high; consider lowering them a little if the battery gets stressed by over-voltage. Axperts are by no means perfect at preventing overshoots of battery voltage. I realise that these are recommended voltages.

Is there a way I can tell if the batteries are getting stressed? How much lower? And how much even lower [if at all] should float be compared to bulk?

I would change setting 29 to about 46 V. That should stop the low battery alarms.

I will play with this setting - so far it seems 46.5 stops the fault from coming on - thanks! But even though the batteries have some internal protection with regard to low voltage [as you mention in FAQ #1], isn't it possible that this might stress the batteries?

You could increase this to up to 70 A, if your inverter settings go that high. (Derivation: 35 A per US3000, x 2 paralleled units, divided by 1 charger.)

Another great suggestion [60A is the max on this inverter]!

Depending on your generator capability and expected loads, you may care to increase this value.

15A is the max on this inverter.

No. Per the FAQ, with unpatched firmware, you need the battery voltage to rise to 4.0 V more than setting 29 to turn off the alarm. At present, that's 51.5 V.

Good to know.

Perhaps consider moving the inverter? 😮

On my To-Do list, but I don't like not having the display easily accessible - unless you know of a way to remotely monitor this inverter [Mecer SOL-I-AX-3MPlus48 Inverter/Charger]?

I don't know the lower power models all that well, and the fan control is something the manufacturer seems to change fairly frequently. So I don't know why it seems to come on at a lower battery voltage. As a point of interest, what is your main (U1) firmware version?

Another mistake on my part 😞 Not lower voltage, rather a lower output wattage. And I did find out that the fan comes on based on usage and temperature, so it may only be hotter days lately, even though the top of the inverter rarely gets even warm, and never hot. Main firmware is 02.42

 

 

1 hour ago, Jesse said:

Is there a way I can tell if the batteries are getting stressed?

Well, if the BMS disconnects the battery from the inverter, for example.

Quote

How much lower?

You have to figure that out by trial and error, I think.

Quote

And how much even lower [if at all] should float be compared to bulk?

That's a sort of religious question. I'm a believer in a fairly large difference, say 51.8 V bulk versus 50.3 V float. I note that both of these values are considerably less than the recommended 53.2 V. The latter is way too close for my liking from the "never exceed" figure of 3.60 VPC, which is 54.0 V total.

1 hour ago, Jesse said:

I will play with this setting - so far it seems 46.5 stops the fault from coming on - thanks! But even though the batteries have some internal protection with regard to low voltage [as you mention in FAQ #1], isn't it possible that this might stress the batteries?

46.5 V is 3.10 VPC, which is basically dead flat for an LFP cell. So one would hope that the BMS would stop the battery from getting that low before the inverter does. So in effect, the inverter's low DC cutoff setting is unlikely to do its intended job (saving the battery), and only does its undocumented nuisance job (causes nuisance warnings). So you may as well make it 46.0 V and be certain to avoid the low battery warnings.

1 hour ago, Jesse said:

I don't like not having the display easily accessible - unless you know of a way to remotely monitor this inverter [Mecer SOL-I-AX-3MPlus48 Inverter/Charger]?

There is a remote display option that can be bought; I assume that would work if your inverter has an RS-232 port (from memory, some of the smaller ones don't). I don't know if ICC can talk to your inverter. But the inverter will take commands via the USB port, so you could roll your own, if you have the skills and the time.

1 hour ago, Jesse said:

Not lower voltage, rather a lower output wattage

Ah. With the lower voltage of the 15S LFP battery compared to a 24S lead acid battery, the battery-side DC-DC converter has to operate at slightly higher current for the same load, and hence with slightly higher I²R losses for the same load. Perhaps that's the reason for the earlier fan noise.

2 hours ago, Jesse said:

Main firmware is 02.42

Ah. I actually have that one for study. Sadly, the processor is a HCS08, which is technically more challenging to read than the TI DSPs. All that stack manipulation drives me crazy.

 

On 2020/01/17 at 3:32 AM, Coulomb said:

On 2020/01/17 at 3:32 AM, Coulomb said:

 

Thanks Coulomb - once again very helpful!

I don't have an RS232 or a USB port on this one, only a COM & a NC C NO [see attached pic], so I may be out of luck regarding remote monitoring. Any idea what type of COM port it is?

The main reason I would like to have some form of remote monitoring is that two houses are using the system [one a small cabin]. This is why I have doubled my panels and more than doubled my storage. In the cabin I have restricted the load [small fridge, no electric kettle & informing friends and renters about the limitations], in my home [and ideally in the cabin as well] I would at least like to know the SOC of the batteries without going outside to the shed they are in. I could just run two wires from the battery contacts at the inverter to a simple voltmeter, or do you have any other suggestions?

Your last two answers are pretty much Greek to me, but I get the gist of them 🙂

 

 

That is  a "USB A male to B male printer cable" that is used in the Mecer / Axpert inverters.

 

Edited January 19, 20206 yr by GVC

7 hours ago, Jesse said:

I don't have an RS232 or a USB port ... Any idea what type of COM port it is?

It's a USB port 🙂  USB connectors generally aren't used for other purposes (unlike RJ-45 connectors that are used for many different things, not just ethernet). So when you see a connector like that, you can be confident that it's USB.

Just use a cable like the one @GVC has helpfully pictured, between your inverter and a PC. No USB to RS-232 cable required. WatchPower should know how to talk to the inverter.

But how you get from that to off-site monitoring, I don't know. You could plug the USB into a Pi or Arduino with suitable shield (if needed) and software; I believe the way to talk to the USB port has finally been figured out and published. But I'm not aware of anything ready made.

Maybe a small  cheap laptop running WatchPower near the inverter, and remote into that laptop via the internet, presuming that you have cell tower access at the cabin.

@ Jesse the remote unit that is available for the Axpert is supplied with a 6 meter cable and a new com board to fit the unit . It can only do what the display on the Axpert can do . They are available at Laptop Direct

On 2020/01/17 at 3:32 AM, Coulomb said:

Thank you GVC & Coulomb

The inverter is not too far away from the main house, so I could use an Active Repeater Cable to connect it to a laptop with WatchPower, so that's probably a good option.

The cabin only really needs to know an approximate SOC, so could I connect a simple voltmeter to either the inverter or one of the Pylontechs, and if so, where would you suggest I connect it to?

And thanks Chris - I've seen that remote, but the specs at different sites say that's it only for 4 or 5K units, and it's bundled with a RJ-45/RJ-11 cable.

I could get a USB to ethernet adapter for the cable, but does anyone know if the remote display will work with my 3K unit?