Hi Dana, All, Is there any updated feedback on Outback Radian integration with HomeGrid? I understand it is open loop only. How is this pairing working? I have a client with three GS8048 inverters who is looking for a battery upgrade. He has a neighbor who has new-in-box Homegrid batteries that they decided not to use, so he can get them for cheap. I am debating whether to allow the Outback pairing or if I should change them out for dual Sol-Ark 15K.
Thanks, Jason Szumlanski Principal Solar Designer | Florida Solar Design Group NABCEP Certified Solar Professional (PVIP) Florida State Certified Solar Contractor CVC56956 Florida Certified Electrical Contractor EC13013208 On Sat, Apr 15, 2023 at 11:27 AM Dana Orzel via RE-wrenches < re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote: > I installed a 400AHR set of Home Grid on an existing grid OB Radian system > replacing AGM batteries. I had to replace the FM 80 CC for an Fm 100 as > the FM 80s were to sloppy on their finish voltage [the microprocessors are > too slow]. I received 2 damaged [warped] Top sections with the BMS before I > could complete the installation. The shipping boxes were stout & fine so I > can only assume that the defect was factory based. HG sated that they open > & check every battery box as it come in from China… Hopefully now they will > check the BMS units too. > > > > Since completion though the system has been working smoothly as in no > issues. Grounding straps on the left side secured the battery set together > on the left, but the right side relies on gravity to keep the individual > batteries nested which is interesting as the right side is where the > battery interconnects are located. I would like to see a set of straps typ. > Of the left side on the right side to tie the pack tight, literally someone > could lift the right side up under load & cause a lead separation & major > sparky event. No conduit box on the back just a couple of compression TA’s > to secure the battery cable out to the inverter. > > > > Communication with Home Grid was very good & they sent me a com box to > allow them to look in on the battery bank though with no internet on site > that was a miss. Oh yeah the assumptions at the factory level. > > > > **Last item - they charge to a lower voltage setting than almost all other > LI batteries so check as to whether your CC can stop that low. I think it > was 52.4vdc? > > > > That said I am sure that I will install more sets of Home Grid batteries. > Neat clean look finished. > > > > > > *Dana Orzel - E - d...@solarwork.com <d...@solarwork.com> - C - 208.721.* > *7003* > > > > *From:* RE-wrenches <re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org> *On > Behalf Of *Kienan Maxfield via RE-wrenches > *Sent:* Saturday, April 15, 2023 8:49 AM > *To:* RE-wrenches <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> > *Cc:* Kienan Maxfield <maxfieldso...@hotmail.com> > *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] HomeGrid Battery Experience > > > > Howie, > > > > I don't have experience with HomeGrid, but I have a well respected friend > (Jason Lerner) who loves them. > > > > I have had awesome experiences with Fortress, and I have been looking for > a chance to try HomeGrid as well. I think the stack idea is really cool!! > > > > I know that this is extremely nit-picky... The only thing I've seen so far > that I don't like about HomeGrid is that they use 15 cells in series > instead of the standard 16 cells. This just means that the voltages will be > lower than what I'm used to, and amperage will be a little higher. It's not > a big deal, everything will still work great, but I like the higher voltage > of a 16 cell bank. I just have all the numbers memorized for a 16 cell > battery bank, and while you should always double check the manufacturer's > instructions, it's nice to know off the top of your head if the numbers are > appoximately correct. > > > > When Fortress released their new inverterter that's essentially the same > as the Solark (comes from the same factory), Solark got mad and they pushed > out a new non-voluntary firmware update that broke the Modbus communication > with Fortress. People didn't even know that the Firmware had changed. All > they knew is that suddenly, their system wasn't working and it was shutting > down randomly. It worked one day, didn't work the next. Fortress made a > new firmware to communicate with Solark via canbus instead, so everything > is working great again now. I don't know if Solark is finished with their > vendeta against Fortress, but if Solark figures out a way to cause trouble > again, then anyone with a Fortress-Solark combo could experience a coms > disruption again... I really don't believe this was an accident on Solark's > part. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that Solark isn't mad at > HomeGrid right now, so that might be a better bet. I personally don't use > Solark. I'm leary of a company who pushes out Firmware updates that break > things. > > > > One question, does HomeGrid officially support combining new batteries > with old batteries? Fortress does not, they say in their documentation that > you shouldn't mix different ages of batteries together. I could be wrong, > but my understanding is that it should actually be fine, but the SOC will > be different on the different ages of batteries... particularly when the > batteries are between 30% and 80%. They'll be more tight with eachother > near the top and the bottom of their ranges, but they'll drift in the > middle. So I think it's fine to mix them like that, but I'm wondering if > HomeGrid specifically says it's okay or if they specifically say not to do > it? > > > > Thanks, > > Kienan > > > > *Green-Go Solar Distribution LLC* > > *Maxfield Solar LLC (installation and consulting company)* > > *maxfieldso...@hotmail.com <https://maxfieldso...@hotmail.com/>* > > *(801) 631-5584(Cell)* > > *distribution.solar* > ------------------------------ > > *From:* RE-wrenches <re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org> on behalf > of Howie Michaelson via RE-wrenches <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> > *Sent:* Friday, April 14, 2023 3:03 PM > *To:* RE-wrenches <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> > *Cc:* Howie Michaelson <howie.michael...@gmail.com> > *Subject:* [RE-wrenches] HomeGrid Battery Experience > > > > Hi All, > > I am looking to upgrade an offgrid client's battery bank from 2-volt Rolls > KS17s to LiFePO4 batteries. I'm basically looking at one Fortress eVault > Max cabinet vs. a HomeGrid 4 stack option. I have used the eVault Maxs > before, and generally like them. The 2 options are relatively equivalent > cost and size. The advantage of the eVault is that I've used them with > good success several times, and they have a better listed warranty (6,000 > cycles vs. 4,000, slightly more favorable end of life capacity retention). > The reason I am considering the HomeGrid is because the promise of more > incremental increases if that becomes a need (4.8 kWh blocks vs. 18.5 kWh) > and the promised ease of adding up to another 4 blocks with apparently > little or no effort compared to the need for a whole other large battery > connection. These will be matched up to an existing Sol-Ark 12k inverter. > If anyone has any experience with the HomeGrid (positive or negative), or > experience with both brands, I'd love to hear any feedback. I hate > installing equipment I haven't used before! 😕 > > Thanks, > > Howie > > > *Howie Michaelson**Sun Catcher* > > *NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™* > > *Solar Electric Systems Sales & Service**802-272-0004* > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the > other: > https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > http://www.members.re-wrenches.org > >
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