EG4 48v inverter gets BP error w both 2@ CHINS 24v LifePO4 and now 2@48v batteries in series

[andyjehn]

We are brand new to solar, had 2 consultants and 2 electricians help us build this system but it's been glitching out so we upgraded batteries and now it's not working at all.

Our system is 6 SH-450WM panels into an EG4 6000ex 48v Signature Solar inverter into 2 48v CHINS lifePO4 batteries in series.

We WERE running 2@ 24v batteries and they charged for about 6 weeks but would run out of juice after about 36 hrs, got a BP warning, rebooted once, and then stopped charging all together... yet they were showing 1/2 full on the inverter readout.

Called Signature Solar and they said get 2@ 48v batteries. Thankfully CHINS was willing to exchange even though we'd had them for 6 mos.

At first these 2 new 48s seemed to connect but started to heat up, then they seemed to be charging, but BP error came up again, now they trip the HA 4way 60amp circuit breaker every time. Even just tried one battery. Same.

Super frustrating as we're living in the home, with no other power source, it would be great if this system worked smoothly.

thanks so much

 

[LakeHouse]

2 48v CHINS lifePO4 batteries in series.

I hope you mean in parallel?

The bp error means that the inverter doesn’t see a battery connected. This could mean that your batteries have gone into some sort of protection mode. If you measure the voltage at the battery terminals, what do you get?

HA 4way 60amp circuit breaker every time.

What is this breaker meant to protect? Is it between the batteries and the inverter? 60A would be too small for that.

 

[andyjehn]

I hope you mean in parallel?

The bp error means that the inverter doesn’t see a battery connected. This could mean that your batteries have gone into some sort of protection mode. If you measure the voltage at the battery terminals, what do you get?

What is this breaker meant to protect? Is it between the batteries and the inverter? 60A would be too small for that.

They arrived yesterday and were at 40%
Now at 37%
Only 1 is attached now. Still tripping.
Electrician says now we need to do in parallel.

 

[LakeHouse]

They arrived yesterday and were at 40%
Now at 37%
Only 2 is attached now. Still tripping.

These aren't answer to any of the questions.

Are the two 48V batteries connected in the same way as the old 24V batteries (i.e., in series)? If so, you've made a 96V battery and your inverter will be very unhappy about that.
What is the voltage at the battery terminals? Not the state of charge, the voltage. You'll need a multimeter to measure this. If you don't have one, you should go buy one. Measure each battery independently, then (just humor me on this) measure from the negative of one battery to the positive of the other, and repeat this measurement, from the negative of the second battery to the positive of the first. All of these measurements should be between 50V and 54V, and they should all be the same number, but please actually measure all of them.

What is the 60A breaker that's tripping connected to? Trace the wires, or send a photo.

Actually, send photos of the battery wiring, the 60A breaker wiring, and the inverter wiring anyway.

 

[BKY2003]

Also make sure your battery is set to the correct type. Default is AGM.

 

[BKY2003]

"We WERE running 2@ 24v batteries and they charged for about 6 weeks but would run out of juice after about 36 hrs, got a BP warning, rebooted once, and then stopped charging all together."

Sound like they were setup correctly in the beginning, but you let the batteries run down to far. You need to set a "low DC cut off battery voltage setting" number 19.

 

[chilly2]

They arrived yesterday and were at 40%
Now at 37%
Only 1 is attached now. Still tripping.
Electrician says now we need to do in parallel.

On that last point, absolutely in parallel. Were they in series? That'd be 96V and could definitely cause problems.

 

[andyjehn]

Ok guys thank you.
Electrician here today. 52.6 and 52.4 voltage.
They were in series but not for long.
Inverter still works fine, getting power with solar.
Image with just 2 battery as of now.
But when the pv on off is off and just 1 battery hooked up, it still trips that 60a breaker. Electrician doesn't think breaker is too small... Can you explain?
Thanks so much guys.

 

[andyjehn]

Also make sure your battery is set to the correct type. Default is AGM.

Signature Solar told me to change setting #14 to 3rd party lithium. Should I change that?

 

[BKY2003]

In my opinion you have to make the battery cut out when it gets to low. So I select (14 USE) with mine. But with this setting you have to manually set your battery charge values. #(17,18,19) You have to make sure you have the correct values. My low battery cut out is set to 48volts, but I have a different battery.

 

[BKY2003]

If I understand correctly, on the breaker you have 60amp at 51.2 = 3072 watts. So you can only run loads of 3072 watts. the inverter is rated at 6000 watts.
maybe you mean you have a 60Volt breaker, this is the one I have

Nader DC Circuit Breaker | 60V 200Amp​

the photo is hard to see it looks like you have a 60Volt breaker

 

[BKY2003]

I would purchase the Eg4 Chargeverter and a generator to recharge the battery when it hits cut off volts. If you let the battery die down to no charge, you are going to get the same results you did with the first batteries.

​

 

[Q-Dog]

Is it possible to get the electrician to come here and ask questions? And show us a diagram of the entire system? I have a feeling something might be getting lost in translation.

 

[LakeHouse]

Signature Solar told me to change setting #14 to 3rd party lithium. Should I change that?

Yes.

But when the pv on off is off and just 1 battery hooked up, it still trips that 60a breaker. Electrician doesn't think breaker is too small... Can you explain?

The electrician might be thinking that a 60A breaker for a 120V ac circuit would be adequately sized, and that's correct; 60A at 120V is 7200W, which exceeds the 6000W rating of the inverter. But this is a 48V DC system that normally operates between 50 and 55 volts, so for 6000W you need (6000 / 50V) * 1.2 = 144A, so round up to a 150A breaker. Also, your wiring needs to be safe for 150A, might be worth having the electrician check that too.

 

[Roofrunn3r]

We are brand new to solar, had 2 consultants and 2 electricians help us build this system but it's been glitching out so we upgraded batteries and now it's not working at all.

Our system is 6 SH-450WM panels into an EG4 6000ex 48v Signature Solar inverter into 2 48v CHINS lifePO4 batteries in series.

We WERE running 2@ 24v batteries and they charged for about 6 weeks but would run out of juice after about 36 hrs, got a BP warning, rebooted once, and then stopped charging all together... yet they were showing 1/2 full on the inverter readout.

Called Signature Solar and they said get 2@ 48v batteries. Thankfully CHINS was willing to exchange even though we'd had them for 6 mos.

At first these 2 new 48s seemed to connect but started to heat up, then they seemed to be charging, but BP error came up again, now they trip the HA 4way 60amp circuit breaker every time. Even just tried one battery. Same.

Super frustrating as we're living in the home, with no other power source, it would be great if this system worked smoothly.

thanks so much

Did you have a balancer on the batteries?

I had 4 12v batteries in series that worked for 3 months and then completely went out. Found out they were out of balance completely

 

[andyjehn]

If I understand correctly, on the breaker you have 60amp at 51.2 = 3072 watts. So you can only run loads of 3072 watts. the inverter is rated at 6000 watts.
maybe you mean you have a 60Volt breaker, this is the one I have

Nader DC Circuit Breaker | 60V 200Amp​

the photo is hard to see it looks like you have a 60Volt breaker

Yes that's the exact breaker we have, sorry