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Schneider Insight 2.18 bn41 - anyone install the upgrade?

Darcy Costa Rica

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Jun 3, 2022
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Hi, I am wondering if anyone has installed the update (1.18 bn41) to Insight Home/Facility. I downloaded it and I see that it was dated July 23, but I think this is the date of the first 1.18 update that they pulled. It reappeared a few days ago, but there was no notice posted anywhere about it that I can find.

I installed 1.18 bn33 and I have seen some errors in how the charge settings are utilized. For example, I set the XWPro to charge with a battery SOC of 50%, but it randomly decides to start charging at values of over 60%. I left it installed because it now supports the EG4-LL battery BMS directly. That is working Ok, but I do not understand why the MPPT 100-600 Charge Controllers still do not support Lithium batteries.
 
I am curious about the same thing. Was going to install 1.18bn33 but they pulled it before I could upgrade. I'm not typically an early adopter, but I'm thinking of trying the upgrade soon. If anyone else has tries bn41 we'd appreciate your insight (pun intended).
 
I tried 1.18 bn41, but couldn't get the XW to charge. Rolled back to 1.17 and it immediately worked normally.
 
I installed the 1.18 build 41 from the Sesolar.com site, cleared the web browser cache and reloaded the Insight Home's UI. So far so good.

Screenshot 2023-10-17 at 8.15.00 am.png
My EG4-LL's v2 (two of them) are running the Schneider firmware they had on their eg4electronics site a while back (now gone). Prior to this update the BMS setup had battery type as "BYD LVS 4". Now the option for Eg4-LL is there. I selected that, set the quantity and enabled the NEW match MPPT to BMS feature which sent these charging parameters to my two MPPT-60 charge controllers:

Screenshot 2023-10-17 at 8.14.46 am.png

I notice that these values are a bit low for what SS recommended (56V +/- 0.2). But you can adjust them with the MPPT voltage offset feature in the new aspect of the Insight home's BMS Setup menu.
Interestingly enough, I notice in the latest version of the manual the recommended system charge parameters are now 56.2 +/- 0.2v.

Setting the offset to 0V, allowed me to get the value back to 56V. I also see that the float voltage is set to 56V and grayed out... ???

Screenshot 2023-10-17 at 8.38.40 am.png
My only charging sources are the MPPTs , so I can't comment on any of the gen or AC feature / charging aspects of this new firmware.
 
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I installed the 1.18 build 41 from the Sesolar.com site, cleared the web browser cache and reloaded the Insight Home's UI. So far so good.

View attachment 172673
My EG4-LL's v2 (two of them) are running the Schneider firmware they had on their eg4electronics site a while back (now gone). Prior to this update the BMS setup had battery type as "BYD LVS 4". Now the option for Eg4-LL is there. I selected that, set the quantity and enabled the NEW match MPPT to BMS feature which sent these charging parameters to my two MPPT-60 charge controllers:

View attachment 172672

I notice that these values are a bit low for what SS recommended (56V +/- 0.2). But you can adjust them with the MPPT voltage offset feature in the new aspect of the Insight home's BMS Setup menu.
Interestingly enough, I notice in the latest version of the manual the recommended system charge parameters are now 56.2 +/- 0.2v.

Setting the offset to 0V, allowed me to get the value back to 56V. I also see that the float voltage is set to 56V and grayed out... ???

View attachment 172674
My only charging sources are the MPPTs , so I can't comment on any of the gen or AC feature / charging aspects of this new firmware.
Thank you for your information about the installation of bn41. These features were added with the 1.18 bn33, but they pulled it without explanation. I think this is very unprofessional. I had a software company for almost 30 years. Customer communication is #1 to ensure loyalty and confidence.
 
I agree, this feels half baked. Came home to darkness tonight as the inverter threw a F49 error for DC over-voltage. Most likely has to do with the batteries broadcasting or the Insight reading FLOAT as 56V, as that is the only obvious change. I don't have the time for this right now, I may just go back to 1.17as 400bird had to do...

IMG_15A83BBFF2F0-1.jpeg

Although the chart does not support that it ACTUALLY went over 56V.
chart.png
 
The text of that fault has always been wrong. It says 68 volts, but that isn't accurate.
It sets at 3 volts (?, going from memory) below your high battery cut out setting.

If also doesn't shut down the inverter, at least in 1.17 and earlier firmware.

Screenshot_20231018-173855.png
 
@400bird : I did not know this, thanks !
I have disabled the MPPT parameter option in the BMS settings and went back to manual entry of voltage parameters. I suspect the problem is with how the Schneider LL-v2 version of the firmware is reporting the setting parameters. I will do some comparison with what is on the site now and see ..
 
@400bird : I did not know this, thanks !
I have disabled the MPPT parameter option in the BMS settings and went back to manual entry of voltage parameters. I suspect the problem is with how the Schneider LL-v2 version of the firmware is reporting the setting parameters. I will do some comparison with what is on the site now and see ..

Did you get this resolved? In my case, I had 2 issues.

#1) I had 1 battery that had a cell imbalance. a firmware update of the batteries resolved this.
#2) I had to set the voltage offset to 1v, in the insight to use the parameters that the BMS was reporting, or I'd get an error when the batteries hit full charge.

Honestly though, after using it for a while, I also went back to manually setting the charge parameters. I wanted my "float" voltage to be 54, so I wasn't charging the cells to maximum when selling excess PV back to my main panel.
 
Any follow up on this. I have my MPPTs set to EG4s recommended lifepower4 settings (56.2v bulk/absorb and 54V float). My inverter HBCO keeps flashing an alarm even when set at 58.4v as I saw recommended elsewhere. I'm off grid no ac charging. Do I crank the HBCO up to 59.2v on the inverter to compensate (3v above bulk)? @400bird
 
Are you seeing the alarm set at about 55.4 volts and above?

Does it cause you problems or concerns?

My system sets that warning nearly every day spring and summer because I want the over voltage disconnect to function properly.
 
Yes on the 55.4v and above. It has done both alarm and fault. I had my HBCO set to 58.2v and was getting f49 fault that would shut the inverters down. Raised the HBCO up to 58.4v and now just get warnings. Actual battery voltages do not get above 56.2v (bulk/absorb). So if I crank the HBCO up to 60v there should be no more nuisance warnings right? Since I do not use the charger on the inverters there is no risk of overcharge from the inverter standpoint, it just keeps them from tripping out when the battery is full. Is my reasoning sound?
 
It seems like you've got a problem elsewhere in your system. Bad connections, BMS disconnects, something.
The BMS disconnecting will cause the charge controller output voltage (and XW input voltage ) to climb and spike because there is no where else for the energy to go, other than increasing the voltage.

I don't see any mystery in the over voltage warning and alarm on the XW.
Warning sets at HBCO - 3 volts
Alarm and disconnect happens at HBCO
 
I would be curious, have you top balanced your batteries?

If they (or one of them) is out of balance.. as your SOC increases and gets closer to the limits, you may have one battery that stops accepting a charge. for just a moment, the voltage would rise, before the BMS's would be able to communicate the reduced current needs. I had this same situation with a stack of batteries. A single one wasn't top balanced, and would trigger this alarm every time it'd stop accepting a charge.

In my case, the battery manufacturer released an updated firmware that helped with top balancing, and my issue went away.
 
BMS disconnect may seem likely. I checked on my batteries and noted that I had several with cell over voltage alarms. I am sorry I couldn't fit all the cells in one screen shot, but you can see the max voltage and the max difference numbers to give you an idea of the state of the battery balance. Good/bad? I am using the charging parameters specified in the manual 56.2 bulk/absorb, float 54. I should add, all my lifepower4 batteries have the latest firmware as of a couple weeks ago and I have the latest firmware for all the schneider equipment, including the 1.18 for insight home. over voltage alarm.PNG
 
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Honestly, I've seen worse. But the over voltage alarms speak for themselves. What is the over voltage alarm set to?

I'd lower the bulk/absorb to the point the Schneider stops alarming, this means the disconnects have stopped. Then raise it 0.1 volts every couple days/week until the packs are balanced enough to not disconnect and spike the voltage.
 
BMS disconnect may seem likely. I checked on my batteries and noted that I had several with cell over voltage alarms. I am sorry I couldn't fit all the cells in one screen shot, but you can see the max voltage and the max difference numbers to give you an idea of the state of the battery balance. Good/bad? I am using the charging parameters specified in the manual 56.2 bulk/absorb, float 54. I should add, all my lifepower4 batteries have the latest firmware as of a couple weeks ago and I have the latest firmware for all the schneider equipment, including the 1.18 for insight home. View attachment 191337
It looks to me like only 3 of your packs are balanced.

Hav eyou applied the latest firmware? They changed how the top balancing works. I'd update firmware, and let them sit at 100% until all of the packs show "Max_Diff" in the 0.00x range, like your Pack_1, 3, and 5. *edit*. yes, as 400bird says.. lower your bulk/absorb/float to just before they alarm. then when they appear balanced, raise the voltage and let them balance again until you finally reach the desired voltage.

When I say "sit there", I mean.. no load.. no charge, no discharge. Let them balance completely before putting them back in service. And then, to keep them balanced, make sure they are able to charge to 100% occasionally (at least weekly)

After thats done, lets see if your alerts continue.

Also, it's interesting that the 3 packs that are not in alarm, all have a max cell voltage higher than all of the ones that are alarming. I suspect you are running at least 2 different firmwares between your packs. So, the firmware updates should make them all alert consistently.
 
Smart. I like the suggested approach on incrementing the voltage. I used to have my bulk/absorb set to 55.8 but did not get the alarm. I wanted to use EG4's recommended settings thinking that it was better for the battery overall. Thank you @400bird

@n2aws I do need to try and balance them further. Oddly enough I had recharged my batteries to 100% early in January with the intent of doing the balance, but the day that I got to 100% was the day the weather started trending extremely cold. Over the next week I had to use the power I stored. Now I'm under days of rain so recharging might be a February thing lol. All batteries have the most latest firmware from EG4. I don't recall the number, but I did the upgrade about three weeks ago.
 
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