Kodak Pylon Application Note

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Using KODAK VMIII, King and Max Off-Grid inverters

with Pylontech and KODAK batteries

INTRODUCTION

The KODAK off-grid inverter range, matched with Pylontech batteries or their own Force L1 and FL5.2 ranges, offer a compelling solution for reliably delivering energy to an off-grid or
end-of-line supply, including during periods of load-shedding.

The inverter prioritises how it uses power from the different supply sources to maximise the use of solar generation and energy storage, all while ensuring seamless provision of power to
important loads.

Energy produced by the PV system is used firstly to supply household loads; excess energy is used to charge the batteries. The inverter communicates with the battery BMS to
determine accurately when to reduce the charge rate as the battery nears capacity or when to reduce the discharge rate as the battery nears empty. This is important to maximise the
potential of the battery and prolong its life.

When the PV energy output is insufficient to support the loads, the system automatically uses stored energy from the batteries. If the battery capacity is also insufficient to meet
consumption requirements, electricity will be drawn from the grid. In addition, the KODAK King inverter can combine energy sources to meet the load. For example, taking the available PV
power and discharging the battery at the appropriate rate.

Load shedding is the radical practice of shutting off whole districts for several hours to reduce the peak load to within available capacity. It has been common in South Africa and lately in
Zimbabwe. A correctly specified KODAK system will provide energy security to a home.

THE KODAK OG INVERTER RANGE

KODAK has a range of off-grid inverters in stock at SegenSolar:

• OG5.48 VMIII rated 5kW at 48V


• OG3.24 VMIII rated 3kW at 24V
• OG-PLUS5.48 King rated 5kW at 48V
• OG-PLUS3.24 King rated 3kW at 24V
• OGX5.48 MKSII rated 5kW at 48V
• OG-7.2 Max rated at 7kW at 48V

The inverters are split into four models: the VMIII, the MKSII, the King and the Max. This document focusses on the VMIII, King and Max models because of their suitability for load-shedding
systems. On the next pages, the main features of all four KODAK OG inverters are compared. All of them come with the SegenSolar Assured certification. After that, three example KODAK
systems are shown, each perfectly suited to supplying power during load shedding. Choose which is the most appropriate for your customer based on their needs.
KODAK Off-Grid OG5.48 or OG3.24 OGX5.48 OG-PLUS5.48 or OG-PLUS3.24 OG-7.2
Inverters
KODAK Partno
Most simple and affordable of the Mid-range KODAK off-grid inverter that Clever off-grid inverter that features Why parallel when you can power
KODAK off-grid inverter range with can be offered instead of the Axpert UPS and permanent smooth 230V up to 7kW with a single inverter?
battery BMS communication. MKSII AC Higher PV yield and boosted
capacity.
Equivalent Voltronic VMIII MKSII KING MAX
Model

DC Operation
MPPT Voltage Range 120-430V 120-430V 60-115V 90-450V
Max MPPT Voltage 500V 450V 145V 500
Max PV Module Power 5000W(@48V) 4000W(24V) 4500W 4000W(@48) 1500W(@24V) 8000W

Battery
Battery Voltage 48V or 24V 48V 48V or 24V 48V
Max Solar Charge Current 80A 80A 80A 80A
Max AC Charge Current 60A 80A 60A 80A

AC Operation
Parallel Operation No, single unit only Yes, up to 6 units Yes, up to 6 units Yes, up to 6 units
Direct Battery BMS Yes, connect directly to Pylon No, add the ICC for detailed battery Yes, connect directly to Pylon Yes, connect directly to Pylon
Communication battery communication. battery battery
Transfer Time: Grid to 15-20ms 15-20ms 0-4ms. Best for vital loads: servers, 15-20ms
Battery Mode ATMs etc
Special Feature Produces permanent 230V AC, Features dual MPPT for
even when the grid is connected. superior PV yield and therefore
more charging.
KODAK Off-Grid Storage
Systems

KODAK System Partno OG5.48-FL5.2 OG-PLUS5.48-L1-BATT-7.1 OG-7.2-FL5.2-2


Why install this storage system? Simple and affordable system suitable Mid-range system with more storage capac- Premium load shedding system with high
for managing sudden loads of up to 5kW ity and useful features: UPS and permanent discharge power of up to 7kW. Max PV
thanks to the 1C battery discharge rate. smooth 230V AC for keeping loads running input of 8kW with dual MPPT helps improve
reliably. battery SoC.
PV Array Charging

MPPT Voltage Range 120-430V 60-115V 90-450V

Max MPPT Voltage 500V 145V 500V

Typical DC String Layout 2 Strings of 8 x 60 or 72 cell modules 4 Strings of 3 x 60 cell modules 2 Strings of 11 x 60 or 9 x 72 cell modules

Max PV module power 5000W 4000W 8000W

Battery
Battery Capacity 5.1kWh 7.1kWh 10.2kWh

Battery Voltage 48V

Max Solar Charge Current 80A 80A 80A

Max AC Charge Current 60A 60A 80A

AC Operation

Max Sustained Load 5kW 5kW 7kW

Peak Load (3 secs) 10kW 5kW 15kW

Parallel Inverter Operation No, single unit only Yes, up to 6 units Yes, up to 6 units

Direct Battery BMS Communication Yes, connect directly to KODAK battery

Transfer Time: Grid to battery mode 15-20ms 0-4ms. Suitable for important loads: servers, 15-20ms
ATMs etc
Special Feature Produces permanent 230V AC, even when Dual MPPT for superior PV generation and
the grid is connected. improved battery charging.
SUCCESSFUL SYSTEM SIZING

How much power should the system deliver?

A properly specified system will be able to discharge fast enough to power the specified household loads and have enough battery capacity to last long enough.
Ultimately, the questions of "how much power" and "how long for" can only be answered by speaking to your customer and understanding what they want to achieve from
their KODAK system.

A thorough understanding of how your customer typically uses energy in their home will enable you to plot how their power use varies during a typical day: a load profile.
An example domestic curve is shown below. The base loads are represented by a straight line because they do not vary. Base loads are typically fridges, security or routers.
Then, depending on the time of day, other loads might be added and result in a total power demand that’s much higher than the baseline. If the grid is available any sudden
peaks that are too high for the KODAK system to provide are drawn from the grid instead. During load shedding though, the grid isn’t available, so the KODAK system must
be able to provide enough power for any loads the customer may want to run, including the peaks.

SegenSolar has a detailed Battery Calculator which allows you to choose a load profile that matches your customer’s energy use and then test how different storage
systems perform. A complete user guide for the battery calculator is available here.

The maximum sustained output power for each of the systems is given in the chart above, allowing you to choose which can deliver enough energy to meet your
customer’s needs.

Battery Capacity

Once you’ve agreed with the customer how much power the system should be able to supply the other question is how long those loads should be powered for.
Again, having a good understanding of the customer’s energy use is vital because delivering high power for an extended period requires far more battery capacity than for
a brief surge. A load profile like the one above helps here as well.

All the 48V KODAK OG inverters are compatible with Pylontech US2000 and US3000 batteries and the KODAK Force L1 and FL5.2 batteries, so there are plenty of
combinations available to suit your customer’s requirements. The chart on the previous page gives the battery capacity for each of the suggested KODAK systems. For
example, the OG5.48-FL5.2 system can discharge the FL5.2 at 5kW because that’s the capacity of the inverter, but at that rate the battery will be empty in one hour.
Given that a period of load shedding typically lasts for three hours, the OG5.48-FL5.2 should be used to power smaller loads, say 1kW essential loads, for longer. If higher
power loads do need to be powered during load shedding, more battery capacity should be added.
Inverter Features and Limitations

The OG5.48 is the most affordable and simplest combination available and is suitable for low power domestic demands. The VMIII is also available in a 3kW 24V model to
be used with the 24V Pylontech models for supplying even smaller loads. The VMIII cannot be paralleled, and so should only be chosen for systems where the loads do
not exceed 5kW.

For larger demands, consider installing an KODAK OGX5.48 which has the same rated power but can be connected in parallel with other units. The current sharing cable
and communication cable are included with the inverter. The parallel board is factory-installed.

The KODAK OG-PLUS5.48 can be used when more features are needed to support particularly important loads, and also has the ability to support parallel connections.

Finally, the OG-7.2 has a much higher max PV input, which makes it much more effective at topping up the battery during the sunlight hours. It has dual MPPTs, which means
it can extract far more energy from PV arrays on dual-aspect roof areas. Putting a portion of the PV array on a north-west facing roof means more energy will be available
in the late afternoon and early evening, when most homes use more energy (as seen from the load profile earlier). The high output power of the Max means it should be
sufficient for the vast majority of homes, which means there is no need to increase the complexity of the system by adding extra inverters in parallel.

Please check out SegenSolar’s full range of pre-defined packages that show what combinations of KODAK inverters and batteries are most recommended. A full range of
installation manuals and other technical guidance can be found on the product pages.

Direct BMS Communication

A very useful feature available with the OG (VMIII) and OG-PLUS (King) and Max models is the ability to connect the inverter directly to the battery with a Cat5 cable. This
enables the BMS to tell the inverter exactly what charge current to supply based on its precise SoC. This prevents the inverter wasting energy or potentially damaging the
battery. This also means no other external communication module is needed to get the best out of the battery.

To enable this communication, use the included cable pre-terminated with RJ45s. The end with Pin 7 and 8 is for the battery connection.
The KODAK inverters have Bluetooth for local communication using a phone. Use the WatchPower app and password ‘123456’ to pair your phone with the inverter. It’s then
possible to see detailed information about the system operation, including battery SoC and the charging current. The full user guide for inverter/battery communication
is here.

Remote Monitoring

The KODAK inverter range does not feature remote monitoring. The WatchPower app can be used for communicating with the
sys-tem locally, or the inverter can be hardwired to a PC with the bundled software installed.

If remote monitoring is required, consider adding the Centurion ICC for connecting the system to the Internet and using the their
comprehensive monitoring software.

KODAK King Steady 230V

The two King models are particularly useful for using in homes that have a variable voltage AC supply. This is quite common at
locations at the end of a transmission area or rural locations. The variable AC voltage can cause appliances, particularly those with
motors or pumps, to not operate efficiently. At best, this will waste energy. At worst, it could cause appliances to fail.

Other comparable off-grid inverters only produce nominal 230V when the grid goes down, but the King models produce it all the
time. This steady 230V available to the home at all times improves the running of appliances and ensures that very important loads
can run all the time. Notice the output voltage taken from the King LCD below:

KODAK King Rapid Reactions

The KODAK King models have an extremely fast reaction time when detecting a loss of AC supply. They can switch to discharging
the battery in as little as 4 milliseconds, which is barely detectable. This means important loads such as servers, ATMs or security
equipment can continue operation with no interruption. The King is not technically a UPS specifically because it has no
dedicated storage for covering the changeover time, but its speed and reliability mean than it performs as well as UPS equipment
that would be much more expensive to run.
Lithium Ion Battery Partners to KODAK OG Inverters

All are fully compatible with the KODAK hybrid inverters mentioned earlier. This table compares some of their important features.

Pylontech Partno FL5.2 L1-BATT-7.1-BMU PYLON-US2000C PYLON-US3000C

Nominal Voltage 48V 48V 48V 48V

Nominal Capacity 5.12kWh per battery 3.55kWh per battery 2.4kWh per battery 3.55kWh per battery

Usable Capacity 4.6kWh per battery 3.2kWh per battery 2.28kWh per battery 3.374kWh per battery

Minimum per system 1 2 2 2

Maximum per system 4 (20.48kWh) 7 (24.85kWh) 16 (38.4kWh) 16 (56.8kWh)

Nominal Charge/Discharge 106A 74A 24A 37A

Max Charge/Discharge 106A 74A 24A 37A

Weight 48kg per battery 32kg per battery 24kg per battery 34kg per battery

The charging parameters currently need to be pre-programmed into the inverter at point of commissioning. This is where SegenSolar’s Assured service comes into
its own. We will ship the inverter and battery to you with the inverter communication configuration already done.
Compare Lithium with Lead

Lithium-ion batteries, such as the KODAK range, have various distinct advantages over lead-acid which are described in detail in our separate application note about
choosing the best battery for your off-grid inverter.

This quick summary table compares some of the important features of a similarly sized lithium and lead battery bank and shows the estimated lifetime cost of energy.
That lower cost for lithium, combined with the other benefits lithium brings, make it an obvious choice to work best in a dependable load-shedding system.

Lead Acid price per kWh KODAK FL5.2 Lithium-Ion price per kWh
Lead Acid Cycles @ 50% kWh Storage Initial Cost Price per kWh KODAK Bank Cycles @ 90% kWh Storage Initial Cost Price per kWh
Bank (48V) DoD (48V) DoD

8 x 200Ah 2200 9.6kWh R36,000 R1.72 2 x FL5.2 6000 8.6kWh R57,000 R1.10
(400Ah) (200Ah)

When considering the size of the required Lithium battery bank there are two key factors:
1. The usable storage capacity
2. The power required
Both aspects should be considered, and the number of KODAK Lithium-Ion batteries specified should meet at least the minimum required based on both
criteria.
Storage Capacity
The Force L1 and FL5.2 Lithium-Ion batteries have a DoD of 90% when used with the KODAK inverters, which compares to 50% for typical lead-acid batteries. In order to
provide the same storage capacity the minimum suggested replacement options, whereby KODAK is used to replace the most commonly used 48V lead acid battery
banks, are shown in the table below:

Pylontech Lithium-Ion options for replacing Lead Acid


Current Lead Solution KODAK FL5.2 KODAK Force L1
Lead Acid Bank(48V) kWh Useable Pylontech US2000B-PLUS kWh Useable Pylontech US3000 Li-Ion kWh Useable
(50% DoD) Li-Ion Bank (90% DoD) Bank (90% DoD)
4 x 200Ah (150Ah) 3.6kWh 1 x FL5.2 (100Ah) 4.3kWh 2 x Force L1 (148Ah) 6.4kWh
4 x 200Ah (200Ah) 4.8kWh 1 x FL5.2 (100Ah) 4.6kWh 2 x Force L1 (148Ah) 6.4kWh
8 x 200Ah (300Ah) 7.2kWh 2 x FL5.2 (200Ah) 8.6kWh 3 x Force L1 (220Ah) 9.5kWh
8 x 200Ah (400Ah) 9.6kWh 2 x FL5.2 (200Ah) 8.6kWh 4 x Force L1 (295Ah) 12.7kWh
12 x 200Ah (450Ah) 10.8kWh 3 x FL5.2 (300Ah) 12.9kWh 4 x Force L1 (295Ah) 12.7kWh
12 x 200Ah (600Ah) 14.4kWh 4 x FL5.2 (400Ah) 17.3kWh 6 x US3000 (370Ah) 16.0kWh
So for example, a 150Ah 48V lead acid battery bank comprising 4 x 150Ah batteries and giving an effective 3.6kWh of storage at 50% DoD could realistically be replaced
with 2 x Force L1 Lithium-Ion batteries, or a single FL5.2 which provide 6.4kWh and 4.3kWh storage respectively at 90% DoD.

In many cases the original lead-acid battery bank being replaced may have been too small to fully meet the client’s requirements and therefore consideration should be
given to replacing it with a Lithium-Ion battery bank with a larger capacity.

Power Rating
When used with a KODAK inverter, a Pylontech US2000 Lithium-Ion battery will deliver 1.5kWh usable energy when discharged at 1.2kW, or 1.9kWh usable energy can be
utilised if drawing at 600W.

Therefore, to take into account the expected current draw of the inverter, SegenSolar recommends that the minimum number of Pylontech Lithium-Ion batteries be linked
to the site-specific base load as follows:

Recommended Base Load Max Nominal Load No. of Pylontech Lithium-Ion No. of Pylontech Lithium-Ion
2.4kWh Batteries 3.5kWh Batteries
1.2kW 2.4kW 2 2

1.8kW 3.6kW 3 2

2.4kW 4.8kW 4 3

3.0kW 6.0kW 5 4

3.6kW 7.2kW 6 4

4.2kW 8.4kW 7 5

4.8kW 9.6kW 8 6

6.0kW 12.0kW 10 7

BATTERY SETUP

Pylontech US2000 and US3000

Use the binary switches to give the battery an address. Each battery must have its own number i.e in a two-battery system, one battery
will be number 1 and the other number 2.
To set these the following guide shows numbers 1 to 4 in relation to the switches position.

Battery address 1st DIP position 2nd DIP position 3rd DIP position 4th DIP position
1 ON OFF OFF OFF
2 OFF ON OFF OFF
3 ON ON OFF OFF
4 OFF OFF ON OFF

DC Cable connection: With multiple batteries, you will need to connect the batteries together in parallel. The cable to do this comes with the battery (inside the box)
The links should be fitted as per the image below.

With this connection done, there will be one battery with a DC output spare, this will be where the DC cable to the KODAK inverter
is fitted. Please note that the battery leads to connect the inverter needs to be purchased separately. The Pylon battery cable set
can be found on the portal. Part No: CAB-PK-PYLON

With multiple batteries, you will need to connect the BMS of each on together, as per the image below, connecting LAN ports
0 to 1 until all batteries are linked.

The battery with the highlighted LAN port 0 empty will be the master. All others will be slaves. Please note that The LAN port 0 is
NOT used beyond this point.

Turn on the battery – flick all of the battery rocker switches to ON, then hold the RED SW button of the MASTER BATTERY only
until the battery turns on. In turn the master will then turn all of the other batteries on.
Other KODAK Package Components

Each SegenSolar’s pre-defined domestic packages include all the essential components to get the system up and running.

- KODAK inverter
- KODAK batteries
- A DC protection box. The box will feature inputs for up to 4 DC strings when purchased with the King models, or 2 inputs for the VMIII and MKSII models.
This is to suit differing MPPT ranges of the KODAK models. The DC boxes also feature fusing where required and Type II SPDs.
- Robust Keto-0 fused DC disconnector

The inverter data sheets and inverter installation manuals can be found on the SegenSolar portal.

SegenSolar portal services

The SegenSolar portal has a System Designer tool which allows installers to create their own battery packages:
http://portal.segensolar.co.za/Reseller/PVDesigner

Please speak to your Account Manager or Technical Support representative if you require training on how to use the System Design tool. The design tool will allow the
user to create a quote quickly and easily with all the necessary components. All the available stock levels are shown as well as any incoming deliveries.
About KODAK

KODAK is a globally recognised brand synonymous with quality and putting the end user experience first. It was founded officially in 1888 in New York and has been
involved with producing a wide range of electronic and printing products since. Its PV inverters are a strong blend of great functionality focussed on what homeowners
need, with a simple install process and affordable prices. KODAK’s solar products are licenced in South Africa by Blue Mountain Solar Ltd.

Further info: https://bluemountainpv.com/kodaksolarproducts/

Disclaimer:

To the best of our knowledge, the information contained herein is accurate and reliable as of
the date of publication; however, Segensolar (Pty) Ltd does not assume any liability
whatsoever for the accuracy and completeness of the information. Any information given in
this document does not constitute any warranty of suitability for a particular use. It is the
users' responsibility to satisfy themselves as to the suitability of the products to their
particular purpose. The users of this document should always refer to the relevant
manufacturer's own specifications, datasheets, manuals, warranties, and all other applicable
documentation.

For further advice relating to the content of this document, please contact
TechSupportPty@segen.co.uk
Copyright 2019 Blue Mountain Energy Ltd
The Kodak trademark, logo and trade dress are used under license from Kodak
www.bluemountainpv.co.za

SEGENSOLAR PTY: JOHANNESBURG SEGENSOLAR PTY: CAPE TOWN CONTACT US:

245 Masjien Street 1 Gulfstream Avenue Email: info@segensolar.co.za


Strijdompark, Matroosfontein Cape Town: +27 (0) 21 001 0589
Randburg Cape Town / 087 151 1656
Gauteng, 2194 Western Cape, 7490 Johannesburg: +27 (0) 11 085 2600
/ 087 802 0663

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