<div><div dir="auto">John,</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Unfortunately with lithium, voltage isn’t a great indicator of precise SOC%. There could be a 30% swing in accuracy with a 52.7VDC reading. When we get into smart load management and EV2H, voltage isn’t going to cut it. The future of energy storage requires accurate BMS readings and if current manufacturers are falling short of this, we need to ask more from them. </div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">I’ve also noticed that in closed loop, the generator charge cycle is tremendously more concise, averaging 1.5hrs less per run than voltage based settings. </div></div><div><div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Thu, Feb 9, 2023 at 9:46 PM John Blittersdorf via RE-wrenches <<a href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204)"><div dir="ltr">It all comes back to voltage.....Learned that with the TriMetric a long time ago. I have a dozen eVaults out there, mostly singles but one set up with 3, all working just fine using voltage control. </div><div dir="ltr"><div><br></div><div>John Blittersdorf</div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Thu, Feb 9, 2023 at 8:57 PM Howie Michaelson via RE-wrenches <<a href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204)"><div dir="auto">For systems where the batteries are getting a relatively full charge every week or and cycling down below 30% at least every now and then, closed loop is certainly the safest way to go since the battery BMS is determining the SOC, not the inverter's algorithm.<div dir="auto"><br><div dir="auto">I've been told by a tech at Fortress that has done installation and service that unless the batteries cycle at least occasionally, the battery's BMS can really lose accuracy. So even in closed loop, you can have significant discrepancies. </div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">I ran into this a couple of weeks ago on a system that had been cycling between 20 and 45% for several weeks. Even though the BMS was reporting around 40%, the batteries shut down on low voltage. In cases where the batteries aren't getting a relatively full cycle at least every week (or 2),I was told to switch over to switch the Sol Ark over to operate on voltage instead. And to set up the charge algorithm to bring the batteries up higher every now and then.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">So far, things have worked better.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Howie Michaelson</div><div dir="auto">Sun Catcher</div><div dir="auto"><br></div></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Thu, Feb 9, 2023, 8:10 PM Chris Sparadeo via RE-wrenches <<a href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204)"><div dir="auto">Ray,</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Establishing CAN is straightforward. Most important steps:</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">-Pins 1,2,3 on eVault go to pins 4,5,6 in that order </div><div dir="auto">- Update the eVault with CAN firmware </div><div dir="auto">-Use protocol 6 on the battery and protocol 00 on the Sol Ark</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Closed loop is an important feature that I personally wouldn’t want to pass up. I have found CAN to be much more solid than RS485 with regards to the eVault Max. I’ve conducted plenty of firmware upgrades and have yet to run into trouble. Key is to turn off breaker so battery is not charging or discharging. </div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">I’d reconsider blowing off this feature. </div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Kindly,</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Chris </div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto"><br><div class="gmail_quote" dir="auto"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Thu, Feb 9, 2023 at 5:35 PM Ray Walters via RE-wrenches <<a href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204)">
<div>
<p>Hi Chris;</p>
<p>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. <br>
</p>
<p>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 <i><b>K</b>eep <b>I</b>t <b>S</b>imple
<b>S#@$%</b></i>!, otherwise known as No Coms at all. <br>
</p>
<p>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 "<i>Failure
to properly upgrade the firmware may cause the battery to stop
working!", </i> are not making we want to push ahead with
closed loop either.<br>
</p>
<p>Ray<br>
</p>
<div>On 2/9/2023 11:01 AM, Chris Schaefer
via RE-wrenches wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">Ray,
<div><br>
</div>
<div>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.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Christopher</div>
</div>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">
<div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Feb 8, 2023 at 6:43 PM
Jerry Shafer via RE-wrenches <<a href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>>
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204)">
<div dir="auto">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
<div dir="auto">Fun times</div>
</div>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">
<div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Feb 8, 2023, 3:05
PM Ray Walters via RE-wrenches <<a href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>>
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204)">Hi All;<br>
<br>
I have a fresh Fortress Evault installation with a Solark
inverter. The <br>
batteries are indoors in the center of the house, but the
customer is <br>
not there full time, so the battery is unfortunately going
below <br>
freezing. What are the best options for setting up a
heating system for <br>
the E Vault?<br>
<br>
Here are ideas that I have not tried, but am considering:<br>
1) add a 240 v, 1000 w baseboard heater in the room near
the battery <br>
that is wired to only run off the generator. Run the
generator until <br>
the heat comes up, and then hopefully after 30 minutes,
the battery <br>
would begin accepting a charge.<br>
<br>
2) Add an 120 vac heating blanket under the evault that
would be wired <br>
to a thermostat, but also have a relay control from the PV
system, so <br>
that the heater would only operate when the sun was out,
and the battery <br>
was below 50F. I don't quite know how to set this up
with the Solark's <br>
load controls.<br>
<br>
I've considered some DC options, but they don't make much
sense, since <br>
the inverter has to be on to charge from PV anyway.<br>
<br>
The long term plan is for the client to finish the
insulation, and sheet <br>
rock, and add a gas wall heater in there as needed.<br>
<br>
Thanks,<br>
<br>
Ray Walters<br>
Remote Solar<br>
in the Colorado mountain cold.....<br>
<br>
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</font></font></span></i><i style="font-size:12.8px"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)"><a href="http://www.solarandwindfx.com" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:blue">www.solarandwindfx.com</span></a>
~ E-mail: <span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:blue"><a href="mailto:chris@solarandwindfx.com" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">chris@solarandwindfx.com</a></span></span></i></p>
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</div>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div>Chris Sparadeo</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>C_802-369-4458</div><div>H_802-728-3059</div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div>