Xantrex Xanbus network issue

jcpers · February 2019

I have a Xantrex solar power system including the XW Hybrid Inverter/Charger 6048, XW Solar Charge Controller (XWSCC), XW Automatic Generator Start (XWAGS), and XW System Control Panel (XWSCP). I am having trouble getting technical support from the business who installed the System and Schneider-Electric.

My question regards the Xanbus network, where the XWSCC no longer shows up on the XW SCP device menu, therefore, I am not able to update any settings for this device. The controller appears to be doing its job based on the LED lights on the unit, charging the batteries from the PV panels.

Anyone familiar with these Xantrex components and the Xanbus network? And, how I can get expert technical support, and/or have a solution to the issue above?

Dave Angelini · February 2019

I would insiste the people who sold/installed deal with this. You will need serial numbers to get the data in to support
Follow the instructions here
https://solar.schneider-electric.com/tech-support/

Try resetting the mppt by powering it down. Make sure the battery terminals are a 0v for a few minutes. If you had the combox or config tool you could reset to defaults all devices. The other thing you can do is plug the scp directly into the mppt and see if it shows up.

Are you offgrid? Good luck!

mike95490 · February 2019

The Xanbus is a daisy chain network with a termination at each end. It's unlikely a cable or termination just broke on it's own, but at least check that all are in place

jcpers · February 2019

Dave Angelini, thank so much for your your comment. The company, Independent Power Systems out of Boulder, CO, designed, built, and installed the system. My first mistake was not going local. I am in southern Missouri, totally off the grid and without cell service unless I have power. I am currently in St. Louis, MO using grid power to do all my communication right now. I never did receive the individual component info, such as serial number, which reflects my naiveté by not getting this info when I purchased the system. They promised good quality equipment and good quality follow thru. Hopefully the former is true, the later is not.

I will buy a Cat 5 cable that will reach from the XW SCC (MPPT) device to the System Control Panel and see if it shows up. I will also try putting the whole system on standby mode through the XW SCP and then going back to operation mode. I do not know how to power down the XW SCC (MPPT) any other way. I have also contacted Schneider-Electric through their enquiry page, but have yet to hear from them. It has only been two working days. Thanks again for your help and any other thoughts will be helpful.

jcpers · February 2019

Mike, the cables are in place (starting from the XW SCC to the XW Hybrid Inverter/Charger to the XW AGS to the XW SCP), but what I noticed was that their were no terminators at the beginning (XW SCC) and end of the daisy chain (XW SCP). This was how Independent Power Systems, Boulder, Colorado configured the system for which they installed in 2014. It worked without the terminators for about 2 years. In 2016 the XW SCC device, which receives DC from my panels, stopped showing up in the device menu but appears to still be functioning, i.e., by batteries are being charged. I will check the cables to be sure they have not been cut by a rodent or such. I went online to order terminators. What I found is that Schneider-Electric discontinued making them. I found one company that allowed me to place the order, but not sure they actually have them. I am waiting for the e-mail that says either they have been shipped or that my order has been cancelled. Without the terminators, am I screwed?

jcpers · February 2019

Dave Angelini, I forgot to mention in my response to your post that when I contacted the company Independent Power Systems, Boulder, CO, who designed, built and installed my off-grid system about the issue, their response 5 days later was $137 an hour with an upfront payment of 5 hours before they would help. What a bummer.

Dave Angelini · February 2019

The termination of a canbus (or xanbus) network is important but I really doubt it is your problem. It certainly will not make the missing device show up. You need to move the scp and try what I said along with Mikes suggestion to look for the obvious.

The company wanting money for a system installed years ago is not unreasonable. In my mind after a year or so the offgrid people need to know just about everything. I teach my clients this so I do not have to be more than a second set of eyes. Not being involved at the time of installation is a pretty bad mistake also. Pictures of the install would help.

You need to get up to speed on this by either reading all the manuals (they are on the link I posted) or hiring someone like me to keep you on the track to being knowledgeable about this offgrid power system. My opinion only good luck!

jcpers · February 2019

Dave Angelini, I did an internet search for the Xanbus terminators was unable to find any store, or ebay who has them in stock, all saying the product is discontinued. I was their at install, but the installer did not have much time for instructions because I had to get him back to St Louis so he could catch his flight back to Denver. I spent the last two days going through the 4 manuals, one for each component, and the installation manual for the entire system. All recommend termination, unfortunately the install company did not do this. Would you have a suggestion on trying to find a pair of Xanbus Network Termination Male RJ45?

Dave Angelini · February 2019

I am a dealer for their equipment which comes with the termination. If you send address info to my e-mail below I will send will send you 2 of them for postage cost.

The terminations are definitely not discontinued. I doubt this is your problem and you need to do the suggestions here along with getting the network termination done.

jcpers · February 2019

Dave, thank you so much. If I put them into the two open ports, one at each end of the daisy chain, do I need to set the system on Standby first. And a related question, when I replace the batteries, I think I need to put the system in Standby via the XW SCP, along with insuring all AC & DC power has been disconnected along with all loads. Is this correct?

My address is:
Jay Pershing
408 Atalanta Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63119

Thank you very much.

Jay Pershing

jcpers · February 2019

Dave, please let me know how I can pay for the Xanbus terminators. PayPal?

Dave Angelini · February 2019

Buy a veteran a cup of coffee. Goes out snail mail today. If you still have the boxes, I bet they are in somewhere?
You remove power by shutting off your ac loads, opening the high voltage solar shut down, inverter disconnect, and 48 vdc disconnect for the mppt.

wiggle all the network cables also.

jcpers · February 2019

Dave, I got donuts and coffee for you. Thanks for mailing the terminators. These may be the last ones in the universe. Independent Power Systems, Boulder, CO put the system together on a board and shipped to me, where one of their techs came out and did the final hook-ups including the generator, PV's, and batteries, and put in the set points through the system control panel. They never put the terminators in and probably tossed them out with the boxes.

I will be heading down to my off-grid home in southern Missouri with my son-in-law (the muscle to handle the batteries) tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb 13, to swap out the batteries and see if I can't get the XWSCC to show up on the System Control panel.

Another question, do I put the XW SCC in stand-by mode in addition to shutting off all ac loads and the inverter DC disconnect?

If the XW SCC does not come up on the XW SCP as a device, I will not be able to change any of the battery specs for the XW SCC. The new batteries are very similar, same make but different model. The old were Trojan L16G (390 Ah @ 20 Hr, the new are Trojan L16E (370 Ah @ 20 Hr). Am I screwed even if the XW SCC seems to be doing its job, but I can't access it through the the System Control Panel?

Thanks you,

Jay

mike95490 · February 2019

Put the inverter in standby, and then disconnect the battery breaker. That will shutdown the whole system, leave it off for 5 min ( and be sure you disconnect the ethernet cable from the combox , I had an issue where the data power on ethernet keep the combox from completely resetting.

jcpers · February 2019

Below are instructions I put together for replacing the battery bank of my off-grid home managed by Xantrex components. I was unable to get support from the company that designed, built and installed, nor from Schneider-Electric. But did receive great help on this from this forum. If anyone could review and comment, I would greatly appreciate it.

Battery Replacement: Xantrex Solar Power System

· OLD: Trojan L16G 6v & NEW: Trojan L16E 6v (see spec sheets for both batteries)

1. Disconnect all AC Loads:

a. Cabin – main breaker – OFF (open position)

b. All other Buildings – All breakers on Generac Panel – OFF (open position)

2. System Control Panel (SCP) – set to “Standby” Mode (see manual pg. 4-2)

a. Q? do I need to put SCP in “Standby” Mode?

3. Disconnect all AC & DC power sources:

a. PV panels (DC) – main switch – OFF position

b. Generac (AC) – main breaker on generator – OFF (open position)

c. Invert/Charger (Distn. Panel) - DC Disconnect Breaker – OFF (open position)

i. Q? do I turn the Inverter/Charger to OFF with the On/Off button or set to Standby, either from the Inverter/Charger monitor or from XW SCP?

4. Battery Disconnect:

a. Disconnect battery temperature sensor from 1stbattery

b. Disconnect main Negative Wire from series

c. Disconnect main Positive Wire from series

d. Disconnect batteries in series

5. Replace old batteries with new batteries

6. Battery Connect:

a. Connect batteries in series

i. NOTE: Connect battery temperature sensor to 1stbattery

b. Connect main Positive Wire to series

c. Connect main Negative Wire to series

d. Check voltage & polarity on battery side of DC Disconnect Breaker (Inverter/Charger Distribution Panel)

7. Connect all AC & DC power sources:

a. Inverter/Charger (Distn. Panel) - DC Disconnect Breaker – ON (closed position)

i. NOTE: May need to “enable” Inverter/Charger (see manual pg. 2-33)

b. PV panels (DC) – main switch – ON position

c. Generac – main breaker on generator – ON (closed position)

8. System Control Panel (SCP) – set to “Operating” Mode

a. NOTE: May need to “enable” Inverter/Charger (see manual pg. 2-33)

b. Update settings on the XW SCP based on new battery specs for all appropriate devices, e.g., XW Inverter/Charger, XW SCC (MPPT), & XW AGS

9. Connect all AC Loads:

a. Cabin – main breaker – ON (closed position)

b. All other Buildings – All breakers on Generac Panel – ON (closed position)

NOTES:

XW SCP – Stand By Mode (Stb)

1. Press & hold Stb button (does not disable XW SCC & continues to pass AC input thru to loads)

2. Press & hold Exit & Stb buttons at same time (puts entire XW power system into Stb – Inverter stops passing AC load & “Stb” shows on inverter Monitor)

3. To return to operating mode – on the System Settings menu, highlight “System Mode”, and press Enter. Select “Operating” and press Enter

Inverter(prior to activating, ensure all AC loads disconnected) – press On/Off button momentarily to change from Stb to Operating mode.

1. On/Off – Press On/Off button for 5 seconds to turn unit off, press On/Off button momentarily to return to its previous operating state

2. Standby mode (Stb) – stops charging, inverting, and passing through AC input, but remains powered up and present on Xanbus network.

a. Press On/Off & Equalization buttons simultaneously for 5 seconds. Display shows Stb.

b. Pressing On/Off button momentarily to return to operating mode.

c. NOTE: pressing the On/Off button momentarily when Inverter is operating clears active faults & warnings.

3. To Enable inverter – Press On/Off button & Equalization button @ same time. “En” briefly displayed on Inverter panel to indicate Inverter is enabled.

Wind & Solar Forum:

· Dave Angelini- Try resetting the mppt by powering it down. Make sure the battery terminals are a 0v for a few minutes. If you had the combox or config tool you could reset to defaults all devices. The other thing you can do is plug the scp directly into the mppt and see if it shows up.

· Dave Angelini- You remove power by shutting off your ac loads, opening the high voltage solar shut down, inverter disconnect, and 48 vdc disconnect for the mppt.

· Mike95490- Put the inverter in standby, and then disconnect the battery breaker. That will shut down the whole system, leave it off for 5 min and be sure you disconnect the ethernet cable from the combox , I had an issue where the data power on ethernet keep the combox from completely resetting.

jcpers · February 2019

Mission accomplished, the new batteries are in and when I brought the Xantrex network back on line the XW SCC (MPPT) showed up on the device menu so I was able to make the appropriate changes to the solar charger to reflect the new battery specs.

Thanks to everyone for your help.

Jay

Xantrex Xanbus network issue

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