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Yellow Box Charge Controller and Lithium Batttery

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  • Yellow Box Charge Controller and Lithium Batttery

    Without naming names I have had installed a battery storage system to my existing 4KW PV system. The panels are of a split East West configuration and the inverter is a big blue box with twin tracking MPPT. The battery system comprises of a small-ish yellow box and is described as a converter, but it isn't a converter but a charge/discharge controller, and, uses one string of my PV panels. The box offloads my excess power to the battery until the battery is fully charged or the sun goes down. Usually the latter at this time of year. My question is should the battery via the yellow box drive the original inverter to supply power to my house during darkness, as long as power is available in the battery?

    The DC string from my roof is fed into the yellow box. The yellow box sends the excess power on to the battery. Now when it's dark the yellow box is kept alive by the battery and according to an app on my smart phone is being discharged. After looking at the DC wiring from the yellow box it feeds the big blue inverter. Through the daylight hours this arrangement works fine, because the big blue inverter is kept alive by the power from the roof.

    Should the big blue inverter be kept alive by the power from the battery that is going through the yellow box?

    Thank you in advance.

  • #2
    Blue box Yellow Box. Grid Solar Battery?
    You are not giving us much to go on.

    Generally, if you have Solar, Grid and battery, you use the solar to keep the battery charged, and in float. Stay connected to the Grid and feed any excess Solar power into the Grid to unwind your meter.
    If your utility allows, you can use battery at the peak hours, when solar is gone, to reduce your peak rate usage. Generally, Grid power is less expensive than running up cycles on your battery and having to replace it.
    The expensive battery is for times when the Grid goes down and it gives you an hour or so of power for the Grid to return, or to get your generator out and hooked up.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

    Comment


    • #3
      I think you have got half the system right.
      To fill in the gaps this is a wholly grid tied system. I do not use generators and such. If the grid goes down the lights go out.
      The battery system is a retrofit Goodwe BP series. The battery is a Pylontech. The inverter that was installed originally is a Samil river series 400TL.
      Without the Samil inverter running there is no way to feed power into the house.
      The big question I have is how is the battery/Goodwe combination going to feed my house needs overnight.?

      Thank you for your response.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by OldColin View Post
        The battery system comprises of a small-ish yellow box and is described as a converter, but it isn't a converter but a charge/discharge controller, and, uses one string of my PV panels. The box offloads my excess power to the battery until the battery is fully charged or the sun goes down. Usually the latter at this time of year. My question is should the battery via the yellow box drive the original inverter to supply power to my house during darkness, as long as power is available in the battery?

        The DC string from my roof is fed into the yellow box. The yellow box sends the excess power on to the battery. Now when it's dark the yellow box is kept alive by the battery and according to an app on my smart phone is being discharged. After looking at the DC wiring from the yellow box it feeds the big blue inverter. Through the daylight hours this arrangement works fine, because the big blue inverter is kept alive by the power from the roof.

        Should the big blue inverter be kept alive by the power from the battery that is going through the yellow box?
        I'm wondering how this yellow box is connected to the inverter? DC you say so maybe one string is paralleled to the yellow box and the grid?
        I hope I'm not confusing the issue,I don't understand the system , but wouldnt the batteries need to supply AC to the blue box inverter to get power to the house?

        Comment


        • #5
          Not knowing the loads in your house, the size of the battery and how long you are expecting it to last, not much more I can say.
          inverters can have several inputs and outputs, and I'm not familiar with any of the brands you mention, Sorry.
          Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
          || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
          || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

          solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
          gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

          Comment


          • #6
            Here is a link to some information on the Yellow converter box http://solarquotes.com.au/blog/goodwe-bp and the battery https://www.thesolarinverterstore.co...tra2000-2-4kwh

            Does this answers your questions?

            Simon

            Off grid 24V system, 6x190W Solar Panels, 32x90ah Winston LiFeYPO4 batteries installed April 2013
            BMS - Homemade Battery logger
            Latronics 4kW Inverter, homemade MPPT controller

            Off-Grid LFP(LiFePO4) system since April 2013

            Comment


            • #7
              I still have no idea how it's wired or programmed. It's likely the OP will have to get the installer back to help him figure it out.
              Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
              || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
              || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

              solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
              gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by karrak View Post
                Here is a link to some information on the Yellow converter box http://solarquotes.com.au/blog/goodwe-bp and the battery https://www.thesolarinverterstore.co...tra2000-2-4kwh

                Does this answers your questions?

                Simon
                That is the system in your links. The only thing I don't understand is that the output of the Goodwe is wired into the DC input of the Samil inveter. I have no idea about the voltage/amps of the output of the Goodwe, but reading the blurb it is supposed to supply the Samil inverter with poer from the battery during times when the panels are not generating.

                Now, should the power from the Goodwe keep the Samil in a run state from the battery power?

                The loads or run time is irrelevant as the battery can only supply power if there is any power stored in the battery. The above question is the main point I am trying to clear up.

                Comment


                • #9
                  @karak has got the idea of the system in his links.

                  The DC for the goodwe is supplied by one string on the roof, the power for the inverter is supplied in series by the Goodwe and directly by the second string on the roof.

                  My question is:-
                  should the power supplied by the battery via the Goodwe to the original inverter, keep the original inverter online?

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by OldColin View Post
                    My question is:-
                    should the power supplied by the battery via the Goodwe to the original inverter, keep the original inverter online?
                    As the inverter is tied to the grid it has to shut down if it detects a failure of the grid supply for safety reasons. As long as grid power is available the inverter should be online and be able to get power from the battery.

                    Simon

                    Off grid 24V system, 6x190W Solar Panels, 32x90ah Winston LiFeYPO4 batteries installed April 2013
                    BMS - Homemade Battery logger
                    Latronics 4kW Inverter, homemade MPPT controller

                    Off-Grid LFP(LiFePO4) system since April 2013

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Thank you for that. You have answered my question.
                      After looking at the specs for the Samil inverter I found it has a value called Feed-In Start Voltage which is stated as 100V. There is no current value so it must go purely on voltage.

                      Thank you again. You answered the burning question.
                      I am not called OldColin for nothing.

                      Comment

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