Latest Mason 280L issues

[HughF]

Hi folks, long time off-grid LFP user, first time poster.

I'm building a Mason 280L with grade A EVE 304K cells, the whole lot sourced from Fogstar here in the UK.

Anyway, I've got a query - has anyone else taken delivery of a kit this last week and started to put it together? I ask because this seems to be the very latest revision of the 280L and has the mid-pack compression shelf, the V3 BMS, and the active balancer. All these are pre-installed, including the foam and cell tap PCBs on the mid-cell span brackets.

Where I'm going with this is; the supplied accessory box doesn't appear to be correct for this latest revision of 280L cabinet. There isn't a busbar to connect from the fuse to the P+ terminal, and the P- and B- busbars (three holes in each) are drilled with a different hole spacing to that on the BMS. The active balance harness' are also not included, despite the PCB being screwed in place and wired to the rear pushbutton switch.

I've sent an email to Fogstar with my queries but I thought I'd jump on here to see if anyone else is in the same predicament. It's not a major issue as I'm still running on my current pack (DIYd 6yrs back with CALB 210aH cells and Batrium) but I do need to get this assembled and swapped in by the end of Jan.

 

[HughF]

Mix up in the warehouse and the incorrect accessory kit was dispatched... Fogstar taking care of things.

 

[MisterB1959]

Fogstar are thankfully pretty good in correcting mistakes, even if theyre not theirs !!

hopefully the new batteries will arrive soon - i will be selling my 6 month old 280L 14.3kw when it does .... only because it hasnt got an inbuilt heater as it is situated in an unheated outside utility room!

 

[HughF]

I'm moving mine into the house, so heating wasn’t a concern for me. Current pack lives in an outdoor shed and hasn’t liked the cold over the last 6yrs. Think I’ve killed a cell or two from letting them freeze.

Still unsure if I’ll buy a new inverter/charger or stick with the old vfx3048…

 

[HughF]

Yes, you can assemble it vertically…

Fuse cover doesn’t fit because the busbar is wider than the slot in the cover , a minor issue.

Blew the bms up due to a wiring mistake on my part… now to decide whether to swap batrium in, or buy another seplos v3…

 

[ddonq1412]

did you get the balancer with it. i would personally go v3 to keep it clean.

 

[HughF]

did you get the balancer with it. i would personally go v3 to keep it clean.

Yep, these come with the active balancer already installed. And most of the kit was pre-assembled. Wheels on, bms installed, cell collection pcbs installed.

 

[HughF]

New bms from fogstar and we’re up and running…. Now to find my eltek flatpack and get this thing charged up.

 

[MisterB1959]

Yes, you can assemble it vertically…

Fuse cover doesn’t fit because the busbar is wider than the slot in the cover , a minor issue.

Blew the bms up due to a wiring mistake on my part… now to decide whether to swap batrium in, or buy another seplos v3…

i just cut the fuse cover to fit - i did inform Seplos at the time, 6 months ago along with some other issues re the design, a couple of which they adopted,

im really pleased with the performance of my Seplos 14.3kw but am thinking of selling it and buying two of the latest Fogstars as they have built in heating pads (though i have added external heat pad, so it shouldnt be an issue now) ... so if anyone is looking to increase their storage they could get a ready assembled and working 280L at a bargain price!

 

[ddonq1412]

What cost and where you basrd

 

[HughF]

What cells did build it with? I’m considering adding another one to my setup…

 

[MisterB1959]

i'm in the UK, Essex
its got EVE 280 Grade A cells -

looking for £2k - happy to show it all set up and working and potentially deliver it ...

@HughF
@ddonq1412

 

[ChrisG]

Can you adjust the start voltage of the active balancer in SEPLOS v3?

 

[a619]

Can you adjust the start voltage of the active balancer in SEPLOS v3?

No, there is a separate physical switch. I guess the idea is to use active balancer maybe once every few months to get everything balanced if cells drift. The passive balancer in V3 does a fairly good job keeping cells balanced if your pack gets charged fully frequently.

 

[ChrisG]

No, there is a separate physical switch. I guess the idea is to use active balancer maybe once every few months to get everything balanced if cells drift. The passive balancer in V3 does a fairly good job keeping cells balanced if your pack gets charged fully frequently.

Mason kit prices with bms seem to be wildly different on Aliexpress for the 280ah kit. Anywhere from $289 to $700. Any guidance. Looking for the kit with v3 BMS and active balancer.

 

[a619]

Mason kit prices with bms seem to be wildly different on Aliexpress for the 280ah kit. Anywhere from $289 to $700. Any guidance. Looking for the kit with v3 BMS and active balancer.

You definitely don’t want to buy from AliExpress. On Alibaba, there are a few reputable resellers for Mason kit, but I got mine directly from Seplos storefront.

 

[Neil H]

No, there is a separate physical switch. I guess the idea is to use active balancer maybe once every few months to get everything balanced if cells drift. The passive balancer in V3 does a fairly good job keeping cells balanced if your pack gets charged fully frequently.

Yes you can there is a lead that conects from the ballance board the the BMS so you can set what voltage it will start toballance

 

[Quattrohead]

Mason kit prices with bms seem to be wildly different on Aliexpress for the 280ah kit. Anywhere from $289 to $700. Any guidance. Looking for the kit with v3 BMS and active balancer.

When you start digging into the options you'll see why there are different prices, with or without BMS or wheels etc.
Best to look at them on a real computer so you can see the details better.

 

[ChrisG]

When you start digging into the options you'll see why there are different prices, with or without BMS or wheels etc.
Best to look at them on a real computer so you can see the details better.

Agree. I contacted the store to ask specifics.

 

[ChrisG]

Yes you can there is a lead that conects from the ballance board the the BMS so you can set what voltage it will start toballance

Is that what you are doing? I thought the balance voltage setting was only for the passive resistance balancing.