Alpha ESS SMILE-SPB Series User manual

INSTALLATION MANUAL OF
ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM (ESS)
SMILE-SPB SYSTEM
V03

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT
1
COPYRIGHT STATEMENT
All information in this document is subject to copyright and other intellectual property
rights of Alpha ESS Co., Ltd. with all rights reserved. Please keep the manual and strictly
follow all safety and operating instructions in this manual. Please read this entire
document before installing or using SMILE-SPB ESS.

CONTENT
2
CONTENT
COPYRIGHT STATEMENT..................................................................................... 1
CONTENT............................................................................................................... 2
1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 5
1.1.Operation Modes Introduction................................................................ 5
1.2.Application Scenarios................................................................................ 6
1.3.Safety & Warning...................................................................................... 7
1.3.1. Inverter Safety & Warning...................................................................................................... 7
1.3.2. Safety Warning............................................................................................................................ 9
1.3.3. Battery Safety & Warning .....................................................................................................10
1.3.4. Inverter Interface Introduction............................................................................................16
1.3.5. Battery Description..................................................................................................................19
1.4.Tools Required.........................................................................................23
1.4.1. Installation Tools.......................................................................................................................23
1.4.2. Safety Gear for Personal Protection..................................................................................23
2. STORAGE......................................................................................................... 24
2.1.Inverter Storage.......................................................................................24
2.2.Battery Storage........................................................................................24
3. INSTALLATION ...............................................................................................26
3.1.Unacceptable Installation.......................................................................26
3.2.Other accessories.....................................................................................27
3.3.Mounting..................................................................................................27
3.3.1. Battery Packing List .................................................................................................................27
3.3.2. Batteries Installation................................................................................................................28
3.3.3. Mounting More Batteries......................................................................................................29
3.3.4. Checking the Outer Packing ................................................................................................31
3.3.5. Inverter Packing List................................................................................................................31
3.3.6. Select Mounting Location.....................................................................................................31

CONTENT
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3.3.7. Wall Mounted Bracket and Inverter Installation.......................................................... 33
3.3.8. Transformer Packing List....................................................................................................... 37
3.3.9. Auto-transformer Installation (Optional)........................................................................ 37
3.4.Electrical Connection...............................................................................39
3.4.1. Inverter Wiring Box Conduit Plugs.................................................................................... 39
3.4.2. Removing Battery Maintenance Cover............................................................................ 40
3.4.3. Power Connection between Battery and Inverter ....................................................... 41
3.4.4. On-Grid Connection ............................................................................................................... 43
3.4.5. Back-up Connection............................................................................................................... 45
3.4.6. Ground Wiring.......................................................................................................................... 51
3.4.7. Auto-transformer (Optional) Wiring ................................................................................ 51
3.4.8. Meter Connection.................................................................................................................... 53
3.4.9. Communication Connection between Battery (with EMS) and Inverter ............ 56
3.4.10. Wi-Fi Module Connection................................................................................................. 58
3.4.11. LAN Connection (Optional) .............................................................................................. 58
3.4.12. Battery Expansion Electrical connections .................................................................... 59
3.4.13. System Operation................................................................................................................. 61
3.4.14. Battery Label Instruction.................................................................................................... 62
3.5.Wi-Fi Setting.............................................................................................63
3.5.1. Download and Install App.................................................................................................... 63
3.5.2. Wi-Fi Module Setting............................................................................................................. 63
3.5.3. Overview of Functions for Installer Account................................................................. 67
3.5.4. TURN ON SYSTEM Before Wi-Fi Module Setting........................................................ 68
4. COMMISSIONING...........................................................................................69
4.1.Checking Before Power-On ....................................................................69
4.2.Check the Running State.........................................................................69
5. TROUBLESHOOTING ......................................................................................74
5.1.Problems During Operation ...................................................................74
5.2.Question & Answers (Q&A)....................................................................75
5.3.Protection and Error Messages ..............................................................77
5.3.1. Inverter Error Troubleshooting........................................................................................... 77
5.3.2. Battery Protection Description ........................................................................................... 80

CONTENT
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5.3.3. Battery Error Description.......................................................................................................81
6. DISCLAIMER....................................................................................................82
7. TECHNICAL PARAMETERS ............................................................................83
7.1.Inverter Specifications ............................................................................83
7.2.Auto-transformer Specifications ........................................................... 85
7.3.Grid Parameter Setting ...........................................................................86
7.4.Battery Specifications .............................................................................86
8. MAINTENANCE...............................................................................................87
8.1.Routine Maintenance..............................................................................87
8.2.Fans Clear and Replacement ..................................................................88
8.3.Fuse Replacement....................................................................................89
Appendix 1: Protection Category Definition ..................................................91
Appendix 2: System Connection Diagram.......................................................92

INTRODUCTION
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1. INTRODUCTION
The SMILE-SPB system, an AC-coupled or bidirectional energy storage system, provides
energy management in a PV system that can be connected to solar modules (or not),
loads, and grid. Energy produced by the PV system will be self-consumed first. The
excess will be charged to the battery. If there is still surplus energy, it will be imported
to the grid. The battery will charge appliances when PV power is insufficient to meet
self-consumption needs. If battery power is not sufficient, the system will take power
from the grid to charge appliances.
When the SMILE-SPB system is operating in off-grid mode (disconnected to the grid),
it creates a micro-grid. The PV inverter will accept this micro-grid and operate even
during a blackout. Similar to on-grid mode, when the PV power exceeds the load, the
excess will be saved in the battery.
The mentioned introduction describes a general operation situation of SMILE-SPB
system. The operation mode can be changed through AlphaESS App based on the
system layout.
The operations for SMILE-SPB system are illustrated as below.
1.1. Operation Modes Introduction
SMILE-SPB system normally has the following operation modes based on your
configuration and layout.
Mode I
The energy from PV inverter is prioritized
to provide power for the appliances. The
excess will be used to charge the battery.
If there is still surplus energy, it will be ex-
ported to the grid.
Mode II
When the energy from the PV inverter
is low, the battery will discharge to
support the load in priority, along with
the grid.

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Mode III
When grid power fails, the SMILE-SPB in-
verter creates a micro grid, and the status
of the load determines whether PV en-
ergy flows into the load or charges the
battery.
Mode IV
The battery can be charged by the grid,
and the charge time/power could be set
on the AlphaESS App.
1.2. Application Scenarios
The SMILE-SPB System, including the SMILE-SPB inverter and SMILE-BAT-8.2PHA (with
or without EMS), can work with AC-coupled solar systems for retrofitting scenarios, as
the following shows:
Figure 1 BACK-UP SELECTED CIRCUITS

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Figure 2 BACK-UP WHOLE HOME
* indicates that part is placed in the distribution box.
1.3. Safety & Warning
1.3.1. Inverter Safety & Warning
SMILE-SPB system has been designed and tested under safety requirements.
However, as with power electronic devices, there may still be residual risks despite
strict standards. Therefore, it is recommended to read the following information
carefully to prevent personal injury and property damage.
This manual contains important instructions for the proper installation and
maintenance of the SMILE-SPB system.
These instructions are for use by qualified personnel only.
To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not perform any operations other than
those specified in the operating instructions.

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Symbols Explanation
DANGER indicates a hazardous situation which, if not
avoided, will result in serious injury or even death.
WARNING indicates a hazardous situation which, if not
avoided, could result in serious injury or even death.
CAUTION indicates a hazardous situation which, if not
avoided, can result in minor or moderate injury.
Danger of high voltage and electric shock!
Hot Surface –To reduce the risk of burns. Do not touch.
Components of the product are recyclable.
This side up! Ensure that the package is always transported,
handled, and stored with the arrows pointing upwards.
Stack no more than six (6) identical packages on each other.
Do not dispose of products as household waste.
Fragile –Handle the package/product carefully and avoid
tipping or slinging it.
Refer to the operating instructions.
Keep dry! The package/product must be protected from
excessive humidity and must be stored under cover.
This symbol indicates that after disconnecting the inverter
from the power grid or the PV arrays, you should wait at
least 5 mins before touching inner components.
CSA certified.

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1.3.2. Safety Warning
Any installation and operation on the inverter must be performed by qualified
electricians, following the standards, wiring rules or requirements of local authorities
or the grid company.
The input and output circuits are isolated from the enclosure. If the system grounding
is required by Sections 690.41, 690.42 and 690.43 of the National Electric Code
ANSI/NFPA 70, this is the responsibility of the installer.
Any operation on the AC or DC terminals during inverter operation is prohibited.
Before any wiring connection or electrical operation on the inverter, all DC and AC
power must be disconnected from the inverter for at least 5 minutes to make sure it
has been de-energized to avoid electric shock.
The temperature of the inverter surface might exceed 60℃during operation. Please
make sure that it has cooled down before touching it, and make sure the inverter is out
of the reach of children.
Do not open the inverter's cover or change any components without the
manufacturer's authorization, otherwise the warranty commitment for the inverter will
be invalid.
The use and operation of the inverter must follow the instructions in this user manual,
otherwise the protection design might be impacted and warranty commitment for the
inverter will be invalid.
Appropriate methods must be adopted to protect inverter from electrostatic damage.
Any damage caused by electrostatic is not covered under the manufacturer's warranty.
Battery negative (BAT-) on the inverter side is not grounded as default design.
Connecting BAT- to EARTH is strictly forbidden.
The inverter has a built-in RCMU and may produce a DC residual current of no more
than 6mA. An external Type A RCD (with operating current ≥30mA) can be used if
required.
Before connecting the SMILE-SPB inverter to the AC distribution grid, approval must
be received from the appropriate local utility as required by national and state
interconnection regulations.
All electrical installations must be carried out in accordance with the local electrical
standards and the National Electrical Code ANSI/NFPA 70 or the Canadian Electrical

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Code CSA C22.1. Before connecting the inverter to the grid, contact your local grid
operator. The electrical connection of the inverter must be carried out by qualified
personnel only.
•Do not touch non-insulated conductors.
•Do not touch the DC conductors.
•Do not touch any energizing components of the inverters.
•Any equipment damage caused by incorrect cable connections will not be covered
by the warranty.
•Operation personnel must wear proper PPE all the time when connecting cables.
•Incorrect installation of metal conduit may cause waterproof problem.
•Class 1 wiring methods are to be used for field wiring connections to terminals of a
Class 2 circuit.
•AC output (neutral) is not bonded to ground.
•To reduce the risk of fire, please add an overcurrent protection circuit breaker in
accordance with the National Electrical Code ANSI / NFPA 70.
1.3.3. Battery Safety & Warning
1.3.3.1 General Safety Precautions
Overvoltage or wrong wiring can damage the battery pack and cause deflagration,
which can be extremely dangerous.
All types of breakdown of the battery may lead to a leakage of electrolyte or flammable
gas.
Users are not supposed to fix battery pack by themselves. The voltage in the device is
high.
Read the label with Warning Symbols and Precautions, which is on the right side of the
battery pack.
Do not connect any AC or PV conductors, which should be only connected to the PV
inverter, directly to the battery pack.
Do not charge or discharge damaged battery.
Do not damage the battery pack in such ways as dropping, deforming, impacting,
cutting or penetrating with a sharp object. It may cause a leakage of electrolyte or fire.
Do not expose battery to naked light.

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1.3.3.2 Response to Emergency Situations
The battery pack is composed of multiple batteries and designed to prevent the danger
caused by malfunction.
If the user touches the inner material of the battery cells due to damage to the shell,
the following actions are recommended.
•Inhalation: Leave the contaminated area immediately and seek medical treatment.
•Eye injuries: Rinse eyes with running water for 15 minutes and seek medical
treatment .
•Skin injuries: Wash the contacted area with soap thoroughly and seek medical
treatment.
•Ingestion: Induce vomiting and seek medical treatment.
If a fire breaks out where the battery pack is installed, please take the following
measurements:
•Fire extinguisher
Respirator is not required during normal operations.
Use FM-200 or CO2 extinguisher for battery fire.
Use an ABC fire extinguisher, if the fire is not from battery and not spread to it yet.
•Firefighting instructions
If fire occurs when charging batteries, disconnect the battery pack circuit breaker to
shut down the battery on the safe condition.
If the battery pack is not on fire yet, extinguish the fire before the battery pack catches
fire.
If the battery pack is on fire, do not try to extinguish but evacuate people immediately.
There may be a explosion if the temperature of batteries is above 150°C.
When the battery pack is burning, it leaks poisonous gases. Do not approach.
•Effective ways to deal with accidents
On land: Segregate damaged battery and call local fire department or service engineer.
In water: Stay out of the water and don't touch anything if any part of the battery,
inverter, or wiring is submerged.
Do not use submerged battery again and contact the service engineer.

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1.3.3.3 Important Safety Instructions
This section contains safety precautions that must be observed at all times when
working on or with the product.
To prevent personal injury and property damage and ensure long-term operation of
the product, please read this section carefully and follow all safety precautions at all
times.
Danger to life due to high voltages on the battery pack.
The voltage at the pin connector for the power cable can be lethal. Putting the pin
connector in the power cable can result in lethal electric shock.
•Do not open the battery pack.
•Do not wipe the battery pack with a damp cloth.
The protective caps cannot be removed from the pin connectors for the batteries
power connection until the inverter cables are connected to the battery pack.
•Disconnect the product with voltage sources and make sure it cannot be
reconnected before operating on the inverter or the battery pack.
Risk of chemical burns caused by electrolyte or toxic gases
During normal operation, no electrolyte would leak from the battery pack and no
toxic gases would form. Despite of the careful construction, if the battery pack is
damaged or a fault occurs, it is possible that electrolyte may be leaked or toxic
gases may form.
•Store the battery pack in a cool and dry place.
•Do not drop the battery pack or damage it with sharp objects.
•Only set the battery pack down on its back or its bottom.
•Do not open the battery pack.
•Do not install or operate the battery pack in potentially explosive atmosphere
or areas of high humidity.
•If moisture has penetrated the battery pack (e.g. due to a damaged housing),
do not install or operate the battery pack.
•In case of contact with electrolyte, rinse the affected areas immediately with
water and consult a doctor without delay.

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Damage to the inverter due to electrostatic discharge
•Touching electronic components can cause damage to or destroy the inverter
through electrostatic discharge.
•Ground yourself before touching any component.
Damage due to cleaning agents
•The use of cleaning agents may cause damage to the product and its
components.
•Clean the product and all its components only with a cloth moistened with
clean water.
Danger to life due to electric shock when acting components or cables are
touched
The voltages in the conductive components or cables of the product are high.
Touching acting parts and cables can result in significant injuries or even death due
to electric shock.
•Do not touch non-insulated parts or cables.
•Disconnect the product from voltage sources and make sure it cannot be
reconnected before operating the inverter or the battery pack.
•After disconnection, wait 5 minutes until the capacitors have discharged.
•Do not open the product.
•Wear suitable personal protective equipment for all work on the product.
Risk of burns due to hot enclosure of the inverter
•The enclosure of the inverter can get hot during operation.
•During operation, do not touch any parts other than the cover of the inverter.

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Danger to life due to electric shock when acting components or DC cables
are touched
When PV panels are exposed to sunlight, the PV array generates high DC voltage
in the DC conductors. Touching the acting DC cables can result in significant injuries
or even death due to electric shock.
•Disconnect the inverter from voltage sources and make sure it cannot be
reconnected before operating on the device.
•Do not touch non-insulated parts or cables.
•Do not disconnect the DC connectors under load.
•Wear suitable personal protective equipment for all work on the inverter.
Danger to life due to electric shock from touching an ungrounded PV
module or array frame
•Touching ungrounded PV modules or array frames can result in significant
injuries or even death due to electric shock.
•Connect and ground the frame of the PV modules, the array frame and the
electrically conductive surfaces so that there is continuous conduction.
•Observe the applicable local regulations.
Danger to life due to electric shock when touching the acting system
components in case of a ground fault
When a ground fault occurs, components of the system may still be acting.
Touching acting parts and cables can result in significant injuries or even death due
to electric shock.
•Disconnect the product from voltage sources and make sure it cannot be
reconnected before operating on the device.
•Touch the cables of the PV array on the insulation only.
•Do not touch any parts of the substructure or frame of the PV array.
•Do not connect PV strings with grounding faults to the inverter.

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Symbols on the type label and warning label of the battery pack
Symbol
Explanation
Beware of a danger zone.
This symbol indicates that the product must be additionally
grounded if additional grounding or equipotential bonding is
required at the installation site.
Beware of electrical voltage.
The product operates at high voltages.
Risk of chemical burns.
Risk of explosion.
Observe the documentation
Risk of electrolyte leakage.
CE marking.
The product complies with the requirements of the applicable EU
directives.
Refer to the instruction for operation.
Use eye protection equipment.
Fire, naked light and smoking prohibited.
Keep away.
Do not dispose of the battery pack together with the household
waste in accordance with the local disposal regulations for
batteries.
Recycling symbol.
Marking for transportation of dangerous goods
The product passes the certifications of the UN38.3.

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Product Overview
1.3.4. Inverter Interface Introduction
1.3.4.1 Inverter Product Overview
Item
Object
Description
1
EMS
Used to communicate with the battery pack SMILE-BAT-
8.2PHA (with EMS).

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1.3.4.2 User Interface Introduction
1.3.4.3 Inverter LED Signals
Eight LED indicators are provided on the display panel.
These LED indicators provide information about the operational status of the product.
LED Indicator
Status
Explanation
SYSTEM
The system works normally.
The system is not operating.
BACK-UP
Back-up is ready / power available.
Back-up is off / power unavailable.
BMS COM
The communication between EMS and
battery is normal.
The communication between EMS and
battery is abnormal.
GRID
Grid is active and connected.
Grid is active but not connected.
Grid is not active.

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ENERGY
Consuming energy from the grid / buying.
Supplying energy to the grid / zero out
Supplying energy to the grid / selling.
Not connected to the grid or system is not
operating.
INV COM
The communication between EMS and
inverter is normal.
The communication between EMS and
inverter is abnormal.
COM
The communication between EMS and
server is normal.
The communication between EMS and
server is abnormal.
FAULT
A fault of the system has occurred.
No fault.

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1.3.5. Battery Description
1.3.5.1 Battery Product Overview