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SOC Problem with Chargery firmware version 4.0???

FilterGuy

Solar Engineering Consultant - EG4 and Consumers
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Nov 26, 2019
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Location
Los Gatos CA
I saw that they released version 4.0 of the chargery firmware..... so I updated my unit. Now I have a bit of a problem. My bank is 12V 200Ah LiFePO4. The unit is displaying the Amp hours but the meter is reading empty.
1591910467257.png
The unit is also alarming that the SOC is low and the discharge relay signal is off.
1591910599476.png
When I updated the firmware the bank of cells was fully charged. As per the manual, I discharged them down to 148Ah and charged them back up to 100AH.... but the problem is persisting.

Any ideas/comments? Has anyone else seen this?
 
Interesting.... I notice there seems to be a new configurable parameter of Battery Wh. It is not in the documentation and I do not recall seeing it before.
1591915726969.png

As you can see, mine is set to -2Wh. It was set to -1Wh and I tried to set it for my battery bank but I could not make the value go up. I hit the down arrow once and it went down to -2, but I can't get it to go back up to -1, let alone get it set properly. I decided to stop while I was behind so I don't know if will go down lower. (I assume it needs to be set to 24Vx200Ah=4800Wh.....but even that is a guess)


This is from the update notes on the Chargery download page:
1591916096894.png

Note that one of the main 'features' of 4.0 is 'Optimize SOC calculation'. I think they may have introduced a bug in the SW. (I know better than to jump on a brand new version.... but I never learn ☹. )

Meanwhile, I tried re-setting the firmware to defaults and re-configuring things. It did not solve the problem. My next step will probably be to downgrade to the old firmware.
 
First, A shout out to @Craig for finding the older firmware files for me. Thank You.

I downgraded the firmware on both the main unit and the display and things seem to be working again. The only 'issue' is that it is displaying 0Wh in the battery. I am in the process of discharging the battery and will charge it back up. I suspect I will see the Wh display start showing correctly.

Note: @Craig said he is notifying Jason of the issues with 4.0. Hopefully they will get resolved soon.
 
first update main unit and LCD unit to V4.0, the BMS all parameters must resume default, so the WH and AH can be setup.
please down load update instructions and read carefully before update.

Resume default.png
 
Thank you Jason @Chargery. That is the process I thought I had followed. I am heading out to a mountain cabin to install it on Sat morning so now that I have it working again with the older firmware I am declaring it "Good enough". I just don't have time to do all the charge and discharge for calibration. Maybe I will update it sometime in the future.
 
@Chargery: I am powering the Chargery BMS8T from the battery and there is nothing hooked up to the external power pins. Can you confirm that when the switch is in the "'EXT' position there is no power being consumed by the BMS? Can it be left like that for several months without draining the battery?
 
@Chargery: I am powering the Chargery BMS8T from the battery and there is nothing hooked up to the external power pins. Can you confirm that when the switch is in the "'EXT' position there is no power being consumed by the BMS? Can it be left like that for several months without draining the battery?
yes, when turn off BMS (the switch is in the "'EXT' position ), but battery still connected to BMS, the BMS almost don't drain current from battery. but the battery will self discharge, so if the battery need storage for several months, it need charge again every 3 months, and the cell voltage must be over storage voltage, such as lipo, the storage voltage is 3.85V. otherwise the cell can be over discharged after 3 months.
thanks.
 
i set defaults
still SOC is 0%/low
WH can only use the down button

did it a 2nd time - now back to defaults
can now set WH
SOC still 0%/low!
AH is 266 which is correct
 
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i set defaults
still SOC is 0%/low
WH can only use the down button

did it a 2nd time - now back to defaults
can now set WH
SOC still 0%/low!
AH is 266 which is correct
Yup.... I am holding off trying again. There is a bug in there someplace.
 
Yup.... I am holding off trying again. There is a bug in there someplace.

41mQkviCovL._AC_.jpg
 
Yup.... I am holding off trying again. There is a bug in there someplace.
on program setup menu, setup "default setting" is enable, and press START button, all parameters will be resumed to default.
 
Just updated to V. 4.0. Went through no problem. Looks impressive. It seems to be more sensitive towards the amps reading. Two updates, just keeps getting better.
 
The display always stays lit, never goes to sleep
Back-lit is set for 10 minutes
 
That's interesting. My display goes out as it should... The amp hours match my TM2030. The percent is zero but that needs a discharge/charge cycle to correct. The watt-hours are doubleish. Not sure why that is.
 
i don't have a shunt connected at the moment, or when i did the update (wired in the RV and not easy to remove)
i was top balancing the cells on the bench when the update appeared
maybe needs shunt connected when updating the firmware??
 
For what it's worth, the shunt calibration stayed the same as before.
 
can someone please point me to the older firmware files?
i have searched and can't seem to find them

i reloaded the firmware with everything connected, but SOC is till 0 and load relay is off
nevermind...
i reloaded the firmware again & reset the defaults - it started beeping about SOC 0%/low, but seemed to fix itself after a few minutes
the display now goes to sleep properly
seems OK now
 
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The display won't turn off if there is an alarm condition (like 0% SOC.)
 
I would suggest setting the percent to 0. Perhaps the display won't turn off during the "event"
 
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