POW-LVM3K-24v-H usb port damaging pc port

[88blues]

I have been using the usb port on my powmr 3k to monitor my inverter and it seems that it has damaged the usb port on the pc's I have connected it to. I am using a standard printer usb cable with Win 10 and Win 11 on desktop and laptop pc's respectively. After I use the connection for a short time the connection is continuously dropping and re-connecting. The port then unable to be used on any other device connection.
Is this just me?
I really liked the format and controls of the usb connected app but, I switched to a wifi dongle using dessmonitor. It's ok but, I liked the usb better since I don't have a reliable internet connection and there are no foreign servers involved.
I am also a ham radio operator and the inverter has presented some strong RFI that is detected by my radios. They are within 10 feet of each other. I found that the software that I use for my radio operation was having a problem with rfi on the usb connection from the pc to the radio. The software developer suggested some ferrite cores on my usb cable and that worked in that instance. The software could consistently connect to and operate the radio.
Does anyone think that a usb-to-485 converter would be useful in this application/configuration. I really don't want to get involved with any UNIX variants so, solar-assistant is out. If the converter would be an option, how would it be configured in a win10/11 environment? I really don't want to fry another usb pc port.
So, in summary. Is anyone else having a problem with the usb coming out of this inverter that appears to be damaging he usb ports on their pc?

 

[CommandoJoe]

I have 2 of these inverters and use Solar assistant. One of the inverters would intermittently loose connection to SA, but I don't believe it damaged anything... I have since upgraded that unit to a 5kw PowMr and it doesn't have any disconnect issues that the previous one did using the same cable and USB port on the Orange Pi.
You could try the usual stuff, different cable, shorter cable, powered USB hub. Beyond that it could just be the inverter is flakey like mine was. Maybe open the inverter cover and inspect the plug connection to circuit board and everything in the area for poor solder joints or other issues.

Solar Assistant really isn't that hard to setup and from what I've seen it's much better than the other monitoring apps. While I have some experience with UNIX, I didn't need any of that knowledge to get it going...

 

[marionw]

There are some know issues with using the USB port on an inverter, particularly with a Raspberry PI dues to ground loops.

Check your user manual.
Most "Dongle" connectors are an RJ45 jack with pins 1&2 (5vdc and GND for Dongle Power) and pins 7&8 are an RS485 bus. Your inverter may also use pins 5&6 as another RS485 bus.

With an RS485 to USB converter you should be able to use the laptop and the software. In addition you would be able to use the same connection for Solar Assistant at times when you want to monitor without using the laptop.

You can make up your own cable. Just make sure pins 1 and 2 are cut/not connected. Just make sure the orange/white and orange wires when cut are isolated from each other, don't want to short the 5vdc to ground.

See these two threads for making your own cable.

M

Post in thread 'Help with Pace BMS Comms'

Dec 29, 2023

First, do you have the pinout of each RS485 port.
The EG4 Lifepower4 batteries for example use pins 1&2 as an RS485 bus as well as pins 7&8 as a second RS485 bus in the same RJ45 jack.
I purchased a RS485 to USB Converter:
RS485-USB-Converter

Using a spare cat5 cable, just cut off the RJ45 connector on one end, remove about 3 inches of the outer insulation then you can connect the correct pair of wires to the RS485 to USB Converter and plug the RJ45 connector on the other end to the correct port on the battery.
Look at the RJ45 connector on the cable (With my tired old eye I use a...

• marionw

• 

M

Post in thread 'query on SRNE reset times.'

Feb 6, 2024

I use a spare ethernet patch cable, cut the RJ45 connector off one end, strip two to three inches of the outer insulation and select the pair of wires I need depending on which pins of the Inverter or BMS I need to use.

For a normal cable pins 1 & 2 are the orange/white and orange. Pins 7 & 8 are the brown/white and brown. I even at times use several of the wire pairs in the same cable.

Holding the RJ45 connector with the pins up and facing you (the latch/lock is facing away from you) pin 1 will be on the left and pin 8 on the right.

I use these as you can never tell which two pins in a...

• marionw

•