Sofar ME3000SP

slave1 · 29-11-2021 5:06pm #1

Hi all,

There's a few of us going the DIY Battery setup and preferring to stay away from a Hybrid Inverter and use the Sofar unit (essentially a battery charger controller).

I thought it would be an idea to pull all Sofar related queries out of the Battery Options thread where they could get lost.

Here's the manual

sofar-me3000sp-manual-v1-6.pdf (midsummerwholesale.co.uk)

Long Sofar video on functionality

Upgrade your PV system to storage - YouTube

I'm installing one soon so will post pics and no doubt some queries.

I've gone for it as long term I want two inverters across 4 strings and I want functionality to take excess from both inverters to charge my 20kWh DIY battery pack. I also want to have easy control over EDDI and ZAPPI diverters

graememk · 29-11-2021 8:25pm

A couple more links :

I'm running mine in "passive mode" with one of these : https://github.com/cmcgerty/Sofar2mqtt

It does the hard work of RS485 communication and enables control over mqtt. I have a node red flow that takes the output of the sofar2mqtt (all the information comes in as a JSON object) and then I set what mode I want depending on time and SOC etc.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-AcNeoWvFcYnqnImUBnOYreo2CHbupfR

thats a list of firmwares, Theres no change logs for any of them, and the advice is if its working, leave it alone.

The 2.41 is the only one that specifically allows multiple time of use profiles per day. other versions only the first one you set per day activates

is from the facebook group "Sofar Solar Inverter - Remote Control & Smart Home Integration"

Thats where most of the rs485 flows and etc originated.

slave1 · 09-12-2021 1:17pm

Well I've picked up my Sofar and mounted it, awaiting BMS and all that part of the task before connecting up

slave1 · 13-12-2021 5:36pm

I'm going to prep all wirings to the Seplos, I see the manual has no mention of an isolator between Sofar and Consumer Board but I've seen some mention of folks incorporating same.

What are the thoughts here and if an isolator switch is required can I avoid the normal sized one associated with EV Charge Point as that thing is massive?

graememk · 13-12-2021 6:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118315997#Comment_118315997

As it's a fixed "appliance" it should have a method of isolation, be it a rotary one like the charge points or something like a cooker switch. The max it can supply is 13 amps ac anyway.

Also useful for powering it down if it isn't beside the consumer unit.

Also an isolator on the DC side too, it will only power down if both are turned off.

Sometimes the rs485 control goes screwy and it needs a reboot.

slave1 · 13-12-2021 8:06pm

Cooker switch is neater, two of these so?

https://www.screwfix.ie/p/crabtree-capital-20a-1-gang-dp-fan-isolator-switch-white-with-neon/6686j

slave1 · 14-12-2021 10:24am

Well I should have really read the manual...

It’s recommended to install a rotary DC isolator (100A) between ME3000SP and batteries.

It’s necessary to install a AC circuit breaker (25A) between ME3000SP and electrical grid

Battery connection: AWG8 or AWG6 cable.

Grid & Load connection: AWG12 cable

graememk · 14-12-2021 12:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118318595#Comment_118318595

Yeah the DC side needs to be able to handle high currents, eg a 48v isolator for marine use.

Something like this

https://jlbradshaw.ie/product-category/durite/switches-and-indicators/battery-isolators/marine-battery-isolator-300a-at-48v-and1000a/

slave1 · 14-12-2021 2:57pm

Wow, that seems like overkill for batteries limited at inverter at 3kW (though they can be "pushed" above 4kW if you change default setting)...my learning curve continues

graememk · 14-12-2021 4:05pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118320121#Comment_118320121

It's the style I was more suggesting.. and a lot of them are designed for high starting loads https://www.amazon.co.uk/Isolator-MoPei-Disconnect-Vehicles-Position/dp/B077MM377N/ bit cheaper but still 200amp.

I have seen mine go to about 3.1-3.2kw but that's about the max it can go.

slave1 · 14-12-2021 5:59pm

Oh, not a dig at you, this setup will be visible day to day so the setup just triggering me

graememk · 14-12-2021 9:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118321371#Comment_118321371

Some 100mm dado? Trunking to hide the majority of the cabling and the isolators can be mounted in that.

BuzzFish · 20-01-2022 11:07pm

Any tips where to source the me3000 from? Not seeing anywhere local.

graememk · 20-01-2022 11:51pm

Got mine from the UK, actually from a reseller.. it actually came from midsummer!

But that was before Brexit.

You can get it shipped to the north without much issue (there's a few services around the border) but you'll have to go up and get it.

SD_DRACULA · 21-01-2022 6:22pm

Could use these guys https://www.deliverme.ie/ and they deliver straight to your house.

Think it's like 25 per parcel or so

slave1 · 21-01-2022 7:08pm

I got my Sofar sent to Deliverme, they won't courier it, you need to pick it up at their location

slave1 · 09-02-2022 3:08pm

So I am shortly hooking up my DIY batteries to my Sofar.

I also have MyEnergi EDDI and Zappi2 so already have CT clamp to detect excess.

I want to keep MyEnergi first in line for excess and only have the Sofar push excess after EDDI/Zappi maxed.

My query therefore is where do I place the Sofar Clamp, nearer the "mains" than the MyEnergi clamp make sense but I want to be sure.

Also, given my setup as above, would you recommend any other CT clamps to use e.g. PV generation into Sofar for the craic or some other unknown I've not thought about

graememk · 09-02-2022 6:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118605624#Comment_118605624

Id put the second one on the solar for now, AFAIK it's not necessary but I have heard on some firmware versions (2.60) that it doesn't work correctly without the solar CT.

Version 2.41 is the only one that allows multiple time of use profiles to be active in a single day.

I'm running 2.90 currently.

graememk · 09-02-2022 6:25pm

Oh have you another my enegie ct so you can put that on the wire going to the me3000

MahatmaGeansai · 30-03-2022 10:39pm

Hi All

I have my system in place just over week thanks to the knowledge contained here. Delighted with it but I'm having teething issues. I have the HEYO BMS and see some of you have moved to the SEPLO since I bought the gear from Alieexpress so maybe that's half my issue... Anyway, I'm getting repeated ID05 alerts on my me3000SP when it's charging during the day. This is "The battery voltage is too high" alert. As you can see in the photos it's happening alot. I'm pretty sure i've set all the settings OK. I've stood there and watch it fault monitoring the voltage on the BMS and on the unit itself along with the a multimeter and can't see any evidence of anything out of place...

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,

randombar · 24-04-2022 12:35pm

Any recommendations on where to pick up one of these? Batteries on their way, happy enough to plug into the hybrid for now but would like to separate them out to be honest.

randombar · 04-05-2022 11:23am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118969199#Comment_118969199

Any updates on this one? There's a few in the UK but don't want to be stung by customs etc.

_dof_ · 05-05-2022 12:13am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119013836#Comment_119013836

Same here, batteries on the way, need an inverter since my AlphaESS can only talk to its own batteries.

graememk · 05-05-2022 8:36am

https://www.failtesolar.com/ Used to have them, Not sure now.

Also how close to NI are you? Theres services like PostalPickup and other places dotted around the border that you can get stuff shipped to and you then can go pick it up.

randombar · 05-05-2022 10:49am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119018040#Comment_119018040

The other side of the country I'm afraid so it would be some trek. I might contact them anyway and see if they can do anything for me.

randombar · 10-05-2022 3:37pm

For anyone else that's looking https://wdsolar.nl/ are delivering to Ireland for €25

unkel · 11-05-2022 11:39am

€900 delivered though...

I would ask solartricity.ie or midsummer.ie would they try stock them for you. The latter used to sell them on their home (UK) site

championc · 11-05-2022 2:01pm

I bought mine through midsummer.ie, albeit 2 years ago

unkel · 11-05-2022 3:03pm

I had a quick look and they don't seem to stock it. Damn, I must have mine about 3 years at this stage. Bought it second hand from a very knowledgeable chap on a UK based renewables forum. That was a year before midsummer.ie even operated in Ireland. Maybe mine was (one of) the first in the country 😁

graememk · 11-05-2022 6:04pm

Even midsummer in the UK comes in at about 800 pounds.

A bargin could have been hand at the start of the year on ebay, haven't seen many lately though

Blakes77 · 13-05-2022 8:24am

I'm also on the hunt for an AC coupled charger, these ME3000SP seem hard to obtain.

I see there is also the Givenery 3.0 AC , is anybody aware of anything else similar ?

Sofar ME3000SP

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