Darfon Gro Watt GBLI 5001 Battery Pack- worth a punt?
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joshcliffejones
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Apologies for the delay in response! I have since battled with the SP2000 i have to convert from Li-ion to Lead which was a total pain due to the lack of documentation, but i managed it and since got it set up with an NTC (cant remember the value) spoofed load going through a janky a$$ CT clamp and managed to get it producing power using the battery as the source! So naturally i am spurred on by this success and plan to keep both batteries and convert to a DIY BMS.
joshcliffejones
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That is brilliant work and great news! I assume the BMS you linked doesn’t have any management of sorts to be able to limit current or change upper and lower charge limits, etc?
JBD Normal bms 13S 14S 48v 30A 40A 50A 60A Lithium Battery PCB with Passive Balance NTC Temper Sensor freeshipping - Jiabaida BMS
Jiabaida BMS JBD Normal bms 13S 14S 48V 30A 40A 50A 60A Lithium Battery PCB with Passive Balance NTC Temper Sensor. High quality better service and favorable price with free shipping. Battery Management System for NMC/Li-ion Lifepo4 batteryjiabaidabms.com
The 14S 50A
Took about 3 weeks to arrive
I connected the BMS to the battery sensor wires using 2 veroboards. The red side has 8 wires and the black side has 7. Pretty poo pants when I accidentally touched 2 lines together by accident... I then hot glued the wires and wrapped in loads of insulation
The high current black output goes to the top corner of the board
The high current black from battery to the bottom middle of the board
The high current reds are connected together and add loads of thick insulation
The BMS has a temperature sensor, I popped this inbetween 2 cells, just like the original sensors were placed, and hot glued it in
I cable tied the board to the metal strut left by the old BMS
Set Growatt as lead
You'll need an NTC sensor plugged in. I didn't have any, so I used a 10K variable resistor (which didn't need any adjustment), on lines 2 and 8 of the RJ45 socket, and Growatt immediatly started working
I'm using an SP3000 and it charges on solar and off-peak electric. I have 3 other batteries to do
Hoping I can parallel in 2 batteries onto the SP3000's to get more storage, but need to find out how long it takes to charge one first, as I only have 4 hours of off-peak electric
I'm just finishing off my 2nd battery right now
On another note, i assume you have a genuine Growatt wired CT clamp with your set up? I didnt get one with mine and have managed to make it “work” with one of my spare CT clamps from my whole home power monitoring solution, but the values appear to be well off those that are reported by the SP2000. If i apply a 1KW load for example, the SP only registers a few hundred Watt.
So, naturally i am on the hunt for a Growatt wireless CT clamp as i know this will work for sure and it will allow me to leave the whole installation in my garage where it currently is which unfortunately is on the opposite side of the house to the incoming lines and consumer unit meaning i cant use a wired CT as the length of cable incurs too much loss.
I'm so glad I found this thread! Well done to all those persevering with the Growatt SP2000/3000 and GBLI5001's. I bought the SP2000 & GBLI5001 battery a little while ago. All worked ok after setup. I also realised that, by default, the SP2000 doesn't allow the battery to discharge until there is zero power from the PV panels. Annoying as the panels are still producing a handful of watts at nearly 9pm in the summer after which my need for electric is negligible. I was trying to switch on 'Force Discharge' mode, but I could not get the software to run let alone change a setting. I have since broken the SP2000; disconnecting the PV panels without following proper on/off procedure - always follow the on/off procedure! I'm pretty sure the GBLI5001 is ok, however, now it won't charge. I managed to manually charge it to nominal voltage about 51.5v for now while I work out what to do. The SP2000 displays error messages: 'Battery Open', 'BMS Error: 256' and 'PV Short-circuit' too and won't do it's job - so frustrating!
The manual is not very helpful when it comes to remedying faults. It either says 'Check cables' or 'Contact Growatt'. I've done both. Growatt asked me to go through startup procedure carefully. No luck there. Then they pronounced the SP2000 dead.
Thanks for all the ideas: I think the BMS would only listen to Growatt inverters, so changing the Darfon BMS should allow other inverters to use it if they can charge 48v setups. Or connecting the RS485 cable' pins is a good idea - well done to Mike_Hug for discovering. I am looking for another SP2000 (or SP3000) now. Brs98 you mentioned you might have a spare, if you still have one to sell I would be interested! JoshCliffeJones changing SP2000 to assume a lead battery instead might be an option. Incidentally, the CT clamp can work over a fair distance with a good quality network cable. Mine worked ok with almost 17m of network cable and apparently you can get wireless CT clamps to work too. Mind you I always thought that there was a delay in the SP2000 issuing power from the battery. For example if I switched on the kettle (at night) it would take a while for the SP2000 to commit sufficient power from the battery, by which time the kettle has boiled already. Thinking about it now it might be the length of the CT clamp cable creating that delay. Or it might just be slow readings/measurements whilst the electric does actually flow instantly - I'm not convinced though!
Quick query too - when the GBLI5001 is disconnected from everything is there a normal voltage reading at the Anderson plug on the side (either when the status light is on or off)? My GBLI5001 has no reading, but inside directly probing the batteries with a volt meter it does read 51.5v. Is this by design, where the (original Darfon) BMS only allows voltage at the plug when told to do so by the SP2000 via the RS485 comm? I'm thinking about my 'Battery Open' error message and whether it can't 'close' the circuit, it might lead to my BMS being faulty too. If someone could check their battery for voltage at the Anderson plug that would be helpful.
I think the SP2000 is pretty poor as it is not easily configurable and there's no real data monitoring or logs. But I would like to use my GBLI5001 rather than it just sit there. If I can't replace my faulty SP2000 or find a SP3000 then I’ll find an inverter with battery charging features (and good monitoring/logging features too) so I'd love to hear more about your experiences replacing the Darfon BMS with the JBD one and if anyone can recommend a good inverter/charger. Good luck everyone with keeping these batteries operational.
The manual is not very helpful when it comes to remedying faults. It either says 'Check cables' or 'Contact Growatt'. I've done both. Growatt asked me to go through startup procedure carefully. No luck there. Then they pronounced the SP2000 dead.
Thanks for all the ideas: I think the BMS would only listen to Growatt inverters, so changing the Darfon BMS should allow other inverters to use it if they can charge 48v setups. Or connecting the RS485 cable' pins is a good idea - well done to Mike_Hug for discovering. I am looking for another SP2000 (or SP3000) now. Brs98 you mentioned you might have a spare, if you still have one to sell I would be interested! JoshCliffeJones changing SP2000 to assume a lead battery instead might be an option. Incidentally, the CT clamp can work over a fair distance with a good quality network cable. Mine worked ok with almost 17m of network cable and apparently you can get wireless CT clamps to work too. Mind you I always thought that there was a delay in the SP2000 issuing power from the battery. For example if I switched on the kettle (at night) it would take a while for the SP2000 to commit sufficient power from the battery, by which time the kettle has boiled already. Thinking about it now it might be the length of the CT clamp cable creating that delay. Or it might just be slow readings/measurements whilst the electric does actually flow instantly - I'm not convinced though!
Quick query too - when the GBLI5001 is disconnected from everything is there a normal voltage reading at the Anderson plug on the side (either when the status light is on or off)? My GBLI5001 has no reading, but inside directly probing the batteries with a volt meter it does read 51.5v. Is this by design, where the (original Darfon) BMS only allows voltage at the plug when told to do so by the SP2000 via the RS485 comm? I'm thinking about my 'Battery Open' error message and whether it can't 'close' the circuit, it might lead to my BMS being faulty too. If someone could check their battery for voltage at the Anderson plug that would be helpful.
I think the SP2000 is pretty poor as it is not easily configurable and there's no real data monitoring or logs. But I would like to use my GBLI5001 rather than it just sit there. If I can't replace my faulty SP2000 or find a SP3000 then I’ll find an inverter with battery charging features (and good monitoring/logging features too) so I'd love to hear more about your experiences replacing the Darfon BMS with the JBD one and if anyone can recommend a good inverter/charger. Good luck everyone with keeping these batteries operational.
joshcliffejones
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Indeed i am also thankful for the other DIY solar hobbiests found here too! Its always good to find a helpful community! :D
I wondered what the behaviour was for discharging the battery...wasnt sure if it only aided in supplimenting incoming solar to match the load or whether it only worked once there was no longer any solar. I too saw the "forced discharge" option which i have set to on...but again little information about how this "forces" it.
It sounds like you certainly need a new SP2000/3000, thankfully these seem to come up fairly regularly on ebay and the like as its normally the item that outlives the GBLI5001!
I have just purchased 2 x Daly Smart BMS' with bluetooth and UART capabilities which i will be installing into the two GBLI5001 packs i have, as they are "smart" they will at least allow me to more easily monitor the batteries condition and most importantly set the desired upper and lower voltages in order to maintain safety. I have also changed the SP2000 over to "lead acid" already so i can simply supply it with a battery.
The issue i had with the CT reporting false numbers as i found out was due to the CT i was using. I have since bought a new CT with a rating of 100A:100mA which appears to read far closer to the real consumption, seems to be around 150W off still, but im happy with it until i can find a genuine Growatt CT
I will post a new dedicated thread once i have everything in place and in working order to share with the community and assist/inspire anyone who is interested in such a thing!
With how energy prices are going, its a good time to get into the DIY solar game!
Good luck with the project JoshCliffeJones. I am on the edge of buying a new BMS just incase. CattleRustler on this thread: https://diysolarforum.com/threads/darfon-growatt-gbli5001-battery-pack-problem.42129/#post-574308
has led me to believe the GBLI5001 battery may also be faulty as a similar situation with his. He has found a little work around. I'm assuming no 3rd party BMS is ever going to communicate with Growatt's protocols, the bluetooth comms sounds good (that will be a BT chip that plugs in UART). The Daly BMS may even give more or allow more info than the current Growatt/Darfon BMS does. Good luck with that and with the CT clamp. I would love to see pics of your handiwork when you get it up an running; I will look forward to the dedicated thread
has led me to believe the GBLI5001 battery may also be faulty as a similar situation with his. He has found a little work around. I'm assuming no 3rd party BMS is ever going to communicate with Growatt's protocols, the bluetooth comms sounds good (that will be a BT chip that plugs in UART). The Daly BMS may even give more or allow more info than the current Growatt/Darfon BMS does. Good luck with that and with the CT clamp. I would love to see pics of your handiwork when you get it up an running; I will look forward to the dedicated thread
Oh I have another question(s)! I cannot get the software for the SP2000 to run as I would like to change a setting (that 'forced discharge' setting primarily!). I'm trying the get ShinePlusBus.exe to run from the CD, is that the software others are using? I don't have a Growatt WIFI dongle so am using a Serial-to-USB plugged from the RS232 port in to the computer's usb port. The drivers and connection for the serial-usb cable seem ok, it's just the software refuses to load. I'm using an older laptop I've been hoarding which has Win7 64bit on it. Does it need 32bit maybe? Or is there a better chance me using the LAN port instead (and would this connect to a router/switch or directly to a computer and use it's own webpage)? The manual is so not helpful. Thanks.
Does anypone know the passcode to get into the AC Charge section on the SP3000? I have the software but it seems a little unreliable and one of my units is charging outside of these times even though I am importing. The other 2 are fine. Re-checked in the software and it's good, and tried power off/on to no avail
I have the software SineBus and SineBusII if you want to PM me
I'll answer my own question - it is 5678. I had this in an email but couldn't find it until now. Settings match the software so dunno why it charges when importing (outside of the AC Charge set times) sometimes
(Edit - it charges when it's importing because - idiot - I had the CT Clamp unplugged!)
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Oh just for other's into, I have my CT clamps wired back to the meter over at least 100 metres and they all work fine. I did double-up the wires for the distance, so 4 wires of CAT5 per clamp output, but I don't think it's needed
Edit - perhaps not. Checking my systems this evening, they are reading 0 import but in the house from my smart meter monitor I'm still importing about 200w. Don't know what to do about this - anyone know how to fix this? I can't move them closer and a radio link is too far too
Also for testing, I made a CAT5 -> CAT5 dongle to reverse the CT clamp's output. This fools the SP2/3000 into thinking it's exporting when it's importing, so you can run tests on charging etc
Edit - perhaps not. Checking my systems this evening, they are reading 0 import but in the house from my smart meter monitor I'm still importing about 200w. Don't know what to do about this - anyone know how to fix this? I can't move them closer and a radio link is too far too
Also for testing, I made a CAT5 -> CAT5 dongle to reverse the CT clamp's output. This fools the SP2/3000 into thinking it's exporting when it's importing, so you can run tests on charging etc
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I have discovered what I believe to be a bug in the ShineBusII software on the SP3000. Enabling Forced Discharge Mode does NOT Enable it! Start and end times work, but if you manually go into the menu, enter Setup and go to FDT then it isn't Enabled! If changed in the Menu to Enabled then it works! I do not know if this is the same case with the Version 1 software and whether it's ythe case on the SP2000 - my fingers can't take the continuous knocking of the screen!
Here's a picture of a genuine Growatt CT clamp, made by LEM. P/N 715114. Unfortunately I haven't found any suppliers anywhereIndeed i am also thankful for the other DIY solar hobbiests found here too! Its always good to find a helpful community! :D
I wondered what the behaviour was for discharging the battery...wasnt sure if it only aided in supplimenting incoming solar to match the load or whether it only worked once there was no longer any solar. I too saw the "forced discharge" option which i have set to on...but again little information about how this "forces" it.
It sounds like you certainly need a new SP2000/3000, thankfully these seem to come up fairly regularly on ebay and the like as its normally the item that outlives the GBLI5001!
I have just purchased 2 x Daly Smart BMS' with bluetooth and UART capabilities which i will be installing into the two GBLI5001 packs i have, as they are "smart" they will at least allow me to more easily monitor the batteries condition and most importantly set the desired upper and lower voltages in order to maintain safety. I have also changed the SP2000 over to "lead acid" already so i can simply supply it with a battery.
The issue i had with the CT reporting false numbers as i found out was due to the CT i was using. I have since bought a new CT with a rating of 100A:100mA which appears to read far closer to the real consumption, seems to be around 150W off still, but im happy with it until i can find a genuine Growatt CT
I will post a new dedicated thread once i have everything in place and in working order to share with the community and assist/inspire anyone who is interested in such a thing!
With how energy prices are going, its a good time to get into the DIY solar game!
I have discovered a rather obvious problem using a third party BMS with the SP2/3000. You have to set the SP2/3000 as having a lead battery. Problem is maximum DOD for lead is hard-set at 50%! (80% for lithium with approved BMS).
Also max AC Charge is 80% which cannot be increased - why?!
Also max AC Charge is 80% which cannot be increased - why?!
SolarPowerUser2022
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Which RJ45 cable pins are used by the CT sensor? I want to buy a third party CT sensor and use it with the Growatt.
Other question: Do you guys know which RJ45 PINs are used for the RS485 communication? Is it for SP2000/3000 also 1 (B) and 2 (A)? I can't get a connection with my chinese batteries, BMS con error.
From memory I think it's any of 1-4 and any of 5-8 are all joined. Otherwise I agree it's 1 & 2. I'll check
Hi I too am having difficulty trying to get the software on the CD to run that came with my sp2000 is it possible I could have have a copy of yours that works ? Many thanks
SolarPowerUser2022
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You can find it on the italian Growatt website (SHINE BUS.EXE):
growatt.it
Software - Growatt Italia
growatt.it
Thanks for thatYou can find it on the italian Growatt website (SHINE BUS.EXE):
Software - Growatt Italia