Epever keeps cutting out when it gets near voltage disconnect level…

[mathewhgreen]

Hi

I have the 20 amp 100volt Epever charge controller.

When it’s discharged and the sun is out it’s putting in over 15 amps and everything is fine. The voltage started at 15.25 and then slowly rose until around 16.5 which is when it starts acting weird and cuts out. It’s as though it can’t control the charging when it gets near to the maximum voltage. I find the voltage at 32v but zero current until I switch off the panels to the controller and then it starts charging again.

Any ideas why that might be? I go out and come back and it’s locked in this zero current state and not charged…

I have a 4s lithium setup…

Cheers
Mat

 

[FilterGuy]

I have seen others report the same problem, but I have never seen a resolution other than going with a different brand than EPEver. ?
Hopefully, someone will chime in with an explanation of what is going on.

 

[mathewhgreen]

Oh that's not great news.. I have two of them...:-/

 

[Rednecktek]

Man, really?!?! First I install a HQST controller and the next day find out it's just a renamed Renology, now you tell me my new EPEver could have issues too? Please tell me it's a LiFe issue and doesn't affect FLA batteries...

 

[12VoltInstalls]

I have a 4s lithium setup

Three observations
1) 16.5 volts is FLA equalizing range not for lithium iirc
2) you blame the epever but it could be your bms
3) turn down the settings to something reasonable for a LiFePo battery

 

[sunshine]

2) you blame the epever but it could be your bms

Could this be the same problem being experienced with pwms where there is no actual isolation in the ' mosfet
circuitry? ,,,,In combination with the BMS cut-off ?

I have never seen a resolution other than going with a different brand than EPEver

A small load and a supercapacitor ( even a $50 one from china) to keep the V signal when the BMS cuts out?

 

[mathewhgreen]

I don't have a BMS installed on my battery pack.
It's 16.5 as I am not charging the 4S pack to 100% which is 16.8V. 4,2V per cell.
My 4S packs stay within 10-20mV of each other and have done for months.
I did install a Daley BMS and still the same problem.

 

[A.Justice]

I don't have a BMS installed on my battery pack.
It's 16.5 as I am not charging the 4S pack to 100% which is 16.8V. 4,2V per cell.
My 4S packs stay within 10-20mV of each other and have done for months.
I did install a Daley BMS and still the same problem.

Keep the BMS on it, ESPECIALLY if you have charging issues. The BMS may prevent a Li-Po overcharge fire.

 

[Tecnodave]

Hi

I have the 20 amp 100volt Epever charge controller.

When it’s discharged and the sun is out it’s putting in over 15 amps and everything is fine. The voltage started at 15.25 and then slowly rose until around 16.5 which is when it starts acting weird and cuts out. It’s as though it can’t control the charging when it gets near to the maximum voltage. I find the voltage at 32v but zero current until I switch off the panels to the controller and then it starts charging again.

Any ideas why that might be? I go out and come back and it’s locked in this zero current state and not charged…

I have a 4s lithium setup…

Cheers
Mat

I have several EP Solar charge controllers in my trash pile that did the same exact thing with my Rolls Surette S-530 batteries. After many attempts at support I replaced them with controllers that are totally programmable to large format batteries.


EP Solar got a really badname so they changed it to EP Ever, still the same ole krap........
They never invented or designed anything, their early manuals copied from Morningstar published information. They sell stone copies of the MorningStar Sun Saver

.and Krapology is in the very same boat........and you know exactly whom I am referring to

 

[mathewhgreen]

I have a Bluetooth Thermometer in my battery with an alarm set if the temperature increases too much.
The charging issues are only present at the last stage of charging. During the initial bulk stage it's all working fine pumping in 15amps for hours...
It's when the State of Charge nears 100% of my settings that things start going awry!

 

[sunshine]

I don't have a BMS installed on my battery pack.
It's 16.5 as I am not charging the 4S pack to 100% which is 16.8V. 4,2V per cell.
My 4S packs stay within 10-20mV of each other and have done for months.

It still looks like the same problem as with my PowerMr PWMS
and since this is asked in another thread-

Is powerMr the same as Epever?

..same factory and also where some GroWatt products are made.

When the battery gets close to full there is not enough load for the circuit to properly regulate the voltage.
Maybe this is a problem common across their range of MPP CC and PWM CCs due to common circuits or parts outside the MPPT section?
I suspect it is a feature of mosfet technology when used in conjunction with minimal other features to overcome the problem.

Whatever the actual cause, a small load and supercapacitator solved my problem.

 

[Symbioquine]

Please excuse minor tangent.

I have several EP Solar charge controllers in my trash pile

Any chance you want to part with them cheap? Please PM me if so. I love the 9 I already have and wouldn't mind having a few more - even broken ones - as spares or part donors...

 

[Wellbuilt]

Hi

I have the 20 amp 100volt Epever charge controller.

When it’s discharged and the sun is out it’s putting in over 15 amps and everything is fine. The voltage started at 15.25 and then slowly rose until around 16.5 which is when it starts acting weird and cuts out. It’s as though it can’t control the charging when it gets near to the maximum voltage. I find the voltage at 32v but zero current until I switch off the panels to the controller and then it starts charging again.

Any ideas why that might be? I go out and come back and it’s locked in this zero current state and not charged…

I have a 4s lithium setup…

Cheers
Mat

Yup I had a 40 amp older model and it would cut out the same way .
It wiped out my first set of battery’s and then worked for a few months and started cutting out again .
It was a easy fix , I ordered a out back fm80 charge controller and never had a problem.

 

[Tecnodave]

Legal liabilities prevent me from dealing with them. They dont cost me anything sitting in a pile but if I sold them and something happens it could cost me at the very least legal representation. Now if you dropped by and bought a pile of junk that would be different but as the product has been discussed I am now liable. I have a $4,000.00 Best Sun New Energy Fution Powerwall in my trash pile as well, and I am bound by the same standard,If I were to sell it for what it is I am now liable for any burn-down or death that it causes as I am fully aware of the consequences of using items that are not “Listed to U.L. XXXX by a U.S. OSHA NRTL” that is the difference. If you are not licensed or educated as to the danger that is another situation altogether. Some of the equiptment in my junk pile was removed to clear “red tags” for “not in compliance“ with current codes. These removals were done with the assurance that the equipment would not reenter the market. I do still work in the feild a bit and am under the authority of the State liscening agancy as well as the local building authorities.

The EP Solar controllers are way old by now, I would assume that the EP Ever units are upgraded from that,

 

[chrisski]

I don't have a BMS installed on my battery pack.
It's 16.5 as I am not charging the 4S pack to 100% which is 16.8V. 4,2V per cell.
My 4S packs stay within 10-20mV of each other and have done for months.
I did install a Daley BMS and still the same problem.

When I see these numbers, this appears to be outside the LIthium Iron Phosphate Chemistry I deal with.

I have VIctron Equipment. I have never seen an overvoltage as you describe. I have seen a Over-Amperage once, but I was way over-paneled for a 75 volt 15 amp SCC.

 

[Tecnodave]

At 4.2 volts per cell those are not LiFePO4 cells, probably are LiPo or LiLo.
Could be your charger is not setup for LiPo, these are used in vehicles but rarely in housing due to the thermal issues that lead to fires.

Can you define the batteries better, manufacturer, and exact model of cells, cant really give advise without knowing that.

 

[Tecnodave]

Yup I had a 40 amp older model and it would cut out the same way .
It wiped out my first set of battery’s and then worked for a few months and started cutting out again .
It was a easy fix , I ordered a out back fm80 charge controller and never had a problem.

Almost the same issue that I had, would bulk charge large format Flooded Lead Acid up to 80% S.O.C. then flake out and not do a proper adsorb. cutting solar input then battery, wait, wait, wait, reconnect battery then solar, goes back to bulk for a few minutes then shutoff. I ended up running my generator to top off batteries. As the battery bank is $2200 to replace, I bought a Midnite Classic 150 to replace 3 EP Solar AN3215 controllers, never had an issue since. Batteries are still in use today.....19 nearly 20 years old now, and still at full capacity...Rolls-Surette S-530’s at 426 a.h. / bank. These Rolls batteries have a fairly high e.q. at 30.00 volts for the 24 volt set. My MagnaSine does not like that high of voltage but my Exeltech works at up to 33.0 volts.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

would bulk charge large format Flooded Lead Acid up to 80% S.O.C. then flake out and not do a proper adsorb. cutting solar input then battery, wait, wait, wait, reconnect battery then solar, goes back to bulk for a few minutes then shutoff.

Do you have an explanation as to why neither my 40A nor 50A Epever’s exhibit (exhibited?) this behavior?
They’ve been great for my use >¥<

 

[Tecnodave]

Do you have an explanation as to why neither my 40A nor 50A Epever’s exhibit (exhibited?) this behavior?
They’ve been great for my use >¥<

Im glad that you got good use out of them, I was replacing some very antique Trace C-40 PWM controllers with the EP Solar units and had nothing but problems. Not with just one, but 4 total, 3 ea. AN3215 and one 4210 unit all fed with 72 volts DC for the 24 volt system. The Trace controllers arrays were all parallel for 36 volts DC and always could equilize.

Were your units EP Solar or EP Ever, I dont know what happened there but the design appears to be the same with the same remote display. Company reorigination?

In any case I bought a Midnight Classic 150 , then another, no looking back now, can peek in on them from the internet.......many features that less expensive controllers do not have.

 

[Wellbuilt]

My 40 amp charge controller would reboot if did a reset .
Then it would work for a few weeks and stop .
I tryEd for tec support but they could not help , there where no parts , and no one knew any thing about it .
They just wanted to send me a new one for full price .
I was 15 days out of warranty