Puredrive Battery

SD_DRACULA

Wanted to start a thread for a place for info for whomever has the puredrive DC batteries installed with their system.

SD_DRACULA

As a first question, does anyone know if you can connect to the battery via canbus and get live data from it?

I was trying to get a quote from a crowd which said that puredrive couldn't work out the model based on the serial number (even though I sent them the model number/SN tag/etc) and they said the only way is to connect to the battery directly.

The question is can we connect to the Down port and somehow read that? Anyone tried? What sort of cable is needed? Windows software that can read it?

Jonathan

I was wondering about that myself. Must get a multimeter at it next time I'm up and see if it is 3.3V or 5V serial port.

SD_DRACULA

The cable will be rj45 at one end but not sure if it uses something this adapter can read

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08CGXBSTF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I was able to read data via modbus from the inverter with it so if the battery uses the same protocol should work in theory

Jonathan

The DOWN port will likely speak canbus. It was the External Power Control port that I was particularly I interested in.

buzz11

https://youtu.be/fwQvQYrwf_Y

I'm interested in getting a battery and the puredrive seems a nice bit of kit but the guy in this video raises a few concerns, I'm wondering what the owners of any puredrive units think of his views?

Some of his issues relate to how it was installed but he doesn't name & shame the installer which is odd considering he's giving puredrive a lashing.

Jonathan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118572630#Comment_118572630

That's the AC coupled battery in the the video. SD and I have the DC coupled battery and a hybrid inverter. No complaints from my side. Good battery and works well.

bullit_dodger

He's having a right whinge for sure.

A lot of what he's saying is true.... but he's not educated into the finer points of electrics. For example, he's talking about "little jimmy" needing a new plug ..... so you isolate the mains and then you get electrocuted cause your Puredrive is still on.

"Technically true", but anyone who's messing with wires and doesn't test them with a phase tester (or ideally a multimeter) to see if they are live before working on them pretty much deserves to be electrocuted in my opinion. Darwin awards etc. He also omits the fact that there is an AC isolator switch from the inverter. It's in his video at 8:00 mins (the big switch in Red) ... or the fact that it's a probably a grid-tied in inverter, and if you pull the mains then that will disconnect the battery (barring the EPS circuit)

That said, (personally) I'd like to see a circuit breaker between the battery and the inverter. Don't know if the lack of one is "non-code", but he can isolate the whole unit easy enough. Which you would have to do anyway as if it was sunny outside your inverter would be supplying the house - even if the battery was separately powered off.

The guys one of those lunatics you find on the web. He may be making "technically" correct points, but nahh.....move on Roy. Move on.

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118572767#Comment_118572767

Haven't watched the video, but it's a grid tied inverter, it has to have anti islanding, so grid is cut off, it shuts off, just like the solar inverters.

But yeah nobody should be touching stuff without safe isolation etc.

Ha Long Bay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118572704#Comment_118572704

Just a quick question as I am not familiar with your setup are you charging the battery up on a night rate, how is the performance and any tips for import charging? I'm due to get 2 X 5KW installed next week as part of my install.

Jonathan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118573199#Comment_118573199

Yes. Charging the battery slowly each night at about 10A. Given you'll have 10kWh, you'll have to go with a higher charge rate to ensure that you get to fully charged within the night rate window.

Ha Long Bay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118573326#Comment_118573326

Thanks as always appreciate the advice. Do you think it would damage the batteries much if you tried to top them over a shorter time for example using a night boost rate which I imagine is for EV owners?

Just using the below graphic as an example of the type of tariff from Electric Ireland.

bullit_dodger

"Damage" isn't quiet the right word for it, but generally batteries don't like full charge/discharge. You won't wreck them or anything if you did do it for a night or two, but they prefer longer slower charges than full amps for short periods. You'll get more cycles out of them over the lifetime and they will (apparently) hold their capacity for longer. Like 10 years instead of 9 years etc.

Not sure you'll get 10Kwhr into a battery in 2 hrs though, will you? That's like ~25amps

SD_DRACULA

If you have the 5G solis inverter you can easily do that, it has 100a charge/discharge so 5kwh/hour is doable but again it would be at 1C which is what these batteries are rated for anyway.

By the way that tariff above is garbage, Bord Gais have a similar EV one with way lower rates and 3 hours for the "boost" at night meaning you could charge the battery at less than 1C

irishchris

Charge mine at 62a using the 3 hour bord gais EV charge window (2-5am @4.5c per kWh). It just charges within the 3 hours from 20% -100% and this is for 10kwh battery so as suggested above avoid that electric Ireland plan and go with the bord gais one as you will definitely need the 3 hours to charge.

Ha Long Bay

Thanks all for the helpful advice. I was just using that plan as an example of the boost rate.

bullit_dodger

62a!

ahh, in retrospect I guess I should have noted/asked for the voltage, my bad. That 62A is at ~50v though Chris isn't it? Giving you 62x50 = ~ 3Kwhr, so your three hours is ~9Kwhr. Partly the reason why I like Kwhr over amps as you have to clarify the voltage.

I was thinking your amp setting on the inverter was grid charging so your amp setting was at 220v.

buzz11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118572630#Comment_118572630

So no real concerns about Puredrive batteries from any owners?

they're on my 'short-list' but space is going to be an issue for me (the inverter etc is all in the utility room) and their thin large profile will be tricky.

THE ALM

Happy with the puredrive as well and if I could pick up a second for decent money I will be doing so although prices for them are high.

If I could also pull the data directly and feed it into Loxone would be great but beyond my knowledge at the minute. Currently pulling it into Home Assistant then feeding it to node-red to feed it out as mqtt into Loxone so a bit convoluted.

SD_DRACULA

Apparently they have an app for it but must be apple only, as I can't find in the play store

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByVx9i0hUG4

Also I'm not seeing any way to connect to it unless they offer some full system with inverter as well

THE ALM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118580609#Comment_118580609

I wonder is it for the AC battery?

The app is in the play store and when you install it it asks for a username and password that I see no way of setting up

SD_DRACULA

Yeah I found it after looking closer as well.

Maybe here? https://puredrive-energy.co.uk/register/

SD_DRACULA

Nope just a bunch of powerpoint presentations

THE ALM

looking at the ac battery datasheet it does mention the puredrive portal so I think it is ac only

SD_DRACULA

I'd say so, I dropped them an email to confirm

On the plus side I finally figured out what flashing green light means

Also found this in the install guide:

I was told you need a "specific" cable set to daisy chain batteries together but that sounds like nonsense after reading this and everything is included with the battery as is?

Ha Long Bay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118580583#Comment_118580583

What kind of price are you getting? I initially had a quote for a single 5KW battery and asked for a price for a second. I was quoted €2200 and agreed a price of €2000 to get it added to my upcoming install.

SD_DRACULA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118583749#Comment_118583749

So far I got quoted 2300+ vat for adding a second one which is too much for what it is.

Also got £1600 + whatever the daisy chain cables cost from the Electrical Equipment Company up north which is better.

2k is a decent price I think. It cost me 2.5k on my install last year.

THE ALM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118583749#Comment_118583749

Was quoted €2200 for second which is on the high side.

I'll be looking into the company in the north as I have someone who might be able to sort out something on the trade side and maybe get a better deal.

I'm in no real panic at this stage especially going into the longer days.

SD_DRACULA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118585490#Comment_118585490

Keep us posted on how you get on with that. Maybe you can add one more to the shopping cart for me 🤣

Was told an installer needs to connect to the battery and update both of them if expanding (that's what the guys up north were told by puredrive at least)

Jonathan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118585490#Comment_118585490

Keep me in loop as well please. Ta.

THE ALM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118585957#Comment_118585957

will do