How do I reset comms at 100% SOC? Firstly, start with increasing your battery parameters with increments of 0.2V until you reach 100%. The three stages are: 1) Bulk/Equalised charge (current control) -used for fast charging when the SOC is low 2) Absorb charge (voltage control) -used to prevent over- charging the battery when the SOC is higher than a certain level 3) Float charge (voltage control) -used when the battery is close to fully charged. Diagnosing The Problem Please check all the batteries are at the same level of charge and the dip switch settings are correct. If the batteries are not at the same SOC, please charge each battery up individually as described below. If the batteries are at the same voltage and dip switches done correctly you may leave the batteries connected in parallel. Proceed with the following instructions: 1) Disconnect the CAN comms cable. 2) Change the battery type on the inverter to AGM V. 3) Please input the Float, Bulk and Equalisation Voltage at 53,6Vdc (AM2 & X-101). 4) Please set the Low Voltage to 44Vdc. 5) Charge up battery until the inverter stops charging the battery to 53.8Vdc, this may take some time as the BMS will do a cell balance at full voltage. 6) Once the inverter has stopped charging, reconnect your CAN cable and go back into your inverter battery menu and activate the Lithium settings and CAN communications. Please note that no discharging is needed for this issue to be resolved.
What is the warranty claim proccess? In the event of a possible warranty claim, the following steps should be taken: 1. Contact your authorised reseller and advise them of the issue. 2. The reseller must send or arrange with end user to send the battery to one of our service centres. 3. The service centre will evaluate the battery and validate if a claim is substantiated. 4. The service centre might request additional information, like site and install location or a site visit etc. from the client. 5. If a claim has been validated, repairs and servicing of the battery will be performed. 6. Any replaced parts will become the property of Hubble Lithium (Pty) ltd. 7. It is for the client to arrange delivery and collection of the units.
What does a flat red red alarm light mean? When it comes to a straight red alarm light appearing on your battery, this is due to your unit going into short circuit protection. To troubleshoot this issue, you will need to turn your battery off. Once battery is off, you will need to disconnect your DC cables. Once the DC cables are disconnected; you will need to turn the unit back on and let it stand from about 5-10 minutes. This should rectify your system back to normal and void the straight alarm light.
What does a red flashing alarm light fault mean? When a battery has the red flashing alarm light fault, it simply means that it is drained. To rectify this fault you will need to disconnect your CAN cable. From there you will need to switch from LIBMS settings to voltage settings. Once switched you will need to discharge the battery to its lowest voltage. Once the battery is discharged, you will need to recharge it back up to the highest voltage. Once the battery is fully charged, you will need to reconnect your CAN cable and switch back to LIBMS settings. This will reconfigure you’re charging and void the red light alarm fault.
Can I interface with 3rd party monitoring hardware? Hubble has seen BMS parameters tampered with in the past and we are trying to put measures in place to protect both the product and the customer. The Hubble warranty document was updated in early 2022 with an exclusion for the use of 3rd part tools that can alter the settings or behaviour of the Hubble BMS and thus affect the performance and the reliability of the battery. If the device can alter the behaviour of the product, then it can compromise its intended safe operation. Batteries fitted with 3rd party tools pre-2022 will not have their warranties voided outright, however, if it is detected that any of the battery / BMS parameters have been adjusted then Hubble reserves the right to void the warranty. It should be noted that this exclusion is only applicable to the RS232 port which Hubble reserves for use with a Cloudlink and to do firmware updates of Hubble approved BIN files. The RS232 has a direct electrical connection to the microcontroller and damaging the transceivers on this port may damage the microcontroller which is responsible for maintaining the safety of the battery. The RS485 and CAN bus ports are optically isolated from the BMS microcontroller and damage to these ports do not present any safety risk to the battery. Hubble provides a world class monitoring platform with no monthly subscriptions. If a customer needs to integrate the battery with a custom application that is not suitable to interface on RS485 or CAN bus, then our RnD Department would gladly help to facilitate this.
I am hearing a relay clicking noise on BMS - help! The clicking sound you hear is the relay connected to the signal output connectors (the small green ones). The relay switches on and off when the battery is fully charged or fully discharged. It may switch on and off several times when the battery is close to or at maximum capacity. Firmware version 1.50, 2.50 and 4.50 as well as all other models Firmware update have amongst other things disabled the function of this signal relay. So after updating to the LATEST firmware the customer will not hear this relay clicking any more. Generally speaking, the relay is used to integrate with very old inverters. We have now disabled this feature by default and will enable it again if a customer with a very old inverter needs it. If the customer is using MPPT device, he needs to set all connecting devices or controllers to the right setup voltages however he can simply adjust his voltage settings to be 0.2 v less on both inverter and MPPT controller in order to compensate for overcharge voltage being pulled into battery. For example - An AM2 battery is full at 53.8 you can adjust this on Axpert type inverters to be float of 53.6 for example to assist.
What is the procedure to update my firmware? When updating our range of Hubble batteries, please ensure a very important process in updating the batteries. The battery needs to be isolated, fuses pulled and the needs to be disconnected from any load. The battery needs to be ON for the update to be installed. A discharge and recharge of the unit will be required for the update to be completed. When updating multiple batteries, the update process needs to be done on EVERY unit individually there after the units will need to be discharged individually and then recharged to complete the update process. NB; please ensure that the firmware that is being installed corresponds with the correct model of the battery
Why are my batteries not communicating? When it comes to batteries not communicating, its either got to do with the communication cable which you have with your inverter, otherwise it is the actual Coms port that the inverter has. Our batteries communicate via Can bus. A CAN port is needed for our batteries to communicate directly with the inverter, please note that the CAN cable needs to be modified as per our website. You can use AGM voltage settings; this will work strictly off voltage and no coms at all. You will then have to ensure that all the charging settings are done correctly. Alternatively, If the inverter does not have a CAN port and the inverter type is compatible with the Cloudlink, you will need to have a Cloudlink installed to establish communication between the battery and the inverter. The remote monitoring device allows you to communicate directly between inverter and battery. In this case, you will be able to plug the RS232/RS485 port of inverter to the S-port of the Cloudlink. Then the CAN port of the Cloudlink between the CAN of the battery. This is not only a device that ensures communication, but also a great way to monitor your system.
How important is the C-rating of a lithium battery? The C-rating of a lithium battery is important because it determines how quickly the battery can be discharged. A higher C-rate means that the battery can be discharged faster, but it also means that the battery's lifespan will be shorter. In general, a 1C discharge rate is a good balance between speed and lifespan. If you need to discharge a battery quickly, you can use a higher C-rate, but be aware that this will shorten the battery's lifespan. The C-rating is also important for applications where fast discharge is required. For example, if you are using a battery to power a high-powered tool, you will need to use a battery with a high C-rating. Here are some of the factors that can affect the C-rating of a lithium battery. The battery's chemistry Different battery chemistries have different C-ratings. For example, LiFePO4 batteries typically have higher C-ratings than lithium ion batteries. The battery's size Larger batteries typically have higher C-ratings than smaller batteries. The battery's age Older batteries typically have lower C-ratings than newer batteries. The battery's temperature Batteries can discharge at higher C-rates at higher temperatures.
What is the difference between 1C and 0.75 C lithium battery? The difference between 1C and 0.75 C lithium battery is the rate of charge or discharge. The C-rate is a measure of how fast a battery can be charged or discharged relative to its capacity. A C-rate of 1C means that the battery can be fully charged or discharged in one hour, while a C-rate of 0.75 C means that the battery can be fully charged or discharged in 1.33 hours. The C-rate affects the performance and lifespan of a battery. Generally, the higher the C-rate, the more power a battery can provide or accept, but the shorter its cycle life and the more heat it generates. Therefore, choosing the right C-rate depends on the application and the specifications of the battery. For example, if you have a 100Ah lithium battery, it can provide or accept 100A of current at 1C, If you use this battery to power a device that draws 50 A, it will last for 2 hours at 1C. However, if you charge this battery with a charger that delivers 100 A, it will take 1 hour to fully charge at 1C, or 1.33 hours to fully charge at 0.75 C. Rule Of Thumb: Charging at a lower C-rate can reduce the stress and heat on the battery, which extends its lifespan. However, you should always check the manufacturer’s specifications and recommendations before charging a battery to avoid damaging it or causing safety issues.