Today I received my new 250A Daly BMS and Active balancer.

[Frank in Thailand]

Pictures say more then 100 words..


The spaghetti wires have silicon sleeves, and feel really flexible and good protected.



It's heavy! 1273 grams.

********************************
the balancer:


Before I made the switch to Daly BMS I had the Active Balancer BMS from IC GOGOGO store (AliExpress)

I really liked it, and the Balance function worked amazing.

With 27 X 330 watt panels I can produce quite some watts, and need BMS that can do the higher Amps.
Apparently the Active Balancer BMS could not handle the 100A advertised

My MPPT was set to max 90A, yet after 3 days at noon... ☹

Anyways, during those 3 days I really fell in love with their active balance function.

Negative issue was the BT connection, you needed to be within 2.5 meter from the BMS..
The antenna was under the iron casing.

As you can see, the active balancer doesn't have this problem, they made holes.
Tomorrow I can tell you if that is enough or that it need more space.

Now 15.30, not enough time left to charge the Lifepo4 batteries
They are at 3.3v, 70%

But I also like to start fresh when I do the installation.

@ghostwriter66 , thanks for the tip to use UTP (cat 5 or 6) wires to pre- wire the battery pack.

I did, and prepared the spaghetti wires to solder them to the UTP wires


The caps are "useless" normally cover for lugs, but I have them, and look nice

 

[solardad]

@fhorst So what is you plan, do you want to use both devices on one battery pack? How do you plan on connecting them to each cell, through a single common lead? I would be interested in understanding how the Daly passive balancing would work with the active balancing of the other device?

Thanks

 

[Frank in Thailand]

Yes, both on the same battery pack.

I don't know how the passive balancing will react.
Probably early retirement??
As it should have nothing to do..

That's what the active balancer is for!

I know, it's probably overkill.
One big reason is the BT connection to monitor the battery pack.

Sadly the Daly doesn't have.

When the cells iare well bottom balanced, they should not need BMS balancing that much at all.
And stay relative close to eachother voltage /charge rate.

The idea of burning off the extra charge to match the lowest cell voltage doesn't give me a good feeling.
If we talk in wattages, it's probably not even that much...

Still just moving the extra charge to the lowest cell voltage feels a lot better

Plus the BT monitoring..
Really...
For me that is important at start, to know all is OK and I don't just lose 3000 USD worth of equipment due somewhere some wrong setting or other error.

Not even 6 months ago I lost 4500 worth of lead acid deep cycle Batteries due defective EASUN MPPT inverter..
It charged the 48v array with 78 Volt...

That took 10 days to die.

BMS with monitoring (in this situation via the active balancer) gives me the insight and peace of mind that all is OK.

After confirmed the next few weeks, I probably will only look one every few months to look if all is still OK.

10 days was all it took to destroy 16 X 200Ah deep cycle lead acid batteries..
48v @ 800Ah..
I was proud of that huge array....
Sadly not long.

 

[LukeVader]

Wow, I didn't know daly made a 250A. Does it have a low temp disconnect sensor? Is this a common or a separate port?

 

[Frank in Thailand]

It is common port.

I'm sure they can do also separate port if you need
They even make up to 400A!!

I need this high mostly for the charging.
Many BMS stop at 50A.
I need around 90A.

The Daly 250A BMS can do standard 125A, but also 250A if you need.
Then you need to tell the seller this and they built (program) it for you.

I have 456A @51.2v battery array.
23kwh.
If it's going low and there are a few hours bright sun during noon...
I need to use most of it.
(27* 330w panels)
50A will not be enough to utilise the generated energy.
(Roughly max 8500w = 166A.
Naturally, we do use energy during daytime.
The 125 A will be max 120A for me
(3 x MPPT all set to max 40A)

That Should be enough

 

[solardad]

Yes, both on the same battery pack.

I don't know how the passive balancing will react.
Probably early retirement??
As it should have nothing to do..

That's what the active balancer is for!

I know, it's probably overkill.
One big reason is the BT connection to monitor the battery pack.

Sadly the Daly doesn't have.

When the cells iare well bottom balanced, they should not need BMS balancing that much at all.
And stay relative close to eachother voltage /charge rate.

The idea of burning off the extra charge to match the lowest cell voltage doesn't give me a good feeling.
If we talk in wattages, it's probably not even that much...

Still just moving the extra charge to the lowest cell voltage feels a lot better

Plus the BT monitoring..
Really...
For me that is important at start, to know all is OK and I don't just lose 3000 USD worth of equipment due somewhere some wrong setting or other error.

Not even 6 months ago I lost 4500 worth of lead acid deep cycle Batteries due defective EASUN MPPT inverter..
It charged the 48v array with 78 Volt...

That took 10 days to die.

BMS with monitoring (in this situation via the active balancer) gives me the insight and peace of mind that all is OK.

After confirmed the next few weeks, I probably will only look one every few months to look if all is still OK.

10 days was all it took to destroy 16 X 200Ah deep cycle lead acid batteries..
48v @ 800Ah..
I was proud of that huge array....
Sadly not long.

Thanks for the info. Curious to why you picked Daly vs Chargery? I am in a similar boat in terms of amps moving and concerned with a BMS's ability to handle that size (200a) with relays that are internal vs. external. I know Daly has received high praise by some but I would be worried about its ability with larger relay loads, etc.. Thanks

 

[Frank in Thailand]

Chargery can do onlyv 50A Charging.
Plus I need common port.

Having 2 relays on one line is nonsense.
When it cuts of for low voltage, it also cuts off the possibility to recharge!!
(Or the other way around)

 

[Frank in Thailand]

And I'm up and running on Lifepo4!!!

Yeey!!!

Now I think no longer dark at night!
I hope.

I have set to +/- 85% charge, that is 3.35 per cell, total 53.6 volt.

We will know in the next few days if that is a good setting!!

 

[grizzzman]

Chargery can do onlyv 50A Charging.
Plus I need common port.

Having 2 relays on one line is nonsense.
When it cuts of for low voltage, it also cuts off the possibility to recharge!!
(Or the other way around)

Without a custom build, the Chargery can charge 600 amps.

 

[Frank in Thailand]

Without a custom build, the Chargery can charge 600 amps.

Sadly...
Not really clearly advertised.

Even if it was..
I have common port.
Low voltage disconnect automatically also stops any possible recharge.

Most people in the family are totally scared about anything that have something to do with electricity.

If I'm not at home during a disconnect..
The family is screwed till I return.
Not really an advisable situation.
Especially as I am away often for several weeks.

For split port, their setup make sense.
For common port, it's a workaround to make it " usable"...

Daly is reliable brand, as far as I know the most reliable BMS company from China!
Chargery might be a good second

 

[Dzl]

Sadly...
Not really clearly advertised.

Literally the second bullet point in the product description on their website says "charge/discharge current up to 600A" ?

But it sounds like, based on this:

Even if it was..
I have common port.
Low voltage disconnect automatically also stops any possible recharge.

The DALY makes more sense in your situation anyways. I don't fully understand your reasoning for preferring common port, but Daly seems like a sensible choice for a no-nonsense common port BMS in an area (such as Thailand) where low temps aren't an issue.


What is the App in the screenshot above? Is this a bluetooth cell balancer?

 

[Frank in Thailand]

Yes, that is the active balancer.

I have hybrid MPPT inverter system, 3 x 3.2kw in parallel.
As charge and discharge use the same line, I can not really use separate port systems.

Probably I was already so focused on this, that I skipped the "up to 600A" line

The active balancer BMS did a great job those 3 days and have good insight in the state of charge and all.
Sadly when I pushed it beyond 90A...
It gave issues.

Most people won't even get close to 90A charging.

This is what the BMS type looks like :


And the active balancer without BMS

 

[Thor]

Can you provide a link to this bms? Also, is there an ios app available? Thanks

 

[solardad]

Yes, that is the active balancer.

I have hybrid MPPT inverter system, 3 x 3.2kw in parallel.
As charge and discharge use the same line, I can not really use separate port systems.

Probably I was already so focused on this, that I skipped the "up to 600A" line

The active balancer BMS did a great job those 3 days and have good insight in the state of charge and all.
Sadly when I pushed it beyond 90A...
It gave issues.

Most people won't even get close to 90A charging.

This is what the BMS type looks like :
View attachment 12441View attachment 12442

And the active balancer without BMS
View attachment 12444

@fhorst Hi - A few questions...
1. Have you taken a multimeter to confirm the cell readings of the Active Balancer? Are they close?
2. Did you have to program/set the wire resistance values or are they determined automatically by the balancer?
3. What is your pack size in AHs? Does the balancer keep up given the size?

Thanks!

 

[Frank in Thailand]

link to the active balancer

my multimeter is not accurate enough, it goes 2 digits, and they are correct.
the wire resistance is determined automatically
my pack is 456Ah, (3 x 152AH) @ 51.2v
the balancer does not show the pack size. their active balancer BMS does

 

[solardad]

link to the active balancer

my multimeter is not accurate enough, it goes 2 digits, and they are correct.
the wire resistance is determined automatically
my pack is 456Ah, (3 x 152AH) @ 51.2v
the balancer does not show the pack size. their active balancer BMS does

@fhorst Thanks.

What is the mv difference you are trying to keep the pack under since you have a passive and active balancer?

 

[heavy-impact]

Has anyone found an English manual for the active BMS ? Mine came with Mandarin only.

 

[Frank in Thailand]

It's not just trying to keep the difference as small as possible, it is mostly monitor function.

I'm sure the Daly is capable to keep them in line after being top or bottom balanced.

As I live off grid, top or bottom balance is something that needs to occur "naturally".

I can not turn on the sun for 20 hours to do top balancing.

I am trying to charge them full one time, but that needs the right weather conditions.

456Ah is quite a lot of energy.
While 27 X 330w panels can also produce a lot, we use a lot...

This week 25-40% clouds and +40 Celcius.
Air-conditioning and refrigerator will be hungry.

Probably next week we have it top balanced!

 

[ghostwriter66]

Without a custom build, the Chargery can charge 600 amps.

Actually since it uses relays and not mosfets it could do 6000 or 60000 ... all its doping is turning a switch ON or OFF ...

 

[Frank in Thailand]

Has anyone found an English manual for the active BMS ? Mine came with Mandarin only.

Screen shots is the best I can share.
Max 10 per post, 24 pages.