Apexium 15kwh And EG4 Lifepower4 v2 closed comms issue

[fnnwizard]

The app has the ability. But it’s password protected. I will get the code from the vendor tomorrow hopefully.
I cannot change the protocol from the app but there are quite a few options for CAN and RS485. The one 8 selected was “500K Luxpower”. I didn’t see any for Luxpower Pylon.

The yellow is with it set with pylon it gets basic info. The green is with Luxpower more detail.

View attachment 292075

Ok, this is a good start.
That max cell temp and min cell temp is a Lux header and not the batteries. So it's telling me there is a good chance of the 2 at least passing info to the inverter if your cable is correct.

I would imagine EG4 will be no help since they have a vested interested to keep the communication info very private...

I do wonder though, how the inverter would parse something like the cycle count since they are so far apart? usually the master data wins in that scenario.

Edit, forgot to ask.. when you tried with 1Apex and 1Eg, did anything show 2 packs. or summing the 2 packs?

 

[EZPZ]

Yeah. The high cycle count is from the lpf v2 master. Which eg4 also still have to fix. The cycle count of 1 is the apex as master.
If they dont have a solution for me, then I will leave it as is. That is the 2 lpfv2 taking to the inverter and the apex just along for the ride talking to the bms app. This way I get all the details but have to use the apex app. First world problems.

 

[EZPZ]

No comms never worked between the two. I tried with apex as master and lp4v2 as master. I never combined or showed data from both. Now it did trip the breaker on the lp4v2 as documented until I cut pin 3 and 6 out of the battery comm cable. Then it didn’t trip the lp4v2 but they refused to talk to each other. I guess they are xenophobic

 

[EZPZ]

Just for reference this is how it is set now



Standard cat 5 between eg4 and eg4 and modified (pin 3 and 6 cut) cat 5 to apex

 

[fnnwizard]

Just for reference this is how it is set now

View attachment 292079

Standard cat 5 between eg4 and eg4 and modified (pin 3 and 6 cut) cat 5 to apex

Ok, this is what you can try without having to make new cables. it may or may not work
All blues lines I drew in are regular ethernet with 3+6 cut.


If the above doesn't work, then this is last resort.
In this scenario, you make the cable same as CAN yellow, but with pins 1+2 from that CAN master which should be the rs pins, going to the 7+8 of slave2, then repeat for next. I think it will work.

 

[EZPZ]

Ok I can do the first option later today. Do I set the apex rs485 port to 9600 pylon?
Would need to find my network cable kit to make up those other cables - finding it would be a mission in its own right.

 

[JustFloyd]

Don't know if this might helps but THIS LINK allows multiple brand bms' to communicate with the inverter. Scroll down and read the description. It may be helpful... or not?

 

[fnnwizard]

Ok I can do the first option later today. Do I set the apex rs485 port to 9600 pylon?
Would need to find my network cable kit to make up those other cables - finding it would be a mission in its own right.

Yes, it would be most logical that all 3 should 9600. Oh just to be clear, you still keep all your existing cables as is.

Don't know if this might helps but THIS LINK allows multiple brand bms' to communicate with the inverter. Scroll down and read the description. It may be helpful... or not?

oh wow, thanks for the link!!!

 

[fnnwizard]

Oh, thought I had posted this earlier but guess not.
This is the 3rd option for the can/rs connection. This in case the Apex board separated the rs/can into 2 ports. The dashes wire portion replaces the solid portion.

 

[fnnwizard]

Ok I can do the first option later today. Do I set the apex rs485 port to 9600 pylon?
Would need to find my network cable kit to make up those other cables - finding it would be a mission in its own right.

Have you gotten a chance to try this yet? Base on some info I was able to dig up and sniffing my Seplos BMS ( likely to be same com protocol as those "Darens" , Pace protocol) which is same is your Lifepower.

I'm even more confident that either pack can act as Master and pass on either as Slaves.

Edit.
Thought of very simple way to test.
1. Have Apex as master using its can port to 18 (just pins 4 and 5).
2. use 1 regular cat 5 cable, but cut pins 3,4,5 and 6.
3. plug into Apex rs port next to the can port and then into EG can port,

Don't need any other cables... i.e. no need for the outside RS ports to be interconnected.

 

[EZPZ]

Have you gotten a chance to try this yet? Base on some info I was able to dig up and sniffing my Seplos BMS ( likely to be same com protocol as those "Darens" , Pace protocol) which is same is your Lifepower.

I'm even more confident that either pack can act as Master and pass on either as Slaves.

Edit.
Thought of very simple way to test.
1. Have Apex as master using its can port to 18 (just pins 4 and 5).
2. use 1 regular cat 5 cable, but cut pins 3,4,5 and 6.
3. plug into Apex rs port next to the can port and then into EG can port,

Don't need any other cables... i.e. no need for the outside RS ports to be interconnected.

Sorry had a busy day farming. Will have time today to play some more.

 

[EZPZ]

I also got the codes from eg4 for the 18kpv battery brands.

 

[Brucey]

I also got the codes from eg4 for the 18kpv battery brands.

View attachment 292623

Noteworthy that luxpower and eg4 are distinct comm types.

 

[EZPZ]

Have you gotten a chance to try this yet? Base on some info I was able to dig up and sniffing my Seplos BMS ( likely to be same com protocol as those "Darens" , Pace protocol) which is same is your Lifepower.

I'm even more confident that either pack can act as Master and pass on either as Slaves.

Edit.
Thought of very simple way to test.
1. Have Apex as master using its can port to 18 (just pins 4 and 5).
2. use 1 regular cat 5 cable, but cut pins 3,4,5 and 6.
3. plug into Apex rs port next to the can port and then into EG can port,

Don't need any other cables... i.e. no need for the outside RS ports to be interconnected.

Ok tried that no joy, still shows only the apex and only 1 battery.
Also tried running that spliced cable to the eg4 rs ports. Also no joy.
Also tried running that spliced cable from the other apex ports.

The inverter does see the min/max cell volt and temps from the apex, but doesn’t display those values on the website

 

[EZPZ]

Ok, this is what you can try without having to make new cables. it may or may not work
All blues lines I drew in are regular ethernet with 3+6 cut.View attachment 292081

Also tried this on with just 1 of the eg4 and also no joy

 

[fnnwizard]

Also tried this on with just 1 of the eg4 and also no joy.

Man, I was overly confident, Sorry it didn't work, but a big Thank you for trying!

I was assuming it uses the Seplos comms protocol, hmmm. I don't have either of these BMS to actually grab the coms info, but may revisit this possibility in the future and would be helpful to eliminate the steps you already took. There are a lot of possible combinations to play with.

So just to cover the bases and for reference, any chance you can detail the various protocol settings and dip switch settings used while connecting on 18, Apex and EG4?

And yeah, I can appreciate the hassles to make network cables . I'll update this thread if i find anything more. Thanks Again!

Edit... forgot to add the Daren info for comms - its says to use CAN 3+4, but I don't think that's correct for 18kPv.

 

[EZPZ]

Yeah I tried a few more things as well but either got that incorrect 20048ah reading or no comms to inverter via rs485. There are soooo many options. I can live with the current setup so it’s no problem. Maybe once all the warranties run out and a cell or two dying in time, take them all apart and replace all the bms’s with a single brand. Thanks for the help. I might even look into that link as I have a spare pi around here somewhere. Maybe a project for winter when I am stuck indoors.