moshulu Posted October 2, 2018 Posted October 2, 2018 Hi all, First post here and also my first solar PV system - can't wait to delve further into the masses of info on this forum. I've done a bit of searching already but please forgive me if I've missed the answer to my question. I just bought what I thought was an Axpert MKS 3KVA-48V inverter from Cablematic in Spain. It arrived today with signs that actually I've been sent a not-entirely-brand-new item. The warranty sticker over the cover screw is broken (it also says "2015" on it so very old stock!) and there are scuff marks on the mounting points at the back. I've contacted the supplier about that already, however my question is - How do I tell if I've got a real Axpert vs a fake one? Attached are photos of the spec label. Are there any telltale clues to look for? The user manual (and specs listed) are identical to the Voltronic item and the case is identical too. Also, @Coulomb - I think I saw a post in another thread which said you had the Service Manual for this model, but the link you gave at the time to the files section of this forum is now dead. Don't suppose you can point me to a current link for that file? Looking forward to picking all your brains more as I get stuck into the build! Many thanks. Quote
Coulomb Posted October 2, 2018 Posted October 2, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, moshulu said: I just bought what I thought was an Axpert MKS 3KVA-48V inverter from Cablematic in Spain. It arrived today with signs that actually I've been sent a not-entirely-brand-new item. The warranty sticker over the cover screw is broken (it also says "2015" on it so very old stock!) and there are scuff marks on the mounting points at the back. I've contacted the supplier about that already, however my question is - How do I tell if I've got a real Axpert vs a fake one? That's an often asked question, and I have no idea why Voltronic Power make it so hard for people to know they are getting a product made by them, especially with clones about. Perhaps it's to ensure that the dealers handle all the customer care. Quote Attached are photos of the spec label. Are there any telltale clues to look for? Not much I can point to, but it matches many that I've seen, the font looks right, the serial number looks right, and so on. So you're off to a good start. Quote The user manual (and specs listed) are identical to the Voltronic item and the case is identical too. All good signs. Quote Also, Coulomb - I think I saw a post in another thread which said you had the Service Manual for this model, but the link you gave at the time to the files section of this forum is now dead. Don't suppose you can point me to a current link for that file? Weird that the link died. I can't quickly find another copy online, so I uploaded it to Google Drive. I tried to share it for everyone, so hopefully this will work: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1g094IDmHd4UwyLoQ9gKMEAX4Sv7phZPy/view?usp=sharing Edited October 2, 2018 by Coulomb can't find copy online Quote
moshulu Posted October 2, 2018 Author Posted October 2, 2018 Thanks Coulomb - much appreciated! Mine's the 48V version but I assume most things will be similar? Just curious to understand better how these things work... I found the original thread where a user named "vandyh" (who uploaded those service manuals to the now dead link) posted about his system and the fact that he had obtained _all_ the service manuals for _all_ the different variations of these inverters. (https://powerforum.co.za/topic/683-axpert-ks-pv-sensing/) It appears he's now deleted his forum account (hence the file link going dead). Don't suppose you downloaded the 48V version when you got the 24V one? I'm still attempting to source a Pylontech US2000B Plus battery to use with this inverter and all the ancilliary circuitry/protection. I'm itching to get into playing with the USB port and console/CAN ports on the battery to get them talking to each other via a Raspberry Pi... one step at a time though! :-) Quote
Chris Hobson Posted October 2, 2018 Posted October 2, 2018 Hi Moshulu are you looking for service manuals? Quote
___ Posted October 3, 2018 Posted October 3, 2018 15 hours ago, moshulu said: CAN ports Look at the documentation for the REC BMS, about the CAN-bus protocol. This is publicly available. The Pylontech is almost exactly the same. Although most people usually end up using the console port because then you need to extra canbus hardware. Quote
moshulu Posted October 3, 2018 Author Posted October 3, 2018 Thanks @plonkster - I will definitely have a look at that when I get up to that stage of the project. @Chris Hobson - yes I am, do you know where to find the MKS 3KVA-48V version? Quote
___ Posted October 3, 2018 Posted October 3, 2018 There seems to be a Hat for the Rpi with can capabilities, the PiCAN2. There are also Shields for the Arduino, and since most of these are based on the MCP2515 anyway and both the arduino and the Pi has SPI connectivity, with a bit of hacking you can make the one work with the other. For my own projects I prefer replacing the MCP2551 line driver with a Texas Instruments ISO1050 (almost pin-compatible) with galvanic isolation, but that might not matter. Quote
Chris Hobson Posted October 3, 2018 Posted October 3, 2018 12 hours ago, moshulu said: @Chris Hobson - yes I am, do you know where to find the MKS 3KVA-48V version? Check you inbox. Quote
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