Conext Bridge - does it exist?

ThirstyRoss
ThirstyRoss Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭✭
I saw a post here about using Conext Bridge with lithium battery banks -  but when I search SE's site and the web all I can find is the PDF where they talk about it as a product, f.ex:
https://solar.schneider-electric.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Conext-Bridge-DS20170405_ENG.pdf

It's not on their site under products, that I can find, nor does any retailer seem to carry it...

That looks to be from 2017, maybe it has been discontinued?

Advice appreciated!

Thanks!

Comments

  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,728 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Conext Bridge never made it to market. It was in the store here virtually for a few weeks. LG CHem was the partner with Schneider on the early use of Lithium batteries for Offgrid and Back-up.  LG Chem could not take the charge and discharge currents of of an XW inverter and their 10KWH batteries were damaged. Schneider has moved on with the The Conext Gateway and improved the battery system by closed loop control of the battery BMS.

    https://solar.schneider-electric.com/product/conext-gateway/
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

  • ThirstyRoss
    ThirstyRoss Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭✭
    Thanks @Dave Angelini

    I guess all roads lead to the Gateway, which kinda sucks for us because we have an old XW6048 but new everything else - feels like upgrading to an XW+ or whatever new version might go hand in hand with this...which starts getting more expensive  :-/

    Did not realise Gateway also did what the bridge was intended to (for lithium batteries) - good to know!

    Cheers
  • ThirstyRoss
    ThirstyRoss Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭✭
    I looked at the manual for the Conext Gateway, it has absolutely zero information about its battery / bms integration capabilities - @Dave Angelini  do you know where I can learn more about this??

    Thanks!
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,728 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    It really is for a battery company. It allows their BMS to access Schneider Electronics and close the loop when charging, get data out to the system like temp and Soc. It also protects too small of a battery from the surge of an XW when large loads are present.

    You would need to know how to program for canbus or modbus. Schneider does publish this on the gateway page.

    The other way to use the gateway for Lithium is to buy the Schneider Battery monitor. This monitor will provide Soc and other battery data out to xanbus.

    There probably is a 3rd way also but I have to go.

    You can use the Legacy XW 6048 with the Gateway BTW.    XW+ has been replaced with XW pro so you are 2 generations back now.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

  • ThirstyRoss
    ThirstyRoss Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭✭
    Thanks again @Dave Angelini  - appreciate the reply!  Assumed old XW would not work with Gateway, good to know it would.