Need Some help with this Inverter SCHNEIDER 6.8 KW 48 VDC GRID TIE BATTERY INVERTER

[Mike90250]

Because of all the rebooting of the combox, it takes about 15 minutes to set everything up and do it.

PRINT the firmware instructions and have them in your hand

Use a microSD card, less chance of a screwup, not a remote file load over ethernet

If this is your device: https://solar.schneider-electric.com...olar-inverter/
the latest firmware is Oct 2017

Make sure your combox firmware is at least Oct 2017

[paulcheung]

Yes I have some misspell here. I still have the old Magnum inverter connect to the battery bank and a plug is connected to it near the XW6848. how long it usually take to upgrade the firmware? the new XW6848 was manufactured on February 2018. do you think it need upgrade?
Thanks

[Mike90250]

INVERTER firmware upgrade, I do have a plus that is connect to the power company directly, so I would not out of power for the combox and the computer. good to know though. Thank you.

Be sure you are powered by a outlet on the utility side, not the inverter size

[paulcheung]

Well too late, already bought it yesterday. As for the browser firmware upgrade, I do have a plus that is connect to the power company directly, so I would not out of power for the combox and the computer. good to know though. Thank you.

[Mike90250]

The combox is controlled by a browser, any OS works, I use my android phone and Win8.1 laptop

If you've not bought it yet, consider looking at the new Gateway, supposed to be more versatile and flip the pancakes. https://solar.schneider-electric.com...onext-gateway/

Firmware upgrades are done via the browser (risky, because the inverter will shutdown, and you loose your wall wart powering the router the computer is plugged into) or via a microSD card in the slot in the combox (the chassis slot is large enough I missed the connector once and the micro card fell inside the housing)

[paulcheung]

Mike. thank for the quick reply, what I am asking is the software that to be install on the Window 7 or 10 laptop to program and monitor the combox. also is the Ethernet cable I suppose to use to connect to the internet or there are WI-FI available?

[Mike90250]

The XW inverter already comes with firmware for sell back. Check with your dealer/vendor for the proper configuration for setting it up. Sometimes they are real finicky about configuring all the parts and not just some of them !

https://solar.schneider-electric.com/product/conext-combox/

https://solar.schneider-electric.com/product/conext-xw-na-solar-inverter/

The combox can readout the FW version and you can look up if any newer firmware is useful for your requirements. You should update the combox FW anyway, to be sure it has all the updated controls.

[paulcheung]

Hi guys,
I am getting the schneider conext combox and the XW6848 inverter. Do I need to down load software from the manufacture to program the inverter to assist and sell back to the power company when the battery bank near full? which software do I need to download?

Thank you in advance.

[paulcheung]

If your combined load is 4Kw, then 400ah should be OK. The L16 would be simpler wiring and watering and take less space. But they need a good hard charging at least 1x a week to prevent the tall case electrolyte from stratifying.

I won't worry about the stratifying, all I will worry about is too much current going to the battery in a short period of time, before the battery voltage reach to sell back point.

[Mike90250]

...I understand you Mike, so do you think one new set of Trojan L16RE with 370AH OR 2 set of 225AH golf cart batteries with total 450AH will be able to buffer the load that I have? Thanks.

If your combined load is 4Kw, then 400ah should be OK. The L16 would be simpler wiring and watering and take less space. But they need a good hard charging at least 1x a week to prevent the tall case electrolyte from stratifying.

[paulcheung]

Failing batteries are not good enough to function as "ripple capacitors" and with enough time and output load you inverter will give you an error "Capacitor Overheat"
[FONT=lucida sans unicode]Error F45 Capacitor over-temperature shutdown at 105

I understand you Mike, so do you think one new set of Trojan L16RE with 370AH OR 2 set of 225AH golf cart batteries with total 450AH will be able to buffer the load that I have?
Thanks.

[paulcheung]

Are you miss understanding net metering and excess generation? Net metering is at retail value by deffinition and excess generation is at wholesale or about 1/3 retail. Excess generation is what you feed to the grid in excess of your consumotion after the billing cycle or a year.
If you have net metering then use it and don't cycle the batteries, they will last a hell of a lot longer.

If you are net metering the. You will use the grid to "assist" inherently....

I do understand what you mean by net metering, legally we only have excessive generation and the power company will buy it from us at 1 third the price they charge us.

[Mike90250]

Failing batteries are not good enough to function as "ripple capacitors" and with enough time and output load you inverter will give you an error "Capacitor Overheat"
[FONT=lucida sans unicode]Error F45 Capacitor over-temperature shutdown at 105

[ButchDeal]

whether I have net metering or not it is not a big problem here, as the batteries are dying and the replacement for full size batteries are too expensive. Our power company pay us 1 third the price we buy from them. but to get a little back from them is better than none. what I really need is using the grid to assist the load when the PV is not be able to manage the load and I don't want to cycle the batteries much. my whole concern is whether the charge current 70 to 75 amps are too much for the batteries for short peroid. and if the inverter really does what my vendor claim that it take the power from the grid to assist when the PV and the batteries are not enough to manage the load.
Thanks

Are you miss understanding net metering and excess generation? Net metering is at retail value by deffinition and excess generation is at wholesale or about 1/3 retail. Excess generation is what you feed to the grid in excess of your consumotion after the billing cycle or a year.
If you have net metering then use it and don't cycle the batteries, they will last a hell of a lot longer.

If you are net metering the. You will use the grid to "assist" inherently....

[paulcheung]

Do you have net metering available to you? If so then you can have the batteries only for backup and cycle them rarely.

Otherwise many of the bymodal inverters have zero feed in options in the programming, Some do this better than others though.

whether I have net metering or not it is not a big problem here, as the batteries are dying and the replacement for full size batteries are too expensive. Our power company pay us 1 third the price we buy from them. but to get a little back from them is better than none. what I really need is using the grid to assist the load when the PV is not be able to manage the load and I don't want to cycle the batteries much. my whole concern is whether the charge current 70 to 75 amps are too much for the batteries for short peroid. and if the inverter really does what my vendor claim that it take the power from the grid to assist when the PV and the batteries are not enough to manage the load.
Thanks