SoCalKevin
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2022
- Messages
- 83
Ok, so here is an update...
NOTE: Both @RichardfromSignatureSolar and everyone i have talked to at @Signature Solar has been amazingly helpful trying to troubleshoot this and have even offered a full refund if i couldnt get it to work. Top notch customer service!!! This is NOT a rant against them!
NOTE #2: There was zero issues with these batteries and the Victron Multiplus drawing even much higher loads with the water heater and coffee maker running. This is an isolated issue with the air conditioner.
I went through every single connection on my system and made sure it was tight and secure, and then did more testing, even had an electrical engineering buddy supervise to make sure i was doing everything right...
The highest draw we saw was 186a (at 12v) when the compressor kicked on. We did 2 tests and the average was about 184a.
We tested these both as 2 separate batteries, and with them wired in parallel. All same results.
Every single spec listed for these batteries says this should not be an issue and the BMS should handle it fine, even as single units.
Before proceeding, i contacted Victron 2x and researched the issue on the Victron forum. Everything pointed to battery BMS issue.
I disassembled one of the batteries, which was MUCH nicer quality and durability than i expected, and was pleasantly surprised to see the BMS was very simple to bypass.
Bypassed the BMS on one of the batteries, reconnected it, started Air Conditioner, and it started up and ran flawlessly for an hour. Spike at start up was around 170a and no issues.
Bypassed the second BMS, tested that one separately and also performed perfectly.
Connected batteries in parallel and put everything back together with both BMS bypassed. Everything A-Ok
The BMS software is password protected so its more of a battery MONITORING software, and NOT a battery MANAGEMENT software.
Going through the BMS software on my laptop shows some weird stuff.
Other than the random mispelled words, on both batteries, it is listing the capacity as 100ah and a SOC of 386% on one of the screens, not 400ah.
But on another screen it lists it properly. This is not a changeable setting, weird. I will attach pics below.
Soooo.. At the end of the day and a lot of testing and troubleshooting, i am still happy and satisfied with these batteries, but i will be replacing the BMS on both of them ASAP with a better, more programmable BMS unit with more stable and user friendly software.
Yeah, i am aware i just voided my warranty, etc, but it is what it is... I only have so much free time i have to make what i got work
For now, there are enough settings in the Victron stuff, i can protect it from over/under charge, etc...
Hopefully i dont end up having to post in the UP IN SMOKE section of this forum. HAHAHAHAHA.
Here are some photos:
![batteryissue1.jpg batteryissue1.jpg](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/91/91554-57f1d157b91c4edfb0434a63f58c3896.jpg)
![bmsissue2.jpg bmsissue2.jpg](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/91/91555-53942b609510ee3cc319042914ffe56c.jpg)
![bmsissue1.jpg bmsissue1.jpg](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/91/91556-e18f5c60aef2af1b975fe28784d5a7fd.jpg)
![1649712438359.png 1649712438359.png](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/91/91557-a9a527e5698ea47342e0d3a90fe4697e.jpg)
![1649712478384.jpg 1649712478384.jpg](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/91/91559-c55f379256dec396ba2a1cfda30db8e7.jpg)
NOTE: Both @RichardfromSignatureSolar and everyone i have talked to at @Signature Solar has been amazingly helpful trying to troubleshoot this and have even offered a full refund if i couldnt get it to work. Top notch customer service!!! This is NOT a rant against them!
NOTE #2: There was zero issues with these batteries and the Victron Multiplus drawing even much higher loads with the water heater and coffee maker running. This is an isolated issue with the air conditioner.
I went through every single connection on my system and made sure it was tight and secure, and then did more testing, even had an electrical engineering buddy supervise to make sure i was doing everything right...
The highest draw we saw was 186a (at 12v) when the compressor kicked on. We did 2 tests and the average was about 184a.
We tested these both as 2 separate batteries, and with them wired in parallel. All same results.
Every single spec listed for these batteries says this should not be an issue and the BMS should handle it fine, even as single units.
Before proceeding, i contacted Victron 2x and researched the issue on the Victron forum. Everything pointed to battery BMS issue.
I disassembled one of the batteries, which was MUCH nicer quality and durability than i expected, and was pleasantly surprised to see the BMS was very simple to bypass.
Bypassed the BMS on one of the batteries, reconnected it, started Air Conditioner, and it started up and ran flawlessly for an hour. Spike at start up was around 170a and no issues.
Bypassed the second BMS, tested that one separately and also performed perfectly.
Connected batteries in parallel and put everything back together with both BMS bypassed. Everything A-Ok
The BMS software is password protected so its more of a battery MONITORING software, and NOT a battery MANAGEMENT software.
Going through the BMS software on my laptop shows some weird stuff.
Other than the random mispelled words, on both batteries, it is listing the capacity as 100ah and a SOC of 386% on one of the screens, not 400ah.
But on another screen it lists it properly. This is not a changeable setting, weird. I will attach pics below.
Soooo.. At the end of the day and a lot of testing and troubleshooting, i am still happy and satisfied with these batteries, but i will be replacing the BMS on both of them ASAP with a better, more programmable BMS unit with more stable and user friendly software.
Yeah, i am aware i just voided my warranty, etc, but it is what it is... I only have so much free time i have to make what i got work
For now, there are enough settings in the Victron stuff, i can protect it from over/under charge, etc...
Hopefully i dont end up having to post in the UP IN SMOKE section of this forum. HAHAHAHAHA.
Here are some photos:
![batteryissue1.jpg batteryissue1.jpg](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/91/91554-57f1d157b91c4edfb0434a63f58c3896.jpg)
![bmsissue2.jpg bmsissue2.jpg](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/91/91555-53942b609510ee3cc319042914ffe56c.jpg)
![bmsissue1.jpg bmsissue1.jpg](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/91/91556-e18f5c60aef2af1b975fe28784d5a7fd.jpg)
![1649712438359.png 1649712438359.png](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/91/91557-a9a527e5698ea47342e0d3a90fe4697e.jpg)
![1649712478384.jpg 1649712478384.jpg](https://diysolarforum.com/data/attachments/91/91559-c55f379256dec396ba2a1cfda30db8e7.jpg)
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