New 48 volt rack battery specs-what do you want to see?

[Solar Guy Richard]

Manually activated pre charge circuit, or adjustable with a pot.
Blue tooth bms
Wall bracket option
Open parameters with hard limits maybe to satisfy warranty.

Bluetooth BMS is huge in my opinion. Would be so nice to monitor from your phone without sending all your info to a server.

 

[Rednecktek]

It makes sense, high voltage, combines with capacitor banks with RAPID discharge rates.

Fair point. I'm just curious about how often people turn their batteries on and off. Yeah, giant-flaming-sparks would definitely qualify as a "Bad Thing".

 

[Ozark Tinkering]

Fair point. I'm just curious about how often people turn their batteries on and off. Yeah, giant-flaming-sparks would definitely qualify as a "Bad Thing".

I'm guessing once could be enough? I might do myself a favor and put a warning sign on the breaker...

 

[Supervstech]

I'm guessing once could be enough? I might do myself a favor and put a warning sign on the breaker...

On the trailer I’m upgrading, I am installing a battery switch with 2 positions, so the resistor has to be turned on first.

 

[Ozark Tinkering]

On the trailer I’m upgrading, I am installing a battery switch with 2 positions, so the resistor has to be turned on first.

Have a photo?

 

[houseofancients]

higher cell desity ( 280+ ah)
communicating indivual batteries in a stack , not just to each other, but to inverters
better inverter compatibility ( think pylontech protocol support on both CANBUS and rs485

 

[Kornbread]

higher cell desity ( 280+ ah)
communicating indivual batteries in a stack , not just to each other, but to inverters
better inverter compatibility ( think pylontech protocol support on both CANBUS and rs485

^^^ This " ... better inverter compatibility ... ". When will we have some type of generic one-size-fits-all communication protocol? And this should go further than just battery/charger, let's get the entire system talking with each other.

 

[timselectric]

There goes the budget. lol

 

[houseofancients]

There goes the budget. lol

does it, a good bms is a relatively small part of the total expense of the total battery.
cells are by far the biggest

 

[Rednecktek]

Developing the communication protocol will cost man-hours and R&D which is never cheap, so yeah... there goes "Budget".

When will we have some type of generic one-size-fits-all communication protocol?

The wonderful thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from!

 

[Kornbread]

Developing the communication protocol will cost man-hours and R&D which is never cheap, so yeah... there goes "Budget".


The wonderful thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from!

Generic.

With the cost spread over many products from many companies, it would cost next to nothing.

 

[jameshowison]

Firmware update paths. They should only work with BMS providers that commit to after shipping/sales firmware update capability.

The SOK at least has a large DC rated fuse on each battery with sufficient AIC to interrupt a short circuit; they should all have these, rather than the smaller/cheaper AC rated fuses that are (allegedly) just a shut-off and relying on the current limiting in the BMS. I think this would avoid the need to add Class T fuses (even on large parallel strings).

Communications are a mess. But battery makers can't fix that themselves. Three things, though:

1. Would it at least be possible for them to communicate in a stack to equalize state of charge (ie could a battery that is discharging faster than others sandbag its discharge rate?)

2. They should all have an optional external device made from a Rasberry Pi that makes all the data the BMS has available from a web portal (makes a little WiFi network) and a network API. That at least they could do without coordinating with others for communications standards. Others can then do the rest to tie things together.

3. Finally any software they need for accessing the batteries should run cross platform, not just on hokey windows with DB-9 serial involved. DB-9! (But the external raspberry pi is a better idea

 

[JoeHam]

With 48V especially, a built in precharge is essential.

I completely disagree. I have a few 48V systems and this has never been an issue. I use a $1 resistor which does the job in a cost effective manner.

My original GYLL battery is stupid simple and works very well.

See the threads about later versions where the additional cost of precharge circuitry also cost a lot of hassle for use with some current equipment, perhaps future products also.

The point of a budget product is to allow people who need/want additional features to pay for them as options IMHO.

 

[LithiumCanuck]

Something like this one…

25.6V200AH Rackmount Battery 5.12KWH – ESS

The Volthium LFP Rackmount Solar Storage Battery is a high-end product custom-made for a mainly commercial customer base.

volthium.com

Bluetooth, heating option, lots of certifications, etc. But the price tag………….

 

[acdoctor]

BMS com output could be single protocol with power included. Then plug in adapters to change protocol to your needs sold as accessories. If you don’t want or don’t need don’t bye.

 

[David S]

Firmware update paths. They should only work with BMS providers that commit to after shipping/sales firmware update capability.

The SOK at least has a large DC rated fuse on each battery with sufficient AIC to interrupt a short circuit; they should all have these, rather than the smaller/cheaper AC rated fuses that are (allegedly) just a shut-off and relying on the current limiting in the BMS. I think this would avoid the need to add Class T fuses (even on large parallel strings).

Communications are a mess. But battery makers can't fix that themselves. Three things, though:

1. Would it at least be possible for them to communicate in a stack to equalize state of charge (ie could a battery that is discharging faster than others sandbag its discharge rate?)

2. They should all have an optional external device made from a Rasberry Pi that makes all the data the BMS has available from a web portal (makes a little WiFi network) and a network API. That at least they could do without coordinating with others for communications standards. Others can then do the rest to tie things together.

3. Finally any software they need for accessing the batteries should run cross platform, not just on hokey windows with DB-9 serial involved. DB-9! (But the external raspberry pi is a better idea

If you're gonna do this, it would be easier to simply make the device an MQTT provider. Could be something like this to leverage the existing RS485 support:

GitHub - nygma2004/growatt2mqtt: Growatt Solar Inverter Modbus Data to MQTT Gateway

Growatt Solar Inverter Modbus Data to MQTT Gateway - nygma2004/growatt2mqtt

github.com

Would be an option, but since this left the "budget" category several times...

 

[SignatureSolarJames]

I think the "bolted for user service" bars is a point that ought to get a thread of its own honestly.

 

[Britguy]

I would expect to see a suitably rated MCB to protect the batteries and internal wiring and allow me to turn it off and on.
And maybe a BT connection so I can see how the individual cells are behaving.
Low price is the most important factor, as I live in a country where no warranty is enforceable.

Anyone designing battery powered inverters that need any form of 'precharging' should be quickly put out of business IMHO.

 

[Rednecktek]

Anyone designing battery powered inverters that need any form of 'precharging' should be quickly put out of business IMHO.

Sadly, capacitors are a thing. Most of the time you never notice because your electro-thingy is drawing such low amperage that the initial surge isn't very noticeable but when you're loading up something taking a hundred plus amps it scales quite nicely.

 

[ChrisFullPower]

Pipe dream but the only way I’d ever purchase a server rack style battery is if it could be configured without a BMS. Ideally just cells, in an enclosure with a balance port. Let me choose my own BMS and breaker.