Adding EG4 To Victron/BB - Will this work!?

[Adam De Lay]

It's so weird. There is definitely load on the EG4 batteries and they now read 52v, system shows 66% on the Victron Dashboard and same voltage.

However EG4 batteries still show full SOC on their indicator lights and BMS test...

I wonder if there’s a firmware update for the batteries?

 

[DrZ123]

I wonder if there’s a firmware update for the batteries?

I updated them before hooking them up

 

[Adam De Lay]

Are the BB batteries 100ah?

 

[DrZ123]

Are the BB batteries 100ah?

Yes the BBs are 12v 100ah, wired 4 in series and then 4 sets in parallel. So 48v 400ah and the EG4 are 48v 400ah as well

 

[Adam De Lay]

Yeah, that’s a tough one. I guess I would test trying to let the batteries discharge down lower than 70% and see at what point you start noticing the LP4 batteries SOC changing.

 

[DrZ123]

Yeah, that’s a tough one. I guess I would test trying to let the batteries discharge down lower than 70% and see at what point you start noticing the LP4 batteries SOC changing.

Right now I'm at 63.9% and indicators on the EG4# still are 4/4 lights and the EG4 Comm Hub shows 84%, 94%, 97%, 90% all at 52.3v

 

[Adam De Lay]

The lights on the front of the eg4 batteries are for a range of SOC. I can’t remember the exact numbers but I wana say all 4 lit up means the SOC can be between 75-100%.

 

[Adam De Lay]

Also keep in mind that there’s no 1 to 1 match between SOC and voltage for LifePo4 chemistry. Those cells have a very flat charge/discharge curve so each battery could be at the same voltage but vastly different state of charges.

 

[DrZ123]

The lights on the front of the eg4 batteries are for a range of SOC. I can’t remember the exact numbers but I wana say all 4 lit up means the SOC can be between 75-100%.

Could it be the different size wiring is causing much more draw on some than the others?

Also keep in mind that there’s no 1 to 1 match between SOC and voltage for LifePo4 chemistry. Those cells have a very flat charge/discharge curve so each battery could be at the same voltage but vastly different state of charges.

Yes I know the voltage doesn't dictate the SOC so to say. But since they were all at 100%, and been used down all at once to 63%, is it possible the BBs are at 63% yet the EG4s are still at 90-95% ish?

 

[Adam De Lay]

Could it be the different size wiring is causing much more draw on some than the others?

Possibly, but I wouldn’t think it would be this much.

is it possible the BBs are at 63% yet the EG4s are still at 90-95% ish?

Honestly, anything is possible. Do you know how long the BB batteries were in service?

I would almost want to do a full discharge and charge cycle to see how everything performs together. Find a time where you have a few sunny days in a row and turn off your SCC for a day to let the batteries run down.

 

[DrZ123]

Good idea I can run a 1500w electric heater to run it down. Right now Victron SS shows 55% charge and the voltage is 52.5 volts.

Eg4s still show above 90% SOC on the comm hub.

We are away from the house until Saturday so can run it down and let everything charge up this week.

How far downs should I run everything?

 

[Adam De Lay]

If it was me, I probably would try and run it all the way down. Kinda like a capacity test to see how far things would go and if everything matches up.

I would imagine down around 10-15% though would give you a really good idea of how things are working though.

 

[DrZ123]

I'm bringing a generator to the island tomorrow to charge the batteries which hopefully syncs them all up. The EG4s are still basically showing full and the BBs around 65% according to the shunt.

In other news, I created some custom busbar protectors that turned out nicely.

For grounding, which connection on the Quattro should be connected to earth ground?

 

[Adam De Lay]

All the grounds should be bonded together. Probably the easiest to just use the ground stud on the bottom left corner.

 

[DrZ123]

All the grounds should be bonded together. Probably the easiest to just use the ground stud on the bottom left corner.

So I should link them all and then to the ground busbar?

 

[Adam De Lay]

So I should link them all and then to the ground busbar?

Sorry, I meant all the ground connections in the Quattro should already be all connected together. You can take a multimeter and check for continuity between each ground connection to confirm.

 

[DrZ123]

Sorry, I meant all the ground connections in the Quattro should already be all connected together. You can take a multimeter and check for continuity between each ground connection to confirm.

Ah makes sense. But one of those grounds should go to the common ground busbar yes?

Also which other components of the system need to be grounded?

 

[DrZ123]

Ah makes sense. But one of those grounds should go to the common ground busbar yes?

Also which other components of the system need to be grounded?

Here is my panel and the Quattro again. The ground from the panel goes to the quattro, but neither are actually connected to a ground. I have a grounding spike now so I am wiring that to any of the Ground connections in the Quattro correct?

Also, the MPPT and what else should be grounded?

On another note, will I be able to just plug in a generator to the AC 2 input cable that is there and it will charge my batteries? Or does configuration need to be done?

 

[Adam De Lay]

Ah makes sense. But one of those grounds should go to the common ground busbar yes?

Yes. I see you already have a ground going to your breaker panel from the Quattro, so you could just connect the breaker panel ground to your ground spike.

Also which other components of the system need to be grounded?

Any component with a ground screw on it. Pretty sure the charge controllers have one.

On another note, will I be able to just plug in a generator to the AC 2 input cable that is there and it will charge my batteries? Or does configuration need to be done?

Thats hard to say. I would assume so because that’s the default programming and you don’t have any grid connection.

 

[DrZ123]

Tried the generator. The input definitely works but it's set to draw too much power. The generator I have goes to 3.3kw and then overloads at it's max.

I'm assuming with the mk3 cable I can program the Victron Quattro to draw less? Is there a way to program it without that cable?