Premium 100 V2 SOC reading problem, calibration didn't help

Product Discussion BLUETTI Elite & EB Series
97

I have had a similar issue, although the fast discharge was for random periods near the start and end of discharge. Bluetti tried to help with several updates. This improved one of my Elite 30s more than the other one, but did not completely cure it. They still have the too fast discharge periods near the end. The worst performing Elite 30 does not work very close to it’s capacity due to this. The other is nearer.


I would be very interested if you could post your experience with any updates, and the results.

98

@Tezzabee I’m really torn about whether I should go ahead and update the firmware or not. My biggest fear is that I’ll end up making the situation even worse than it is now. Since this is a known issue affecting many people, I think it might be wiser to just wait until the new firmware is pushed out to everyone. This would confirm the update’s stability and verified compatibility, minimizing the risk of a detrimental change.

1 Like
100

I would say that although the issue wasn’t completely cured, there was no detrimental effect from the updates. I have no idea why they worked better for one Elite 30 than the other though, as they both started out the same and had the same updates. I did a lot of tests using my 300w kettle, so they also had the same usage. I also had another Elite 30 that I returned for the same reason, not realising the next 2 would have the same issue. I hope you are right, and that there will be a general update that solves this issue.

101

Привет!
BLUETTI Elite 100 V2:
EL100V22527008961344
IOT2531500930424
IOT v8024.11
ARM v2186.15
DSP v2200.14
BMS v1083.08
После обновления до BMS v1083.08 отображение потребляемой мощности очень сильно отличается от того что показывает ваттметр и умная розетка! Единственная потребляемая мощность, соответствующая исходящей мощности на дисплее Elite 100 V2 – это 96 ватт от лампочки накаливания в 100 ватт (96 на Elite 100 V2 и 97.2 на ваттметре).
Все остальное и по DC и по AC показывается неправильно! Разница с ваттметр и умной розеткой реально большая, как минимум в десятки ватт для небольших нагрузок. Подключал вентилятор! По паспорту вентилятор потребляет 60 ватт, имеет 4 скорости. Elite 100 V2 для любой из четырех скоростей отобразил потребление в 68 ватт (хоть на первой, хоть на четвертой скорости).

Телевизор по показаниям ваттметра и умной розетки в режиме SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) потребляет ~ 40 ватт (+/-1 ватт), на дисплее Elite 100 V2 потребление ~ 75 ватт (+/-1 ватт) и это почти двукратное увеличение мощности, которое усложняет оценку ситуации.

После выключения телевизора пультом потребление на ваттметре падает до 3.5 ватт, а на дисплее Elite 100 V2 возрастает до 82 ватт! Это нонсенс! Если это подсчет и реактивной и активной энергии, то такая арифметика никому не нужна!

Это очень огорчает, так как не дает понимания того сколько ещё станция проработает до отключения. У нас блэкауты…

We have notified our Technical Department to remove the upgrade prompt to prevent further inconvenience, and this will be completed by tomorrow.

Версия прошивки с обновлением до BMS v1083.99 не установилась! Я снова написал все данные по станции и очень прошу, чтобы технический отдел собрал исправленную прошивку для моего экземпляра Elite 100 V2.

Спасибо за поддержку!

102

Hello everyone,


I see there is quite some confusion about the power values shown by the power station. However, this is not a measurement error — this behavior is normal and expected.


The confusion comes from comparing measurements taken on two different sides (DC internal and AC-output) of the system:

  • On the AC-output, you usually measure only the active power (W) consumed by the connected device.

  • The power station / BMS measures the DC power drawn from the battery, including all conversion losses.

Example: let’s borrow the tea kettle from @Tezzabee :grin:

The kettle consumes about 300 W on the AC-output.

  • The device does not have a perfect power factor (for example PF = 0.8).

  • The apparent power is therefore about 375 VA (300 W divided by 0.8).

The inverter has to supply this full apparent power, not just the 300 W of active load. As a result, the BMS sees more power and more current than what you measure on the AC-output.

Why does the AC-output measurement appear lower?

Many simple AC power meters:

  • Do not measure True RMS

  • Do not take the power factor into account

  • Average out peak currents

With non-linear loads, current is drawn in short pulses. This extra effective current does load the inverter and the battery, but it is not always shown correctly by basic AC power meter.

Conclusion

Seeing a higher power draw on the power station than on your AC power meter is normal and expected behavior.


Main causes:

  • Power factor lower than 1

  • Inrush currents and harmonics

In short: the BMS measures everything, the AC power meter does not.


Hopefully, this helps everyone understand why you can see two different measurements that are both true.

103

Hello, impressive wall of text, however:

It’s not normal since I haven’t heard about any other power station in the history of power stations that displays VA (including other Bluetti models), and that is expected by literally no one, except the Bluetti R&D department and you. Give me at least one reason why I should know the VA of my PC.

2 Likes
104

Hi Mr Stone,

Thank you for your comment, and also thank you so much for using me as an example of why everyone, including me, is wrong to hope that their Elite 30 can be improved so that it functions properly.

You may be interested to know that I have been working with BLUETTI_CARE over the course of several weeks to try to resolve this issue . They have kindly been providing updates which I have been testing, then feeding back the results. I am pretty sure Bluetti would not do this for a non-issue. I certainly wouldn’t.

You may also be interested to know that I have several batteries. 13 of them are manufactured by Bluetti. They span 3 generations of Bluetti products and are in regular use. I also have a few smaller batteries produced by other leading manufacturers. I do therefore consider that I have a good idea of what to expect from them in everyday usage.

The issue isn’t a case of comparing AC and DC output, nor of comparing the screen to a watt meter. If you were party my testing and private communications with Bluetti, you would know that neither of my Elite 30s have an issue with ‘apparent power’. They both show a reading of roughly 325w when operating the kettle. This is in line with the reading shown by my other 300w+ batteries from different Bluetti generations, and from different manufacturers.

The testing was of AC output only. The reading for the watts being drawn does not change. However, for certain periods of usage the remaining SOC drops at a much faster rate than it should. The effect of this issue is that the 288wh Elite 30 performs worse than batteries with less watt hours, for example the 268 watt hour Handsfree 1. The usable capacity of one of my Elite 30s is on a par with, or sometimes worse than, the 256wh River 2 - even with the River 2 not being particularly impressive with its inverter efficiency.

I know from experience that a fluctuation of between 1-3% in the drop in the SOC may occur between each test. A variation of over 11%, or in some cases over 20% is not in anyway normal. The testing has also included (on the advice of another forum user) the starting temperature of the water, and shown that the sped up drop in the SOC is not related to the starting water temperature.

There is also the issue that due to the random nature of these periods of excessively fast drops in the SOC, it is impossible to estimate remaining run time for what I want to run with the Elite 30. I don’t have this issue with any other properly calibrated batteries, including the Elite 200 which is obviously part of the same series.

Although, as you put it ‘the BMS measures everything’ it would also seem necessary for it to measure everything accurately and act in the usual, predictable way in order for customers to fully enjoy their expected, reliable Bluetti experience.

People come to this forum for help and advice. In my opinion, telling customers their issue does not exist, when it patently does, and has been shown to over and over during tests, and without full knowledge of the issue and steps taken to try to rectify it, is not very helpful. :disappointed:

105

Hi @VSM,


I think there is still a misunderstanding about what is being displayed and why.


The power station is not “displaying VA instead of W” for the AC output.


What it displays is the DC power drawn from the battery. This is the value that is actually relevant for:


• Inverter loading
• Runtime estimation


By definition, this value cannot be equal to the AC active power measured at the output, because between the battery and the load there are:


• Power-factor effects
• Inverter losses
• Harmonic and peak currents


“Give me one reason why I should know the VA of my PC”


You don’t need to know the VA of your PC.


The power station does need this information, because the inverter and the battery must supply the apparent and distorted current, not just the active watts shown by a simple AC power meter. This value is derived internally from voltage, current, and power factor.


That is why:


• Inverters are rated in VA
• Current limits are based on RMS current
• The BMS monitors DC input power, not AC output power


Many other power stations hide this reality by displaying only estimated AC watts. That presentation is more intuitive, but technically incomplete. In this case, you are instead seeing the actual battery-side load.


So:


• The AC meter reading can be correct
• The BMS reading can also be correct
• They are measuring different sides of the same system


This does not make the behavior “abnormal”; it makes it more transparent — even if it is less familiar.


As a consumer, I agree that this VA-like displayed value is not always intuitive, especially with loads that have a power factor far from 1 (for example, a desktop computer power supply). Personally, I ignore the values because I understand what is being shown. Ultimately, what matters is that the power station can reliably deliver power to the connected devices.


As for other Bluetti models or other brands, I can’t speak for their design choices. Displaying only estimated AC watts is certainly more user-friendly and avoids confusion, even if it conceals some of the underlying electrical realities.

106

Exactly

I don’t. If I’m using small continuous loads, I want to eyeball the exact remaining running time, taking idle consumption into consideration, because the time remaining on the display gives a very rough estimate (I’m pointing at you, AC200PL+B300K, which I also own). If you know active power consumption, this is the most precise method.

I can, because I’m the customer, and this is a highly competitive niche. Verdict: displaying the information, which 99,9% of the people don’t need, instead of the info, which 100% of the people need - it’s not how you increase your market share and get 5-star reviews.

1 Like
107

Hi @Tezzabee,


I have also recently become the owner of an Elite 30 V2 and have tested it extensively. You can check out my results here: Follow-up — Bluetti Elite 30 V2 with High Standby Power Consumption (Final Results). Maybe you can compare them with your Elite 30 units.

I have never said that the issue does not exist. I only want to emphasize that both power measurements are correct, but we need to be realistic and honest: they are two different measurements. One measures the DC current internally via the BMS, while the other measures the current externally using a cheap meter that does not account for all factors.


Moreover, the sensors both on the BMS board and in an AC wattmeter are not extremely accurate. There has been a lot of fuss about this, judging by the length of this forum post, even though the deviations are technically within normal tolerances. If Bluetti were to equip the Elite 30 V2 with the very best sensors, it would increase the cost by approximately $40–60, making the product less competitive in the market.


If having the most accurate power station is really important to you, you would probably have to build one yourself. I haven’t seen one available on the market for $200 or less.


Another issue is that custom firmware is continuously being developed for anyone who requests it. This does not really help the situation. People who truly have a problem with their BMS board should return the product via RMA so Bluetti can investigate the issue. Additionally, whether the station is a 110V or a 230/240V model also matters, as there can be significant performance differences.

108

Hi @VSM,

I completely understand you, but the larger the inverter, the less accurate the value shown by the power station becomes under low loads. In your case, it might have been better to build your own power station or home battery. Than, you could have chosen the inverter that perfectly fits your needs and avoided this problem. I also fell into the same trap myself with a small load on a 600-watt inverter (Elite 30 V2).

A power station a niche? If even Lidl is entering the market (The Netherlands) with its own power station, I would say it’s no longer really a niche.

I don’t entirely agree. As long as the load is between 0–20 W or above 35 W (on my Elite 30 V2), the value is displayed reasonably accurately. Of course, there will always be circumstances where it deviates slightly, but we have to remember that this is a power station. We shouldn’t go overboard in the pursuit of perfection.

109

You have again completely not understood the issue though.
I don’t leave my E30 sat in standby so I don’t have an issue with how much power it uses in standby.
You seem very keen to justify different power readings etc in your posts / replies. That is not my issue. I don’t have an issue where the E30 shows higher watt consumption that other units, like some others (E100 owners mainly from what I read).
I have an issue where the watts drawn are normal and consistent, but the countdown reading for the SOC speeds up for random periods when there is no increase in load or type of load. There appears to be little logic to this. It could take place in 1 whole test, or it could span the second half of one test, then the first half of the next. Then it will just go back to normal. When this happens (which will be at least once during every 100-0 % discharge) the SOC drops by twice as much as it should, or more, during that ‘episode’. It does not have additional extra slow count downs that would balance this so the result is that I do not get the full capacity of the battery.
I’d like this resolved so my E30s are as accurate and reliable as my other Bluettis, as would other customers.
I’d like to get the proper, rated watt hours (allowing for normal levels of inverter loss) from this device.
Suggesting I make my own device instead is again hardly helpful.

110

I’m talking about constant loads from 100 to 350W, with short-term heavy loads over 1kW (microwave, espresso machine, kettle). I’m pretty glad with the readings from my other 2 bluettis in the ranges I mentioned above. Except for the third one (Premium 100).

Yeah, I’m not doing that, and I don’t need it because that’s not my case. See above.

Ok. INDUSTRY. Are you happy now?

I don’t demand perfection. I need a basic functionality, which all of the existing power stations DO have in this INDUSTRY, instead of the useless one.
What point are you even trying to make here? You’re just wasting my time arguing over nothing.

1 Like
111

Hi everyone!
It’s much simpler. Bluetti and other station manufacturers display a unit called WATTS on the screen. WATTS measure active power. This is clearly stated on the screen.
Best regards!

112

Hi @VSM,

Our discussion ends here. I do not appreciate the way you speak to me.

You are indeed asking for perfection. You need to come to the conclusion that sensors in power stations typically have an accuracy of around 1–2%. What you are asking for is 0.1%, which is no longer basic functionality. In addition, you do not understand how the composition of the current values affects what is shown on the display; this is about the Power Factor. Furthermore, you keep referring exclusively to other brands; that is comparing apples to apples and, in my opinion, not particularly meaningful.

Put very simply: a cheap AC power meter does not show everything, such as:

  • Voltage
  • Current
  • Frequency
  • Power Factor
  • Active Power
  • Reactive Power
  • Apparent Power
  • Active Energy
  • Reactive Energy

It usually only shows:

  • Voltage
  • Current
  • Active Power

And some AC power meters also display frequency. The BMS uses all of these values, and that is what is shown on the power station’s screen. So my point is that both readings are correct: those from the BMS (measured internally and displayed) and those from the external AC power meter.


But this is where our conversation ends. I wish you happy holidays and a happy new year.

113

Hi @Lavash_bluetti,


Yes, the device does show watts. However, some people have questions about how these values are derived, calculated, and displayed on the power station’s screen.


They measure externally using an AC power meter and rely on data from that device, while the BMS measures internally and displays those values on the screen. The issue is that, in some cases, the values do not match because the power factor is not perfect, which can cause the power station to display higher wattage values.


People performing these external measurements often use inexpensive AC power meters that do not account for the power factor or other factors in the final displayed values. They then compare their externally measured values with the internally measured BMS values, and these do not always match. That is what this entire thread is about.

114

Hi @Tezzabee,


Sorry, I think we’re not on the same page, and I don’t fully understand your issue. Do you happen to have your own thread about this problem on the forum?


If so, could you please send me the link to the forum thread, so I can read your posts and better understand your situation.

115

Finally. I stopped reading here btw :joy:

1 Like
116

Hi guys! What was the actual full (from 100% to 0%) capacity of your Elite 100 v2 measured by power meter at AC output?

117

@Scholar with 750W load from the heater, I got:

  • 945Wh on BMS v1083.07
  • 922WH on v1083.09
  • haven’t tested it on v1083.10
1 Like