Victron guidiance

[HighTechLab]

@HighTechLab HighTechLab @HighTechLab (hopefully you see this reply)

It is not pretty but it has been working until I decided to program the EG4-LL batteries’ firmware with the Victron option and connect the batteries to Cerbo-GX using a CAN-bus cable (instead of continuing to use the Victron SmartShunt as my "Battery Monitor"). I am now getting “high voltage alarm: warning” (side effect of having battery communication, LOL) which clear themselves within few seconds, when SOC gets to 100%. I have lowered the bulk voltage from 56.8 to 55 volts and that didn’t help. I have a voltmeter on battery terminals and the voltage doesn’t go above 55 volts. However, there must be a problem with how the batteries talk to each other. It seems, one battery gets charged faster and enters the OV protection mode at 54.2 volts while the other two are still charging, which results to individual cell voltage un-balancing (about 0.3 volts instead of 0.02 normally). Of course, all warnings go away, individual cells voltages become within 0.02 volt as soon as they start to discharge by having some load on them. Please let me know if you have any suggestion. I plan to remove the CAN-bus cable and use the BMS-TOOLS software to see if they will be behaving same as having the CAN-bus cable. I recall noticing the OV protection mode when I didn’t even have the jumper cables between the batteries themselves (and no CAN-bus cable) in the beginning. I have a feeling that is normal and that is how they work.

Alarm logs for TinyHouse​

	Device	Triggered by	Description	Started at	Cleared after
	Battery Monitor [512]	Automatic monitoring	High voltage alarm: Warning	2023-02-24 14:46:54	7s
	Battery Monitor [512]	Automatic monitoring	High voltage alarm: Warning	2023-02-24 14:46:47	4s
	Battery Monitor [512]	Automatic monitoring	High voltage alarm: Warning	2023-02-24 14:46:44
	Battery Monitor [512]	Automatic monitoring	High voltage alarm: Warning	2023-02-24 14:46:35	4s
	Battery Monitor [512]	Automatic monitoring	High voltage alarm: Warning	2023-02-24 14:46:30	1s
	Battery Monitor [512]	Automatic monitoring	High voltage alarm: Warning	2023-02-24 14:45:09
	Battery Monitor [512]	Automatic monitoring	High voltage alarm: Warning	2023-02-24 14:43:44	1s
	Battery Monitor [512]	Automatic monitoring	High voltage alarm: Warning	2023-02-24 14:43:31	1s

Quote from Victron:
The ‘high voltage’ warning or alarm is not unusual on new batteries that are not yet balanced. To help the batteries balance quickly, keep the batteries fully charged until the errors go away. In an ESS system, set it to ‘keep batteries charged’, in an off-grid system the fastest way is to either charge / balance the battery before installation, or to fully charge with a generator if not enough solar is available to keep the batteries fully charged.

If you are unable to maintain the target voltage to balance the batteries without the ‘high voltage’ alarm occurring, you may need to enable and set the “Limit managed battery charge voltage” setting in the DVCC menu of the GX device. Reduce this voltage as necessary until the alarm stops. After sufficient time to balance the batteries, try increasing this value until it can be disabled again for normal operation.

 

[thepartyhound]

2) Without a GX, absolutely not. No battery/BMS can communicate with any Victron component EXCEPT a GX. You'll need to check with Trophy

I just wanted to follow up on this for anyone else who was reading this and interested. I checked with Trophy battery. I spoke with a guy by the name of Dan. Seemed like a great guy! It turns out that the Trophy batteries will in fact communicate with the Victron equipment. They have custom cables just for that purpose. Further, it turns out that Trophy battery will, in the near future, be a distributor for Victron. I'm not sure how many reputable distributors there are selling Victron equipment, but more is usually better, right?

 

[z_zk_z]

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[z_zk_z]

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[HighTechLab]

I will keep monitoring to see what will happen with individual cell voltages

The cells voltages at 60% won’t tell us much. Deviation at 100% would be the number we need.

Keep in mind I don’t have any of these eg4 Batteries or act as a support agent for them, I simply know this because I work with other Batteries that I have communication

 

[MillAlien]

I just wanted to follow up on this for anyone else who was reading this and interested. I checked with Trophy battery. I spoke with a guy by the name of Dan. Seemed like a great guy! It turns out that the Trophy batteries will in fact communicate with the Victron equipment. They have custom cables just for that purpose. Further, it turns out that Trophy battery will, in the near future, be a distributor for Victron. I'm not sure how many reputable distributors there are selling Victron equipment, but more is usually better, right?

The problem w Dan is it’s a challenge to wrap up the call - he’ll chat you up long past the tech support segment and I feel like I have a friend in Georgia. I was tempted to drive there to get the batteries and a cup of coffee. He should add racks and cables to his lineup before fooling with inverters, IMO.

I have Trophy batteries paired with Victron inverters that came from Current Connected fully configured for split phase. CC has been great with pre and post sale support. They answer their phone and return calls. No BS or delay, same as Dan.

My neighbor is building a system around Victron too. He’s literally a rocket scientist, so no shortage of know how, but wanted to avoid the messiness of chinesium and just get it done. He sourced his Victrons from a different vendor IIRC and is using different batteries. We didn’t know we were working in parallel until about a week ago.

 

[thepartyhound]

The problem w Dan is it’s a challenge to wrap up the call - he’ll chat you up long past the tech support segment and I feel like I have a friend in Georgia. I was tempted to drive there to get the batteries and a cup of coffee. He should add racks and cables to his lineup before fooling with inverters, IMO.

I have Trophy batteries paired with Victron inverters that came from Current Connected fully configured for split phase. CC has been great with pre and post sale support. They answer their phone and return calls. No BS or delay, same as Dan.

My neighbor is building a system around Victron too. He’s literally a rocket scientist, so no shortage of know how, but wanted to avoid the messiness of chinesium and just get it done. He sourced his Victrons from a different vendor IIRC and is using different batteries. We didn’t know we were working in parallel until about a week ago.

Hahaha! Yes, it did take a bit to get off the phone, but that was just as much my fault as his. I am much the same way in reguards to having difficulty with concluding a friendly conversation.

I'm glad to hear someone else is using the Trophy batteries with Victron equipment. Any problems with them communicating?

Also, glad to hear the vote of confidince in reguards to CC! I'm pretty sure that is who I will buy from as well. I have my cart full and waiting on a tax refund. I just picked up (9) used 230W panels yesterday, but I still have to build some panel mounts. I'm looking forward to the snow clearing and getting this all put together!

 

[JRH]

I had plans to purchase an EG4 system for an off grid cabin in the mountains. I was just about to pull the trigger on what I needed when I started looking around at all of the negative feedback in reguards to SS after sale support. Also, it seems a lot of people were having problems with their EG4 units. I really wanted to convince myself that this had more to do with user error than any actual problems with the hardware/firmware because the EG4 does appear to be one helluva bargain!
As much as I like a good deal, however, I don't want to end up in a position where I'm having problems and am unable to get the support needed to get it fixed due to the remote location and complete lack of cell service at the location. I need something that as long as I do my part it will just work. Victron seems like it might fit that bill.
One thing I like about the AIO EG4 is that it seemed very simple, beginner friendly. Victron does not seem to be aimed at beginners. It does not sound like a cheap made-in-communist-china kind of unit and I like that a lot more!
To start with, my system will be pretty small. I'm thinking I like the 5kW 48V Quattro inverter. I plan to use one of these to start with. I will use a 2.3kW PV array consisting of (10) 230 watt panels fed into a 150/70 smart MPPT. This part of the system I think I understand pretty clear.
Their "shunt" I am not so clear on. I plan on using their Lynx shunt and Lynx distributor. Along with these items, I have planned on using the Cerbo GX kit (touch screen included).
I do have some questions:

1) As a bare minimum system do I have to use the shunt, distributor, and Cerbo GX? Is there a less expensive way to accomplish the tasks handled by these units?

2) I had planned to use (2) 48v 100Ah Trophy batteries to start with. Will these communicate with the inverter, or do they even need to?

3) I plan to make this purchase through CurrentConnected. I have not seen any bad info on these guys and it seems a good idea to avoid SS for the reasons mentioned above. Is CC a good choice for a vendor? Are there any other better suggestions for a vendor?

4) From my understanding the Victron unit does not suffer from the same problems with using a generator that an EG4 does. Is my understanding correct? I had planned to use the EG4 chargeverter when I was still looking at the EG4 AIO system, but this should not be needed with the Victron, correct?

5) Will the MPPT I have mentioned above be large enough for the 10 panels I plan to use?

I think your better off buying a product like Victron that just works and hardly ever needs customer support help ……..if you do its easy to get help that day…from many sources , but maybe that’s just my opinion …… Go Dutch….

 

[sunshine_eggo]

I think your better off buying a product like Victron that just works and hardly ever needs customer support help ……..if you do its easy to get help that day…from many sources , but maybe that’s just my opinion …… Go Dutch….

 

[cdsolar]

My place is only about an hour and a half from my primary residence, but it is all dirt road. In the winter, for the last 7 miles your options are are snowmobiling or hiking in snowshoes. As those last 7 miles represent about a 3500' elevation gain, I recommend the snowmobile option unless you are in peak physical condition and love a challenge!

So, I hate to ask a dumb question, but what is VRM? Victron Remote Management? Is this another device I need in addition to the Cerbo?

VRM is Victron's Internet Portal. If you have a Cerbo or Raspberry Pi with VenusOS, then it reports itself and its data to VRM.

You create an account on VRM, link your account to your Cerbo"s id, and tada, remote monitoring. You can keep your info private to you (and Victron), or provide a link to someone you trust.

VRM Portal - Victron Energy

vrm.victronenergy.com