EG4 6000XP and SolarAssistant

[marionw]

I assume you are connecting SA to the RS485 port just below the CAN port (which is above the positive connection) used to connect to the inverter.
The manual states that pins 1&2 as well as pins 7&8 are the RS485 bus pins. Which two pins is the cable to SA using? SA sends command data to each battery and it is possible the master battery is interpreting these SA commands as coming from the inverter and instructing a shutdown. I don't know what communication protocol (e.g. Pylontech, PACE, EG4, Narada etc) is used on the RS485/CAN port and this can be an issue if you do not have the correct protocol selected in SA.

Some EG4-LL have the CAN/RS485 and the battery to battery ports located different that I described above but the general ides is the same.
The two ports below the Positive connection are I assume to daisy chain the batteries together. The manual indicates pins 1&2 as well as pins 7&8 are used for RS485 buses. For EG4 LifePower4 batteries, pins 1&2 are one bus and pins 7&8 are another. Again, For EG4 LifePower4 batteries the master battery communicates to the others using pins 7&8 which allows SA to use pins 1&2 to poll all the batteries. Don't know if the EG4-LL batteries are the same or if they use both pins 1&2 and 7&8 (like Sungoldpower batteries). You could try connecting SA to the open port on the last battery using pins 7&8 on that port. I am not sure what protocol to select on the SA configuration tab but for the EG4 LifePower4 batteries I use "Narada" as that is the protocol used in these batteries. It is possible the EG4-LL use the same protocol.

The EG4-LL manual I looked at also shows on page 14 that there is an EG4 LifePower4 battery at the bottom of the stack so it is a good possiblity that pins 1&2 on the last battery (battery to battery ports) will work for SA.

Give it a try.

 

[Quattrohead]

I don't know if your particular batteries have RSD built in but make sure that you might not be tripping that.
Also if your inverter is shutting down it should be giving a reason why in the logs.

 

[jsmithtx]

Ok, I finally had the time to get set up and try the above recommendations. Alas, results are still not successful.

I tried a cable with pins 1&2 and a cable with Pins 7&8 and went through all the SA battery options. I tried on both the RS485 port of the first battery and the second comm port of the last battery. No success.

Again, my battery order is:
1. LL-S (tried RS485 port; CAN port goes to inverter)
2. LL-S
3. LP4
4. LP4 (tried open comm port)

If I disconnect the CAN port of the first battery going to the inverter, within a few seconds the inverter will shut off power coming from batteries (which usually shuts everything down since I am not connected to the grid). Perhaps when the inverter sees it can't communicate to the batteries, it shuts down that input. Not sure. But it makes it difficult to see if I can communicate with SA directly via the CAN port.

Any other suggestions? I'd love to see SA even communicate with the batteries even without the inverter. Kinda wondering if it can even do that now.

As an aside, I can connect to the batteries with the EG4 software (after changing the DIP setting either 64 or 16).

 

[Zapper77]

Ok, I finally had the time to get set up and try the above recommendations. Alas, results are still not successful.

I tried a cable with pins 1&2 and a cable with Pins 7&8 and went through all the SA battery options. I tried on both the RS485 port of the first battery and the second comm port of the last battery. No success.

Again, my battery order is:
1. LL-S (tried RS485 port; CAN port goes to inverter)
2. LL-S
3. LP4
4. LP4 (tried open comm port)

If I disconnect the CAN port of the first battery going to the inverter, within a few seconds the inverter will shut off power coming from batteries (which usually shuts everything down since I am not connected to the grid). Perhaps when the inverter sees it can't communicate to the batteries, it shuts down that input. Not sure. But it makes it difficult to see if I can communicate with SA directly via the CAN port.

Any other suggestions? I'd love to see SA even communicate with the batteries even without the inverter. Kinda wondering if it can even do that now.

As an aside, I can connect to the batteries with the EG4 software (after changing the DIP setting either 64 or 16).

SA won't communicate when one of the batteries has DIP sel to 0.

 

[jsmithtx]

SA won't communicate when one of the batteries has DIP sel to 0.

Good to know. I think the LL-S batteries don't have a "0" option, they start at "1", so mine are configured as 1-4 (1-2 = LL-S; 3-4 = LP4)

My master battery matches the master battery on page 14 of the LL-S manual: dip=1

How do I ensure BOTH the inverter and SA can talk to the batteries? Is that not possible? I thought the inverter required the 'master' battery to have the lowe(r/st) DIP.

 

[Zapper77]

I don't have LL-S batteries (yet) to test so I don't have any experience with them.

 

[marionw]

In almost all situations, the Inverter requires a master battery (or device that acts as a master batter). Each manufacturer does this slightly different. For me a SungoldPower battery set to address 1 is the master battery. For EG4 Lifepower4 the master battery address is 0. For EG4 batteries, pins 7&8 in the RJ45 jacks on the batteries (either jack on each battery as they are wired in parallel) are used by the master to collect data from all connected batteries. The Inverter connects to the Master battery using pins 1&2. Since there are no other pins available for SA as the inverter is a master is using pins 1&2 and the Master battery as a master is using pins 7&8 SA won't work. I got around this by using an EG4 Communications Hub. The Hub has a separate connection for the inverter so the inverter is no longer using pins 1&2 RS485 bus on the batteries. SA will live just fine using these two pins with an RS485 to USB converter. Any batteries connected to the Hub will not use address 0 as the Hub is address 0

 

[jsmithtx]

I don't have LL-S batteries (yet) to test so I don't have any experience with them.

Ok, just did some testing by setting the LL-S master battery dip=2. When I did that, SA communicated with the first battery via RS485. Even though I set dip=3 on the next battery (also an LL-S), SA could not "see" it. Even turning off and on, still could not. It would not see 3, or for that matter, any battery below it. I even disconnected and pulled out the two LP4s so that there were only two LL-S and SA still couldn't find dip=3.

So I can confirm: for LL-S master, dip=2 for SA communication of master only.

And, the worst part... within about 5 seconds of changing the dip=2 on the master battery, the inverter "clicked" and there was no "eps" power coming out (thus for my test, I plugged the Pi into external power). The inverter doesn't seem to be able to communicate with the master battery if dip=2. SA cannot communicate if dip != 2.

Also, SA version is 2024-01-14

Is there anyone from SA that reads these forums?

 

[marionw]

The inverter requires a master battery (or other device acting as a master battery). The communications between the inverter and master battery are quite different than between SA and each battery or between the master battery and the other batteries in the stack. Only the master battery (or other device acting as a master battery) will response to the commands/queries sent by the inverter. Which two pins on the batteries RJ45 jacks are being used by SA. SA or the BMSTools can communicate to a battery or any battery in the stack where there is no master on either pins 1&2 or pins 7&8. Once you introduce a master battery into the stack pins 7&8 are off limits. The inverter and SA cannot share/use the same pins as both are masters and you cannot have two masters on the same bus (pin pair) or there will be communications conflicts

 

[wildbillpdx]

This is the link to SA's EG4 battery configuration page: https://solar-assistant.io/help/battery/eg4

The EG4 communications hub has very specific requirements. Master battery must be DIP 1. According to the above link, changing to 1 modifies the protocol used by the batteries to communicate. If I remember correctly, when connecting the LifePower4 batteries directly to my 6000ex the first battery must be 0. I think with the LL batteries it must be 1.

I'm probably going to get a cable from SA to see if I can use CANBUS to connect to the batteries via the hub. Just haven't ordered the cable yet.

 

[jsmithtx]

This is the link to SA's EG4 battery configuration page: https://solar-assistant.io/help/battery/eg4

The EG4 communications hub has very specific requirements. Master battery must be DIP 1. According to the above link, changing to 1 modifies the protocol used by the batteries to communicate. If I remember correctly, when connecting the LifePower4 batteries directly to my 6000ex the first battery must be 0. I think with the LL batteries it must be 1.

I'm probably going to get a cable from SA to see if I can use CANBUS to connect to the batteries via the hub. Just haven't ordered the cable yet.

I don't have a comm hub, mainly because the docs say it only supports LP4.

A direct connection between SA and an LL-S (via RS485) required the dip=2.

Has anyone used the EG4 comm hub successfully with EG4 batteries other than the LP4s? Ie, the LL or LL-S? I plan to order the ethernet adapter for the 6000xp next week and would get the comm hub, if I know it works. Don't want to drop another $100+ if it won't.

 

[jsmithtx]

The inverter requires a master battery (or other device acting as a master battery). The communications between the inverter and master battery are quite different than between SA and each battery or between the master battery and the other batteries in the stack. Only the master battery (or other device acting as a master battery) will response to the commands/queries sent by the inverter. Which two pins on the batteries RJ45 jacks are being used by SA. SA or the BMSTools can communicate to a battery or any battery in the stack where there is no master on either pins 1&2 or pins 7&8. Once you introduce a master battery into the stack pins 7&8 are off limits. The inverter and SA cannot share/use the same pins as both are masters and you cannot have two masters on the same bus (pin pair) or there will be communications conflicts

I was using the cable SS ships, which is pinned on 1&2, to communicate between SA and the battery. The inverter is communicating on the CAN port of the first LL-S battery. But as you've noted, maybe it is also on 1&2? I'd have to open the inverter up and see what is pinned on that cable.

 

[Zapper77]

I don't have a comm hub, mainly because the docs say it only supports LP4.

A direct connection between SA and an LL-S (via RS485) required the dip=2.

Has anyone used the EG4 comm hub successfully with EG4 batteries other than the LP4s? Ie, the LL or LL-S? I plan to order the ethernet adapter for the 6000xp next week and would get the comm hub, if I know it works. Don't want to drop another $100+ if it won't.

Ask me next week. I ordered 3 LL-S batteries and I got a tracking number this morning.

 

[jsmithtx]

My ethernet adapter arrived for the 6000xp... connected it and configured SA per the instructions... and... nothing. It doesn't find the device on the wired network, even though the inverter is connected and both are on the same (wired) network. This is using the latest version of SA: 2024-01-23.

I went to the router and verified IP addresses on both SA and the inverter device (SA=192.168.0.101; inverter= .102).

An email with SA stated that I should make sure my device communicates with the EG4 software, which seems a bit odd... I thought this supported entirely running offline. I suppose I can temporarily put it online just to see if that resolves it.

Does anyone else use the ethernet adapter? What about wifi? Did you have to connect to EG4 'cloud' before SA could "see" it?

 

[jsmithtx]

Has anyone been successful setting up SA without allowing the 6000XP access to the internet *at all*? SA replied to my email and said I had to ensure it communicated with EG4's servers first, which seemed a bit weird. But maybe it needs to be "initialized" for communication before it can go totally offline.

 

[DIYPV]

Has anyone been successful setting up SA without allowing the 6000XP access to the internet *at all*? SA replied to my email and said I had to ensure it communicated with EG4's servers first, which seemed a bit weird. But maybe it needs to be "initialized" for communication before it can go totally offline.

Just make sure the dongle is connected to your network and that you can access the inverter with the EG4 app using local connect. If this works then it should connect to solar assistant without issues..

 

[DIYPV]

My ethernet adapter arrived for the 6000xp... connected it and configured SA per the instructions... and... nothing. It doesn't find the device on the wired network, even though the inverter is connected and both are on the same (wired) network. This is using the latest version of SA: 2024-01-23.

I went to the router and verified IP addresses on both SA and the inverter device (SA=192.168.0.101; inverter= .102).

An email with SA stated that I should make sure my device communicates with the EG4 software, which seems a bit odd... I thought this supported entirely running offline. I suppose I can temporarily put it online just to see if that resolves it.

Does anyone else use the ethernet adapter? What about wifi? Did you have to connect to EG4 'cloud' before SA could "see" it?

In the image your “scan range” has an error.
The Solar Assistant “scan range” should be 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.0.255 .

 

[marionw]

The network "scan range" should be that of your network.
Assuming a default network IP address range, your scan range would be 192.168.x.0 to 192.168.x.255
The x (third octet) may be 0 but more likely it is 1, however you can try other numbers for x.

If you have a windows computer go to a command prompt and type "ipconfig /all" (without the quotes).
You should see a number of items including your gateway address. The x will be the third octet in the gateway address.
Or if you can access your router you will be able to get the IP address in the routers network configuration.

In addition, oftentimes an RJ45 jack labeled "CAN" also supports an RS485 bus. Normally in this case pins 4&5 are the CAN bus and pins 1&2 or 7&8 are the RS485 bus. Just look at your communications cable to see what pins (in both ends) in the RJ45 connector are being used. In addition when you enabled BMS is the inverter setup did you select CAN or 485.

 

[jsmithtx]

In the image your “scan range” has an error.
The Solar Assistant “scan range” should be 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.0.255 .

Yes, I noticed that, but it doesn't allow me to change it.

And my router is configured with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0. So I don't know why it is doing this. Seems like a bug in their software.

The network "scan range" should be that of your network.

I'm a bit puzzled on how I can force SA to change it. IPconfig on my laptop shows the appropriate settings but SA, even after reboot, shows the wider scan range.

I wish SA allowed explicit IP address input. That would help, since I know the IP of the dongle (I have it in the router's address listing)

 

[DIYPV]

Did you try to click Connect on the previous Setting page Under the Inverter / Battery section?