IEE have this - cant get access as I am not a member ... https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9093224/metrics#metrics
Solis RHI 6K 48ES 5G Inverter Fox ESS LV5200 Battery - Charging limit ? and export to grid ...
- Thread starter GBRDBRY
- Start date
page 84 .....
Battery banks must be housed in accordance with BS EN 50272-1 2010 and such that:
• Access can be restricted to authorised personnel
• Adequate containment is assured
• Appropriate temperature control can be maintained
Battery banks must be housed in accordance with BS EN 50272-1 2010 and such that:
• Access can be restricted to authorised personnel
• Adequate containment is assured
• Appropriate temperature control can be maintained
Exactly. If you are not DIYing, then installers should be MCS certified. IIRC it is a requirement if you need to get SEG (ex-FIT) payments in UKYes, exactly as you say, as I need to get on the payback tariff (SEG Payments) etc we needed certified install - but therefore they are not complaint to MCS, BSEN regs .. It is not housed where Appropriate temperature control can be maintained ...
@coolcarper1 go back at them on this, would be my advice ... if you are wanting SEG ?
@coolcarper1 go back at them on this, would be my advice ... if you are wanting SEG ?
Just out of interest ... where did you pull this graph from? I have fished about in my Solis RHI interface without success. Thanks.
Hi, in the Solis cloud web site - select overview - device - choose your inverter and scroll down and find selections on left hand side - select the data you want to display and graph appears
Thank you.Hi, in the Solis cloud web site - select overview - device - choose your inverter and scroll down and find selections on left hand side - select the data you want to display and graph appears
View attachment 125311
View attachment 125310
coolcarper1
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2022
- Messages
- 37
My Installers don't seem as helpful has yours claiming I should have done my homework more myself and pushing the blame more towards fox.
I have asked for either the system be moved to a cupboard in the home or to atleast compensate me for the materials I have used to heat and insulate the batteries and leave it in the loft.
At this point I don't mind if they stay in the loft now I have found a fix as they are out of the way there but I don't think I should be out of pocket for the fix.
Equally I do have a limited space for it in the home that is used for general storage.
I'm awaiting feedback.
But Fox claim they instruct their certified installers as to the limits ?.
Personally I'd threaten the installers with small-claims-court or name-and-shame. Any installer worthy of his or her salt _should_ know temperature limits of LiFePO4s and should know whether the battery has a heater or not.
Sadly it seems most are 2 GCSE's short of an A-level ?
coolcarper1
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2022
- Messages
- 37
Yes I agree and have mentioned seeking legal advice and had a heated phone call shortly after.
I think they are annoyed at my many emails to them but if the were to fix it I wouldn't need to email.
At the moment I'm not sure if it's better to move it from the loft or not as it's worked perfect since I did the heater and insualation.
My concern is if I move it to the cupboard in the home the batteries will be warmer but less ventilation for the inverter. The room Is 2mtr long 900mm wide but only 1500mm high at lowest ceiling point going to 2400mm high as slopes
RoyCroy
New Member
I have a new system with a Solis battery inverter RAI-3K-48ES-5G feeding a FoxESS LV5200 battery sited in my garage. Charging rates were limited to 700W, both force charging overnight and from PV during the day. After contacting both FoxESS and Solis and thinking it might be a low temperature thing Solis did a Firmware upgrade and now the force charge overnight hits 2900W. I'm hoping the daytime rate is similarly increased by the change but am waiting for a sunny day. So contact Solis and ask for a Firmware upgrade. Currently the battery temperature is at 12 degrees C but earlier in the year was below 8 degrees. I will likely build an insulated cage for the battery and only heat it if necessary and in the summer I'll remove it.
I built an enclosure around my battery which was cold to the touch, after a couple of days for the warmth to kick in, I now get a good charge and battery went to 87%. I wonder if a small mat heater with a thermal switch might help as well, after all batteries do better when warm and struggle in the cold.
my install is in the attic which is on the side of the house as it has a very steep roof, so I have a small door to access mine but it has unlagged rafters so is cold in winter and very hot in summer.
as it’s an emerging market getting a good installer is difficult and a good BullS rep will talk s**t to get a sale, then disappear or blame everyone under the sun and you get the chase around.
I have attached 2 showing how mines working, although the second one shows a discharge to the grid for some reason.
my install is in the attic which is on the side of the house as it has a very steep roof, so I have a small door to access mine but it has unlagged rafters so is cold in winter and very hot in summer.
as it’s an emerging market getting a good installer is difficult and a good BullS rep will talk s**t to get a sale, then disappear or blame everyone under the sun and you get the chase around.
I have attached 2 showing how mines working, although the second one shows a discharge to the grid for some reason.
Attachments
It will ?
Quite a few of us have similar setups. My 15W heaters keep my 15kWh DIY battery a nice 20-25 degrees when it's been negative temps outside the unheated garage.
RoyCroy
New Member
Solis support have been very helpful. They also set my battery to charge overnight at cheap rate but also set me as Admin so I can also change the start and end times of charging and change them throughout the year. So in winter I am charging the battery nightly from 03:00 - 04:30 at 3kW for 4.5kWh and using this throughout the day. In the summer I will reduce the time or remove it completely as the PV array will normally provide enough power. Changing the nightly charge in the menu requires: Inverter Control -> Work Mode -> Self-consumption -> Charge and Discharge. You have to enter the password again. I am making an insulated case for the worst of the winter and will just throw in a small heater on a timer if necessary.
Ok so I took the plunge and have added heat to my battery, I hooked up a Wi-Fi controlled unit to a 14w heat mat.
the temp control unit has a probe lead which is dangling inside my insulated enclosure, this tells the unit when it up to temp and when it needs heat. The mat is a reptile heat type and is plugged into the controller socket, I can look on my iPad whether it’s heating (on) or cooling (off) and what the temperature is.
connected up late afternoon so not much sun so will monitor next sunny day when it’s cold, this mornings frost let 600w to the batteries and 1Kw to the grid as it was 12 oC in the enclosure.
now it’s between 18 and 21 Deg C as not sure what the optimum temp the batteries perform at yet.
the temp control unit has a probe lead which is dangling inside my insulated enclosure, this tells the unit when it up to temp and when it needs heat. The mat is a reptile heat type and is plugged into the controller socket, I can look on my iPad whether it’s heating (on) or cooling (off) and what the temperature is.
connected up late afternoon so not much sun so will monitor next sunny day when it’s cold, this mornings frost let 600w to the batteries and 1Kw to the grid as it was 12 oC in the enclosure.
now it’s between 18 and 21 Deg C as not sure what the optimum temp the batteries perform at yet.
coolcarper1
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2022
- Messages
- 37
I set my heater off at 21c it drops to about 20 and comes back on.
It works a treat at this.
Some times the battery is just below temperature to get full amps but once you start getting a charge in it, it will reach optimum temperature in minutes.
Hope that helps
Ok so early signs are it’s working, it’s a frosty start to the day and I’m making energy from the sun
the picture says it all with only 40w going to the grid, yesterday I got 664w going to the battery with over 1 Kw going to the grid.
the battery enclosure is 20 deg C and has kept between the temperature parameters all the time.
I'm pleased with the results so far and the heat is minimal at 14w but not on all the time, seems a good way to make a system more efficient but ideally should not have been needed if installed differently.
the picture says it all with only 40w going to the grid, yesterday I got 664w going to the battery with over 1 Kw going to the grid.
the battery enclosure is 20 deg C and has kept between the temperature parameters all the time.
I'm pleased with the results so far and the heat is minimal at 14w but not on all the time, seems a good way to make a system more efficient but ideally should not have been needed if installed differently.
Attachments
Hi All, having started this thread its interesting to see how many fellow Solar newbies have the same problem... cold batteries! For us I pursued the option of getting the installation moved to a more accessible and warmer location within the house.
Envo energy did this no questions asked- they have a new Ops Director who was exceptional in his level of customer service.
This happened about a week or so ago and has solved the issue perfectly... Battery has stayed at 50am charge rate and the whole system is now spot on...
Envo energy did this no questions asked- they have a new Ops Director who was exceptional in his level of customer service.
This happened about a week or so ago and has solved the issue perfectly... Battery has stayed at 50am charge rate and the whole system is now spot on...
Good result. 25 is optimum for LiFePO4's. Similar to @coolcarper1 I've set mine to be on at 20 off at 23. Over this winter if keeps them averaging around 23-25 which is ideal.
Just now thinking we could do with an additional battery .....
We all could do with more batteries
???You can never have too many batteriesJust now thinking we could do with an additional battery .....
I had the same problem with charge limit of 12A, after reading this thread i used a old heated propagator i had knocking about and some old insulation board taped around a suitable box, it seams to resolved the issue. I had to tell my installer who reckons he had no idea! anyway its sorted and didn't cost me anything
Attachments
I was going to reply 'cool', but that would be an oxymoron
Sadly it seems that many so-called professional installers (at least in the UK) are two GCSE's short of an A level when it comes to understanding much about what they are installing. Guess they got repurposed from installing satellite dishes and loft insulation when solar became the next big thing ?
Similar threads
