Low Battery Inverter Shutdown

[TomC4306]

680ah LifePo4
Victron 2x120 pass through inveter
1140w solar

My inverter has been shutting down due to “Low Battery.” However the SOC is at 73% and the discharge floor is at 20%. Here’s are some screen shots of my settings.
Ideas?

When was the last time you saw 14 volts or better? I think your shunt needs calibrated.
13.09 volts is definitely not 73%

 

[wpns]

Shen did you last fully charge the battery and reset the ‘fuel guage’?

 

[wpns]

Also use a good DVM with high-speed min/max readings to determine the min voltage at the inverter terminals when it errors out.

 

[justinm001]

When was the last time you saw 14 volts or better? I think your shunt needs calibrated.
13.09 volts is definitely not 73%

I don't think the shunt can't communicate with the inverter without a cerbo. Completely different communication platforms, shunt is vedirect and inverter is vebus.

Sure it needs calibrated but doesn't affect the issue.

 

[TomC4306]

I don't think the shunt can't communicate with the inverter without a cerbo. Completely different communication platforms, shunt is vedirect and inverter is vebus.

Sure it needs calibrated but doesn't affect the issue.

What?
The inverter is turning off on low voltage not because it was commanded by some closed loop something something.
And Opie thinks he's still at 73%. I'm saying that's not correct. SOC is an overlay to make it easy for people to understand percentages the underlying actual science of physics that determines when things are full and when things are empty is not a percentage. It's based on voltage.

 

[justinm001]

What?
The inverter is turning off on low voltage not because it was commanded by some closed loop something something.
And Opie thinks he's still at 73%. I'm saying that's not correct. SOC is an overlay to make it easy for people to understand percentages the underlying actual science of physics that determines when things are full and when things are empty is not a percentage. It's based on voltage.

I'm saying the shunt could be reading 0 volts and 100% but have no effect on OPs issue.

The 17% reading the inverter somehow has and it's voltage is all that matters.

The shunt reading 73% is still an issue but unrelated. Want to make sure OP knows this when troubleshooting. Fix the main issue then fix the shunt.

If OP had a cerbo then the inverter would pull SoC from the shunt. It's odd how the shunt can communicate over vesmart to the mppt but not the inverter even though he has a vebus smart. At least I don't think it can yet... It should. But the 73% reading on the shunt and 17% reading on the inverter with low battery warning implies it still cant

 

[caymaanedge]

Been trying to get laptop connected but I am not seeing communications. Inverter is not easy to access so it will be a larger project to get to the comm port.
I pulled and shook all wires and did not feel any movement.
Batteries are 13.5v at full charge. Charging rate is 14.4v I believe.

So yes I could use a CerboGX and Touch but my phone has been fine and I overanalyze it. Plus I’m cheap.

I think I can connect the solar to inverter via VE Can RJ45 cable but if I remember correctly I need to terminate open ports and I don’t have those.

The Smart Shunt only has VE Direct and it is connected to the Bluetooth dongle

No other comm options

Laptop is connected via VE Bus to USB.

Thank you for all the input. I am no excerpt and assembled this installation by reading and watching videos. It’s been pretty stellar.

 

[caymaanedge]

I have to go to a meeting but this is the latest screenshot…..I will update victron app and try and get connected again this afternoon.

 

[justinm001]

Been trying to get laptop connected but I am not seeing communications. Inverter is not easy to access so it will be a larger project to get to the comm port.
I pulled and shook all wires and did not feel any movement.
Batteries are 13.5v at full charge. Charging rate is 14.4v I believe.

So yes I could use a CerboGX and Touch but my phone has been fine and I overanalyze it. Plus I’m cheap.

I think I can connect the solar to inverter via VE Can RJ45 cable but if I remember correctly I need to terminate open ports and I don’t have those.

The Smart Shunt only has VE Direct and it is connected to the Bluetooth dongle

No other comm options

Laptop is connected via VE Bus to USB.

Thank you for all the input. I am no excerpt and assembled this installation by reading and watching videos. It’s been pretty stellar.

$217.60 is the cerbogx-s. The not s which connects to some batteries BMS is like 50 more. Worth 10x the price.

Victron Cerbo-S GX (Lite) System Controller | Current Connected

The Victron Cerbo-S GX is the "Lite” version of the Cerbo GX! This version removed the BMS-CAN port & tank/temp sensor inputs that most don’t use.

www.currentconnected.com

The inverter doesn't connect to the solar it connects to that vesmart. Device. You usually have a vebus to mk2 or whatever it's called to connect to a laptop via USB from the inverter rj45.

Be careful as the inverter can only be connected to 1 device, whether cerbo, mk2 or vesmart. Idk if you can just use Bluetooth on the laptop to use the Victron connect app using the vesmart.

They make solar with vecan which is rj45 and is better but more is vedirect just like the shunt.

If I were you I'd just order a cerbogx and 2 vedirect cables. Plug solar and shunt using vedirect and inverter in. Spend a few minutes setting up then download the config over the web. You won't need to touch your inverter wiring unless an issue. I always program mine when I'm at work on my work pc

 

[yodamota]

why can't all the units communicated thru bluetooth? create a network and wouldn't they all talk to each other?

 

[justinm001]

why can't all the units communicated thru bluetooth? create a network and wouldn't they all talk to each other?

Nope Bluetooth isn't nearly stable enough to control things when dealing with voltages. The vesmart Bluetooth only works to connect mppts to shunts to pull their voltage instead of at the shunt...but only if within a range so if the shunt is a volt higher than the mppt it won't use it even if told to.

Were dealing with expensive items and dangerous power. I think it's just too dangerous to rely on. Plus Bluetooth isn't exactly secure. Threat actors could make changes and start fires or something.

 

[HarryN]

I wonder if the BMS has tripped on one or more of the batteries that you have in parallel?

Your system is behaving exactly like I have seen other systems with that problem behave.


I am not sure about the victron batteries, but the typical method to reset is to disconnect each battery, one at a time from power for ~ 5 seconds and then reconnect.

Some people wire their systems as:

(battery A + terminal ) ---- (breaker ) -------( + bus bar )

(battery B + terminal ) ---- (breaker ) ----- ( + bus bar )

to make this easy - just requires flipping off / on each breaker one at a time.

 

[caymaanedge]

Ok so back at it.
Batteries fully charged
Voltage and SOC on inverter are the same now.
I found the inverter was not part of the network so I added that, hoping maybe the shared data will help.
I was able to connect laptop to the Inverter and verify all settings. Nothing out of wack.
680AH
13.4v fully charged
9.3v shutdown
10.3v redstart

I shut everything down completely and restarted.
I will know in the morning or late tonight if the Inverters voltage and SOC will read the same as the Shunt.

If there is still an issue I will torque every connector and take more voltage readings throughout the system.

 

[DIYrich]

Ok so back at it.
Batteries fully charged
Voltage and SOC on inverter are the same now.
I found the inverter was not part of the network so I added that, hoping maybe the shared data will help.
I was able to connect laptop to the Inverter and verify all settings. Nothing out of wack.
680AH
13.4v fully charged
9.3v shutdown
10.3v redstart

I shut everything down completely and restarted.
I will know in the morning or late tonight if the Inverters voltage and SOC will read the same as the Shunt.

If there is still an issue I will torque every connector and take more voltage readings throughout the system.

13.38 isn't high enough. Need to see at least 13.5, preferably 13.75

 

[justinm001]

Ok so back at it.
Batteries fully charged
Voltage and SOC on inverter are the same now.
I found the inverter was not part of the network so I added that, hoping maybe the shared data will help.
I was able to connect laptop to the Inverter and verify all settings. Nothing out of wack.
680AH
13.4v fully charged
9.3v shutdown
10.3v redstart

I shut everything down completely and restarted.
I will know in the morning or late tonight if the Inverters voltage and SOC will read the same as the Shunt.

If there is still an issue I will torque every connector and take more voltage readings throughout the system.

Added to what network?

Also do you have enable battery monitor turned on in the inverter?

10. Description of Settings

www.victronenergy.com

 

[caymaanedge]

VE Smart Networking. The inverter was not connected to the other components.

13.4v is as high as it will maintain once charging is halted. I can push the upper limit higher in the program but it will never get there and then immediately shows a lower SOC.

 

[42OhmsPA]

Individual cell voltages are good?
You're sure one isn't dropping and causing a disconnect?

Can you see individual cell voltages?

 

[caymaanedge]

I can see the 4-170ah battery voltage and they are all the same

I just ran through all devices on the VE Smart Network and all of the settings are the same on all devices.

 

[42OhmsPA]

What is the SOC when cell voltages are the same? Are they the same when the pack thinks it's full and empty?

 

[caymaanedge]

I don’t know how to get individual SOC for the 4 batteries.
I torqued all wire connections.
Here are the latest screenshot from all devices connected to the VE Smart Network. I will buy a CerboGX when I get home.
Clearly the SOC associated with the Inverter is dropping faster than everywhere else.