[RE-wrenches] Radian / Flexmax issue

[Maverick Brown]

Sounds like a good system and has been through some growing pains. 8 years of software upgrades, internet connectivity and a lightning strike. I would say yes, an 8 year old battery bank might need to be replaced. I’d start with a load test looking for a particular battery issue. Also, I’d look at the OpticsRE to see what all the settings are that fit the philosophy of use. Now is a good time to switch to Lithium, if the environmental conditions are right and the customer is ready. 

Maverick Brown
Off-Grid Solar Commander since 2006
Maverick Solar Enterprises, Inc.
 • Solar Commander Remote Power
 • SunFlow Systems Cathodic Protection 
maverick at mavericksolar.com
512-460-9825


> On Oct 26, 2022, at 7:05 PM, Drake Chamberlin via RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello All,
> 
> Suzanne Csejtey of Design Energy contacted me with an Outback Radian / Flexmax 80 system problem. I don't know what is going on with this system. Below is her description of the problem. Any help would be appreciated.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> System installed 2014.
> 
> 6.6kW PV, Outback Radian 8048 inverter, (2) x Midnite Classic 200 charge controllers, 600Ah
> Battery bank (12 x 12V 200Ah Outback Energycell ) for backup of 100A aux panel
> 
> It worked great, but the customer was always disappointed that she couldn’t show her system
> online on one screen, because the Midnite charge controllers didn’t talk to the Outback Mate 3.
> In 2017 the charge controllers were changed to (2) x Outback Flexmax 80’s, and problems
> started a couple years after that. The system would shut down at least once a month, start up
> the next day, and the electrician couldn’t find the problem but suspected grid instability. Outback tech support couldn’t help until the system was on OpticsRE, late 2021. Tech support resolved the shutdown issue this year with 2 nd firmware upgrade and a few settings adjusted on Mate3.
> 
> Radian GS8048 updated 2021, verified 8/2022 from tech support but I am not finding the
> firmware number. August 2022 tech support walked through our settings and verified all ok with batteries, CCs. Adjusted Mate3 to establish OpticsRE connection, verified not selling from
> battery/backup only.
> 
> Worked very well until this September when a lightning storm apparently took out the internet
> modem and inverter comms with it. Solar and battery still working. Outback told us to replace
> the Mate3 and Hub, and then the FlexNet DC monitor. Latest firmware update attempted on
> new Mate3s when received, 001.004.007 but it was already installed and ready to go.
> 
> Instead of setting everything up again from scratch after replacing Mate3 with Mate3S we
> decided to see if the charge controllers would repopulate the old information, as recommended
> in the Outback forum. Then tried to get help to verify settings from Outback support. Support
> had been very helpful in the past but this time we weren’t so lucky and the person just let us
> know that wasn’t their job and sent a link to the manual. But the batteries appeared to be at
> 100%, set not to sell, backup only, max PV self-consumption. The plan was to find more help to
> verify settings and keep an eye on the system.
> 
> Seemed to be working very well until it went
> crazy last week, when the Mate showed alarm, batteries discharged down to 6%, then up to
> 100%, then everything shut down completely.
> 
> Programming may be a big part of the issue. Also hearing that the age of the AGM batteries may have been a factor, 8 years. That sometimes dying batteries cause odd behavior?
> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks in advance.
> 
> Drake
> 
> Drake Chamberlin
> Athens Electric LLC
> Ohio Electrical Contractor’s License 44810
> CO Master Electrician’s License 4526
> NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional
> 
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