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Samlex: Dual AC and Solar Controller inputs, BMS Controllable, Fully programmable

Steve_S said:
From the current manual
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• Additional external charging source: Solar Charge Controller of up to 50A capacity. The output of the external Solar Charge Controller is routed through this unit and operates in parallel with the internal charger. The current delivered by the external charge controller is measured in real time. The internal charging current is controlled to ensure that the combined current fed to the battery does not exceed the programmed value of parameter "BULK CURRENT". This improves the life of the battery. Please see Section 5.4 for more details.
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@Steve_S I am looking to upgrade from my Growatt (1 is none, 2 is one) to a more reliable, robust unit. Would I need to buy a Solar Charge Controller with this unit? Looking at both the EVO-4024 and EVO-3012.

Based on that you are fully off grid, this setup would be robust enough for a full time, off grid situation?
 
The EVO's have a Port for an SCC to connect to but they do not have SCC's built-in, they are not All-In-Ones. The input is also limited to 50A from an SCC. I use a Midnite Classic 200 capable of 78A for 24V system but it is not connected to the Inverter Port.
5.4 PARALLEL CHARGING USING EXTERNAL SOLAR CHARGER The batteries feeding the EVOTM can also be charged using appropriately sized external solar charging system. The output of the solar panels will feed to an appropriately sized external Solar Charge Controller. Output of the external Solar Charge Controller is fed to the input terminals marked “EXT Charger” (3,4 in Fig 2.1). Maximum charging current on these terminals is to be limited to 50A. This limit should not be exceeded!
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Robust ? Yes Indeed ! This is Tier-1 Gear not some craptastic value stuff from China. These are quite commonly used in Marine & Emergency Support applications (Ambulances and such). I live in my home year-round and depend on my system to perform and be reliable and the Samlex has not let me down. The new EVO-4248SP is in field test now which is a 4200W/48V stackable Inverter/Charger and should be released fairly soon.
 
Thanks, I’m stoked to test this 2224 Evo I picked up. . It sounds perfect for what I want to build. Am hoping it will work seamlessly with a Electrodacus BMS. I removed the Victron Multiplus 3000-70 because it was a early model without a remote switch or dual AC inputs. Great inverter however. The cargo trailer is all wired up for a 24 volt system. I’ll take out the Midnite Kid Charge controllers and replace with Electrodacus relays. The BYD LFP batteries are rather heavy however. 480 lbs is more than I wanted to haul in the trailer (4x120 lbs). Perhaps two or three of the batteries is enough? . They are supposed to be 3.0Kwh each on average . Having the energy system in a trailer worked pretty well. One hitch in this plan is getting 24 volt alternator charge all the way back to a trailer. Sterling Power makes a DC-DC charger for trailers but I think it’s 12 volt. Getting 120 volt to the Motorhome is easy enough.
 
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At last I tested the Evo 2224 and it seems to work. It was just a rudimentary test of output voltage and a small 80 watt load. But now am willing to spend the bucks for the control panel.
I’m wondering if it has a ‘generator support’ mode? That’s Schneider terminology for the XW inverter. Victron has ‘power assist mode”. So my small generator can be assisted by the inverter and batteries to supply the load?
Thanks
 
From their updated webpages https://samlexamerica.com/products/2200-watt-pure-sine-inverter-charger-evo-2224/
The 2224 has dual AC Input, 1 for Grid AC and 1 for Genset AC.
I can't decode terminology differences as such (no schneider manual or gear).
My 4024 has Pass-Through so while charging batteries it also passes power to the house from Genset (no grid AC here).
The default Charge Amps is 40A but I've set mine to 80A because that draws about 2200-2400W or around 22-25A from the Genset L5:30 (120V/30A) outlet. The 4024 can do up to 100A Charge but it get's hot doing that and pushed the L5:30 to it's "edge" which I am not comfortable with. If I did that, I would have to disable Pass-Through because it would go over the max that outlet could handle.
 
Hey Steve, that’s a significant pass through power potential with 30 amp (120VAC) output from your generator. Im limited to 15 amp (120 VAC) output if I use my Honda eu2200i. But if I use the Onan 5500 it could be a much higher charge rate and pass through power. Ive not heard good reviews about the RV generators however. Anyway, this Evo 2224 at 70 amps charging would be 2400 watts or about 14 amps at 120 VAC. Like you I wouldn’t run it at full power.
I guess when I get this energy system assembled I’ll try running the air compressor and air tools on the generator. Then on the Samlex inverter. Then on the inverter with generator running. And see what happens. Have you run air tools much with your Samlex? I’m not sure yet the surge current of my little 120VAC compressor but will try and measure it with my clampmeter.
Thanks
 
I have a large compressor & Mig Welder, they can run from the inverter but I do not do it, neither is very nice to an Inverter, seriously. If I was running say 48V/8,000W Inverter then that would be different. The startup is just nasty, and with the compressor, if there is already pressure in the tank it's a harder start of course. I have two different generators, a small 2.8kw Inverter model (a crappy thing I got suckered with) and my big 7200/9000 Champion which I use for mig, compressor & backup power to the powerhouse.
 
Thanks, sounds reasonable Steve. If I was in a fixed location I’d have a bigger generator. I sold all of them. I’m mobile. When I built a shed using my little air compressor the Yamaha 2000 suitcase generator struggled to start the compressor. But when I ran the Yamaha power through the Victron Multiplus inverter with Powerassist mode the compressor started fine. It was impressive! And it was charging the batteries also. I’m just trying to find out if the Samlex has a similar “Powerassist” feature??. Ive not seen a answer in the Samlex literature. Id program the AC input limit from the generator to the inverter to 15 amps to protect the extension cord and generator. The batteries need to make up any difference. And it might not be so much power as to stress the inverter. I’ll try and measure it.
I like the suitcase generators for mobile use and replaced the Yamaha 2000 with a Honda eu2200i. I need to see if the compressor starts with the extra 200 watts and surge capability? I’m pretty sure this compressor is the biggest load I’ll ever try to run so the rest of the loads should be gravy.
Oh, have you connected your Samlex to a computer to program it and/or read the data log? Can it be connected directly to a computer?. I might need to update the firmware on this older Samlex EVO 2224. I read that the control panel has a SD card that can be used to program the inverter. Is this the only option? Thanks.
 
Only the RCPlus Remote can be used to program the Samlex EVO. There is ModBus & CanBus protocols but they are not public.
Do follow the Samlex Instructions, have a Breaker between the Genset & Inverter, as well as between the Inverter & your AC Panel and do follow their wire charts etc.
 
Steve_S said:
The EVO's have a Port for an SCC to connect to but they do not have SCC's built-in, they are not All-In-Ones. The input is also limited to 50A from an SCC. I use a Midnite Classic 200 capable of 78A for 24V system but it is not connected to the Inverter Port.
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Steve,

Took me a while to refind this thread (now I understand bookmarks for the forum). I am looking long term and trying to learn (gotta do something while bored at work). How are impacted with your SCC not going through the EVO? By this I mean, management of charging of the batteries - what takes control then? Do you still run any PV through the EVO?

In discussions with @JeepHammer I love the idea of going with a DC input off a genny. this option from the generator for charging thread. Put a 100A alternator on the engine. Should not bother the batteries when using 280Ah LFP banks (especially going from 20% to 80% charge).

Now for fun: imagine getting a MRAP 400A alternator. Or gets one of the 1000A ones that are currently being installed on the military vehicles. You can do a very quick charge with minimal engine run time. (possibly different engine requirements for these - but that is a different discussion).

I am thinking seriously of getting one of these setups soon (gotta get the panels on the roof first - the three I have in the yard work, but want 9 working for me instead).

Thanks
 
My MIdnite 200 outputs more amps (79A) than the Samlex (50A) can take so I do not put solar through the Inverter. I "assume" the EVO Inverter will use it's programmed charging profile with the input from the solar side if coming through it's ports but I don't know.
 
Newbie and just found this thread. I've a Samlex EVO-1212 in my motorhome since 2018 and its worked well. I'm waiting for two 100Ahr hour LiFePO4 batteries to replace the worn-out lead-acid batteries.
The Lithium charge profile seams very limited. I have not thoroughly reviewed the charging profiles for a while, but I will during the next few weeks. From what I remember its just current-limited, time limited to a max voltage. In an RV the batteries get charged by the engine alternator (I have a Renogy DCC1212-20 for engine charging), then you get to the campground and plug in to shore power and the EVO will go into charge mode. I'm not sure how this will all work without causing over-charge issues.
The batteries are also loaded while charging (they are powering 12V house lights, vent fans, water pumps etc). The EVO knows how much current its charger is putting out, but not how much the batteries are consuming vs other 12v loads. I had asked Samlex if they were planning an external current shunt and voltage sense for this purpose, but they said No.
FYI, I was in the mobile communications business for 40 years and used a lot of Samlex equipment and had next to zero failures with it. I can't say the same for the expensive high end stuff we used on public safety systems.
 
I've really come to appreciate Samlex, their engineering & design. They simply don't furtle around with their business. They are doing final tests now on a 48V Stackable inverter series that should kick butt in the sector.... hehe.. can't say more than that I'm afraid.

I'm not familiar with your model, but if you have the RC Remote you can program it and change the profiles. I strongly recommend you find out what firmware revision your system has and ask to get the latest updates from the Samlex Tech guys in Vancouver. If you do not have the RC-Plus remote, I'd suggest you might consider buying one, as you said you've had yours for a while.

Remote Control for EVO Inverter/Chargers | EVO-RC | Samlex

Intelligent remote control with LCD display and SD card slot to log data, monitor performance and set parameters on the 2200 - 4000W EVO Inverter/Chargers.
samlexamerica.com samlexamerica.com

Your 100AH batteries will take a max of 50A / .5C charge rate ea.(Standard ESS LFP battery) In parallel, they can split 100A incoming.
The batteries will not take more amps than they need, the BMS will also limit the maximum current allowable.
The inverter will provide Pass-Through while charging from "shore" power on the 120V side of course.
For powering your 12V loads and observing that directly, I'd suggest using a BUS system using a DC shunt between the battery posts & your 12V distribution. There are several "SmartShunts" available that can communicate via ModBus, CanBus, RS232/485, BlueTooth & Wifi. Victron Smartshunts are very good.

I do understand that you do not want to overcharge the batteries via the Samlex, but it reads the current being taken by the battery bank, and if 10A of that current is going to service your loads, it won't know that, so it will push that "deficit" and that's OK. When the batteries themselves start reaching 95% they will reduce the amps being taken as expected. So let's say the batts are down to taking 5A, your load is 10A, so total being provided will be 15A by the charger. Now batts reach 100% and take <1A, + load is 10A, the inverter will provide that "11A" but no more and the BMS' will limit it on the batt side to just what they want to top off & balance. The BMS is the Guard Dog & Babysitter too.

Your charger side can be programmed to push up to 100A, like mine which I set to 80A, which I feed from a Generator L5:30 outlet. Trick there is you have to be certain the EVO get's a lot of airflow to manage the heat it generates at the higher amperages. Again, even if you have it set to 100A, the two batts will divide that, the BMS will protect from overload and teh cells will actually control how much they will take - Resistance & Impedance still matter. Absorb Time & Absorb Exit Amps play a very important role here, Exit Amps is calculated as 0.05C, so for 100AH that would be 5A.

With the latest Firmware update, RC-Plus & Manual you can program it up. I myself do NOT use the Lithium Mode, my settings are a bit different because of my setup, see my "About my system" page for more info on that.

Hope it helps, Good Luck.

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Can’t wait to see what they come up with for 48v new.

I’ve been looking for a simple RFI quiet inverter for months now and all roads lead back to the PST-1500-48 for my use case.

Time to buy once, cry once, and replace my cheap, but RFI noisy WZRELB that I have thrashed for 5 or 6 years at my off grid ham radio station.
 
Steve_s
The Samlex EVO-1212 model I have is a 12v, 1200 watt model, so its the smallest unit, but we have small motorhome. We have an all-electric fridge so its seamless transfer switch works well when transferring to/from shore power and back to inverter... no more stalled compressor.

I also have the remote panel and did one update so now the panel background lighting can be dimmed instead of the lighting up the motorhome with an erie blue light all night!

I have a 175w solar panel connected through the Samlex as well. I'll need to update the PWM controller to something better for the LiFePO4 batteries.
 
I’m getting a EVO-1224 ready and decided to measure the input capacitance so I can select a pre-charge resistor. The REC pre-charge module in my setup has a four-second delay through a 66 ohm resistor before it closes the contactor and connects the batteries to the inverter. If the input caps aren’t charged above 80%, the life of the contacts is reduced considerably.

Turns out the Samlex has 0.056 F (56,000 uF) capacitance and it takes a 25 ohm resistor to charge the caps in four seconds.
 
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