PIP-5048MK inverter

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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by XtractorFan »

affer wrote: Mon, 15 Jul 2019, 16:31 i got my bluetooth working yesterday - well it was with an other device.

i will start logging for the freeze and dip occurence.

and for the record my pip have been working off the grid now for a month with the load i am putting on it, so i am quite satisfied, except the two freezes i have seen. i am in contact with solar about this, and they would like to see a log of when it happens.

i have 600Mb left on the android device, and i am leaving for the northern atlantic for 4 weeks, exciting to see if it is gonna be a stable four weeks recording :-D
That's good about the BT working.
They usually want to see the WatchPower .xls export log.
That contains a lot of data, best of luck ;)
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by suorama »

Command manual...
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by weber »

suorama wrote: Thu, 18 Jul 2019, 18:12 Command manual...
Thanks for that. But sadly, it does not show any command for querying the PV and Load energy.

The fact that the command to reset this log is RTEY, may be a hint that the command to read it may be QEY. Or there may be no such command. Can you read this info using WatchPower?

It does however show a command for querying what the output source priority setting is, for every hour of the day (QOPPT). And the same for charge source priority (QCHPT). But no commands for setting these 48 values, and no LCD interface is mentioned for them in the MK manual. Can you set these settings using WatchPower?
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by coulomb »

weber wrote: Fri, 19 Jul 2019, 07:15 It does however show a command for querying what the output source priority setting is, for every hour of the day (QOPPT). And the same for charge source priority (QCHPT). But no commands for setting these 48 values...
I can confirm that there is no undocumented command starting with PO, other than POSO, which doesn't seem hopeful.
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by suorama »

Yes only way to read power of PV is QPIGS. That show (MMMMM) same value than PV power (W) on inverter panel.

QPGSn not show just that power. Other real time power readings can be read.

btw. QPGS0 show that inverter info where serial cable is connected. At least when 3-phase system is used.
QPGS1 tells phase 1 inverter info (perhaps phase 1 first inverter if there is multiple inverters per phase).
QPGS2 show phase 2 inverter info and
QPGS3 show phase 3 inverter info
Or that way it behave with my system.

I ask if MPP Solar could tell me what is the command what I can use to read PV watts from every inverter thru parallel system.
There is not that QP2GSn command what is made for that info when there is multiple MPPT trackers in one inverter (If I guess documents right).
Maybe there is not that kind of command. If that so, then I ask if they can add some code to make that possible... =)

(edit:
inverter shows it model to KING-5000 :o ;) )
Last edited by suorama on Fri, 19 Jul 2019, 23:14, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by weber »

suorama wrote: Fri, 19 Jul 2019, 15:25 Yes only way to read power of PV is QPIGS. That show (MMMMM) same value than PV power (W) on inverter panel.
I know about QPIGS and QPGSn (not QPSGn as you have sometimes written). But I'm not talking about power (W), I'm talking about energy (Wh). The King/PIP-MK logs the energy per day, per month, per year and total. You can read it from the LCD. See page 27 of the manual.

The command for reading the PV power from inverters with multiple MPPTs is QPIGS2 (note the letter "I"), as shown on page 6 of this protocol manual. But inverters with multiple MPPTs can't be connected in parallel.

QPGS0 gives info from master, no matter which inverter you are connected to. If you have multiple inverters per phase, you can get info from all of them using QPGS0 up to QPGS8. You can tell which inverter it is, from the serial number at the start of the response.
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by suorama »

Sorry about my typos... But I hope at least knowledgeable hobbyists understand what might be on hand.

Very first page of your PIP-4048MS tread is couple Serial command links. Second of those lead to http://forums.aeva.asn.au/download/file ... iew&id=623
There is that QP2GSn, if I'm not read (and write) very wrong. That seems add few power values and voltage and current more than plain QPGSn.
Almost all what I know these inverters came from that forum.

I do not know why my inverters behave like I described earlier. And I mean that QPGS0 command. If I give that command when I connect with my two port serial adapter example phase 1 inverter, I got that connected inverter readings. If I leave that connected and link is active, then connect second port to another inverter. If I give QPGS0, then I got that server information to read, example phase 2. If I send QPGS1 then I got phase 1 inverter values, If I send QPGS2 then I got phase 2 inverter values and if I send QPGS3, I got phase 3 inverter values. And guess what? I know that just as you say, at inverter serial number what come with response. I know that also because that fourth last number (if I count right) tells me 2 = phase1, 3 = phase2 and 4 = phase 3.

Yes I can read those energy values from panel. I ask later from MPP Solar if we can read those values out somehow.

Maybe that panel firmware could tell something how to read those values...
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by weber »

Thanks for correcting me about QP2GSn. I was not aware of it. But I still don't understand why it exists, since I can't find any Voltronic/MPP-Solar model that has multiple MPPTs and is parallelable.
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by suorama »

Interesting.
I found InfiniSolar Serial Command documentation pdf file.
There is those commands, what someone desperately need.
Unfortunately those not seems to work with PIP-5048MK.

But I add that document here anyway. Perhaps there is something more to use.
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by suorama »

Well,
I made the decision, I build my own system to monitor of my "power plant"...
I do not use controllers own software and hardware to read values. Then I can use what ever I want, to feed power to the system or drain power from the system.
That project maybe last long, but when it is "ready" (if ever), I will introduce it =D.
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by Turbodid »

Hello everybody,
At this time I'm very interested in PIP-5048MK but I've got contradiction between MPP Solar Web Site and MPP Solar Aliexpress concerning the batteryless operation of this model.
On Web Site, they answer me it is able to work without battery even if I insisted on this requirement. On the other side, on Aliexpress official MPP Solar store, they write : ' if you don't like to have battery , please only consider PIP5048MG or or 3024GK , 5048GK model' !!!
I've read a lot of threads but I was not able to find someone to confirm that 5048MK is able to work without any battery.
Is someone could answer this simple question without any doubt please ?

My aim at the first step is just to have inverter mixing ('Utility/grid' + PV) without adding battery cost. Once all will work for awhile and money will be back, I'll certainly investigate in batteries to be more or less independant of Grid.

Regards,
Didier from New-Caledonia
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by XtractorFan »

Turbodid wrote: Thu, 01 Aug 2019, 11:29 I've read a lot of threads but I was not able to find someone to confirm that 5048MK is able to work without any battery.
The PIP-5048MK is not designed to work without a battery - in fact it barely manages to function with one!
According to the this pdf: http://www.mppsolar.com/v3/catalogs/PIP-MS_MG.pdf the MG does.
But I can't find a mention of it in the manual http://www.mppsolar.com/manual/PIP-MG%2 ... 190717.pdf
Good luck finding one that works ;)
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by XtractorFan »

suorama wrote: Tue, 30 Jul 2019, 01:11 Well,
I made the decision, I build my own system to monitor of my "power plant"...
I do not use controllers own software and hardware to read values. Then I can use what ever I want, to feed power to the system or drain power from the system.
That project maybe last long, but when it is "ready" (if ever), I will introduce it =D.
Have you looked at SolPipLog? https://www.photovoltaikforum.com/threa ... ?pageNo=52 and https://github.com/njfaria/SolPipLog
I've been working with Nuno to get it to work with my MK, the latest version 2.2.5 makes mine work - most of the time....
Logs data to emoncms on the same RasPi and I can make it charge during the day and run on batteries at night using the time switching.
He's been very helpful :D
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by coulomb »

Turbodid wrote: Thu, 01 Aug 2019, 11:29 On Web Site, they answer me it is able to work without battery even if I insisted on this requirement. On the other side, on Aliexpress official MPP Solar store, they write : ' if you don't like to have battery , please only consider PIP5048MG or or 3024GK , 5048GK model' !!!
My understanding is that only the models with a 450 V max Solar Charge Controller can operate without a battery, and then perhaps only in some circumstances. So these are the PIP models with "G" in the name, as the people on the AliExpress MPP Solar store stated. The PIP-5048MK has a 145 V SCC, so as far as I know it can't operate without a battery.
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by suorama »

XtractorFan wrote: Sun, 04 Aug 2019, 04:12 Have you looked at SolPipLog? https://www.photovoltaikforum.com/threa ... ?pageNo=52 and https://github.com/njfaria/SolPipLog
I've been working with Nuno to get it to work with my MK, the latest version 2.2.5 makes mine work - most of the time....
Logs data to emoncms on the same RasPi and I can make it charge during the day and run on batteries at night using the time switching.
He's been very helpful :D
No, I'm not =).
Thanks to tell me about that project.

Main problem to me, is that PIP series not tell all data when parallel connection is apply and parallel communication is used.
And what I mean. I my inverter show it take example 50W from panels. If battery voltage is more than 50V, then parallel info show 0W. That because decimals not move with current info (W not move at all). So, if my battery voltage is 54V and current from solar is 1A then parallel info shows 54W. That means that "all" charge powers is "false". Since I have three inverters I can get about 150W in from PV and all programs say 0W (except programs what read only one inverter without parallel communication).

What I plan.
I use independent hardware what read data before it goes to inverter and right after it left inverter.
That means that I can use PV, Wind or anything else to produce DC power to my battery / system. I can use any AC source to bring energy to my system. And I can use any inverters to bring energy to my use. I can monitor battery, grid and load. And I got those values straight from source.

Then I can compare how much I use energy and how much I must buy it. Of course it is nice to watch live data when PV (and others) push energy to system, that why I read DC side too. =)
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by suorama »

Here is one of "the problems".
As you can see, load watts is 255W and PV Watts is only 156W. Still battery charging at 93W power.
So, there must be at least 348W power from solar panels (+ losses). If we believe inverter own measuring (Battery info came from BMV700).
icc3.JPG
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Same thing when load drop a bit. But ofcourse charge is higher now.
So, if calculate 3 x 52V (battery voltage) it is exactly 156W what you can see from PV Watts.
icc4.JPG
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That is understandable, because PV Watts not include that information what move with parallel communication protocol.
So, you must use current value, but without decimals.

Same thing continue when day move forward a bit. Now PV watts is 6A x 53,87V = 323.22W. Load eat 303W from that so there shoud be a 22W left to battery, but there is 271W.
icc8.JPG
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If I calculate MPPT1 V x MPPT1 A, then I got 243W from there.
If I calculate MPPT2 V x MPPT2 A, then I got 146,2W from there.
So, I have also third MPPT unit. If I calculate 271W + 303W I got 574W and if I subtract 243W and 146,2W from those, I got 184,8W what could be close to right.
(That might be more an ICC problem than inverter problem.)

But if I look cluster info, there is example usually close same values at two of inverters. And PV values are identical most of the time. I think that would be cause if there is used that QPGS0 command. That think because it gives that inverter values what is connected, when is used MK inverters. If you look example battery charging amps, you can found there is 7A if you calculate all inverter independent values to together, But still 5A is combined value. That is also close enough what BMV700 tells to us.
icc9.JPG
icc9.JPG (91.59 KiB) Viewed 13465 times
So, if I want closer right values, I think I must make my own system to read these values what interested to me.
And as I say early, that project is started already.
I have already BMV 700 battery monitor, so battery info is possible read by now.
I buy three DC analyzer (V, A, W) with modbus to read example PV . I can add these more when I add example my windmill or my independent MPPT controlller to system. These is "only" for real time following.
I buy six AC analyzer (V, A, W, Hz, pf) with modbus to read AC values for all three phases. Three goes to grid side and rest three goes to load side.
Then it is the same what components I use middle of analyzers. I got always that exact reading that analyzers can read (0,01 resolution to A and V except AC V is 0,1V).
Then I also can see if there is (massive) losses somewhere and can analyze how much those reading have difference between inverter and periphery.
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by suorama »

That is also interesting situation...
Something tells to ICC that grid suck energy. That should not be true. But if solar power is 869W, where that power goes, if battery take 212W and load take 272W?
Maybe that is ICC problem also. My energy meter show situations like that 0W. But some where those values come.
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by coulomb »

I suggest you post your ICC queries in the following forum, where the author is active:

https://powerforum.co.za/forum/94-axper ... -software/

If you decide to use your own software, you should use PV power where possible, as the SCC charge current is estimated and only provided in whole amps. I believe that the PV power comes from the SCC, and is total panel power (not just net battery charge current from solar times battery voltage).

[ Edit: the following has many errors, kindly pointed out to me by Weber. See this later post for clarifications. ]

Also note that "PV current" as shown on the LC Display is NOT the current coming from the panels, it's at the battery side (so multiply by battery voltage to obtain charge power, not by panel voltage). I can't recall for sure now, but I believe that the "panel current" is actually what the manual calls "MPPT charging current", which is net current into the battery (charging current that comes from solar). But perhaps ICC is doing calculations to overcome these the unconventional data that the inverters provide. I don't use ICC myself.

[ Edit: "current" → "SCC charge current" ]
[ Edit: added the word "net" and the phrase "times battery voltage". ]
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by suorama »

Sorry that opening =)

But main point is, can I trust inverter own collected data? Or at least I must measure "powers" my own before I can trust that inverter to do the right job.

As you can see, BMV-700 measure at independent equipment that there is more power than inverter show. At least battery got something even the load power is bigger than solar power.
If panels give example 500W power, there is that 500W before inverter. Because there is buck converter, that 500W is adjusted to fit better to charging. Ofcourse there is losses.
So, if panels give 100V and 5A then there is that 500W. If battery voltage is 50V then charging current can be 10A (without losses). Ofcourse, if charging current is 5A, then rest power (250W without losses) goes directly to loads. Well I do not know if inverter measure that load side right. So, that my thought of more power is might be wrong. =)

After all, at the log run, only interesting data is, how much I must buy energy versus how much I use it.
All other data is for service and nice to know section.

Btw.
icc11.JPG
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Maybe Manie do not want do any more development with second version of ICC
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by coulomb »

suorama wrote: Tue, 06 Aug 2019, 21:32 Well I do not know if inverter measure that load side right.
I don't know the PIP-5048MK / Axpert King very well, but it's a fair guess that it uses the same current transformer to measure the load that the other models do. It seems to be pretty accurate and reliable.

Similarly, the LEM seems to measure AC input current pretty well, and I'd expect the same in the MK/King.

Where the PIPs / Axperts fall down is with the lack of any sort of battery current measurement. So they can't do coulomb counting for accurate SOC determination, and any figures related to battery current are educated guesses at best.
Maybe Manie do not want do any more development with second version of ICC
Huh. I guess he eventually got sick of supporting all the different models, etc. And now there are many models of LFP battery with embedded BMS as well. Also, he's been involved with that project for many years.

Maybe it's worth looking at the German open source monitoring program, SolPipLog. It needs some translation into other languages, but the core might be a reasonable starting point, as opposed to starting yet another PIP/Axpert monitoring program. I've only glanced at it so far.
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by XtractorFan »

Btw.
icc11.JPG
Maybe Manie do not want do any more development with second version of ICC
[/quote]

Don't know where you got that from, current version is 2.9....
Support was originally on https://powerforum.co.za/forum/117-icc-solar-software/ - but a month or so back it disappeared the other posts are old.
I know Mannie had problems with the South African 'partners' - the relationship went sour - perhaps they finally pulled the plug on the forum posts.

But as far as I can see ICC is still in development.
I didn't go down that route, as the software is tied to the Pi hardware key - if/when hardware dies you have to re-purchase the software, experience dictates this is inevitable ;)

Fortunately I came across Nuno and his SolPipLog.

I've been involved with 'green' power for many years - back in 2007 I designed and built a 1.5KW 48v wind turbine which has functioned well for the past 12 years, that and a 4KW Grid-tie PV system means I have had 'spare' power and an inverter based backup for a while.
In December lst year I decided I needed to upgrade - my 48v inverter and batteries are all 'recycled' IT UPS systems and were showing their age - and use, so I started research and came upon the Voltronic Power systems and their clones.
I was attracted to the claims that they supported Lithium Batteries and their BMS - so in April this year I bought one from Maximum Solar on eBay.
PIP_5048MK BMS Promise.JPG
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Initially I was impressed, but then came across several problems, not least of which was finding that the BMS port was only active on 'post January' built models.
Surely mine qualified - but consulting Mpp Solar, I found that mine was actually built in November 2018! so the BMS port didn't function!
Even worse is that no Firmware upgrades exist, so I'm stuck on v71.50 - with all it's bugs.
It has the 'premature Float bug' - so running in SBC means my batteries were never fully replenished.
It also decides that they need re-charging at a seemingly arbitrary level of 'around' 50v - so it constantly cycles charging/discharging throughout the day/night.

Initially I blamed my knackered batteries - I had 184 x Yuasa NP7-12's and 48 x Yuasa NPL38-12's series/parallel - I know it shouldn't be done - but they worked ok for years.
So I spent 3 weeks tested each one individually and weeded out the duffers - about 25% - either s/c or o/c cells.
After re-connection I did a capacity test (fully charged for 2 days ~52v, then discharge to 42v to measure the Ah capacity, it came out to 228Ah.

The problem is not my batteries, just the cr@p firmware in the MK - Mpp Solar support have been zero help - they (because they don't design the thing) can only diagnose problems if it's a failure etc.

The MK switches back to charge my batteries at exactly midnight every day for one hour - how weird is that? - until you read the command protocol document that has the:
QOPPT<cr>: The device output source priority time order inquiry
and
QCHPT<cr>: The device charger source priority time order inquiry
But no way to set these parameters! - so I expect they gave up trying to implement it, but left some debug code in that switches back to Line mode at midnight - nice one!

The PIP SCC is so slow that my BMV regularly records 60v voltage peaks from my 720w PV panels when the sun shines bright and clouds come/go during the day.
I wouldn't trust it with any more solar PV input....

So overall I got pretty fed up with the thing - then I found SolPipLog.
With Nuno's help and a RasPi it tames these 'issues'
The time switching stops the midnight Line mode change to 10 minutes (again must be a minimum period in the firmware) by switching (and monitoring) to SbL UdC - during the night.
ECO/Bypass mode during the day so my batteries charge (no losses in the inverter, external 4KW PV and PIP attached 720W PV) fully harvest the PV.
The attached BMV-712 monitors the battery SOC accurately and should I get down to 50% SOC changes back to Line mode.

I still have my 1.5KW wind turbine attached to charge my batteries - via a series diode (STPS80H100) - the turbine dump controller limits the max voltage to 54.5v to avoid conflicts with the PIP.

I'm not really interested in logging PV in/out etc. - I have a meter into the PIP and one on the output - if the output one reads less than the input one - I'm winning.

But why do I need to do all this? - because the PIP-50438MK firmware is SO BAD! - and looking back over weber and coulomb's MS inverter posts - is not likely to be fixed.
Ho hum.....
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by coulomb »

XtractorFan wrote: Wed, 07 Aug 2019, 17:05 ... I found that mine was actually built in November 2018! so the BMS port didn't function!
Even worse, if the inverter is a 24 V model, it won't talk to the battery anyway, no matter how recent! I think that perhaps the 48 V model has an extra processor compared to the 24 V model, and the Pylontech support is in that extra processor. That's just a guess, though.
Even worse is that no Firmware upgrades exist, so I'm stuck on v71.50 - with all it's bugs.
Interesting that your 24 V model appears to use the same firmware as the 48 V models. [ Edit: it's actually a 48 V model. ] Firmware version 71.80 is available for 48 V models. Sadly, it doesn't seem to fix any of the critical bugs.
It has the 'premature Float bug' - so running in SBC means my batteries were never fully replenished.
All Voltronic Power factory firmwares have the premature float bugs.
The MK switches back to charge my batteries at exactly midnight every day for one hour - how weird is that? - until you read the command protocol document that has the:
QOPPT<cr>: The device output source priority time order inquiry
and
QCHPT<cr>: The device charger source priority time order inquiry
But no way to set these parameters! - so I expect they gave up trying to implement it, but left some debug code in that switches back to Line mode at midnight - nice one!
There might be an off-by-one error in the use of the arrays that implement this. The code is complex, and I haven't gotten very far with it as yet. But there is a slight hope that this might be patchable, for 48 V models at least.
The time switching stops the midnight Line mode change to 10 minutes (again must be a minimum period in the firmware) by ...
We can probably cut that down to 2 minutes, if a patched firmware eventuates, and it can't be patched properly (i.e. to not happen at all).
But why do I need to do all this? - because the PIP-50438MK firmware is SO BAD! - and looking back over weber and coulomb's MS inverter posts - is not likely to be fixed.
There is a faint hope.
MG ZS EV 2021 April 2021. Nissan Leaf 2012 with new battery May 2019.
5650 W solar, 2xPIP-4048MS inverters, 16 kWh battery.
Patching PIP-4048/5048 inverter-chargers.
If you appreciate my work, you can buy me a coffee.
XtractorFan
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by XtractorFan »

Thanks for the comments coulomb, mine is the PIP-5048MK - so it is the 48v model.
BUT as it's manufactured before January 2019 - it can't get the newer firmware (according to Andy Y at MppSolar) - so it's obsolete!
Both myself and Nuno have dialogues open with MppSolar (so called) support, but no joy so far.
I'm frustrated, but you have to be realistic - this is a consumer product, so manufacturer/design ethics don't really apply.
When I was designing this sort of stuff, it wouldn't have been released for manufacture :?
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coulomb
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Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by coulomb »

Earlier I stated:
coulomb wrote: Tue, 06 Aug 2019, 18:11 Also note that "PV current" as shown on the LC Display is NOT the current coming from the panels, it's at the battery side (so multiply by battery voltage to obtain charge power, not by panel voltage). I can't recall for sure now, but I believe that the "panel current" is actually what the manual calls "MPPT charging current", which is net current into the battery (charging current that comes from solar).
I was thinking about the PIP-4048MS that I'm used to, and assumed that the same behaviour is replicated, albeit in a different way, in subsequent models, including the PIP₋5048MK. It seems that the MK models include both total PV power, and AC+PV net power into the battery (when AC charging power is zero, as is often the case, this is equal to the net PV charging power). I'm still working through other issues.
MG ZS EV 2021 April 2021. Nissan Leaf 2012 with new battery May 2019.
5650 W solar, 2xPIP-4048MS inverters, 16 kWh battery.
Patching PIP-4048/5048 inverter-chargers.
If you appreciate my work, you can buy me a coffee.
Robbe01
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Real Name: Torsten

Re: PIP-5048MK inverter

Post by Robbe01 »

How can I set the date and time on 5048MK?
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