[RE-wrenches] [EXTERNAL] Solark-Fortress Com? (was Fortress Battery Heater)

Bradley Bassett bbassett2 at gmail.com
Fri Feb 10 11:42:04 PST 2023 

That is with Discover batteries. 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 10, 2023, at 8:34 AM, Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
> 
> Agree Will and adding that for generator users closed loop will save 25% or more on fuel.
>  
> I know alot of you folks do not use Schneider but it is so easy to close loop for offgrid. You just plug Xanbus into one battery and the whole group gets closed loop charged and discharged by XW and its chargers. It is the only Battery that does this with Schneider xanbus.
>  
> No data to enter! Ever! Been using this since just after the 48 V LG failed beta testing with Schneider in 2017.
>  
> Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar
> "we go where powerlines don't"
> http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/
> e-mail  offgridsolar at sti.net
> text 209 813 0060
> 
> 
>> On 2023-02-10 5:15 am, White, Will via RE-wrenches wrote:
>> 
>> Ray,
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> I can't speak to the Fortress product, but Discover will do what they call "dynamic charging" in closed-loop installations. Basically, the BMS will tell the power electronics how to charge the battery, which will lead to a better charging cycle. For example, if the batteries are discharged, and their cell temperature is low, the BMS will push the charging voltage above what the recommended setting would be in an open loop setup.
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> I saw David Norman give a presentation about this topic at the NABCEP conference last year. It was very insightful.
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Here's a short article about it: https://blog.discoverbattery.com/benefits-of-closed-loop-charging-with-lynk
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> 
>> Will
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> From: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org> On Behalf Of Ray Walters via RE-wrenches
>> Sent: Thursday, February 9, 2023 5:35 PM
>> To: re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>> Cc: Ray Walters <ray at solarray.com>
>> Subject: [EXTERNAL] [RE-wrenches] Solark-Fortress Com? (was Fortress Battery Heater)
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Hi Chris;
>> 
>> That's not for the eVault.  Other Wrenches have mentioned using a pet heating pad with a 120 vac plug in thermostat.  I'm going to try that, I'll report back to the list what I find.
>> 
>> Secondly, I am having issues figuring out how to do the closed loop coms.  The Fortress instructions contradict themselves on how to even make up the proper CANbus cable, as apparently MODbus is not stable anymore, after the latest Solark firmware upgrades.  I'm about to just apply the KISSbus,  which is to blow off the closed loop com all together, and Keep It Simple S#@$%!, otherwise known as No Coms at all. 
>> 
>> I've screwed with Com stuff since the 90s, but usually been disappointed, to downright horrified with the final results.  Somebody explain to me like a 2 year old again, why closed loop is so much better?  Think off grid, where reliability is 10 times more important than squeezing an extra 5% capacity out of the battery.... Notes in the online instructions such as "Failure to properly upgrade the firmware may cause the battery to stop working!",   are not making we want to push ahead with closed loop either.
>> 
>> Ray
>> 
>> On 2/9/2023 11:01 AM, Chris Schaefer via RE-wrenches wrote:
>> 
>> Ray,
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> I'd suggest reaching out to the Fortress techie's as they just introduced a heater product for their enclosure products. While I don't believe they have a unit specif to the eVault but you should be able to make it work.
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Christopher
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> On Wed, Feb 8, 2023 at 6:43 PM Jerry Shafer via RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Pet heater have worked for me, I air gap a sealed heater box under the battery, thermostat inside the top of the battery.  It's slow and low power but does the trick
>> 
>> Fun times
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> On Wed, Feb 8, 2023, 3:05 PM Ray Walters via RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Hi All;
>> 
>> I have a fresh Fortress Evault installation with a Solark inverter.  The 
>> batteries are indoors in the center of the house, but the customer is 
>> not there full time, so the battery is unfortunately going below 
>> freezing.  What are the best options for setting up a heating system for 
>> the E Vault?
>> 
>> Here are ideas that I have not tried, but am considering:
>> 1) add a 240 v, 1000 w baseboard heater in the room near the battery 
>> that is wired to only run off the generator.  Run the generator until 
>> the heat comes up, and then hopefully after 30 minutes, the battery 
>> would begin accepting a charge.
>> 
>> 2) Add an 120 vac heating blanket under the evault that would be wired 
>> to a thermostat, but also have a relay control from the PV system, so 
>> that the heater would only operate when the sun was out, and the battery 
>> was below 50F.   I don't quite know how to set this up with the Solark's 
>> load controls.
>> 
>> I've considered some DC options, but they don't make much sense, since 
>> the inverter has to be on to charge from PV anyway.
>> 
>> The long term plan is for the client to finish the insulation, and sheet 
>> rock, and add a gas wall heater in there as needed.
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> 
>> Ray Walters
>> Remote Solar
>> in the Colorado mountain cold.....
>> 
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>>  
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>> --
>> 
>> Chris Schaefer's
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>> Tel/Fax 585-229-2083 or Cell 585-748-1870 
>> 5115 South Hill Road ~ Canandaigua New York 14424
>> www.solarandwindfx.com ~ E-mail: chris at solarandwindfx.com
>> 
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