Weird issue with 6000XP 🤷‍♂️

[brucenolan]

I do not like the fact that it is balancing at 3.385. I never start until a cell hits 3.45.
Probably just my preference, and possibly doesnt matter, I dont know. BUT if I am right, you may be chasing your tail a little bit.
Can you change the balance turn on voltage?

firmware on his batteries start balance at 3.45 and continue to balance high cells till all cells fall below 3.45, password protected parameters not sure if EG4 will give up the password

 

[brucenolan]

here is the power supply I use to balance: any similar would work

link to Amazon:

https://a.co/d/dQqSJAF

 

[ChrisSwolls]

As ScrousGB said, you need to see delta while charging at 3.48/cell and above. your cells are way out of balance and need to be held at balance voltage but below protection voltage for some time. The BMS in the Lifepower4 pack does not have much balance current, it took me a week of charging, (24/7) with a varible power supply pushing up the CV setting slightly as needed till I got to 3.6 per cell and under .020 delta on ONE pack. that is why I open and charge the low cells one at a time to balance new packs. if you continue as is the stock BMS will eventually balance out the cells, might take months !! however the 6000XP default CV (setting #7)is pushing you into protection. thats not helping. How are you holding voltage during charge to 2 amps?

So I just went out and checked. When set at 2A I didn’t see any positive current on packs 1 & 2, but saw amperage on packs 3 & 4. See first pic.

I then upped charge current to 7A, that’ll be pic 2.

I finally settled at 10A, that’s pic 3,

I’m starting to pull my hair out with this. lol. I’m hoping my chargeverter gets in sooner, rather than later. I’m chasing my tail here, can’t get cell voltages to 3.4x without overcurrent protection. I’m going to let it charge at 10A for a bit and try dropping it down to between 2-5 once it gets closer.

 

[PotusGobbleBottom]

So I just went out and checked. When set at 2A I didn’t see any positive current on packs 1 & 2, but saw amperage on packs 3 & 4. See first pic.

I then upped charge current to 7A, that’ll be pic 2.

I finally settled at 10A, that’s pic 3,

I’m starting to pull my hair out with this. lol. I’m hoping my chargeverter gets in sooner, rather than later. I’m chasing my tail here, can’t get cell voltages to 3.4x without overcurrent protection. I’m going to let it charge at 10A for a bit and try dropping it down to between 2-5 once it gets closer.

looks good at 10 amps. Give it some time.

Did you mean over voltage protection??
If it says over current protection that would be a different issue.

 

[ChrisSwolls]

looks good at 10 amps. Give it some time.

Did you mean over voltage protection??
If it says over current protection that would be a different issue.

Correct, cell over voltage alarm and the protection mode. I worded that weird lol

 

[brucenolan]

Chris, how are you adjusting charge current?

 

[ChrisSwolls]

Chris, how are you adjusting charge current?

Via the inverter or EG4 monitor. I then verify with comms hub and ammeter that it’s close.

 

[brucenolan]

so on the 6000XP you are adjusting current at setting #6? or in monitor.eg4electronics.com at maintenance tab for charge settings, what is the "charge voltage (V)" right below "charge current limit(Adc) set to?

this is where you can set voltage to stop from hitting "overvoltage protection" if you set the current limit and leave this at default (56.4) the 6000XP will try to output current and push voltage to this set point,

if you set voltage lower 6000XP will taper current as needed to hit voltage set point and keep your batteries out of overvoltage and allow BMS to balance the cells

 

[ChrisSwolls]

To adjust the settings, that is correct. I either set it on the unit itself (I still just follow the book for now lol) or use EG4 monitor with my laptop sitting next to the unit. I’ve primarily been using the monitor app.

All the settings were set by Sig techs after I called in, the only thing I played with was lowering the current, to hopefully slow charge so they can balance out a bit more.

Current is currently set to 10A, charge voltage is set to 56.4. I’ll lower charge current a bit, the batteries are close to 100% for the day.

What’s weird though is overall SOC is saying close to 100% but cell voltages look kinda low for that?

 

[brucenolan]

Well, you can leave the setting as adjusted by SigSolar and cells will eventually balance. (You will be bald by then)
lowering the current will not slow the charge as the runner cells will over voltage protect (OVP) because even 2 amps at 56.4 V will push runner cells up, lower charge voltage will stop that and allow BMS to balance. I suggest start at 55.0 volts and check the cell voltage on the high cells to keep below OVP and move up charge voltage as delta come down, will take time.

My batteries float at 54.0 and show 100% after absorbing at 55.4 and all packs are < 0.020 delta at 55.4 (most are < 0.010)

I don't think the BMS looks at cell voltage for SOC, looks at total pack voltage

 

[ChrisSwolls]

Well, you can leave the setting as adjusted by SigSolar and cells will eventually balance.
lowering the current will not slow the charge as the runner cells will over voltage protect (OVP) because even 2 amps at 56.4 V will push runner cells up, lower charge voltage will stop that and allow BMS to balance. I suggest start at 55.0 volts and check the cell voltage on the high cells to keep below OVP and move up charge voltage as delta come down, will take time.

My batteries float at 54.0 and show 100% after absorbing at 55.4 and all packs are < 0.020 delta at 55.4 (most are < 0.010)

I don't think the BMS looks at cell voltage for SOC, looks at total pack voltage

Thanks! I’ll play with the settings again tomorrow and see if I can get it dialed in. It’s set to 56 right now. I’ll lower the voltage a bit and up the amperage a bit and we’ll see how she does. This was from a bit ago, not great sun today, actually, wild weather.

I lost a 250w panel from a skid today that blew away lol.

 

[ChrisSwolls]

looks good at 10 amps. Give it some time.

Did you mean over voltage protection??
If it says over current protection that would be a different issue.

10 amps worked well, I’m seeing about 1.6-2.xA per cell.

I’m still not getting above 3.3x ball park. I’m gonna try and charge at 55v/25A tomorrow. I’ll run the bank down a bit tonight.

 

[EG4_Jared]

Would you be able to try and remove the ComHub from the system and see if this allows you to charge the bank to a higher voltage? If this works, I would recommend updating the firmware on the communication hub.

 

[ChrisSwolls]

Would you be able to try and remove the ComHub from the system and see if this allows you to charge the bank to a higher voltage? If this works, I would recommend updating the firmware on the communication hub.

I’ll pull the comm hub right now. They definitely seem to be balancing better at the moment. Currently have them set to 55.2v and 50A charging.

 

[ChrisSwolls]

@brucenolan so playing with the voltage helped out a lot. I got them close with a higher setting, and I’m now slowly adjusting it based on what they’re reading. Currently set at 54.6, slowly had to bring them down.

Packs 3&4 are giving me overvolt alarm now but not going into protection so that’s good.

These are the most recent

 

[PotusGobbleBottom]

These are the most recent

This doesnt look good. not terrible, but wtf did they send you. The only thing that would make sense here is all 4 packs have been used 3 years and rarely got to balance voltage. This is not the case right?

EG4_Jared look at those deltas.​

 

[ChrisSwolls]

This doesnt look good. not terrible, but wtf did they send you. The only thing that would make sense here is all 4 packs have been used 3 years and rarely got to balance voltage. This is not the case right?

EG4_Jared look at those deltas.​

Negative. All of the packs are new. 2 of them were new, sitting off and in a float SOC, 2 are new from Signature. i just lowered charge current to 10A and set charging voltage at 54.6. None of the cells are going into balance yet, seems to happen around 3.43-ish.

Yeah, I’m pulling my hair out trying to get these things to balance out. I run off the batteries for a few minuets to get out of Over Volt alarm, turn PV back on, play with charge voltage to try to get them into balance. Then go into overvolt again lol.

At this point I just want my new chargeverter to try and balance them one at a time. I’m worried they’re still going to have issues though and also, if this is how the stack usually runs, will I not have issues all the time running them even if I balance them out one at a time?

 

[PotusGobbleBottom]

will I not have issues all the time

No you will not. The only way for them to get severely out of balance that I know of is self discharge over a long time (months/years) without being balanced. Or if the cell has a problem.

At this point I just want my new chargeverter

How do you think doing it one by one will help you?
I believe the limitation here is the balance current of the individual batteries. Doing it one by one could take 4x as long.

You should be able to adjust your charge voltage to a point where they are balancing.
Charge at 55.2 and wait however long till the delta is at .010 then raise the charge voltage to 55.4 and wait for the delta to hit .010 and then repeat this as many times as needed until they are all at 3.5 and .010 delta
Have you tried this? NEVERMIND you cant even get to 55.2

THATS THE PROBLEM

You hit over voltage before the balancer kicks in or right when it does.
You need to find the magic number and keep it there until a delta of .010
That is the only thing you can do

 

[ChrisSwolls]

No you will not. The only way for them to get severely out of balance that I know of is self discharge over a long time (months/years) without being balanced. Or if the cell has a problem.

How do you think doing it one by one will help you?
I believe the limitation here is the balance current of the individual batteries. Doing it one by one could take 4x as long.

You should be able to adjust your charge voltage to a point where they are balancing.
Charge at 55.2 and wait however long till the delta is at .010 then raise the charge voltage to 55.4 and wait for the delta to hit .010 and then repeat this as many times as needed until they are all at 3.5 and .010 delta
Have you tried this? NEVERMIND you cant even get to 55.2

That’s what I’ve been slowly attempting to work towards. The problem is I keep getting a cell overvoltage alarm and/or cell over voltage protection. I’ve had to raise the float charge as well, they’re hitting float and getting no additional current to balance.

This sure is a headache lol

 

[PotusGobbleBottom]

I just cant believe you have a .194 delta at 3.43 average. I am sorry for you.
Have you tried what EG4_Jared said and bypass the communication board? he said "try and remove the ComHub from the system"