Sungold power tp6048 not charging batteries from grid

[benryan]

I'm getting this display (please see attached). All the electric components in the building work when tied to grid but can't get the inverter to charge the batteries. I have 5 SOK server rack batteries 48v. Everything was working fine off of just the batteries until the batteries ran low. I can get the batteries to charge from the PV but just can't get utility to charge the batteries.

NOTE: This is an off grid system. I have a generator hooked to the a/c input terminals. I am producing 120v on both L1 and L2. I would appreciate any input that anyone might have. Thank you. Looking forward to hearing from you soon!

 

[sunshine_eggo]

What are you producing between L1 and L2?

What does setting #12 specify in your inverter?

Are the SOK communicating with the inverter?

 

[benryan]

1) 240v
2)I am not aware that it has a setting #12. It jumps from 11 to 13
3)I do not have the communication wires hooked up

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Making sure it's not like a Growatt where AC charging doesn't use absorption/float but simply charges once voltage has dropped to the level in setting 12 and immediately cuts off when voltage rises to setting 13.

All of these Voltronics made units are sensitive to generator power quality. Inverter generators are usually fine, but regular generators may never work. Recommend you reduce the Utility Charging setting to 10A and see if it works. Raise it incrementally until you find the max.

 

[benryan]

I'll try that today and I'll let you know if that helps. Thank you.

 

[benryan]

Making sure it's not like a Growatt where AC charging doesn't use absorption/float but simply charges once voltage has dropped to the level in setting 12 and immediately cuts off when voltage rises to setting 13.

All of these Voltronics made units are sensitive to generator power quality. Inverter generators are usually fine, but regular generators may never work. Recommend you reduce the Utility Charging setting to 10A and see if it works. Raise it incrementally until you find the max.

Here is a link to the manual in case you wanted to look it over.

User Manual

sungoldpower.com

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Yep. That's more like an MPP Solar unit.

Setting 10 to SnU
Setting 11 high enough to accommodate both PV and utility charge currents.
Setting 13 to 10A and increase as you can until it stops working.

Set setting 20 to 51V. Battery must be below this voltage to charge from "grid"
Set setting 21 to FUL

 

[benryan]

Yep. That's more like an MPP Solar unit.

Setting 10 to SnU
Setting 11 high enough to accommodate both PV and utility charge currents.
Setting 13 to 10A and increase as you can until it stops working.

Set setting 20 to 51V. Battery must be below this voltage to charge from "grid"
Set setting 21 to FUL

 

[42OhmsPA]

If your batteries are reading 12.4v you likely tripped the BMS, you'll need to wake up w a 48v charger if that's the case.
I can't remember the setting number, but make sure you're set to SUB instead of SBU when trying to charge with gen. I couldn't get mine to charge from gen until I changed that.

 

[benryan]

If your batteries are reading 12.4v you likely tripped the BMS, you'll need to wake up w a 48v charger if that's the case.
I can't remember the setting number, but make sure you're set to SUB instead of SBU when trying to charge with gen. I couldn't get mine to charge from gen until I changed that.

Thank you. I did try the setting both ways but didn't seem to make a difference. Do you have a preference which 48v charger would be best to purchase? Seems like there is a lot to choose from on the market.

 

[benryan]

If your batteries are reading 12.4v you likely tripped the BMS, you'll need to wake up w a 48v charger if that's the case.
I can't remember the setting number, but make sure you're set to SUB instead of SBU when trying to charge with gen. I couldn't get mine to charge from gen until I changed that.

Are you saying that I tripped the BMS on the battery pack?

 

[benryan]

If your batteries are reading 12.4v you likely tripped the BMS, you'll need to wake up w a 48v charger if that's the case.
I can't remember the setting number, but make sure you're set to SUB instead of SBU when trying to charge with gen. I couldn't get mine to charge from gen until I changed that.

 

[42OhmsPA]

Thank you. I did try the setting both ways but didn't seem to make a difference. Do you have a preference which 48v charger would be best to purchase? Seems like there is a lot to choose from on the market.

I don't have one, I've been looking and haven't found anything cost efficient that will run at peak efficiency with my small invertor gen... I'll likely pick up a second aio inverter for gen charging, I want to add a third array anyway.

 

[benryan]

I don't have one, I've been looking and haven't found anything cost efficient that will run at peak efficiency with my small invertor gen... I'll likely pick up a second aio inverter for gen charging, I want to add a third array anyway.

I checked my battery BMS display and it is showing 49.2v but it's only letting 10.8v out. What do you think would cause that?

 

[42OhmsPA]

Are you saying that I tripped the BMS on the battery pack?

It sure looks that way, 12.4v is beyond dead for a 16s 48v pack, 40v would be 2.5v per cell. Do you have a multimeter to test voltage at the terminals?

 

[benryan]

It sure looks that way, 12.4v is beyond dead for a 16s 48v pack, 40v would be 2.5v per cell. Do you have a multimeter to test voltage at the terminals?

The terminal voltage was 10.8 last time I checked. But the battery display is showing 48/49v.

 

[42OhmsPA]

I checked my battery BMS display and it is showing 49.2v but it's only letting 10.8v out. What do you think would cause that?

No idea, did you use a precharge resistor when you restarted? (if everything shut down)
Can you see individual cell voltages? Any near 2.5v?
Is charging / discharging enabled?

 

[42OhmsPA]

The terminal voltage was 10.8 last time I checked. But the battery display is showing 48/49v.

Sounds like the BMS is in protect mode.

 

[benryan]

No idea, did you use a precharge resistor when you restarted? (if everything shut down)
Can you see individual cell voltages? Any near 2.5v?
Is charging / discharging enabled?

I can see individual cell voltages but I am not in front of the batteries at the moment to check them. I did not use a precharge resistor. I never could get them to come back on after they shut down. The BMS display will only come on for a few seconds before it shuts back off. They are the SOK server rack batteries.

 

[benryan]

Sounds like the BMS is in protect mode.

Do you know how I would get it out of protect mode?

Attached is a picture of my cell voltage. It's showing millivolts. Not sure how to convert it.