Simpliphi manual for Conext inverter wants a voltage setting the inverter doesn't support?

jjdh
jjdh Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
I'm setting up a SimpliPHI 3.8 battery bank with a Conext SW 4048 inverter. The Simpliphi setup manual for Schneider products wants me to use "Lithim Ion" battery type and set the Bulk Voltage to 54.4V. However, the 4048, when using Lithium Ion battery type, does not support any value below 56.2V (table 4.13 in the manual). A contradiction!

There is a "Bulk Termination Voltage", which can be set up to 0.8V lower than the Bulk Voltage, so that would go down to 55.4V.

I think I have two options:

1) Use "Custom Battery" mode instead of "Lithium Ion", because then I *can* set the Bulk Voltage lower. I'm worried there would then be some other setting I'm missing though. If I just target 54.4V Bulk and Absorb, and turn off float, can I expect that I at least don't risk damaging the batteries?

2) Use the "Lithium Ion" battery type, set the Bulk Voltage as low as it will go (56.2V) and the Bulk Termination as low as it will go (55.4V). Will having the Bulk Voltage 1.8V higher than the Simpliphi recommendation risk damaging the battery?

Basically I'm just super terrified of getting this wrong and damaging the battery, any help super appreciated!
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  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Welcome to the forum @jjdh

    Use lithium in the charging menu, then enter custom settings to adjust the voltage to 55.4V for 10K cycle warranty, Simpliphi has reduced the bulk voltage for 5K cycle from 57.2V (rev022618) to 54.4 (rev022619) Setting to a value greater than that stated will likely void the warranty as the parameters will be recorded for reference, see cautious in the guide.The settings for the charge controller, if applicable must also be set to the same values as the SW.

    Charging at a higher voltage, up to  57.6V maximum, won't  damage the cells but will impact the warranty, I personally used the earlier Simpliphi revision figures as a guide to building my DIY bank but seeing the later changes will dial the voltages back. The capacity above 3.4 volts per cell, the value Simpliphi states, is not much in comparison to the overall capacity but will promote cell life expectancy.

    One other thing is the low battery cut off, LBCO, at the time I installed the SW was not capable of accepting a value greater than 24V, or 48V in your case though this may have been addressed with firmware updates. As the LBCO of 50.2V is a recommendation, it may not impact a warranty claim, though  it would  be prudent to contact Simpliphi and ask. 
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
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  • jjdh
    jjdh Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭✭
    #3
    Thank you!

    With this in mind, I went back and tried configuring it again, and got it working and fully charged! So excited.

    It turned out that the reason I could not set Bulk Voltage low enough was because another setting, "BulkTerm Voltage", had to be changed first. Once I set that to 0.8V below what I wanted Bulk Voltage at, the Conext let me set the Bulk Voltage to 54.4V.
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