I have two AC500’s each with one battery. They are hooked up split phase with a fusion box and are charged with four 320W solar panels, 2 panels for each unit. The outlet side of the fusion box is not connected to anything as I am waiting on the delivery of a Generlink transfer switch.
If the units are left on but with no load (both AC out and DC out set in the OFF position and nothing plugged in), the batteries lose about 20 percent of their charge overnight, about 8 hours.
is it normal for the batteries to lose charge even with no load???
if the solar input is shut down (i.e. it is dark) and both units are turned off, the batteries remain charged, but when turned back on there is a split phase alarm which takes a few minutes to clear.
during initial set up, both batteries were cycled from zero SOC to 100 SOC three times
Hi @oldtoad
welcome to the bluetti community forum! Thanks for your question.
Every unit have a certain selfconsumption, even when its just on without any load. There are many components inside a powerstation that requires a certain amount of energy, when turned on.
When the unit is off, everthing goes into some kind of sleep mode. This consumes far less energy than active standby.
About the Split Phase alarm, maybe @BLUETTI_CARE or @BLUETTI can help you with this matter. I dont have this mode in my country.
greetings
Erik
Hi @oldtoad, Based on the current information, a 20% power consumption overnight is indeed unusually high and does not seem normal.
Please inform us of the ambient temperature where the AC500 is located—is it within a suitable room temperature range? Additionally, provide us with the SN code of your AC500 and the current BMS version, and we will attempt to push a firmware update to resolve the issue.
As for the split phase alarm, this may be due to the split phase mode being set while one of the AC500 is not powered on, causing a recognition failure and triggering the error. Please check the specific error code so that we can further analyze the issue.
We extend our gratitude to @Selfmadestrom for the solution and assistance.
things might be OK.
after dark last night (no solar power input), I tuned the AC out OFF. after a couple of hours, the units must have shut themselves down. being asleep, I did not witness this.
in the morning, the master unit had dropped 2 percent and the slave 4 percent. there was a split phase alarm, but that cleared once both units were powered up.
perhaps that 20 percent drop that occurred earlier was an anomaly.
both units are set up inside where the temperature varies from 68 to 85 degrees F.
the master is: AC5002438000094784. BMS: v1022.13
the slave is: AC5002252000425080. BMS: v1022.09
the app says my versions are up to date.
Hi @oldtoad, Thank you for sharing; we are glad to hear that the issue no longer occurs.
However, since the two AC500 units operate in a split phase, it is best for them to have the same BMS version. This will allow for better SOC balance and improved BMS performance.
We have applied to upgrade your BMS; our IT department will push the latest version of firmware to your 2 AC500 separately in 24 hours. Please upgrade it tomorrow.
Please disconnect these 2 AC500’s connections, and only connect 1 B300S, which needs to be upgraded, and do not load any appliance when upgrading it.
After that, please try to do a complete cycle of discharge and charge to correct the SOC.
Completely normal. I have a total of 8 batteries and AC500 and AC300. They all self consume power. I run my units 24/7. My AC300 units power my pool and are at 100% when the son goes down around. My pool stops running about an hour before sun set. By morning time my units are between 70-80% since they self consume.
as of March 11;
upgraded BMS version on both batteries to v1022.14
discharged both units to zero
charged both units to 99 percent
set AC output to ON. set DC output to OFF.
disconnected all loads
at 10 PM both units were at 99 percent
at 6 AM the next morning, both units read 78 percent.
is it normal to lose 21 percent with no load?
Hi @oldtoad, We recommend that you charge up to 100% during recalibration rather than 99%. Conducting a capacity test when the battery is not fully charged is not scientifically sound.
When the AC500 has its AC output turned on, the self-consumption is 27.4W, while the standby power consumption of the B300S is 2W.
Over 8 hours, the total self-consumption for 2 AC500 units and 2 B300S units is:
2 pcs (AC500) x 27.4W x 8 H + 2 pcs (B300S) x 2W x 8 H = 470.4Wh
I hope it does help.
Hi @oldtoad, We still haven’t gotten your answer, we wonder if this problem is resolved.
We would like to know if the AC500 been continuously connected to solar panels?
Did the recalibration process yield any improvement?
This information will help us determine the appropriate solution.
Please feel free to contact us if you need more help.
yes, the AC500’s are continuously connected to the solar panels.
the batteries have been charging to 100 percent by late afternoon.
overnight with AC out set to ON and the system connected to a TV and DISH Joey, by morning the batteries are at about 75 percent.
the TV system though not on, is probably drawing a few watts with the rest of the usage being attributed to the AC500’s.
recalibration and software updates did not change usage noticeably.
Most comments on the internet indicate this is normal . . .?
Hi @oldtoad, Yes, we believe this is normal. Your AC500 remains connected to the solar panels. During dusk or nighttime, when there is weak light, the AC500 attempts to charge. However, since the light is insufficient, actual charging does not occur, causing the unit to repeatedly activate and increasing self-consumption.
Is your 320W solar panel a portable or fixed panel?
- If it’s a portable panel, you can fold it to prevent it from receiving light, which will help reduce power consumption.
- If it’s a fixed panel and cannot be easily folded or removed, you can purchase the following circuit breaker. Installing it between the panel and the AC500 will allow you to disconnect the panels when light levels are too low to charge, preventing the system from repeatedly attempting to charge.
Amazon.com
By the way, please note that if you need my assistance, please @BLUETTI_CARE, otherwise, I might not see your message and be able to help you promptly.