So far, a few issues. (Gettit?) Cough - Sofar ME3000 SP

WIAWSNB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82011006#Comment_82011006

Thanks - I have a rotary DC switch winging its way. Rated at 63A which I thought would be plenty, but - man - that spark!

It's 'normal'? And no warning… 😶

QrizB

> It's 'normal'?

I think so!

Here's a dreadful photo of my NTC connection. I definitely have a little push-in connector.

My battery temperature is currently showing as 21C, which seems slightly lower than expected but is at least in the right ballpark!

Heedtheadvice

I looks to me like the ntc Connector is missing as you can see it on Qrizb's picture but not on yours just the bare pins that the fixed con Connect with on the pcb. They are quite common connectors to purchase.

Why not just buy a 10k ntc thermistor and have it on long wires so you read actual batt temp rather than fixed value resistor that tell you nothing....or does it affect an alarm?

You definitely need to get an isolator fitted on the DC side. It needs to be 4 pole to isolate pos and neg and sufficiently high rated for the battery. Much higher than battery max normal current to prevent contacts welding under a fault condition. Do not disconnect the battery whilst working ( charge or discharge) as that small spark is dangerous ( if not just exiting!!). Battery manufacturer/manual will advise rating. DC can be very nasty.

WIAWSNB

Thanks QrizB.

There's just two bent pins coming out of my board, and they are too awkward to reach via the aperture, so I need to remove the cover each time…

But… it's WORKING!

Tho' charging at a slow rate - now dropped to 0.55kW. Would this be because it's at near full capacity? Will need to tweak the voltages and charge/discharge rates to suit.

The battery had a stored voltage of 52.4V when connected, and is charging at an indicated 53.9V.

So, next steps are to update the software to V2.70, and hope that includes the Alpha-ESS battery parameters, which I hope means it'll communicate by CAN, and I hope to be able to then tweak the voltages up slightly to the 'S' version rather than the expected 'P'.

Got a waterproof box on order to house the batteries just outside. I imagine I'll just fit two - that should give just over 10kWh storage, probably enough realistically for a 3kW PV system.

WIAWSNB

The PV generation is currently showing as 2.12kW, wheras the Aurora inverter is saying it's 2.5. This can be adjusted in the Sofar?

My battery is now fully charged, well, as currently set.

WIAWSNB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82011083#Comment_82011083

Thank you, HtA.

It's all as you say. Yes, I'll be getting a thermistor, and will attach it to the battery side. I'm hoping I can get the Sofar to recognise the battery via CAN, but the thermistor will be handy otherwise.

QrizB

Great to hear that it's working! 🎉

The battery had a stored voltage of 52.4V when connected, and is charging at an indicated 53.9V … Tho' charging at a slow rate - now dropped to 0.55kW. Would this be because it's at near full capacity?

From your earlier screenshots, the Sofar's max charge voltage was set to 53.5V (unless you changed that since). It does sound as though the Sofar thinks it's full now, and ~54V is what I tend to call "full" for my battery.

The PV generation is currently showing as 2.12kW, wheras the Aurora inverter is saying it's 2.5. This can be adjusted in the Sofar?

I think you can adjust some of the the CT clamp parameters, but it's probably not worth the bother.

WIAWSNB

I am a dunce.

Figured out the reason why the charge rate was so low - it's because I set the max charge amps to 15. Totally forgetting it's '~50V' Amps, and not 240.

Ditto with discharge - I wonder how far 15A at 50V output would power the house? Ooh - it'll keep the lights on!

I now have the full PV generation - 2.2kW - going into the battery. Set it to 40A max at the mo' - taking it easy, and well below the max rating of 112A (not that the PV will provide this anyhoo.)

Heedtheadvice

Making progress.....

WIAWSNB

Jeepers - a 'mare trying to update the software. I was warned to leave well alone!

Tried V2.5 and then V2.41, but - lawdie - Sofar went bonkers. Fail fail fail, screen going off, battery being charged from grid - you name it.

Thankfully I kept the original SD card, so I'm back up and running.