EG4 6500EX and EG4 Lifepower4 intermittent 61 error

[NormanCanada]

We have a single EG4 6400EX and two EG4 Lifepower batteries rack mounted. We are having the same experience as joshuao with intermittent error 61 showing up. Unlike 5275K_Dude though when the error appears the battery icon stops flashing and the error usually clears by itself but sometimes has persisted for over 10 minutes and the inverter power shuts off.

I’ve been in touch with Signature Solar support and they want to send me a new cable but visually ours looks fine so I am suspecting something else as the error only occurs intermittently. Has anyone in this thread been able to resolve this issue yet or are you using USR setting for program #5?

 

[Solar Guy Richard]

We have a single EG4 6400EX and two EG4 Lifepower batteries rack mounted. We are having the same experience as joshuao with intermittent error 61 showing up. Unlike 5275K_Dude though when the error appears the battery icon stops flashing and the error usually clears by itself but sometimes has persisted for over 10 minutes and the inverter power shuts off.

I’ve been in touch with Signature Solar support and they want to send me a new cable but visually ours looks fine so I am suspecting something else as the error only occurs intermittently. Has anyone in this thread been able to resolve this issue yet or are you using USR setting for program #5?

Just to make sure - you have the main unit (the one connected to the battery) as EG4, and the second in the USE setting?

 

[NormanCanada]

Just to make sure - you have the main unit (the one connected to the battery) as EG4, and the second in the USE setting?

In our case we only have one inverter and 2 lifepower batteries. The inverter has program 5 set to EG4.

 

[SignatureSolarJames]

In our case we only have one inverter and 2 lifepower batteries. The inverter has program 5 set to EG4.

anybody have this fail to solve their issue?

 

[acdoctor]

anybody have this fail to solve their issue?

There are at least two other threads going with code 61. Video fixed most but not all. Seems the ones left are after several hours. Here is a link to one of the others.

Growatt warning 61 - multiple beeps on and off - fixed

from updated Growatt user manual spf-4-6k-dvm, no warning 61 in old manual Thought I would share this, haven't seen it posted anywhere. Upgraded SPF-6000T-DVM 6k all in one's control board firmware to get amps in and out to read in PV Keeper, then started getting warnings mainly in the morning...

diysolarforum.com

 

[PlaneBatteries]

There are at least two other threads going with code 61. Video fixed most but not all. Seems the ones left are after several hours. Here is a link to one of the others.

Growatt warning 61 - multiple beeps on and off - fixed

from updated Growatt user manual spf-4-6k-dvm, no warning 61 in old manual Thought I would share this, haven't seen it posted anywhere. Upgraded SPF-6000T-DVM 6k all in one's control board firmware to get amps in and out to read in PV Keeper, then started getting warnings mainly in the morning...

diysolarforum.com

funny a bunch of us are having the same issue with the SOK's and the LV 6548 units, Sungold, Rich MPP. Wonder if there is something common with BMS components with all our server rack batteries?

 

[LywWyr]

anybody have this fail to solve their issue?

Mine still does it.

 

[joshuao]

anybody have this fail to solve their issue?

I'm still having the problem. I have a single 6500Ex and 3 eg4 batteries. Fault 61 appears in the middle of the day during higher current charging conditions. I have a brand new cable from signature solar. I have gone through the videos from signature solar and still the same problem. Mine always shows fault 61 for a few seconds, yes the battery indicator stops blinking but mine always resolves back and never shuts down. I notice @Will Prowse in his videos says his system works flawlessly but if you look carefully he is NOT using any bms communication cables. I have run my system in this mode with some success but it is hard this way to set accurate state of charge parameters for switching to and from grid power.

FYI, @RichardfromEG4 I found a bug in the firmware to be careful of. If you set the 6500ex in program 05 to USE then programs 12 and 13 change to voltage settings. If you change these voltage settings and then change program 05 back to EG4, even though you might change programs 12 and 13 to different state of charge settings, the old voltage settings still are used. For instance if I set program 05 to USE and then set program 13 to 48V, then I set program 05 to EG4 and then set program 13 to 80% state of charge, what happens is the 6500ex will switch back to battery mode at 48v instead of waiting until 80% state of charge. This behavior had my head scratching until I switched program 05 back to USE and then set program 13 to a really high voltage and then switch 05 back to EG4 and then everything worked.

 

[Will Prowse]

I'm still having the problem. I have a single 6500Ex and 3 eg4 batteries. Fault 61 appears in the middle of the day during higher current charging conditions. I have a brand new cable from signature solar. I have gone through the videos from signature solar and still the same problem. Mine always shows fault 61 for a few seconds, yes the battery indicator stops blinking but mine always resolves back and never shuts down. I notice @Will Prowse in his videos says his system works flawlessly but if you look carefully he is NOT using any bms communication cables. I have run my system in this mode with some success but it is hard this way to set accurate state of charge parameters for switching to and from grid power.

FYI, @RichardfromEG4 I found a bug in the firmware to be careful of. If you set the 6500ex in program 05 to USE then programs 12 and 13 change to voltage settings. If you change these voltage settings and then change program 05 back to EG4, even though you might change programs 12 and 13 to different state of charge settings, the old voltage settings still are used. For instance if I set program 05 to USE and then set program 13 to 48V, then I set program 05 to EG4 and then set program 13 to 80% state of charge, what happens is the 6500ex will switch back to battery mode at 48v instead of waiting until 80% state of charge. This behavior had my head scratching until I switched program 05 back to USE and then set program 13 to a really high voltage and then switch 05 back to EG4 and then everything worked.

I will never use communication on my system. Absolutely zero benefit for me.

I also charge to 100% and down to 0%. Because I am running lifepo4. And the charge current throttling argument doesnt matter to me because of my pack size. And I still haven't seen any literature or data to prove any difference, even if I had a small battery. The charge discharge rate is so small I can't believe anyone even uses it as an argument for communication.

I will make a video on how to setup communication when these companies figure it out. I get error 61 regardless of if I use eg4/sok/trophy/energetech/orient power/jakiper power. I've had zero luck with communication regardless of the cables they send out.

I think they should remove the communication system from server rack packs. That would be awesome.

 

[Will Prowse]

The only battery/inverter communication that I achieved in minutes and had zero issues with was the EG4 3000W all in one. Hardest part was getting the app to work, though. The communication had zero errors and worked the moment I connected them. And it is using EG4 protocol.

Also, if you can afford it, the Sol Ark seems to have zero problems communicating with a range of batteries. Plug and play with a basic Ethernet cable, from my understanding.

 

[Solar Guy Richard]

Communication is great until it isn't.

 

[joshuao]

I will never use communication on my system. Absolutely zero benefit for me.

I also charge to 100% and down to 0%. Because I am running lifepo4. And the charge current throttling argument doesnt matter to me because of my pack size. And I still haven't seen any literature or data to prove any difference, even if I had a small battery. The charge discharge rate is so small I can't believe anyone even uses it as an argument for communication.

I will make a video on how to setup communication when these companies figure it out. I get error 61 regardless of if I use eg4/sok/trophy/energetech/orient power/jakiper power. I've had zero luck with communication regardless of the cables they send out.

I think they should remove the communication system from server rack packs. That would be awesome.

Thank you for the reply @Will Prowse. I think I have a legitimate need for accurate State of Charge. I am trying to use my system as a house backup using a transfer switch. During normal times I want to use the energy I generate but always have at least about 30% in the batteries. So what I do I have the 6500 set to switch to grid at 30% SOC. Then I have it switch back to battery mode around 50% SOC. This way I always have some battery backup for the transfer switch circuits in case of a power outage but also I'm using the energy I'm generating and getting some benefit from the system each day. I don't think I can do this without BMS communcation and only relying on voltage.

 

[robby]

In another thread Dexter from SOK has found a fix.

 

[Will Prowse]

Thank you for the reply @Will Prowse. I think I have a legitimate need for accurate State of Charge. I am trying to use my system as a house backup using a transfer switch. During normal times I want to use the energy I generate but always have at least about 30% in the batteries. So what I do I have the 6500 set to switch to grid at 30% SOC. Then I have it switch back to battery mode around 50% SOC. This way I always have some battery backup for the transfer switch circuits in case of a power outage but also I'm using the energy I'm generating and getting some benefit from the system each day. I don't think I can do this without BMS communcation and only relying on voltage.

Ohhh ok I understand. Good point

 

[PlaneBatteries]

I'm still having the problem. I have a single 6500Ex and 3 eg4 batteries. Fault 61 appears in the middle of the day during higher current charging conditions. I have a brand new cable from signature solar. I have gone through the videos from signature solar and still the same problem. Mine always shows fault 61 for a few seconds, yes the battery indicator stops blinking but mine always resolves back and never shuts down. I notice @Will Prowse in his videos says his system works flawlessly but if you look carefully he is NOT using any bms communication cables. I have run my system in this mode with some success but it is hard this way to set accurate state of charge parameters for switching to and from grid power.

FYI, @RichardfromEG4 I found a bug in the firmware to be careful of. If you set the 6500ex in program 05 to USE then programs 12 and 13 change to voltage settings. If you change these voltage settings and then change program 05 back to EG4, even though you might change programs 12 and 13 to different state of charge settings, the old voltage settings still are used. For instance if I set program 05 to USE and then set program 13 to 48V, then I set program 05 to EG4 and then set program 13 to 80% state of charge, what happens is the 6500ex will switch back to battery mode at 48v instead of waiting until 80% state of charge. This behavior had my head scratching until I switched program 05 back to USE and then set program 13 to a really high voltage and then switch 05 back to EG4 and then everything work

I will never use communication on my system. Absolutely zero benefit for me.

I also charge to 100% and down to 0%. Because I am running lifepo4. And the charge current throttling argument doesnt matter to me because of my pack size. And I still haven't seen any literature or data to prove any difference, even if I had a small battery. The charge discharge rate is so small I can't believe anyone even uses it as an argument for communication.

I will make a video on how to setup communication when these companies figure it out. I get error 61 regardless of if I use eg4/sok/trophy/energetech/orient power/jakiper power. I've had zero luck with communication regardless of the cables they send out.

I think they should remove the communication system from server rack packs. That would be awesome.

I am running my house roughly 7-9 hours a day with solar and only 2 SOK's with a pair of 6548's ( temporarily - am going to order 2 more SOK's) , What voltage settings and cutoff would you recommend to get a little more aggressive for performance ? I understand there will be some sacrifice to battery life but this will only be temporary for a month .

 

[robby]

Also, if you can afford it, the Sol Ark seems to have zero problems communicating with a range of batteries. Plug and play with a basic Ethernet cable, from my understanding.

In most cases it won't work with a basic Ethernet cable because battery manufactures all use different pins for RS485 and CanBus. The good news is that almost all the batteries it supports come with pre made cables. If they don't then you can make your own using the supplied wiring diagram.

 

[Nad]

Looks like the firmware update(v112.19) for the MPP LV6548 is resolving Error 61 based on that thread.. any word on the firmware needed to resolve for the EG4 6500EX-48? I'm not sure if this model uses the same firmware considering the hardware changes.

 

[robby]

Looks like the firmware update(v112.19) for the MPP LV6548 is resolving Error 61 based on that thread.. any word on the firmware needed to resolve for the EG4 6500EX-48? I'm not sure if this model uses the same firmware considering the hardware changes.

Good question and is there a way to upgrade the firmware without going through all the major steps that people are having to do with the LV6548? A firmware update should never be that difficult.

 

[5275K_Dude]

Good question and is there a way to upgrade the firmware without going through all the major steps that people are having to do with the LV6548? A firmware update should never be that difficult.

Just waiting on EG4 and Signature Solar for the rollout. And expecting it to be as messy as the LV6548. How could it not be? Hoping to be pleasantly surprised.

 

[robby]

Just waiting on EG4 and Signature Solar for the rollout. And expecting it to be as messy as the LV6548. How could it not be? Hoping to be pleasantly surprised.

Have you heard some news about it coming?