[RE-wrenches] HomeGrid Battery Experience

Sat Apr 15 08:26:28 PDT 2023

I installed a 400AHR set of Home Grid on an existing grid OB Radian system replacing AGM batteries.  I had to replace the FM 80 CC for an Fm 100 as the FM 80s were to sloppy on their finish voltage [the microprocessors are too slow]. I received 2 damaged [warped] Top sections with the BMS before I could complete the installation. The shipping boxes were stout & fine so I can only assume that the defect was factory based. HG sated that they open & check every battery box as it come in from China… Hopefully now they will check the BMS units too.

Since completion though the system has been working smoothly as in no issues. Grounding straps on the left side secured the battery set together on the left, but the right side relies on gravity to keep the individual  batteries nested which is interesting as the right side is where the battery interconnects are located. I would like to see a set of straps typ. Of the left side on the right side to tie the pack tight, literally someone could lift the right side up under load & cause a lead separation & major sparky event. No conduit box on the back just a couple of compression TA’s to secure the battery cable out to the inverter.

Communication with Home Grid was very good & they sent me a com box to allow them to look in on the battery bank though with no internet on site that was a miss. Oh yeah the assumptions at the factory level.

**Last item - they charge to a lower voltage setting than almost all other LI batteries so check as to whether your CC can stop that low. I think it was 52.4vdc?

That said I am sure that I will install more sets of Home Grid batteries. Neat clean look finished.

Dana Orzel -  E - dana at solarwork.com -  C - 208.721.7003     

From: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org> On Behalf Of Kienan Maxfield via RE-wrenches
Sent: Saturday, April 15, 2023 8:49 AM
To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Cc: Kienan Maxfield <maxfieldsolar at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] HomeGrid Battery Experience

Howie,

I don't have experience with HomeGrid, but I have a well respected friend (Jason Lerner) who loves them. 

I have had awesome experiences with Fortress, and I have been looking for a chance to try HomeGrid as well. I think the stack idea is really cool!!

I know that this is extremely nit-picky... The only thing I've seen so far that I don't like about HomeGrid is that they use 15 cells in series instead of the standard 16 cells. This just means that the voltages will be lower than what I'm used to, and amperage will be a little higher. It's not a big deal, everything will still work great, but I like the higher voltage of a 16 cell bank. I just have all the numbers memorized for a 16 cell battery bank, and while you should always double check the manufacturer's instructions, it's nice to know off the top of your head if the numbers are appoximately correct.

When Fortress released their new inverterter that's essentially the same as the Solark (comes from the same factory), Solark got mad and they pushed out a new non-voluntary firmware update that broke the Modbus communication with Fortress. People didn't even know that the Firmware had changed. All they knew is that suddenly, their system wasn't working and it was shutting down randomly. It worked one day, didn't work the next. Fortress made a new firmware to communicate with Solark via canbus instead, so everything is working great again now. I don't know if Solark is finished with their vendeta against Fortress, but if Solark figures out a way to cause trouble again, then anyone with a Fortress-Solark combo could experience a coms disruption again... I really don't believe this was an accident on Solark's part. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that Solark isn't mad at HomeGrid right now, so that might be a better bet. I personally don't use Solark. I'm leary of a company who pushes out Firmware updates that break things.

One question, does HomeGrid officially support combining new batteries with old batteries? Fortress does not, they say in their documentation that you shouldn't mix different ages of batteries together. I could be wrong, but my understanding is that it should actually be fine, but the SOC will be different on the different ages of batteries... particularly when the batteries are between 30% and 80%. They'll be more tight with eachother near the top and the bottom of their ranges, but they'll drift in the middle. So I think it's fine to mix them like that, but I'm wondering if HomeGrid specifically says it's okay or if they specifically say not to do it?

Thanks,

Kienan

Green-Go Solar Distribution LLC

Maxfield Solar LLC (installation and consulting company)

maxfieldsolar at hotmail.com <https://maxfieldsolar@hotmail.com/> 

(801) 631-5584(Cell)

distribution.solar

  _____  

From: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org <mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org> > on behalf of Howie Michaelson via RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org <mailto:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> >
Sent: Friday, April 14, 2023 3:03 PM
To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org <mailto:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> >
Cc: Howie Michaelson <Howie.Michaelson at gmail.com <mailto:Howie.Michaelson at gmail.com> >
Subject: [RE-wrenches] HomeGrid Battery Experience 

Hi All,

I am looking to upgrade an offgrid client's battery bank from 2-volt Rolls KS17s to LiFePO4 batteries.  I'm basically looking at one Fortress eVault Max cabinet vs. a HomeGrid 4 stack option.  I have used the eVault Maxs before, and generally like them.  The 2 options are relatively equivalent cost and size.  The advantage of the eVault is that I've used them with good success several times, and they have a better listed warranty (6,000 cycles vs. 4,000, slightly more favorable end of life capacity retention).  The reason I am considering the HomeGrid is because the promise of more incremental increases if that becomes a need (4.8 kWh blocks vs. 18.5 kWh) and the promised ease of adding up to another 4 blocks with apparently little or no effort compared to the need for a whole other large battery connection.  These will be matched up to an existing Sol-Ark 12k inverter. If anyone has any experience with the HomeGrid (positive or negative), or experience with both brands, I'd love to hear any feedback.  I hate installing equipment I haven't used before! 😕

Thanks,

Howie

Howie Michaelson
Sun Catcher
NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™
  <https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1MQF8aTcFNnBR59ia5JAm1DsPHCxzNkPx&export=download> 
Solar Electric Systems Sales & Service
802-272-0004

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