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solarmanu avatar image
solarmanu asked

Weco batteries not compatible with Victron?

I have a Victron setup with a Weco 4k4 battery. Weco claims that they're compatible with Victron but it doesn't work well.

Has anyone else got a similar setup? Similar issues? And solutions?

There's lots of problems with the system: the monitor on the battery (LED on the side) never shows that it's charged (it's always only one bar). On the Cerbo GX, the battery's monitor is always showing "charging" whereas it's discharging and vice versa. When the MPPT is used as the battery monitor, the battery never charges more than 95%.

The technician tried many things: a different data cable, resetting the Cerbo GX and even swapping for a new Weco battery. The problem didn't go away. It also seems other installations Victron/Weco are facing the same problem. Now the shop is saying that I need to get a different battery, so spend more money.

My setup is : Victron Multiplus 5KVa, Smart Solar 250/100, Venus Cerbo GX, 10 solar panels of 345W and one Weco 4k4 battery. It's fully off-grid.

https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/108778/is-my-setup-working-or-are-the-issues-serious.html


battery
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weco-uae-1 avatar image weco-uae-1 commented ·
Hello, weco batteries can work with multiple inverters but it is necessary to select the right protocol in order to establish the communication.

You can change the default protocol ( WECOCAN) with VICTRON CAN, using the mobile APP, or via the weco-monitor ( win10 and an RS232/usb converter )if you are not able to see WECO on your color control means you have not followed our instructions or maybe our distributors did not provide you the right manual

You can write an email to service@wecobatteries.com 24/7 and our team will support you with the set up.

Kind Regards

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weco-uae-1 avatar image weco-uae-1 commented ·
Hello, from the description provided in this post we can guarantee that your battery is not properly set up.

Please upgrade the FW to the latest version available on our website, change protocol to VictronCan and make sure the data cable has the right PIN OUT( you can find the pin out manual on www.wecobatteries.com)


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3 Answers
solarmanu avatar image
solarmanu answered ·

Hi @Ahmed Ali yes it was sorted after I contacted Weco. The installer hadn't programmed the battery as they didn't have the USB dongle to connect to it (and they didn't know that it was needed). It's working now.

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ahmed-ali avatar image ahmed-ali commented ·
Thanks for sharing your experience, Good learning.
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Fideri avatar image Fideri commented ·
Hi @Solarmanu

Do you know of a reputable tech in UG familiar with Victron gear? The techs I have used before are all fake! Thanks

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Matthias Lange - DE avatar image
Matthias Lange - DE answered ·

If Weco claims that they're compatible with Victron you should ask them for help.

There is a list of official supported batteries:
https://www.victronenergy.com/live/battery_compatibility:start

Unsupported 3rd Party Battery BMS

There are many other 3rd party options on the market, and some claim compatibility with Victron. If they are not listed above, from Victron's perspective they are considered untested, and unsupported.

Ongoing support and features may be limited if you use a 3rd party battery that is not listed as supported above.

While we always recommend to use the known-compatible options above first, if you choose an unsupported option please seek support from that 3rd party supplier.

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weco-uae-1 avatar image weco-uae-1 commented ·

Dear Matthias, WeCo did not claim we are approved by Victron but yes we have implemented the protocol and actually works normally on several systems.

The most common issue is usually caused by the wrong protocol selection on our battery bms, usually this can be easily fixed using the WeCo APP and selecting the right protocol.

Our tech team usually offer support in real time to anyone that needs support, the email is: service@wecobatteries.com

Kind Regards

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solarmanu avatar image
solarmanu answered ·

Yes, I know that Weco are not officially compatible with Victron but they claim that they are. It's hard to get Victron-compatible batteries in Kenya. I emailed Weco and they sent me towards the shop so it was not helpful.

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weco-uae-1 avatar image weco-uae-1 commented ·
Dear Solarmanu,

Can you please FWD the email you sent to us? We don’t answer as you said and we normally offer direct service to our customers. This i very unusual. Please feel free to contact us anytime we will guide you in fixing your problem. Most likely it’s just a wrong protocol selection from the mobile APP.

Service@wecobatteries.com

Kind Regards

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ahmed-ali avatar image ahmed-ali commented ·

@Solarmanu was this sorted out? Are you able to monitor the batteries on the Cerbo?

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