Battery Monitoring with Schneider Combox

[cgofish]

We recently had our Combox installed. One thing I'm not seeing like I have on the SCP is a battery SOC indication. Does anyone know if this is available and buried someplace that I'm missing it or does it only show Battery Voltage to indicate the SOC?

[Mike90250]

In the menu, see screen shot below, series # 4
Note this is pretty useless, I strictly go by battery voltage, or amps In vs Out

Battery_SoC_combox.jpg

[cgofish]

Thanks Mike, your chart looks the same as mine....no matter what Series I add SOC in it never shows a line for it. Even down bottom its missing. Guessing its either a bug or they just aren't capturing the info.

[Sunking]

Using SOC is practically useless. To use battery voltage requires a well rested battery that is disconnected and open circuit. Even then it is only a ballpark guesstimate. You can make a fully discharged battery read 100% SOC, or make a fully charged battery read dead.

[cgofish]

Using SOC is practically useless. To use battery voltage requires a well rested battery that is disconnected and open circuit. Even then it is only a ballpark guesstimate. You can make a fully discharged battery read 100% SOC, or make a fully charged battery read dead.

So with that this is basically useless to me? https://pveducation.com/wp-content/u...-of-charge.png

On my SCP I have a Battery E - F Bar....its not very specific. Per the installer its supposed to be set based on 50% DOD, so if I was reading E (Empty) I'd be at 50% of my bank capacity. This is better than nothing but I was hoping I'd get more details on the battery bank...the most expensive part of the system...with the Combox.

[Sunking]

A battery hydrometer is how you determine SOC.

[kayrain]

Solar owner for 4.5 years, feel as though I'm getting my money's worth and it was a good investment for the future. On my part, not enough homework done originally when I decided not to go with regional electricity supplier (PECO) and chose a company with lower rate. I was under the impression that excess KwH was put into a bank and I could use it through the year but not get paid for it because I was not signed up with PECO. Just found out that since 2015, PECO just takes excess hours and puts them in their system. Waiting for a report from PECO to see how many hours I havethis ha lost since 2015. Looking at a lawsuit against the company and was wondering if this occurs elsewhere and what anyone may done about it

[Mike90250]

Solar owner for 4.5 years, feel as though I'm getting my money's worth and it was a good investment for the future. On my part, not enough homework done originally when I decided not to go with regional electricity supplier (PECO) and chose a company with lower rate. I was under the impression that excess KwH was put into a bank and I could use it through the year but not get paid for it because I was not signed up with PECO. Just found out that since 2015, PECO just takes excess hours and puts them in their system. Waiting for a report from PECO to see how many hours I havethis ha lost since 2015. Looking at a lawsuit against the company and was wondering if this occurs elsewhere and what anyone may done about it

You are going to loose big time. If you connected generating gear to THEIR grid without prior authorization, you could have your service disconnected, and have to pay a fine before re-connection.

[Sunking]

Looking at a lawsuit against the company and was wondering if this occurs elsewhere and what anyone may done about it

Will never happen as you are the one at fault.

[kayrain]

I should have noted that in order to get panels installed in Philadelphia, you have to start the process with getting approval through your electricity provider (PECO) and then through the city itself. You can't just tie in to the system. The only thing that PECO fails to mention is what happens to your excess kWh. As mentioned before, I knew I wasn't getting paid for producing extra, just nver thought about where the excess would go, not to the owner of the system apparently.