EG4-LL (V2) Integration with Schneider Insight Home

[Matruco]

Hello,

Has anyone managed to make the connection between the EG4-LL (V2) batteries and the Schneider insight home?
I am not able to detect the BMS in the insight home if I put the dip switch on the battery in position 1 (Master). But, if I put the dip switch to position 2, I can detect and add that bms to the insight home. The problem is that if I put the battery on dip position 2 I can only see that battery on the insight home (shows only 100A instead of 300A for three batteries). I've seen the SS video on youtube an follow the instructions carefully but I have not been successful. Has anyone gone through the problem I'm having?

Happy New Year!



****Update****
This issue has been solved with the new firmware update as of 5/5/2023

 

[Scat]

Hello Matruco

See this post #2 answer: The EG4LL has a setting on the screen for scheneider, then use the insight wizard

Backup home power with EG4 LL and Schneider Electric Conext SW inverter

I'm looking at adding AC-coupled backup power to my house and just wanted to see if anyone had suggestions or areas that I should do more research on first. As well as a few questions. Proposed equipment: 2x EG4 LL V2 Server Rack batteries Schneider Electric Conext SW 4kW 48VDC...

diysolarforum.com

I am new to solar and I am learning from many people,Will Prowse,David Poz, and others.
Anyway I seen you question and think the two files I have attachd will help you.
file 1: InsightHome-Quick-Start-Guide_990-6342.pdf
file 2: InsightHome-Owners-Guide_990-91410.pdf

If you haven't already open file 1 and go to page 2 thru 4
Connectecting the InsightHome to the Internet

then open file 2 and goto page 60, the catagory is Monitoring and then topic is Monitoring the Power Plant

this is the site I downloaded those files:

InsightHome and InsightFacility Edge Devices

InsightHome and InsightFacility edge devices connect via Insight platform to your solar and storage system to ease management of your system.

solar.se.com

I hope this helps you
Scat

 

[Matruco]

Scat,
Thanks for helping me out. I've been with schneider equipment for a couple of years now and I am familiar with the insight home. I'm very convinced that the problem is related to either the firmware on the batteries or the address (dip switch) on the battery. Im waiting for a tech at SS to answer my email.

Regards,
Jorge

 

[Hootch406]

Scat,
Thanks for helping me out. I've been with schneider equipment for a couple of years now and I am familiar with the insight home. I'm very convinced that the problem is related to either the firmware on the batteries or the address (dip switch) on the battery. Im waiting for a tech at SS to answer my email.

Regards,
Jorge

Did you get an answer back from SS? I am in the same boat as you, I have the dip switch set to 1 and insight found the device but there is no BMS showing up on the devices page.

 

[Matruco]

Did you get an answer back from SS? I am in the same boat as you, I have the dip switch set to 1 and insight found the device but there is no BMS showing up on the devices page.

During troubleshooting, I was able to replicate your problem by having the wrong battery protocol. Make sure you have the schneider protocol "P04-SCH" and after you change the protocol remember to restart everything (battery and Insight). The problem I have is that the Insight does not find any devices, it shows "0 Devices Found" when I try to detect the BMS. Im still waiting for EG4 and Schneider tech support to bring a solution to my problem.

 

[JFKS]

Matruco, if you have been able to get your Insight Home to detect your EG4 LL V2 batteries with any DIP switch settings at all, you're ahead of me. I'm getting "0 Devices Detected" on the Insight Home regardless of how the battery DIP switches are set. Signature Solar has reviewed video clips of my entire process and of the cable I'm using and wasn't able to see any problems with either. I'm suspicious of the battery firmware or perhaps the RS485 port, although SS suspects the Insight Home might be the problem.

Have you heard of anyone outside of the factory environment actually getting this to work? Integration with Schneider equipment is recent enough that its possible product that is actually shipping hasn't caught up with the latest versions "back in the lab" where the you-tube videos are made.

Progress on this has been disappointly (and frustratingly) slow. Other than that, the combination of XW-Pro and EG4 batteries is working fantastic, even "open-loop".

 

[Hootch406]

Matruco & JFKS, I have the BMS displayed finally on Insight Home. I honestly cant tell if it is controlling anything though. it displays voltage, temperature and SOC.

I followed the video and found it did not work. Some details are missing.
Make sure when you connect the Insight Home cable that it is plugged into the port labeled RS485, not the "Com" port next to it.
The other thing is, the video said all the dip switches should be forward except for the top one and it should be pushed back (if I recall correctly). I looked at mine and found my dipswitch assy. must have been installed backwards. On mine, the bottom switch is number 1 and is in the forward position, the top 3 switches are pushed back.

After those corrections, the device was found and displayed with the CC and the Inverter.

Now, I think we need a battery to select in the BMS setup on the main page. A battery that has parameters in the Insight software. I don't think the battery is controlling anything. I expected it to, am I wrong for thinking that?

 

[cjinx123456]

I have recently gotten the Schneider XW Pro and 4 x EG4-LL (V2) Batteries working with generator as AC2 input. I will add Solar and Generator Autostart in the near future to complete my system.

Please DM me if you're having issues I can try to talk you through some of the steps and my dip switch configuration, qualifying the AC Inputs which ended up being the key.

I have a separate issue maybe someone here can help with: When charging the batteries from the generator (I am totally off-grid) my four 48V 100Ah EG4-LL V2 batteries will only charge at total ~50amps (~12amps per battery) when below 95% SOC and total ~20amps from 95%-99%. This means my 11KW Diesel generator is not operating efficiently and needs to run much longer than I would expect. My understanding is that these Li-Ion batteries should be able to accept 30amps or more charge so I feel like it must be a setting in my inverter or some issue with BMS communication.

 

[Matruco]

Matruco & JFKS, I have the BMS displayed finally on Insight Home. I honestly cant tell if it is controlling anything though. it displays voltage, temperature and SOC.

I followed the video and found it did not work. Some details are missing.
Make sure when you connect the Insight Home cable that it is plugged into the port labeled RS485, not the "Com" port next to it.
The other thing is, the video said all the dip switches should be forward except for the top one and it should be pushed back (if I recall correctly). I looked at mine and found my dipswitch assy. must have been installed backwards. On mine, the bottom switch is number 1 and is in the forward position, the top 3 switches are pushed back.

After those corrections, the device was found and displayed with the CC and the Inverter.

Now, I think we need a battery to select in the BMS setup on the main page. A battery that has parameters in the Insight software. I don't think the battery is controlling anything. I expected it to, am I wrong for thinking that?

How many batteries do you have? When you go to devices>SEMB_BMS>Maximum Discharge Current you should see 100A by X amount of batteries. If you have 3 batteries, there should be 300A in the maximum discharge current. Is that your case?

Are you able to connect to the battery using BMS Tools? If so, you can see the actual battery address (dip switch position) within the BMS Tools program. In my case, Battery position 1 is exactly as they say in the video and in the manual. BTW, they updated the manual to show a new 6 pin dip switch.

 

[Matruco]

I have recently gotten the Schneider XW Pro and 4 x EG4-LL (V2) Batteries working with generator as AC2 input. I will add Solar and Generator Autostart in the near future to complete my system.

Please DM me if you're having issues I can try to talk you through some of the steps and my dip switch configuration, qualifying the AC Inputs which ended up being the key.

I have a separate issue maybe someone here can help with: When charging the batteries from the generator (I am totally off-grid) my four 48V 100Ah EG4-LL V2 batteries will only charge at total ~50amps (~12amps per battery) when below 95% SOC and total ~20amps from 95%-99%. This means my 11KW Diesel generator is not operating efficiently and needs to run much longer than I would expect. My understanding is that these Li-Ion batteries should be able to accept 30amps or more charge so I feel like it must be a setting in my inverter or some issue with BMS communication.

I think ~50 Amps is the maximum your generator is able to push to the batteries.

 

[cjinx123456]

I think ~50 Amps is the maximum your generator is able to push to the batteries.

I changed my battery settings from External BMS to 2-Stage and was able to charge at 100amps. I then called Signature Solar and asked for specific battery / charging settings since they sold me the batteries and the Schneider XW Pro inverter as a bundle but they refused and told me to contact Schneider... Pretty frustrating if you sell a bundle you should support the bundle you are selling especially with universal information like the appropriate battery and charging settings.

Now I have to root around on the internet for days trying to understand the correct settings.

 

[Hootch406]

How many batteries do you have? When you go to devices>SEMB_BMS>Maximum Discharge Current you should see 100A by X amount of batteries. If you have 3 batteries, there should be 300A in the maximum discharge current. Is that your case?

Are you able to connect to the battery using BMS Tools? If so, you can see the actual battery address (dip switch position) within the BMS Tools program. In my case, Battery position 1 is exactly as they say in the video and in the manual. BTW, they updated the manual to show a new 6 pin dip switch.

I have three batteries. When i look at the SEMB_BMS it only shows voltage, temp and SOC. None of the other lines are filled in. Are you saying that I still don't have the correct dip switch settings? I was thinking that I need to select a battery and quantity in the BMS set up tab on Insight Home. Of course the EG4 isn't listed in the dropdown list. I wonder if one of the other brands would work?

I have connected to the battery with BMS tools. It wasn't a whole lot of fun for me.....

I just noticed today that the two version 1 batteries had a fault and were off line. The V2 battery was fine. When I got the V1 batteries warmed up and the fault cleared and back on line, the SOC didn't change on Insight. (V1 batteries were showing one light on the gauge) Clearly the two V1 batt's aren't connected.

 

[Matruco]

Are you saying that I still don't have the correct dip switch settings?

No, im just curious that you had a dip switch connected backwards. You can verify the actual address with BMS Tools but only on a battery with dip switch other than 1.

I was thinking that I need to select a battery and quantity in the BMS set up tab on Insight Home.

I dont think you need to go to that menu. At least i didnt see that menu in the Marcus YT video.

What cable are you using to connect the battery to the insight? Lan cable with orange-white and orange wires (pin 1 and 2)?

 

[Shire222]

I’m in the same boat as many of you. I have 6 EG4-LL V2’s working fine in open loop with Schneider XW Pro. InsightHome is fully functioning otherwise but is unable to communicate with battery BMS following same steps shown in EG4 SS video on YouTube. Been through all the troubleshooting with SS and they even replaced my InsightHome, still no closed loop. “0 Devices found”. Case has been open for just over 5 weeks now.

 

[Matruco]

I’m in the same boat as many of you. I have 6 EG4-LL V2’s working fine in open loop with Schneider XW Pro. InsightHome is fully functioning otherwise but is unable to communicate with battery BMS following same steps shown in EG4 SS video on YouTube. Been through all the troubleshooting with SS and they even replaced my InsightHome, still no closed loop. “0 Devices found”. Case has been open for just over 5 weeks now.

Exact same thing to me. Schneider sent a replacement for my insight home that i haven't received. I have always thought that the problem is the battery firmware. I just went to EG4 electronics battery section and notice that the battery firmware download link for the EG4-LL V2 has been removed. Hopefully they are doing some changes to fix this issue. @BenFromSignatureSolar @SignatureSolarJames @SignatureSolarJarrett @signaturesolarHelpUs

 

[JFKS]

Shire222: I just now followed Matruco's suggestion from a week ago and was finally able to get my XW-Pro to detect and communicate with my EG4 LLV2. To quote Matruco's earlier post:

"The other thing is, the video said all the dip switches should be forward except for the top one and it should be pushed back (if I recall correctly). I looked at mine and found my dipswitch assy. must have been installed backwards. On mine, the bottom switch is number 1 and is in the forward position, the top 3 switches are pushed back."

His post described my DIP switch configuration perfectly, and when I changed my switches to match what he suggested instead of what the Sig Solar video prescribed, my Insight Home discovered the battery right away and seems to be communicated with it normally now, although with a Modbus Address of 8.

The V2 battery still isn't communicating with my V1 batteries, and I think the V2 address might need to be 1 instead of 8 for it to function as a master, but I'll try to sort that out this weekend.

Matruco: Man, I seriously owe you a cold brewsky, hot Starbucks, or whatever you are thirsty for if our paths ever cross in person. You accomplished in those three lines what Signature Solar's help desk didn't make any progress at all on in 5 weeks. There is evidently a production problem that they are not aware of. Many, many thanks for that...

 

[Matruco]

Shire222: I just now followed Matruco's suggestion from a week ago and was finally able to get my XW-Pro to detect and communicate with my EG4 LLV2. To quote Matruco's earlier post:

"The other thing is, the video said all the dip switches should be forward except for the top one and it should be pushed back (if I recall correctly). I looked at mine and found my dipswitch assy. must have been installed backwards. On mine, the bottom switch is number 1 and is in the forward position, the top 3 switches are pushed back."

Matruco: Man, I seriously owe you a cold brewsky, hot Starbucks, or whatever you are thirsty for if our paths ever cross in person. You accomplished in those three lines what Signature Solar's help desk didn't make any progress at all on in 5 weeks. There is evidently a production problem that they are not aware of. Many, many thanks for that...

Thank you, but it was actually @Hootch406 that discovered the switch installed "backwards". What i have found during troubleshooting is that if you put the "main battery" in switch position 1, you can see that the batteries will start to communicate (Battery Communication port LEDs start flashing) if you have the lan cable between them, but it won't communicate with the insight. Then, if you put the "Main Battery" in a different position than 1, it will communicate with the insight but it stops communication between batteries (Battery Communication port LEDs stop flashing). That is why we can only see one battery (shows only 100A instead of 300A for three batteries) on the insight.

I hope that Signature Solar and EG4 Electronics comes with a solution to this problem.

 

[SignatureSolarJames]

Thank you, but it was actually @Hootch406 that discovered the switch installed "backwards". What i have found during troubleshooting is that if you put the "main battery" in switch position 1, you can see that the batteries will start to communicate (Battery Communication port LEDs start flashing) if you have the lan cable between them, but it won't communicate with the insight. Then, if you put the "Main Battery" in a different position than 1, it will communicate with the insight but it stops communication between batteries (Battery Communication port LEDs stop flashing). That is why we can only see one battery (shows only 100A instead of 300A for three batteries) on the insight.

I hope that Signature Solar and EG4 Electronics comes with a solution to this problem.

The main battery will always be address 1

We have moved the switch to the front for more clear visibility, the issue here was orientation, we used terms like "up and "down" vs off and on

I think the firmware shouldn't be down checking into it

 

[Matruco]

The main battery will always be address 1

We have moved the switch to the front for more clear visibility, the issue here was orientation, we used terms like "up and "down" vs off and on

I think the firmware shouldn't be down checking into it

James, Thank you so much for your help.

We all have the same problem, "Main Battery" on dip switch position 1 not recognized by the Insight Home but, it can be seen if it has a dip switch position different than 1. After 3 to 4 weeks of troubleshooting with Signature Solar Tech support, they told me that the problem was the Insight Home that needed an update. After another week troubleshooting with schneider tech support and after testing with a schneider gateway and another insight home, I still have the exact same problem. For everyone's help, I will emphasize the key points needed for this to work based on SS tech support feedback and the battery manual to see if i have something wrong or missing.

1. Make sure everything is updated. Insight Home, inverter and batteries.
2. Make sure to have the correct BMS protocol for Schneider (P04-SCH)
3. Dip switch 16 to change protocol
4. Dip switch 1 for the Master Battery
5. Make sure to restart the BMS after dip switch change.
6. Make sure to have the correct cable to connect to the Insight Home

A- RJ-45 cable (LAN cable) with T-568B pinout (Pin 1 is White-Orange and pin 2 is Orange)​

B- RS-485 port on battery​

C- Pin 1 (White-Orange) connected to pin 11 on the 12-pin connector on the insight home​

D- Pin 2 (Orange) connected to pin 9 on the 12-pin connector on the insight home​

7. Go to the Insight Home> Setup page

A- Modbus Settings> Baud Rate - 9600​

Parity - none​

Stop Bits - 1​

Time Out - 10000ms​

B- Apply Settings​

8. Setup> Device Detection> Detect Devices

A- Range 1 to 10 (based on Signature Solar video) I have tried from 1 to 247 which is the maximum.​

B- Hit Detect button​

9. Once the device detection progress is finished, you should see "Devices Found: 1"
10. Go to Devices> SEMB_BMS

A- Configuration> BMS_DEV> Device Association: Select "House Battery Bank 1"> Apply​

We know that this forum is not your priority to solve issues with EG4 equipment, but we really appreciate any help you can give us.
@SignatureSolarJames @SignatureSolarJarrett @signaturesolarHelpUs @BenFromSignatureSolar

 

[Shire222]

James, Thank you so much for your help.

We all have the same problem, "Main Battery" on dip switch position 1 not recognized by the Insight Home but, it can be seen if it has a dip switch position different than 1. After 3 to 4 weeks of troubleshooting with Signature Solar Tech support, they told me that the problem was the Insight Home that needed an update. After another week troubleshooting with schneider tech support and after testing with a schneider gateway and another insight home, I still have the exact same problem. For everyone's help, I will emphasize the key points needed for this to work based on SS tech support feedback and the battery manual to see if i have something wrong or missing.

1. Make sure everything is updated. Insight Home, inverter and batteries.
2. Make sure to have the correct BMS protocol for Schneider (P04-SCH)
3. Dip switch 16 to change protocol
4. Dip switch 1 for the Master Battery
5. Make sure to restart the BMS after dip switch change.
6. Make sure to have the correct cable to connect to the Insight Home

A- RJ-45 cable (LAN cable) with T-568B pinout (Pin 1 is White-Orange and pin 2 is Orange)​

B- RS-485 port on battery​

C- Pin 1 (White-Orange) connected to pin 11 on the 12-pin connector on the insight home​

D- Pin 2 (Orange) connected to pin 9 on the 12-pin connector on the insight home​

7. Go to the Insight Home> Setup page

A- Modbus Settings> Baud Rate - 9600​

Parity - none​

Stop Bits - 1​

Time Out - 10000ms​

B- Apply Settings​

8. Setup> Device Detection> Detect Devices

A- Range 1 to 10 (based on Signature Solar video) I have tried from 1 to 247 which is the maximum.​

B- Hit Detect button​

9. Once the device detection progress is finished, you should see "Devices Found: 1"
10. Go to Devices> SEMB_BMS

A- Configuration> BMS_DEV> Device Association: Select "House Battery Bank 1"> Apply​

We know that this forum is not your priority to solve issues with EG4 equipment, but we really appreciate any help you can give us.
@SignatureSolarJames @SignatureSolarJarrett @signaturesolarHelpUs @BenFromSignatureSolar

Matruco, thank you for taking the time to write this all down. Take note, Signature Solar, this is how you write documentation that your customers can follow to implement a supported configuration.

That said, this doesn't work. I have this setup verbatim, and I can tell dip switches are correct for master battery as you can see the light down the runway effect of each battery flashing in order of increasing ID with the master battery ports constantly flashing. No devices detected when plugged into RS485 port on Master. If I plug into Id 2, I am able to detect a single battery on my alleged "bad" Insight Home that Signature Solar said was the problem. This is not an Insight Home issue, it's a battery firmware problem.