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Anyone using newer Schneider 80/600 or 100/600 SCC's with older XW6048 - will they 'talk' to each other?

Philip53

Philip53

10.4kw DIY Home Solar Sprinter Van DIY Victron
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Aug 22, 2022
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I will be adding another array to my 11 year old Schneider XW6048, and would like to use the newer Schneider 600v MPPT controller, as I will have several hundred feet to the new array. I currently have 2 of the older, smaller Schneider 60/150 solar controllers. I have talked to Schneider, and all they will tell me is that the new 600v controllers were not designed with the older XW6048 in mind, and that they may, or may not communicate with my System Control Panel. I am concerned that the newer 600v will not be acknowledged by my SCP, even though they will plug into the Xanbus network.

Has anyone actually done this, or has any knowledge that it will work or not?
 
I don't know if it would work.
But I do recall that the MPPT 100-600 I installed would not work with my new XW Pro inverter, until I upgraded the inverter firmware.
Guessing a firmware upgrade is not an option for your inverter.
 
pvdude said:
I don't know if it would work.
But I do recall that the MPPT 100-600 I installed would not work with my new XW Pro inverter, until I upgraded the inverter firmware.
Guessing a firmware upgrade is not an option for your inverter.
Click to expand...
Does not work as in not charging the batteries or not communicating on the Xanbus? My Cat 5e cables don’t come in until next week, and I’m an hour away from stores.
 
pvdude said:
I don't know if it would work.
But I do recall that the MPPT 100-600 I installed would not work with my new XW Pro inverter, until I upgraded the inverter firmware.
Guessing a firmware upgrade is not an option for your inverter.
Click to expand...
Thanks dude, yep, I think you just told me what I needed to know! There is no way that my old XW would take a current firmware update to fit the newer SCC.
 
golden said:
Does not work as in not charging the batteries or not communicating on the Xanbus? My Cat 5e cables don’t come in until next week, and I’m an hour away from stores.
Click to expand...
Both, I was hoping it would charge as a 3rd SCC into the inverter, and share that info with the SCP. That way my record of production, by array, would continue to be accurate.
 
Have you reviewed the cc manual. The scp is mentioned in the manual so I suspect the cc will work with the scp. The inverter doesn't control the cc to my knowledge. The cc takes its operating state from the battery voltage or the battery monitor if you have one.
 
Agreed Mjs, you would think they would work together, and I have looked at the 600v SCC manual, and it refers only to the newer XW6848 inverters, same as what the Schneider tech rep told me. Neither said it absolutely would not work, just that the older inverter was not 'considered' in the development in the newer 600v CC. I was hoping to find someone who had actually hooked one up to an older XW6048 to verify this. I think it was wishful thinking though.
 
golden said:
Does not work as in not charging the batteries or not communicating on the Xanbus
Click to expand...
When I connected the CC to the inverter, (power and Xanbus), the inverter freaked out.
All the energy was going from the CC into the inverter, but no power was coming out of the inverter.
Out of concern for frying something in the inverter, I shut it all off, contacted Schneider, subsequently upgraded firmware, all good.
 
I am using 2 x 80-600 CCs with the xw6848+ and com box and have no problems. Can't comment on using with SCP
 
The charge controller charges the battery, it doesn't power the inverter directly. If your settings are correct it should work, but you might have to leave the Xanbus disconnected from either the inverter or charge controller.
 
400bird said:
The charge controller charges the battery, it doesn't power the inverter directly. If your settings are correct it should work, but you might have to leave the Xanbus disconnected from either the inverter or charge controller.
Click to expand...

You would think that would work, but I would loose the info/data that I would need from the SCP. Right now I can access data from either of the older SCC's on the SCP. I want that data to keep track of everything. I have monthly/yearly data from when I first commisioned the system in 2012. Without having someone sucessfully doing this on their system, I am extremely reluctant to experiment. If @pvdude had issues with his 600v CC with an 'approved' XWpro inverter, the prospects for a successful install on my 6048 are slim.
 
Philip53 said:
Right now I can access data from either of the older SCC's on the SCP. I want that data to keep track of everything. I have monthly/yearly data from when I first commisioned the system in 2012.
Click to expand...
Got it, I have a different definition of "working"
Data is important, and if absence of historical data is a core requirement, I think you're right, it won't work.

I had another idea:
Could you run two SCP's, one for the inverter and one for the MPPT 600?
Or maybe get an Insight Home? If everything works, you get access from a computer for your entire system, otherwise you could hook the insight to the MPPT and leave the SCP on the XW.
 
I had not thought of two SCP's. Not exactly an elegant fix, but might be doable. I have been working all afternoon to see if I can shorten my wiring run, and use another, 3rd MPPT60 - 150, instead of the 600v one. I could run 3, 400w panel strings and then combine 3 total strings for 3600 watts, with 133.5 Voc. Still would sure rather wire that at a higher voltage for smaller wires, but hopefully I can make that work. Will continue to thrash this out - thanks so much for all that contributed!
 
Philip53 said:
I had not thought of two SCP's. Not exactly an elegant fix, but might be doable.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I 100% agree. Just thought I would throw it out there. That way, if you purchase the charge controller, try the single network and it doesn't work, you've got a back up option.
 
What I am really worried about is that the newer 600v SCC needs to have some sort of communication with a 'proper' inverter, to be able to operate at all.
 
I'm unable to power up my XWPro, but I was able to connect to the MPPT 100/600 (network termination + Xanbus) and get it to charge my batteries today.
 
golden said:
I'm unable to power up my XWPro, but I was able to connect to the MPPT 100/600 (network termination + Xanbus) and get it to charge my batteries today.
Click to expand...

So the termination plug, and then where did you plug in the other Xanbus cable, from the 100-600v CC to where?
 
You could install the charge controller in a system with no inverter or an inverter from a different company and it would function.

You will need something to program it, such as the SCP or insight home.
 
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