Batrium & Conext Integration

T

timholmesjr

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I am in the process of building a wall using cells from a Nissan Leaf. I am at the point of the project where I need to select an inverter. Any info on the Batrium / Conext integration? I am looking to do Load Shifting to avoid high Time of Use charges. I would also like to top off the batteries at reduced nightly rates if solar wasn't enough the prev day.
 
timholmesjr said:
I am in the process of building a wall using cells from a Nissan Leaf. I am at the point of the project where I need to select an inverter. Any info on the Batrium / Conext integration? I am looking to do Load Shifting to avoid high Time of Use charges. I would also like to top off the batteries at reduced nightly rates if solar wasn't enough the prev day.
Click to expand...

1) We need more information about this project. IE: voltage, amperage, setup, intended usage, grid tie, stand-alone, etc
2) Would be best to create a new thread with this information for your specific build under the Powerwalls main grouping.
 
Korishan said:
timholmesjr said:
I am in the process of building a wall using cells from a Nissan Leaf. I am at the point of the project where I need to select an inverter. Any info on the Batrium / Conext integration? I am looking to do Load Shifting to avoid high Time of Use charges. I would also like to top off the batteries at reduced nightly rates if solar wasn't enough the prev day.
Click to expand...

1) We need more information about this project. IE: voltage, amperage, setup, intended usage, grid tie, stand-alone, etc
2) Would be best to create a new thread with this information for your specific build under the Powerwalls main grouping.
Click to expand...


Right now I am interested Batrium/Schneider integration. I have been unable to find any documentation regarding this.
 
I think it was you I answered on YT? My suggestion is to email Jaron. I also pinged him to answer here.
 
I'm interested in which inverters that have or are being tested with batrium system?
 
So am I Jaron, can you please advise of any inverters currently on the approved list and any being tested.
 
The BMS can providebasic enable signal for charge/discharge control. Additional remote communication control is as follows.

WatchMon can linkdirect to the following inverter/charger via canbus
  • SMA - Sunny Island 3.0M / 4.4M / 6.0H / 8.0H (canbus)
  • Solax - LG battery emulator(canbus)
  • Solax -Inverter Hybrid_X1&X3BAT Communication(canbus)
Using external BridgeConnect module additional equipmentcan be connected viamodbus/serial communication ports
  • Schneider / Xantrex Conext XW7048 - pilot
  • MPPSolar PIP4048 - pilot test site
Scheduled equipment for testing
  • Imeon energy hybrid inverterIMEON 3.6 andIMEON 9.12
Equipment for consideration (documentationobtainedhowever no test equipment available)
  • Studer Xtender inverter charger
  • VictronVenus GX
  • Magnum Energy inverter / charger
If you have protocol documentation for other inverters please send via email so that we can assess if we can implement.
 
Batrium said:
The BMS can providebasic enable signal for charge/discharge control. Additional remote communication control is as follows.

WatchMon can linkdirect to the following inverter/charger via canbus
  • SMA - Sunny Island 3.0M / 4.4M / 6.0H / 8.0H (canbus)
  • Solax - LG battery emulator(canbus)
  • Solax -Inverter Hybrid_X1&X3BAT Communication(canbus)
Using external BridgeConnect module additional equipmentcan be connected viamodbus/serial communication ports
  • Schneider / Xantrex Conext XW7048 - pilot
  • MPPSolar PIP4048 - pilot test site
Scheduled equipment for testing
  • Imeon energy hybrid inverterIMEON 3.6 andIMEON 9.12
Equipment for consideration (documentationobtainedhowever no test equipment available)
  • Studer Xtender inverter charger
  • VictronVenus GX
  • Magnum Energy inverter / charger
If you have protocol documentation for other inverters please send via email so that we can assess if we can implement.
Click to expand...

Has there been any further development on theSchneider / Xantrex Conext integration? I see that Watchmon4 now supports modbus directly

Thanks
 
I'd be interested in support for the outback AXS port, have you looked at that yet Batrium guys?
 
farmerjohn said:
Batrium said:
If you have protocol documentation for other inverters please send via email so that we can assess if we can implement.
Click to expand...

Has there been any further development on theSchneider / Xantrex Conext integration? I see that Watchmon4 now supports modbus directly

Thanks
Click to expand...

Status update
We have received the protocol documentationfor the Schneider 7048XW+ inverter and ComBox to enable third party connection to the XW.

The plan isto directlylink theWatchmon4 to the ComBOX viatheRS485port. We have not yet started as we are waitinguntil there is a stable RS485 MODBUS libraryon the ESP32 platform stack. Once that libraryinitiative is availablewe will look to finally add the functionality for the port.
 
Batrium said:
farmerjohn said:
Batrium said:
If you have protocol documentation for other inverters please send via email so that we can assess if we can implement.
Click to expand...

Has there been any further development on theSchneider / Xantrex Conext integration? I see that Watchmon4 now supports modbus directly

Thanks
Click to expand...

Status update
We have received the protocol documentationfor the Schneider 7048XW+ inverter and ComBox to enable third party connection to the XW.

The plan isto directlylink theWatchmon4 to the ComBOX viatheRS485port. We have not yet started as we are waitinguntil there is a stable RS485 MODBUS libraryon the ESP32 platform stack. Once that libraryinitiative is availablewe will look to finally add the functionality for the port.
Click to expand...

Yikes - that could take forever

I am a software engineer

Do you have protocol documentation for watchmon4's native canbus protocol? I see it as an option in the dropdown list. I can emulate one of the supported devices with an arduino and canbus shield and do my own "translation"

Thanks
 
Has there been any movement on this? I am going to be using a Schneider XW Mppt 80A 600v Charge Control RNW8651032 with a WatchMon4.
 
whoinow said:
Has there been any movement on this? I am going to be using a Schneider XW Mppt 80A 600v Charge Control RNW8651032 with a WatchMon4.
Click to expand...

Each device on the Schneider modbus network has to be individually spoken tovia the CommBoxtorevise their specifictarget charge/discharge limits and switch operating modes.
Hence every configuration scenario is different, for example the scenarios we have had requests:
  • XW inverter plusConext RL 5kw Single Phase Gridfeed
  • XW inverter plus 1 x MPPT60-150
  • XW inverter plus 2 x MPPT60-150
  • XW inverter plus 1 x MPPT80-600
Hence a 1 solution to fit all scenarios is not possible. This issue to use Schneider products with Lithium Ion batteries is something they cleared wanted to address as they now have released a module to do that job.

SCHNEIDER, CONEXT BRIDGE, LI-ION BATTERY COMMUNICATIONS BRIDGE FOR XW+ INVERTERS
https://solar.schneider-electric.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Conext-Bridge-DS20170405_ENG.pdf

TheCONEXT BRIDGEallows the equivalent of a LG RESU battery to advise its operating state and then that bridgewill reconfigure theequipment. We have a emulator to send equivalent BMS messages. Hence for you scenario I would suggest that you consider this option.

Unfortunately we dont have access to a Schneider XW 80A 600VDC MPPT Charge Controller for our testbench.
 
Batrium said:
whoinow said:
Has there been any movement on this? I am going to be using a Schneider XW Mppt 80A 600v Charge Control RNW8651032 with a WatchMon4.
Click to expand...

Each device on the Schneider modbus network has to be individually spoken tovia the CommBoxtorevise their specifictarget charge/discharge limits and switch operating modes.
Hence every configuration scenario is different, for example the scenarios we have had requests:
  • XW inverter plusConext RL 5kw Single Phase Gridfeed
  • XW inverter plus 1 x MPPT60-150
  • XW inverter plus 2 x MPPT60-150
  • XW inverter plus 1 x MPPT80-600
Hence a 1 solution to fit all scenarios is not possible. This issue to use Schneider products with Lithium Ion batteries is something they cleared wanted to address as they now have released a module to do that job.

SCHNEIDER, CONEXT BRIDGE, LI-ION BATTERY COMMUNICATIONS BRIDGE FOR XW+ INVERTERS
https://solar.schneider-electric.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Conext-Bridge-DS20170405_ENG.pdf

TheCONEXT BRIDGEallows the equivalent of a LG RESU battery to advise its operating state and then that bridgewill reconfigure theequipment. We have a emulator to send equivalent BMS messages. Hence for you scenario I would suggest that you consider this option.

Unfortunately we don't have access to a Schneider XW 80A 600VDC MPPT Charge Controller for our testbench.
Click to expand...

The bridge no longer supported or produced as far as I know, as no distributor has it and there is very limited information on the Schneider website. There are some third party sellers that still have it, but that is all I have found.
EDIT: While it is not in their catalog anywhere (part number: 865-0326), I talked to someone at Schneider and they said it was an active produce. I have reached out to a distributor to see if the can get it. Questions below are still valid though.
EDIT2: Per Schneider, this part is still in development and has not been released. So any support with the below approach and questions would be appreciated. @Batrium

Also, couldn't you just puta place in the WatchMon4 software (input box, etc) that takes the Modbus addresses of the different devices along with a device selector for each address?

In the absence of being able to write our own protocol handler for the WatchMon4 in CANbus or Modbus,this is my current plan:

  1. Using an Arduino, connect one of the relays on the WatchMon4
  2. Using the reference voltage on the Ardiuno, creating a HIGH/LOW condition on one of the digital pins configured for INPUT
  3. The Arduino will have a Modbus to TTL board on it
  4. Modbus interface to the MPPT80-600 would be done via the Schneider ComBox (https://solar.schneider-electric.com/product/conext-combox/)
  5. When the Arduino goesHIGH on the pin from the relay on the WatchMon4, it will write the Operating Mode address (0x00AC) with the "Operating"value (3) via Modbus
  6. When the Arduino goesLOW on the pin from the relay on the WatchMon4, it will write the Operating Mode address (0x00AC) withthe "Standby"value (2) via Modbus
  7. The relay state on the WatchMon4will determineas to when the charger should be Operational or Standing By
I now this is a very binary state and the "least" that should be done, but at least charge control will be with the WatchMon4 thus saving the Longmon's from prolonged-use failure.

Thoughts?

I have another question that could facilitate a more extensible solution. Is the "Native" protocol for the CANbus on the WatchMon4 documented somewhere? I could make a translator from that to Modbus for the ComBox.

Thanks!
 
@Batrium: Better yet. How do I set the watchmon4 to emulate a LG Chem RESU over CAN bus?
 
whoinow said:
Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Hey there. Wouldn't connecting over LAN/WiFi be easier? I'm not sure how much control the Combox allows but there is support for MODBUS over TCP. If Watchmon can't do it, an app could read the battery status from it and send control signals to the Combox over MODBUS over TCP, port 502, IIRC.

Thanks,
JR
 
Hi all and sorry to revive this ever so old thread. Quick update for @Batrium: I have written some (crude) code to interact with my Schneider XW+6848 inverter over TCP/Modbus. I'm using it to charge only when there's solar overage. But the larger point is that I can control the inverter over Modbus TCP without having to connect a Modbus adapter, etc. If Watchmon/Toolkit could do similar it would make it a great BMS for the Schneider.

After figuring out how to build the Modbus packet to send/receive, the rest is a standard comms applications. If you already control other remote inverters, adding support for Schneider shouldn't be like starting from zero.

Note that not everything that Schneider has documented about their TCP/Modbus support works like they say it does. But typical things like reading the battery voltage current in/out, setting charge current, etc does which is nearly all that it's needed.

Thanks,
JR
 
Batrium said:
The BMS can providebasic enable signal for charge/discharge control. Additional remote communication control is as follows.

WatchMon can linkdirect to the following inverter/charger via canbus
  • SMA - Sunny Island 3.0M / 4.4M / 6.0H / 8.0H (canbus)
  • Solax - LG battery emulator(canbus)
  • Solax -Inverter Hybrid_X1&X3BAT Communication(canbus)
Using external BridgeConnect module additional equipmentcan be connected viamodbus/serial communication ports
  • Schneider / Xantrex Conext XW7048 - pilot
  • MPPSolar PIP4048 - pilot test site
Scheduled equipment for testing
  • Imeon energy hybrid inverterIMEON 3.6 andIMEON 9.12
Equipment for consideration (documentationobtainedhowever no test equipment available)
  • Studer Xtender inverter charger
  • VictronVenus GX
  • Magnum Energy inverter / charger
If you have protocol documentation for other inverters please send via email so that we can assess if we can implement.
Click to expand...

Hi,

This is very interesting. I was considering using a Batrium Watchmon4 with other inverters because the SolaxX1_Hybrid-5.0T is not listed in Batrium web site. I'm going to use 36 x 3.2V cells 280Ah, in series, so I can have 115VDC (nominal). Is the configuration for older Solax inverters as listed in the Batrium web site the same (adjusting the voltage, etc., parameters) or it is a totally different setup?

I will be using 36xBlockMon-M8, of course, as my cells are prismatic type.

I guess the wiring of the CAN bus is the same ...

By the way as the Batrium only works up to 65VDC, can I just power it from half of the cells? I guess the consumption is so low that it will not create any unbalance. The alternative is powering it from all the cells via a DC-DC converter, but it looks to me like it is not really needed if I can use only half of the first cells in series.

Anyone having this config or a similar one? Any special recommendations? I did my PV install a few months ago, everything worked fine, but I'm quite new on DIY batteries, even I've read many many docs!

Thanks !
 
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