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

[Adam De Lay]

No idea. Anyone?

Give Current Connected a call. They should be able to help you out.

 

[Q-Dog]

I think the idea of using equal length conductors and matching battery banks is all about keeping resistance equal so the system uses all batteries equally. Since you want to use different types of batteries I think things are different for you.

I guess you could measure resistances through each bank and see if you can get them close? Does it matter? I would probably use the largest and shortest cables I could and monitor to see how it goes.

 

[DrZ123]

The EG4 will have 4/0 cables from the server rack w 4 EG4 Lifepower4s to the busbars.

The BBs are wired with 2/0 cables to the bus bar from each 4s block

Is that going to be an issue as well?

Also, can I daisy chain the EG4 batteries with the supplied cables in parallel to the terminals and then just run 4/0 cables from the end pos and opposite end neg to my system? This would be temp until my rack arrives. Or must I use busbars?

Also, can the batteries be used without the RS485 cables connecting them? Mine are on order but don't have them yet

 

[Adam De Lay]

The EG4 will have 4/0 cables from the server rack w 4 EG4 Lifepower4s to the busbars.

The BBs are wired with 2/0 cables to the bus bar from each 4s block

Is that going to be an issue as well?

No. The 4S block is 100ah and the battery rack has up to 600ah of power.

Also, can I daisy chain the EG4 batteries with the supplied cables in parallel to the terminals and then just run 4/0 cables from the end pos and opposite end neg to my system? This would be temp until my rack arrives. Or must I use busbars?

You can. I can’t remember, do the battery’s have multiple positive and negative terminals on each battery? I might do it as long as it’s temporary. Keep an eye out for hot terminals as that would show a poor connection.

Also, can the batteries be used without the RS485 cables connecting them? Mine are on order but don't have them yet

Yes. It’s called “open loop communication”. I’m guessing that’s how your BB batteries are running right now. In fact since your mixing batteries, you’ll provably always have to run that way.

 

[DrZ123]

Thanks! Can I use Rs485 cables to the EG4 communication hub so I can see the battery status but not hook the hub up to the Victron?

 

[Adam De Lay]

Thanks! Can I use Rs485 cables to the EG4 communication hub so I can see the battery status but not hook the hub up to the Victron?

Yeah, I don’t know of any reason you couldn’t just use that as a stand alone interface to the batteries.

 

[DrZ123]

Ok here is my plan for this weekends hookup. I finally got everything I need to at least hook things up temporarily until the EG4 rack comes in a month.

First I'm going to charge each of the 48v 100ah EG4s to the exact same voltage.

Then I'm going to make sure each BB 48v 4s bank is charged to that same voltage.

Then I'm going to wire each of the 4 EG4 Lifepower4s to 2 busbars using the supplied 1ft 6awg cables. One pos and one neg busbar.

Then I'm going to wire the busbars for the EG4s to the busbars currently in the system using 72in 4/0 cables. I will likely put a 48v switch on the POS cable
https://a.co/d/19oLNUO

Then I'm going to turn the switch for the EG4s to on and I should have double the capacity.

Anyone have any concerns here?

 

[Adam De Lay]

Most people with server racks end up putting a class-t fuse on the positive connection off the rack. Also you’ll want to have one of the 4/0 cables coming from the top of the bus bar and the other one coming off the bottom off the bus bar, that way you have even power distribution across all packs.

Looks like the switch you linked to is some kind of generator.

One recommendation I have is to always test your voltages and polarity with a meter before you turn anything on or make a connection. Never hurts to retest. Can save you thousands…

 

[DrZ123]

Weird glitch. Fixed the link now

I do have a fuse before the inverter. I was planning on fusing the BBs and this battery bank at a later date

5x Class T fuses are $$$ and there is already one before the inverter. Is adding the fuse before the switch a good idea?

 

[Adam De Lay]

I might look at adding the fuse to the rack at least. Your adding a lot of potential current coming off that server rack.

Not sure it matters if you add the fuse before or after the switch.

 

[DrZ123]

What size fuse, was thinking 250amp class T

 

[Adam De Lay]

Seems like that should give you enough overhead if you had to run solely off the server rack if you had to perform maintenance on the BB batteries.

 

[DrZ123]

Seems like that should give you enough overhead if you had to run solely off the server rack if you had to perform maintenance on the BB batteries.

The BB set and the EG4 set should have the same kwh so I should be able to switch one off to modify or repair while the other one runs fine.

I'm really ramping up the storage for the addition of W/D, Dishwasher, and AC so won't need that much storage all the time.

 

[DrZ123]

This is where I am as of now. As you can see the EG4 rack hasn't arrived yet as they are backordered so for now I have the batteries standing up.

I have both pos and neg from each battery going to bus bars. Then the pos goes to the switch and then will go to the pos bus bar. I may add a 300amp T fuse in that line.

The neg will go to the SmartShunt neg terminal for now. Once the rack comes I'll use a busbar for all of the negative terminals and running copper to the shunt from the busbar.

I am charging all batteries to full before connecting them, then will connect the POS and NEG and switch everything on.

Anything that looks off here and any insight into the order of the final connection?

Thanks!

 

[Adam De Lay]

Looks like it's coming along!

Nothing additional from previous comments made.

Here's the order I would probably do things (there's several ways you could do it). This assumes voltages between BB batteries and LP batteries are near the same.

1. Turn off LP battery disconnects and ensure positive switch is off
2. Connect negative cable
3. Connect positive cable
4. Turn on positive switch on LP bank
5. Individually turn on breakers on each LP battery

You could probably just leave all the LP batteries on and just use the main disconnect switch if you wanted, but I like to introduce things slowly.

 

[z_zk_z]

I just saw your post. You also have the option of purchasing a Victron 120V-to-240v transformer (https://signaturesolar.com/victron-autotransformer-120-240v-100a/) instead of purchasing another Victron Inverter for your 240V loads. I see you have a Victron MPPT fed by your 2KW solar panels. I would look at the charging data and see how much KW is "really" being provided by your panels, since you just added another 20KWH of storage to your system. I do recommend to purchase the EG4 hub and integrate it into the Victron setup. I have EG4 V1 batteries integrated into my Victron setup and cannot help you with the integration however, I heard that hub suppose to provide the similar capability. I would also connect your EG4 batteries to a laptop so you can monitor them.

 

[DrZ123]

I just saw your post. You also have the option of purchasing a Victron 120V-to-240v transformer (https://signaturesolar.com/victron-autotransformer-120-240v-100a/) instead of purchasing another Victron Inverter for your 240V loads. I see you have a Victron MPPT fed by your 2KW solar panels. I would look at the charging data and see how much KW is "really" being provided by your panels, since you just added another 20KWH of storage to your system. I do recommend to purchase the EG4 hub and integrate it into the Victron setup. I have EG4 V1 batteries integrated into my Victron setup and cannot help you with the integration however, I heard that hub suppose to provide the similar capability. I would also connect your EG4 batteries to a laptop so you can monitor them.

The autotransformer is interesting. Need to calculate the max load, that may be an easier solution than a second Quattro.

I did order the EG4 hub so I can keep track of the EG4 batteries. Not sure how I can handle stats on both the BB and EG4 batteries separately?

I do think I'll have to add more solar.

 

[rhino]

Don't forget to connect the ground for the Quattro and the charge controller. Would also be good idea to add some kind of cover over that positive busbar even if it is just some clear plastic offset from the busbar.

Also, how did you attach so many lugs to that smartshunt? did you have to remove the washer and lock washer?

 

[rhino]

Where is the negative of those Lifepower4 batteries going? It should be to that smart shunt but I don't see it.

 

[DrZ123]

Don't forget to connect the ground for the Quattro and the charge controller. Would also be good idea to add some kind of cover over that positive busbar even if it is just some clear plastic offset from the busbar.

Also, how did you attach so many lugs to that smartshunt? did you have to remove the washer and lock washer?

Is the ground not currently connected? The current setup w the BBs and Victron was all there before I arrived. I'm just adding the EG4s for now.

I didn't add all of those lugs, but I plan on adding the neg from the EG4s

Where is the negative of those Lifepower4 batteries going? It should be to that smart shunt but I don't see it.

If you read back I am about to hook it up but in the photo the EG4s aren't hooked up yet.

I plan to put the neg to that Shunt terminal w all the lugs and the POS to the busbar.

Once I get my rack I'll use the busbar I have for the shunt there and have a copper bar go from busbar to shunt.