Did anyone figure out how to cascade / stack 2 or more Shoto Lithium batteries?

I need more info on the connection between the batteries using the Rs485 ports;

Is there a specific pin-out for the cable or would any straight RJ45 do?

Which ports do you use to interconnect, RS485A or RS485B?

Anyone figured out how to connect to a PC, which port and software to use?

Ho do you set the dip switches for master and slave batteries?

 

Hannes.

Their documentation is messy, but this is what I have figured out so far:

1. Battery 1 dip switches 1 up, rest down, Battery 2 dip 2 down rest up.

2. Cables. You need to use RS485 from one battery top the next. See below. You can use a standard lan cable.

Battery one RS485B >> Battery 2 RS485A

see image

3. Connecting it to a pc, is also sucky

you can use either the RS232 port or the open RS485 port on battery one and link to a pc.

RS232 pinout

 

Just what I was looking for. Thank you @Kosie.

Just curious though, you connected battery 1's B connector to battery 2's A connector. How come not A to A or B to B?

You are right, the manual is very messy.

One last Q... is your inverter comms cable a standard network cable or a cross over?

 

Thanks

Is the above still considered the  correct way?

Mine was set up as No. 1 and No. 5(!) with 5 connected to the inverter by CAN bus. 1 and 6 linked RS485B to RS485B. Doubt this is best practice but seems to work OK. 

Hi Scubadude

See attached. Hope this helps.

Best Regards

2x Shoto Battery Setup Diagram.pdf

Epic! Thanks @mocodo. Mine was close to the truth then.

Edited December 6, 20214 yr by Scubadude

Hello, How do you know if this comms is working? How do you verify on the inverter or battery?

Also to confirm, Std CAT5 LAN fly lead can be used? Nothing fancy like a crossover etc...

the connection from battery to battery , according to the manual goes as follows

on the main battery the cable goes in port b  and on next battery it goes to port A 

 

for more batteries the same applies battery 2 cable goes on port b and other side on battery 3 goes on port A  again rinse repeat

the cable is non standard ie a normal lan cable has all eight pins connected

 

this cable only needs 3 wires as can be seen in the image

pin 1 to pin 1 , 

pin 2 to pin 2

pin 8 to pin 8

the others pins it says NC i assume no connection so not sure if it doesn't work if the wires are present

if the wires dont interfere you could use a normal pc cable just make sure its a straight cable not a crossover cable

 

straight cable the wires will be the same order on both ie normaly this is the one most use 

white orange ;orange ; white blue; blue ;white green ; green ; white brown ; brown on both sides in this order

 

if you have a crossover cable the one side is as above and the other side is asa follows

white orange ;orange ; white blue; green ;white green ;  blue ; white brown ; brown

 

the portion i'm not sure about its the inverter to battery connection as you can see on the second image there is a bit of uncertainty about pin 2/7

so as i understand it, you connect the side of the battery  lan in this order and find the specs of your inverter and connect on the other side of the lan cable as required

as far as i understand this works in a crossover fashion,

ie whats connected to pin rs485A on the battery side gets connected to pin rs485b on the inverter

and rs485b on battery connects to rs485a on inverter

 

ie the transmit pin device 1 has to connect to receive pin on device 2 

and vice versa the receive pin on device 1 again connects to transmit pin on device 2

 

rs485a  ====> rs485B

rs485b ===> rs485A

if you can't find someone to make a custom cable you can cut a cable join the wires  as needed insulation tape

and leave disconnected the wires that isn't needed

like i said not sure on inverter connection

the port to the left of the that looks like a phone plug is the upper connection whatever that means could mean inverter or pc 

that is what is unclear to me

its pinout is as follows , still unclear if you need an rs485 to usb converter to use it, suppose i will find out as i try in future

 

it could also be the case that some device prefer communication via this port and others via the rs485A port time will tell

i could also be wrong on the crosover idea to inverter ie that pin rs485A connects to rs485A

 

so take salt

if it doesn't work for you revert to use settings