March 16, 20233 yr On 2023/01/25 at 10:43 AM, madness_za said: My consulting rate is R1000/hr, with a R5/KM travel fee. Payable in advance if you want me to visit From your FB Page and website: (https://www.ecommauctions.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/E-Comm-Auctions-Terms-and-Conditions-buyers.pdf) - Established in 2020 Your website domain was only registered in 2021... curious - https://coza.net.za/cgi-bin/whois.sh?Domain=ecommauctions&Enter=Enter This 2010/2011 Takealot/BoB story, lol. Just LOL You have 8k Bidders, but ONE single Google Review, I wonder why? Here's an example of one of your fans on Facebook, one "Amy Johnston" - https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100073256284388 Every single post of her profile is for "giveaways". I'm sure she and others are completely real people who only post about giveaways and nothing else You did dodge the important question. Who is doing the aftersales support for FiveStar, and is there a local repair center. Do you keep spare parts inventory? Is that available for purchase by end users or installers? You also might not get what you bid on. Don't be fooled by the pictures.
March 19, 20233 yr When doing your research on clones, be sure to Google "premature floating point". I have an axpert 3kW clone, f@cked up a set of 200Ah batteries. By the time I got suspicious the damage was done Proving this and suing the distributor will turn into a circus, though
March 20, 20233 yr On 2023/03/19 at 7:49 AM, Kremmen said: When doing your research on clones, be sure to Google "premature floating point". I have an axpert 3kW clone, f@cked up a set of 200Ah batteries. By the time I got suspicious the damage was done Proving this and suing the distributor will turn into a circus, though This is not only clones. You might find more branded Mecer/Axpert having the same premature floating bug. See all the answers from @Coulomb with firmware updates. For clones nearly zero updates as it is not known what the firmware is like. Observing the values on the inverter screen is still the best advice to be sure that the inverter is operating at the correct levels before weeks/months of wrong settings/operation before pulling your hair out. Edited March 20, 20233 yr by Scorp007
April 14, 20233 yr On 2022/12/10 at 12:08 PM, Classic said: Shaun182, which units are you referring to? Shaun182 Item purchased: Fivestar 8kva 120a MPPT Wifi Compatible Hybrid Parallel Solar Inverter Order delivered included the following: The Unit x 1 The User Manual x 1 Communication cable (USB cable between Unit & PC) x 1 Outstanding in Order delivered: BMS Communication cable (RS485 between Unit & Battery) – Not delivered... and... No information in the User Manual on Unit for BMS communication (Unit’s three RS485 pin connections Outstanding) – Not in the User Manual received with the order. Can you please assist with additional information to the User Manual Herewith the Battery BMS details for RS485: Pin 8 - RS485_B Pin 7 - RS485_A Pin 3 - GND Request the UNIT BMS details for RS485: RS485_B – Pin……. ? RS485_A – Pin…..? GND – Pin……. ?
April 15, 20233 yr Attach the drawing on the Unit & Battery for BMS connection. Request help on the drawing for the RS485 pin details that I can make up my own RS485 cable.
May 29, 20233 yr Recently bought a Fivestar 8.5 Kva 48 v hybrid inverter. Couldn't find a Mecer Axpert of that size available in stock but research indicated Fivestar are the "back door" model out of the Sinjuan factory where Axpert are made. Price was attractive, 30 % less than equivalent models, but after sales and support remain questionable. User manual was not supplied and not available online, although the 5Kva Plus manual is, and works. Installation completed, linked to an Ecco 5 Kva LiFePO4 battery and system turned on. Started up without a hitch and has been working well for a couple of weeks, running the whole house except solar geyser element. Perhaps I will regret my decisions later, time will tell, but for now we are happy to be up and running with power cuts in SA at 6 - 8 hours a day, sometimes for 4 hours.
June 7, 20233 yr I want to ask a very similar question. I have a Fivestar 10kVA model VX-10048M-FS 48V 10000VA MPPT. So far I have most of it working but with the exception of the PV panels input, the display confirms 145Vdc is reaching it but it draws no current from the PVs and flashes an alarm ALA 33 which is not in my 'User Manual' ! I doubt it is difficult to sort this out but the frustration is the skimpy and incomplete documentation I have. Is there anyone out there with better info? I'm in the FS, Deneysville. -John
August 31, 20232 yr I am using a 8,5 Kva Fivestar inverter for six months now as back up for power failures without solar panels. No problems so far, but the cooling fans are running most of the time although it is winter and not at all hot in the room where it is installed.
August 31, 20232 yr 3 hours ago, Kalger said: I am using a 8,5 Kva Fivestar inverter for six months now as back up for power failures without solar panels. No problems so far, but the cooling fans are running most of the time although it is winter and not at all hot in the room where it is installed. The Fivestar's all have heat issues must be the design most people that have them complain about fans running continuously. My neighbor in CPT was also complaining about no solar production. I told him i will upgrade to another inverter most probably a 5kw Sunsynk.
August 31, 20232 yr 1 hour ago, TaliaB said: The Fivestar's all have heat issues must be the design most people that have them complain about fans running continuously. My neighbor in CPT was also complaining about no solar production. I told him i will upgrade to another inverter most probably a 5kw Sunsynk. Assuming I’ve picked the correct field for temperature, my well-ventilated Sunsynk 5kW runs just as hot as this when charging: 30 minutes of post-loadshedding charging at just 2.5kW (at night with no PV) has it at the same temperature as in the Fivestar picture - and during the day when it’s inverting PV, it easily hits north of 65 degrees (!) Celsius… So they run hot, too! Although reports of overheating are rare so presumably the thermal design caters for it. (Or so I hope!)
August 31, 20232 yr 11 minutes ago, JayMardern said: Assuming I’ve picked the correct field for temperature, my well-ventilated Sunsynk 5kW runs just as hot as this when charging: 30 minutes of post-loadshedding charging at just 2.5kW (at night with no PV) has it at the same temperature as in the Fivestar picture - and during the day when it’s inverting PV, it easily hits north of 65 degrees (!) Celsius… So they run hot, too! Although reports of overheating are rare so presumably the thermal design caters for it. (Or so I hope!) If your inverter is consistently reaching 65 degrees Celsius, you might want to consider improving its cooling or ventilation to ensure proper functioning. The Fivestar inverter in my picture was charging at 20 amps(960 watts) and reaching 50°C and sometimes went up to 62°C in a well ventilated area in my book 65° is quite hot should the ambient temp rise you might have a problem.
August 31, 20232 yr 18 minutes ago, TaliaB said: If your inverter is consistently reaching 65 degrees Celsius, you might want to consider improving its cooling or ventilation to ensure proper functioning. The Fivestar inverter in my picture was charging at 20 amps(960 watts) and reaching 50°C and sometimes went up to 62°C in a well ventilated area in my book 65° is quite hot should the ambient temp rise you might have a problem. Are you sure? A bit of searching seems to yield similar temps from others for the Deye/Sunsynks?
August 31, 20232 yr 52 minutes ago, TaliaB said: If your inverter is consistently reaching 65 degrees Celsius, you might want to consider improving its cooling or ventilation to ensure proper functioning. The Fivestar inverter in my picture was charging at 20 amps(960 watts) and reaching 50°C and sometimes went up to 62°C in a well ventilated area in my book 65° is quite hot should the ambient temp rise you might have a problem. I presume my inverter without fans that shows this temperature when working at 87% of full power is pretty good. Low temperature was during LS and not in operation.
August 31, 20232 yr On 2023/08/31 at 7:46 PM, Scorp007 said: I presume my inverter without fans that shows this temperature when working at 87% of full power is pretty good. Low temperature was during LS and not in operation. Interesting! Is that also the 5kW Sunsynk? EDIT: Looks like this is a Mecer 3kVA. Checked with several colleagues and it seems the > 50 temps above are reasonably typical; I'm assuming the inverter is built to handle them. I guess it's more about overall thermal design than raw temparature. Edited September 4, 20232 yr by JayMardern
October 12, 20232 yr I see alot of people are getting inverters that are not really the best and then when it's installed it either doesn't work the way you want to or you send it straight back. I've installed alot of inverters and if anything I'd suggest going for sunsynk/Deye they made by the same company and if you get it with the battery it comes with a much longer warranty also victron is a very good brand it's more for the coast and industrial side of things But my suggestion is definitely go for sunsynk or deye
October 13, 20232 yr 21 hours ago, Storm17 said: I see alot of people are getting inverters that are not really the best and then when it's installed it either doesn't work the way you want to or you send it straight back. I've installed alot of inverters and if anything I'd suggest going for sunsynk/Deye they made by the same company and if you get it with the battery it comes with a much longer warranty also victron is a very good brand it's more for the coast and industrial side of things But my suggestion is definitely go for sunsynk or deye The "extended warranties" have yet to be tested, so I'd take that with a pinch of salt. That said, you have choice at multiple price points for inverters, but sadly people are going on price only and settling for what are really just terrible clones sold by unscrupulous installers) retailers
October 13, 20232 yr 6 hours ago, madness_za said: The "extended warranties" have yet to be tested, so I'd take that with a pinch of salt. That said, you have choice at multiple price points for inverters, but sadly people are going on price only and settling for what are really just terrible clones sold by unscrupulous installers) retailers Yes, the FS machines may be ok, but its a big support gamble regarding lifecycle. And if that goes south the cost of ownership of an FS is expensive.
March 3, 20242 yr I have a Fivestar inverter, recently got a 5.12kw Fivestar battery. The only Comms port on the inverter I use for monitoring. How can I make a Comms connection between the inverter and battery and stil monitor my inverter. As I mentioned the inverter has only 1 Comms port.
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