In this video I look at the new Pylontech US5000 battery. I also add the module to my existing setup, taking me to over 19 kWh of energy storage. en.pylontech.com.cn/pro_list.a...
Okay, newbie question here. Why would they build something like that with no voltage/current monitoring? Is that available via wifi/bluetooth or do they just not provide it. I would expect a digital readout for that stuff. Also, very nice setup but would you benefit from getting a metal rack for those units? I'm worried about the chance for fire and cooling underneath the stairs (wooden) like that. Great review though.
The BMS in the battery does monitor voltage/current and has over/under protection for both. If you want to see that information you can talk to the BMS over rs485 or CANBUS . The inverter talks to the BMS in this way to watch for problems. I have a metal rack but it takes up too much space under the stairs. I have spacers between the modules for air flow and lots of fans controlled by a Raspberry pi that monitors the temperature in the cupboard and vents cool air in from outside to keep it at a resonable temperature. LiFePO4 batteries do not catch fire unlike other types of Lithium Ion batteries so are quite safe for use in the home.
I’m getting an itch to expand my solar system array, and part of that is a desired Pylontech array stored in the shed. The US5000 has caught my attention for a long time, but I couldn’t handle 40kg. I’d end up in a wheelchair. So I’ll have to devise some lifting methods and tools for handling this out of the box and into a cabinet.
I've been getting the same itch. If you are going to have then in a shed make site it doesn't get too cold in there in the winter as it's bad for them.
@@nicholashowell one thought I had was to line the Pylontech cabinet with 50mm thick PIR insulation. I’d design it in such a way that it can be removed in warmer weather.
Having gotten used to only using 18650 batteries between 45%-75% of capacity, (the battery in my phone, usb power banks etc) It would be difficult for me to use as much as possible of the storage regardless of the total energy storage a few kw to several kws. . My logic is still stuck on extending the life of lithuim ion batteries as much as possible 🙆. - (if i can add 5 years extra id be happy) Im certainly very happy with your progress.
Interested in these batteries and the ability to keep adding capacity as we are heavy users. Out of interest did you have to wait long for it to be shipped in the Uk?
Im looking at getting Pylontech batteries as a cheaper alternative to the Tesla powerwall which I was originally thinking of. The Tesla option is a lot more expensive per kwh but I do like all the information you get through the app in terms of grid vs battery consumption and setting charge times. Is there any software for these batteries which can be used to do something similar? Or is all that info just a bit unnecessary?
If you don't have existing solar then you have the option of going AC or DC coupled (check out my video on the difference between these 2 types of inverter). Things have moved on since I got my DC coupled system and it's no longer sold so I can't recommend it anymore. I have LG panels and Perlight panels, I've not had any problems with either.
Great video. I have 2 us5000 batteries already and have another 2 coming in a couple of days. I have order another long cable pack for them to go to my keto isolater as this was suggested. they call go in a 19" rack, what would you say the best way of balancing them all is ? also can i keep the current master battery as the master ?
You want the newest firmware to be the master so if all you US5000 are the same firmware version you can keep your current master but if your newer ones have newer firmware, you'll want to make one of them the master. You'll want to disconnect them from the inverter while you balance them so that there is no load. Also make sure they are close in voltage before putting them in parallel. After about 24 hours they will probably be pretty balanced with each other.
Splendid. I am adding a new 4.8 to my existing 2.4kwh. Here in South Africa, the 2.4 costs 66.6% the price of a 4.8. I would have liked to see how you connected the cables. In one of your other videos, it seems that the battery to inverter cables to not originate at the same battery. This cannot be when the bigger battery is the "primary battery".
The positive goes from one end of the battery stack and the negative from the other. This helps to keep the batteries in the stack at the same voltage though in reality the voltage drop is so small it hardly matters.
I’m really interested in what looks like (sorry) your home made battery bank with all your little green batteries. Did you do a video on it? The design and hardware etc? Thanks Richard.
If a US5000 is used as master, can you have as slaves up to 15 others mixed pylontech batteries such as us2000 and us3000? Or the 16 limit is exclusively for us5000 batteries (knowing that the limit is 8 with us2000 or us3000 models) ?
According to the manual, you can have another 15 mixed Pylontech batteries. However it does state that battery 2 to 8 can be anything but battery 9 to 16 can only be US5000, UP5000, US3000C or US2000C (you can't use US3000 or US2000 in the last 8).
Hi, good vid buddy. , I need a bit advice myself: Expanded my Pylontech to 6x 2.4 over 4 years now with Luxpower inverter. Master battery shows alarm red light. I moved them around to eliminate faulty unit, but they seem be fine-it's the communication between Lux and Pylon, I believe. Do you know, if newest unit (with latest software) shall be the Master? Do we need to fiddle with micro Dip switches? Is there any setting within Luxpower unit? Thanks- no one seems to know....
Hi. I have one Pylontech US3000 which in the summer months charges by mid morning which the means the remainder of the day we are feeding to the grid. On winter days we don’t even charge that battery. Is it worth getting an additional battery?
Nice video, I'm installing 2x 4.8 with a solis invertor next month. I use around 10 to 11 a day not including my car charging. I'm finding really hard to find installers in London as I'm providing the equipment myself. I have a wallbox pulsar charger do you know if the bms will communicate with that charger as I've been told to change which I'm not willing to at this moment.
The BMS on the battery will only communicate with your battery inverter and only then if it's connected up correctly and your inverter has the compatible firmware. Why should your wall box want to communicate with the BMS?
@@nicholashowell sorry I was basically trying to say that if I install the solis invertor and battery storage pylontech can I tell the system not to allow the car to charge via the battery but only via the grid at night
@@TheKerr1983 I see what you mean now. I'm not familiar with the Solis inverter but some other inverters allow you to set a time period when the inverter will be inactive or charging from the grid. If the Solis will let you do this then you could set it up to be inactive during the time when you would charge your car.
Hi. I think the C versions have a slightly different controller/BMS. They have a special startup mode so that they can limit inrush current to the inverter when first connected. This is better for the inverter as rapid current flow into the capacitors can damage them. There may be some other differences too.
I am trying to decide on an hybrid inverter that works with pylon tech batteries but I also want the inverter to have smart connectivity to Octopus and home assistant. Do you have any recommendations?
I know of some off-grid inverters that would give you more than 3kW discharge but not of any grid-tied ones, though I'm certain there probably are some out there.
I'm not sure the powerwall was out when I got my first battery. The modular nature of these batteries means I can add to them over time without having to buy it in one hit. I also wanted something that I can control from my own software.
I think it depends largely on where you get it from but it seems to cost almost exactly the same a 2 of the US2000 units. About £1600 or more here in the UK.
Currently got 2 us5000 pylon tech batteries and 8.5 solar array. If I changed my boiler to electric and bought another battery, charged it during the cheap hours then run my boiler (4kw) off the battery would this work to get me through winter in the uk? Would you recommend this?
If it's an electric boiler then i wouldn't recommend it. A heat pump would be a much better idea and with its lower power consumption might allow you to heat the house all day from your batteries. It depends on how well insulated your house is.
Mazeltov ! So with the 5000 (as master) it is possible to mix with the 2500 and extend the 2500 more than 8 , is it right ? Has you said , i believe also it is not the best (for common houses) to have more than 1 or 2 x 5000 mixed with 2500 or others , also because if something wrong hapened , 5000w ( a big amount) are lost instead losing 2500w . Thanks for your shares .
I don't think you can have more than 8 still but I could be wrong. There is a trade off with the batteries and no perfect answer. More US5000 means less physical batteries so less chance of something going wrong but if something does go wrong, you will lose a bigger part of your capacity. They also take up less physical space.
I'm an electrician who works with battery banks a fair bit in a commercial environment...If I had a battery bank like this under my stair case the only reason I would remove the plaster board would be to replace it with fire rated plaster board. I would consider mounting them in a metal cabinet for fire & explosion safety, I wouldn't sit them on a wooden floor under an unprotected wooden stair case juuust in case.
Yeah, I understand, but these are lithium iron phosphate batteries and unlike other lithium ion batteries they don't really suffer from thermal runaway so are very safe. I'm more concerned about the inverters if I'm honest.
Hello. For my Home Battery setup I am considering the pylontect US3000/5000 batteries with a Victron inverter. Both my solar PV system are grid tied with AC inverters. Would you have any alternative suggestions. Thanks
I think the Sofar ME3000SP is quite a good grid tied battery inverter but also has an off-grid mode. It can charge/discharge at a maximum of 3000 Watts. I believe it is compatible with US2000 and US3000 batteries from Pylontech but not yet with the US5000 series.
@@nicholashowell 21.7.22] Sofar have confirmed the ME3000 is now compatible with the Pylon US5000 battery, providing the unit has V3.1 firmware as a minimum.
@@nicholashowell So with normal and careful use it would probably last a lot longer? I'm looking to build an offgrid system that can power a washing machine, a boiler, a gaming pc and some knickknacks.
@@ArmageddonAfterparty oh yeah. The technology has moved on in those 8 years. The Extra2000 was their original battery. The US2000 is half the size for the same capacity. These new packs are rated for 15 years.
Lol, I bought US3000C batteries, as my battery stash is in the loft of my house, and I have to drag them up a small ladder through a small hatch. There is no way I'd get that beast up there!
@@nicholashowell Yes, I have a temp sensor on the battery stack. It’s a lot cooler up there since the roof was covered in panels. It was the hottest day of the year today, 27C outside, the batteries reached 32.9C.
@@nicholashowell i was asked by Pylontech to unchange the Dip switch on the Master UP5000 as the dip codes is upside down.. For the US2000, to just move all dips to the bottom. Is that right?
You shouldn't need to touch the 4 notch switches, they are mostly used for configuring multiple banks of batteries but if you have just a single stack you're fine. The master battery is the one with no connection in the Link 0 port.
Ive been on a battery hunt over in UK but I want something that will at least support a kettle at 3,000w power draw without having to take anything from the grid, when its night time and I boil a kettle with 4xUS5000 fully charged I shouldn't be pulling jack from the grid but the continuous discharge rate on these are apparently 2400w, seems like these batteries are ok for lots of low consumption stuff and with UK want to get rid of gas in next several years I don't think this will cut it. Is the discharge rate battery or inverter dependent? Still trying to learn but the VAT on batteries on their own but VAT free with a solar install is holding up my 5.2kw solar install.
Actually the US5000 has a max continuous discharge of 100 amps which equates to about 5000W. Just one battery would be enough to supply all the power to a 3000W kettle. What you would need is an inverter capable of that kind of output. A Sofar ME3000 for example can put out a maximum of 3000 Watts so would just about cover it. There are more powerful inverters though that can put out more.
@@nicholashowell I thought the max was for a short duration, honestly its all confusing to me when it says 2400 continuous discharge and then for another battery it wont state that but only state teh amps and im not a sparky I got now clue what that means for watts and load. I am trying to future proof and want to be able during winter months to do some cooking whether it be air fryer or electric oven but don't want to be drawing from teh grid if batteries are full and in the summer want to have at least one AC unit running. If the 5,000w is sustained load but inverter dependent then I will get 4x4.8kw units so it can be charged on the cheap during crappy winter days. I am trying my best to wrap my head around all this and the only thing holding up my whole install is the battery VAT lol
@@nicholashowell This is what I read Continuous Discharge Rate (Normal Use): 2400 W ; Maximum Discharge Rate (5 Minutes): 4800 W ; I was given a quote for 3xUS5000 and a Solis S5-EH1P-L Hybrid Inverter
So long as the batteries are the same chemistry and the same base voltage (48V in this case) then it is fine to put them together. Only the capacity differs. With the Pylontech batteries though, you do need to make sure that the newest battery is the primary as this will likely have the newest version of the BMS firmware.
@@nicholashowell thanks, panic over, I watched a few other videos and realised that once all the lights have come on, they then go off and the run light flashes intermittently - also getting 49+V at the main terminals so all good (just need some long leads now!)
hi, moving from 24v victro based system with lifepo4 batteries wired in 2s2p configuration to a victron / pylontech system, only got 1600w of solar at present but its all south east so i get decent input, plus have 2*250 panels i use to charge the delta 2 and extra battery, basically i have an off grid office inside my house, looking to get another 1.2kw of panels, dont want to be grid tied as will be downsizing in about 3 years and want to take the kit with me. also house roof is east facing but the gable end is south facing. Anyhow brill video on the us5000 and th eother stuff, I have just bought my 48v victron bits and 1 us3000c battery, on a good day one battery wont be enough as my 4 * 24v batteries get full by 1pm and i have to start using stuff to use the extra power . So i have 3 questions, i saw a video of a guy using a nh fuse as a disconnect, he had 80a fuses for positive and negative. and 2 us3000c wired in parallel, should i put my us5000 in parallel with my current us 3000 or connect them seperately to the victron lynx distributor? , i dont have the us5000 yet so should i wait for the new model with the breaker on the front, i thinks it a us5000c. also if i wire them in parallel what size fuse should i use ?, if i wire them seperately i was going to use a 40nh fuse for the us3000c, what would you recommend for the us5000? thanks
It depends on what your inverter can pull from the batteries as well as what they can supply. I would have thought a 100 amp fuse on the positive and negative would probably be sufficient. That's what I've got on mine because my inverter shouldn't ever pull more than that. It's a useful way to disconnect the batteries from the inverter too. I think unless you have a good reason not to, you should just connect the 5000 and 3000 in parallel, connect the link ports via cable and then they will both talk to your inverter through the master (I'd make the 5000 the master as it's newer). I can't really see much benefit to waiting for the US5000C personally.
Just taken delivery of 3 x US5000 and trying work out how to get them into the loft! They power on the same way yours did - run light flashes but no charge indicated - seems odd if they are at 49.4v, they should be showing some charge on the green lights? Hopefully getting it all wired up at the weekend (waiting for inverter to be delivered). The manuals aren't brilliant and a bit ambiguous in places, especially around comms to the inverter and the pin out on the lead but in theory I have a Pylontech lead coming which should sort that (they appear to no longer ship them as part of the "long lead" sets for some reason).
I wouldn't put them in my loft purely because it gets too hot up there in the summer and heat is not good for their longevity. Yours maybe different but probably worth checking on a really sunny day. I think they show charge state when something is happening charging/discharging. If there is no load I think they kind of sleep.
@@nicholashowell yeah I was going to put them on the garage but it's a bit damp in there and get very cold in winter which isn't good either. I did check loft during the heat wave and it got to just above 40, so still in spec. I may add some ventilation if it becomes a problem. Intending to install air conditioning before next summer so I should be able to pull cool air from one of the rooms below and control it with a rPi. I'm getting Solar Assistant which will help me monitor it all.
@@nicholashowell a 5kW SunSynk ECCO hybrid inverter. Originally selected a Solis model but poor connectivity options with that and Sunsynk is slightly more capable on paper and had better availability.
My main issue at the moment is electrician scratching his head a bit about the earthing requirements for the inverter. I think as I won't be using it in island mode at all it doesn't need any special earthing over and above any other box on the end of a cable, so no need for relay operated neutral to earth bonding etc.
Yes it's the theoretical ideal but it doesn't really make that much difference, especially if you take the positive from the first in the chain and the negative from the last.
@@nicholashowell My understanding is that the battery cables supplied can only handle 100 Amps continuous and 120 Amps peak Depending on the size of your inverter, Pylonteck actually recommend that you take extra leads back to the inverter. So that means, when your stack is big enough, you need to take a positive and a negative from the first battery and also from the last battery back to the inverter or to a busbar first The past now is that if you were in theory to have a stack of 16 batteries, you would only be able to draw 200 Amps continuous, because of the limitations of the battery leads So large stacks would be great from a storage perspective, but not from a high load perspective Major design fault on their part. I have not see thicker battery cables options
@@capebee4839 You are right that the cables are only good for 100 amps but in my case that is more than I need. My inverter can only output 3000W so will never pull more than 60 amps. I think Pylontech do a higher voltage battery for people with higher load demands.
The attic is not really the best place for them as it can get very hot up there in the summer and very cold in the winter. The batteries have an operating temperature range.
Hi Re Advantages of 5 over 2 I think the extended life 15 + years is the main benefit, I don't think you mentioned that. You did'nt see how the 5 had 5 extra years lifespan with the same cycles. Could it be that stores twice the energy of the 2, so the discharge would last longer hence longer life. Educate me if I'm wrong Thanks Andy
I think you are right. I believe the pouch cells inside are the same chemistry so as you say the reason for the longer lifespan is due to the higher capacity. The discharge would last longer and also the strain on the cells would be less and so they would last longer due to being treated more gently.
Does anyone know if Pylontech Batteries hooked up to a Solax SK SU inveter could ve used during a blackout (totally off grid) or is this not possible ?
@@FireFlySamson The Solax inverter has a separate output that goes live in a grid down event. You could run a lead off that to power an extension to plug some emergency items like fridge freezer and broadband router. If you want to run the light circuit in your house though you have to feed that lead back to your consumer unit. You can't do that without disconnecting your consumer unit from the grid otherwise you will back feed power on to the grid which could injure workers who are working to fix the power cut. So you have to have a special transfer switch installed. This is not something you should do for yourself. It must be fitted by a qualified electrician.
Hello I have now purchased 3 x Pylontect US 5000 batteries, I wish to stack them one on top of each other. In your opinion, do you think I should insert battery spacers between the batteries. Thanks
Thanks for your comments concerning spacing between the batteries . My next question is currently my Overdischarge SOC is set at 20% and the Forcedcharge SOC at 15%. In your opinion would 10% or 5% be ok for the Overdischarge (these pylontect batteries have a 95% depth of discharge) and 5% for the Forcedcharge? My Solis inverter will cope with these percentages. Thanks
@@anthonycain6643 That sounds perfectly reasonable to me. If you set the min SOC to 10% and the forced charge to 5%. I don't have a Solis inverter but I've got mine set to min SOC of 10% and it's fine.
@@nicholashowell Hi Nicholas. This morning charged up the batteries with off peak electricity 00:30-04:30. It is programmed to do the same again tomorrow. What happens when the batteries get to 100% during this 4 hour charging cycle, will the charging stop ? Thanks
Did you repair the underside of the staircase? Because your staircase has to be fire rated, to allow you sufficient time to get out of the property in case of a fire. Apologise if you know this, but better safe than sorry.
If they were standard lithium ion then I would agree but lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO) doesn't catch fire so I think it's quite safe. I'm personally more concerned with the inverters.
@@nicholashowell Thanks for info.Is the Sofar ME3000Sp with the Pylontect a good match. Does this setup switch to backup mode in the event of grid blackout?
@@anthonycain6643 The Sofar ME3000 doesn't have any fans either I believe so it should be silent. That being said, if you are going to get it installed in a confined space like a cupboard then it will need to be well ventilated. Your installer should be able to confirm. The Sofar does have a EPS circuit that becomes active in a power cut but it will need a transfer switch and associated wiring to run loads in your house. Your installer will know what to do.
If the batteries are too different in voltage then when you connect them together in parallel current will flow from the higher voltage pack into the lower voltage one. If the current is too big the BMS will disconnect the cells to protect the battery and so it won't balance at all. You can work out how much current will flow and so long as it is within the charge/discharge specs of the battery you are ok.
Yeah it's added in parallel. I don't think the capacity of the others makes any difference. Yes they will have lost some capacity over time but that won't affect the new one other than it will take on a bigger proportion of the load.
@@nicholashowell that depends on your amperage requirement. So lets say that you require 150A to run your house from your batteries. If the US5000 is the last one with any juice on it, then it will deliver that 150A alone, and that is outside the specs of the battery and it might shut off (bms overcurrent protection) Hence you can “only” pull 4800 Watts when all other batteries are depleted. In practise this might mean that you will never take advantage of half og the US5000
@@necroshy As I said, the newer one will take on a bigger proportion of the load but it won't be an issue since my maximum draw is 60 amps. The US5000 can comfortably supply 60 amps so I will always be able to use the entire capacity.
tengo una de 3000kw podria poner una de 5000 tambien funcionando a la vez I have a 3000kw I could put a 5000kw also running at the same time. Thank you and I look forward to your response. Greetings
Yeah I've just noticed this with the newer ones. My original Extra2000 series have 16 cells so they used to but the newer USx000 series use 15. Must be to make them cheaper.
