Help please with my LV6548 not functioning properly.

[zack6736]

Greetings. I had an LV2424 I was using on my koipond with 4 12v Rich Solar batteries configured for 24v and 10 200watt Rich Solar panels hooked up 5panels in string, 2 strings. This setup worked fine for the LV2424, but the 2424 stopped switching over to utility, and it would just drain the batteries. This happened two days in a row and decided to reconfigure the batteries to make 48 volt and put the 6548 up. Made the swap, it detects the batteries and utility, but not the PV array and when I disconnect utility the unit shuts off after a minute.
The Rich Solar panels are 200watt each, and Isc is 10.2A. Imp is 9.8A. The manual for the 6548 states MPP 18A x2, so I am thinking the PV array exceeded the 18A, as when I figured it, PV array current is 19.6A. Also the unit was not providing any AC power out.
I did update the firmware also on this unit before this.
Thanks for any help you wish to provide.
zack

 

[Zwy]

Greetings. I had an LV2424 I was using on my koipond with 4 12v Rich Solar batteries configured for 24v and 10 200watt Rich Solar panels hooked up 5panels in string, 2 strings. This setup worked fine for the LV2424, but the 2424 stopped switching over to utility, and it would just drain the batteries. This happened two days in a row and decided to reconfigure the batteries to make 48 volt and put the 6548 up. Made the swap, it detects the batteries and utility, but not the PV array and when I disconnect utility the unit shuts off after a minute.
The Rich Solar panels are 200watt each, and Isc is 10.2A. Imp is 9.8A. The manual for the 6548 states MPP 18A x2, so I am thinking the PV array exceeded the 18A, as when I figured it, PV array current is 19.6A.
I did update the firmware also on this unit before this.
Thanks for any help you wish to provide.
zack

VOC is 24.3V
24.3 x 5 panels in series =120V
However the Vmp is 20V x 5= 100V
Any resistance will drop below 90V and the MPPT won't operate. You could go all 10 panels in series, just need to make sure you run VOC thru a calculator for cold weather.

I would not worry about 19.6A, it will just clip the amps
What does the display say for PV volts?

 

[zack6736]

VOC is 24.3V
24.3 x 5 panels in series =120V
However the Vmp is 20V x 5= 100V
Any resistance will drop below 90V and the MPPT won't operate. You could go all 10 panels in series, just need to make sure you run VOC thru a calculator for cold weather.

I would not worry about 19.6A, it will just clip the amps
What does the display say for PV volts?

Thank you for responding. The inverter panel does not show panels are connected, so it shows 0 volts from PV. Good to know I can run all 10 in series and not mess anything up. Have not been happy with this system, ie MPP solar and rich solar products.

 

[EastTexCowboy]

Greetings. I had an LV2424 I was using on my koipond with 4 12v Rich Solar batteries configured for 24v and 10 200watt Rich Solar panels hooked up 5panels in string, 2 strings. This setup worked fine for the LV2424, but the 2424 stopped switching over to utility, and it would just drain the batteries. This happened two days in a row and decided to reconfigure the batteries to make 48 volt and put the 6548 up. Made the swap, it detects the batteries and utility, but not the PV array and when I disconnect utility the unit shuts off after a minute.
The Rich Solar panels are 200watt each, and Isc is 10.2A. Imp is 9.8A. The manual for the 6548 states MPP 18A x2, so I am thinking the PV array exceeded the 18A, as when I figured it, PV array current is 19.6A. Also the unit was not providing any AC power out.
I did update the firmware also on this unit before this.
Thanks for any help you wish to provide.
zack

I agree with @Zwy on the amps and putting all 10 panels in series. My panel arrays max at a little over 20a but the LV6548 clips it at 17.4, so the 18a is a little bit misleading. You should be well under the 250v max on voltage, which is the more critical limitation, but I'd calculate with the temp coefficient just to be sure. This the one I use but there are myriad out there - https://footprinthero.com/solar-panel-voltage-calculator

It should run with only the battery connected. That's essentially what it does at night. I think you need to figure that out first. I would double check your wiring configuration and connections. It sounds to me like something isn't hooked up right. Maybe take some photos and post them here.

Before you turned the batteries on did you precharge the capacitors? I use the EG4 batteries which have a built in precharge resistor, but as I understand it you can fry the inverter with too much surge input from the batteries if you don't precharge.

On the PV, have you tested your PV voltage with a meter on the feed from the panels? Maybe a PV disconnect?

 

[zack6736]

I agree with @Zwy on the amps and putting all 10 panels in series. My panel arrays max at a little over 20a but the LV6548 clips it at 17.4, so the 18a is a little bit misleading. You should be well under the 250v max on voltage, which is the more critical limitation, but I'd calculate with the temp coefficient just to be sure. This the one I use but there are myriad out there - https://footprinthero.com/solar-panel-voltage-calculator

It should run with only the battery connected. That's essentially what it does at night. I think you need to figure that out first. I would double check your wiring configuration and connections. It sounds to me like something isn't hooked up right. Maybe take some photos and post them here.

Before you turned the batteries on did you precharge the capacitors? I use the EG4 batteries which have a built in precharge resistor, but as I understand it you can fry the inverter with too much surge input from the batteries if you don't precharge.

On the PV, have you tested your PV voltage with a meter on the feed from the panels? Maybe a PV disconnect?

I had this 6548 hooked up before and it worked (with communication issues), and double checked the wiring before putting the front panel with controller back on. I did precharge, don't have a regular resistor so I use a carpenters pencil as a resistor. Thank you for the link to the calculator, will check it out and plug the numbers in. The batteries I charged up to 13.1v +/- .1 volts individually before connecting them in series, my leads on the ohm meter isn't long enough to check the battery array terminal to terminal, but now that I'm thinking about it they are long enough to go from negative fuse to positive fuse. I'm wondering if the settings I had put in was the reason it was shutting down. I originally had two of these LV6548s connected to SOK smart battery bank with communication but the 6548s would loose communication after several days throwing an error so I tried updating the firmware and bricked one of them. This one is the one that survived that I am trying to now get to function on my koi pond circuit. I ended up getting a Sol-Ark 15k to replace the two LV6548s and cannot be happier. If I didn't have $4000 wrapped up in the Rich Solar batteries, I'd just tie this system into the Sol-Ark, but it would be a waste of money I've spent on the batteries and 6548.
I'm off this weekend, so will give the batteries a charge with my 48v charger.

 

[EastTexCowboy]

I had this 6548 hooked up before and it worked (with communication issues), and double checked the wiring before putting the front panel with controller back on. I did precharge, don't have a regular resistor so I use a carpenters pencil as a resistor. Thank you for the link to the calculator, will check it out and plug the numbers in. The batteries I charged up to 13.1v +/- .1 volts individually before connecting them in series, my leads on the ohm meter isn't long enough to check the battery array terminal to terminal, but now that I'm thinking about it they are long enough to go from negative fuse to positive fuse. I'm wondering if the settings I had put in was the reason it was shutting down. I originally had two of these LV6548s connected to SOK smart battery bank with communication but the 6548s would loose communication after several days throwing an error so I tried updating the firmware and bricked one of them. This one is the one that survived that I am trying to now get to function on my koi pond circuit. I ended up getting a Sol-Ark 15k to replace the two LV6548s and cannot be happier. If I didn't have $4000 wrapped up in the Rich Solar batteries, I'd just tie this system into the Sol-Ark, but it would be a waste of money I've spent on the batteries and 6548.
I'm off this weekend, so will give the batteries a charge with my 48v charger.

I think you've found the issue with it shutting down. When you have it configured for the units to be paired for 240v and only have one unit running it will run for a minute or less then shut off. You need to reconfigure the unit for single operation. It's a little tricky as I recall. Power the unit up then go to the menu and option 28. Power the unit off because you can't change this setting with it powered on. Change it to SIG instead of 2P1 or 2P2, depending whether it was master or slave. Then power it back on. The trick is that you don't have much time to do this.

I had one of them configured wrong the first time I set mine up for split phase and it would power down before I could get it changed. I got pretty good at clicking through the menu before I finally got it changed. But I think that was when I had only the battery turned on. As I recall if you have solar power coming in it will stay on longer, but maybe that was something else. Anyway, if you can get it set back to SIG I think that will resolve the shutting down after a minute issue.

You can find the settings on page 54 in the manual.

Once you get it running with these settings I would go through all the settings and double check them. Battery type, max voltage, float, cutoff, etc.

Edit: If you had the bonding screw removed you may want to address that as well, depending on how you're setting it up this time.

 

[zack6736]

I think you've found the issue with it shutting down. When you have it configured for the units to be paired for 240v and only have one unit running it will run for a minute or less then shut off. You need to reconfigure the unit for single operation. It's a little tricky as I recall. Power the unit up then go to the menu and option 28. Power the unit off because you can't change this setting with it powered on. Change it to SIG instead of 2P1 or 2P2, depending whether it was master or slave. Then power it back on. The trick is that you don't have much time to do this.

I had one of them configured wrong the first time I set mine up for split phase and it would power down before I could get it changed. I got pretty good at clicking through the menu before I finally got it changed. But I think that was when I had only the battery turned on. As I recall if you have solar power coming in it will stay on longer, but maybe that was something else. Anyway, if you can get it set back to SIG I think that will resolve the shutting down after a minute issue.

You can find the settings on page 54 in the manual.

Once you get it running with these settings I would go through all the settings and double check them. Battery type, max voltage, float, cutoff, etc.

Edit: If you had the bonding screw removed you may want to address that as well, depending on how you're setting it up this time.

Thank you!!! I had COMPLETELY forgotten about the setting #28 for two phase. Will get that changed this weekend, as that's the soonest opportunity I'll have to tackle it again. I remember the frustration setting it up as I was slow at making the chages. I had also forgotten about the bonding.

 

[zack6736]

Just checked the 6548 and sure enough, the setting was 2P2, so went in and changed it to SG1 and it started charging the batteries off utility and showed the inverter icon so know it's functioning in that aspect. Turned on the switch from the PV and nothing. That will definitely be this weekend. Have to get ready for work for now. Thanks EastTexC.

 

[zack6736]

Disconnected the PV cables from the inverter and checked voltage, it was only 26.6v, but it has been rainy today and cloudy so now that the settings have been changed to run single phase, once I get the volts up it should detect the PVs. From what I read in the manual, the voltage from the PVs must be at least 80v.

 

[EastTexCowboy]

Disconnected the PV cables from the inverter and checked voltage, it was only 26.6v, but it has been rainy today and cloudy so now that the settings have been changed to run single phase, once I get the volts up it should detect the PVs. From what I read in the manual, the voltage from the PVs must be at least 80v.

That sounds right. Hopefully you get some sun soon - at least enough to confirm it's working.

 

[zack6736]

Sun is out today and checked the leads from PV. Was getting 112v from the PV which are 2 strings of 5 panel series in parallel. I have tried both MPPT connectors on the 6548 and the inverter does not detect the panels. The only thing I can figure is there must be something in the settings. Will review the manual and see if there's something I've missed.