Epever Solar Station Settings

[Umpa]

I am wondering, I have an Epever Tracer AN 40amp CC, and the maximum size battery I can enter into the control parameters is 999AH @12v. I have a 1040AH battery and can't enter it's true capacity in and also I am wondering if this setting actually does anything charge/discharge wise ?

If there are any Epever users out there care to advise.

Regards

Ump..

 

[Fred S]

I have the 40 amp 4215BN and it allowed me to enter 1200 ah, as a test. (There are 4 digits in the setup field.)

I always figured that the ah number, along with the current voltage, just support the state-of-charge (SOC) estimation, to update the SOC status graphic on the screen (which is not very accurate or useful). However, the graphic didn't change at all when I switched between 200 ah and 1200 ah. (Perhaps it needs a reboot, I didn't do that. I don't think that's likely though.) So, I don't know what the # is used for. Maybe an EE familiar with the electronics or firmware can weigh in.

 

[Umpa]

Thanks for the reply - all I can tell you is the 1000 and above throws up an error, and 999 is all the software will allow. Here's hoping an expert will wade in and put us right

 

[tictag]

The battery capacity value could be used to switch between Absorption and Float charging modes. A 'good' SCC will stop Absorption when the charging current drops to C/100 Amps, but most cheaper SCCs will use a timer of some description e.g. 6 hours in Absorption. That said, 999 / 100 = 9.9A, 1,040 / 100 = 10.4A, that's really not going to matter too much at all.

 

[Umpa]

I know the Epever uses a timer for boost charge and its default is 120 mins, the same is for equalisation charge (which I have disabled), so I don't think that applies to the setting in question. So I guess I am now wondering if this settings does anything at all?. I have a bi-direction ammeter connected measuring power in and out, and it shows me that the Epever estimate of battery SOC is nowhere near accurate.

Thinking about it - I am leaning towards what Fred S said, in that the CC uses this number to help calculate SOC - this was originally set up at 520 and since then I have doubled capacity, and thats when I first noticed huge discrepancies between what the Epever said and the ammeter.

It's also of note I have two CC on the battery from 2 600w arrays facing east and west.

 

[Fred S]

Might be worth an email to Epever support and request an engineer response. 1) why doesn't this model accept > 999 ah, 2) what is this value used for, and 3) should the value be set different for the scenario of having 2 CCs in parallel. I'd be curious what they say.

I do find the SOC graphic useful as a quick glance, when it shows nearly or completely full, because that indication is accurate on mine. One tiny segment less than full means it has hit the max charging voltage and has backed off on current. "Full" means it is in a float mode presumably - I only see "make-up" current displayed when there is a load on the battery.

My PC software version is Epever Solar Station Monitor v1.95. I wonder if you use it instead of the MT50, you can enter >1000 ah. (I doubt it.) Also, maybe there is a utility to update the firmware, I've never checked.

 

[Umpa]

Hi, Yes same here v1.95. I do have the MT50 connected too, and the PC via an Elog-01, although I only use it for a bigger clearer display - I have not actually programmed with it yet.

Now FWIW I have noticed that changing the settings to 999ah has made the battery indicator on the CC tally up with what I see on the bidirectional ammeter when the sun goes down - before it would drop to 75% within a few hours after sun down - with the voltage reading 13.8v and 12.8v is supposedly considered full for an AGM The ammeter said I had 99% left. So that must be what the AH setting is for - the battery SOC display.

TBH I find this solar station software buggy, slow and a pita. I only use it because I can program the units remotely from the house and it is easier in the chair - lol.

 

[Fred S]

Yes I think the software was a work in progress years ago that never got finished. It does work to read and write settings to the controller, so it's got that going for it. . I wonder if the new controllers have web servers and web software, that would be nice.

 

[Tallguy]

I have a 2210an on the way and I was going to build a 7s 18650 battery but I found a good deal on a 8s pack usable as is. Does anyone know what the high end of the charge cycle parameters I could program it to?

 

[Ninja Nate]

I also have the epever mppt 40 amp charge controller. Looking back wish I would have saved a little more and got a victron.

 

[Umpa]

I also have the epever mppt 40 amp charge controller. Looking back wish I would have saved a little more and got a victron.

I have seen mixed reviews on victron stuff too. TBH apart from the really crappy SOC metering they are not that bad for the price.

 

[gnubie]

Reviews are only useful if the reviewer knows what they are talking about. 99.99% of the reviews on youtube, 'social media' in general, are done by people that have absolutely no clue at all. That goes for any product, not just solar controllers and certainly not just one brand of solar controller. That's after the wonderful 'review' that only takes 1 minute is removed from the list too.

 

[Umpa]

Reviews are only useful if the reviewer knows what they are talking about. 99.99% of the reviews on youtube, 'social media' in general, are done by people that have absolutely no clue at all. That goes for any product, not just solar controllers and certainly not just one brand of solar controller. That's after the wonderful 'review' that only takes 1 minute is removed from the list too.

Unless you have prior knowledge reviews are all anyone can go by. I base my finding on epever having owned them. It's a case of the rock or a hard place.