RedEarth BlackMax User manual

Installation and Operation Manual
BlackMax
Off-grid and on-grid battery system
The first Australian-made off-grid
battery energy storage system
approved by the Clean Energy Council,
now with new and improved features.

BlackMax – Installation and Operation Manual
Page 2 of 36
Issue date: 24/11/2023. Version 13.0
Safety instructions
The wiring diagrams and installation instructions are given as a guide only and compliance to appropriate standards is
the responsibility of the installer. Relevant standards are listed below:
AS/NZS 3000:2018
Wiring rules
AS/NZS 5033:2021
Installation and safety requirements for photovoltaic (PV) arrays
AS/NZS 4509.2:2012
Stand-alone power systems-Design
AS/NZS 1170.2:2021
Structural design actions-Wind actions
AS/NZS1768:2021
Lightning protection
AS/NZS 3008.1.2:2017
Electrical installations – Selection of cables
AS/NZS 5139:2019
Electrical installations-Safety of battery systems for use with power
conversion equipment
The BlackMax must only be installed by suitably qualified personnel who have read and are familiar with its operation
and hazards.
The BlackMax must only be installed by suitably qualified personnel who have read and are familiar with its operation
and hazards.
This manual covers all following model numbers: BMX-104, BMX-108, BMX-112.
In our efforts towards constant product enhancement, this document is subject to change at any time. Please visit
www.redearth.energy and download the appropriate and latest version manual.
Lifting hazard
The BlackMax is heavy. Observe proper lifting techniques. To reduce
the weight the Troppo batteries can be removed via the panel in the
rear of the system.
Fire
The BlackMax uses RedEarth's Troppo battery. This is a lithium-iron-
phosphate based battery (LFP). It is the safest lithium chemistry.
However, in the case of a fire the following steps should be taken. A dry
agent fire extinguisher should be readily available and used. DO NOT use
water. Evacuate the area and call emergency services. To x i c gas may be
produced if the battery catches fire.
Note:
The SDS document for the Troppo Battery can be found at
www.redearth.energy
Damaged battery
Do not use a damaged battery. Batteries should only be disposed of at
an appropriate recycling centre. Please contact RedEarth for advice.
WARNING:
Working on the inside of the BlackMax system is restricted to qualified personnel.
RedEarth recommend installation by licensed electricians only.

BlackMax – Installation and Operation Manual
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Ta b l e o f C o n t e n t s
Safety instructions ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Overview .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4
Dimensions.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Description of the BlackMax........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 5
Opening the BlackMax............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 5
Inside layout ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 5
BlackMax Components ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Parts kit ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Complete BlackMax PowerStation kit (option)............................................................................................................................................................... 7
Installation ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Step 1. Transporting the BlackMax..................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Step 2. Positioning the BlackMax ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 9
Step 3. Solar array sizing and layout.................................................................................................................................................................................. 9
Step 4. Electrical Connections .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 11
4.1 Overview of the connection layout.................................................................................................................................................................. 11
4.2 Solar array connection.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 11
4.3 Battery connection................................................................................................................................................................................................. 11
4.4 Load connection...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 13
4.5. AC source connection........................................................................................................................................................................................... 13
4.6 Flashing light connection (or generator auto-start connection—optional) ..................................................................................... 15
4.7 Remote monitoring system—connection (optional)................................................................................................................................. 15
Step 5. Commissioning the BlackMax............................................................................................................................................................................ 16
Tu r n i n g O N t h e B l a c k M a x ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 16
Shutdown procedure ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16
Adjusting the inverter parameters .............................................................................................................................................................................. 17
BlackMax Fault Codes .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21
Victron BMV setup - State-of-charge measurement .......................................................................................................................................... 22
Fan Control Adjustment .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 23
Te s t t h e o p e r a t i o n o f t h e b a c k u p g e n e r a t o r , i f a v a i l a b l e . ................................................................................................................................. 23
Flashing light alert............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 23
Generator 2-wire auto-start........................................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Step 6. Monitoring the BlackMax...................................................................................................................................................................................... 24
Step 7. Finalising installation and customer handover............................................................................................................................................. 26
FAQs and Trouble shooting ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 28
Services and options available for the BlackMax ............................................................................................................................................................ 29
Appendix A....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 30
Single Line Diagram: Power................................................................................................................................................................................................. 30
Single Line Diagram: Communications............................................................................................................................................................................ 31
Single Line Diagram: Generic Main Switchboard........................................................................................................................................................ 32
Appendix B....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 33
Technical Specifications: BlackMax................................................................................................................................................................................. 33
Te c h n i c a l S p e c i fi c a t i o n s : D e y e S U N -6K-SG04............................................................................................................................................................ 34
Te c h n i c a l S p e c i fi c a t i o n s : R e d E a r t h Tr o p p o b a t t e r y .................................................................................................................................................. 35

BlackMax – Installation and Operation Manual
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Issue date: 24/11/2023. Version 13.0
Overview
RedEarth’s
updated BlackMax
battery system is a complete ready-to-run energy storage system for off-grid and on-grid
applications. It is available as either a battery system alone or as a complete PowerStation kit including solar panels and solar
panel mounting equipment, all on two pallets. As an Australian-made product built in Brisbane, RedEarth can provide best-in-
class support for BlackMax owners and installers.
The battery system arrives fully assembled and factory tested. It includes a 6kVA hybrid inverter with two built-in single string
MPPTs for connecting solar panels. It can be supplied with up to three (3) of RedEarth's Troppo lithium batteries (12.3kWh total).
Note that to use the full power available from the inverter at least 2 Troppo batteries are required.
The BlackMax system is designed to be installed either inside or outside, ideally in a shaded area. All switchgear required for
installation is built in. No need to screw switches to the wall.
A typical installation of the BlackMax with solar panels, will require the electrical connection of:
1.
Solar:
Directly connect the solar arrays to the two built-in PV MCBs with pre-terminated MC4 plugs inside the system.
(do not exceed 500Vmax on the PV arrays)
2.
Load
: There are two GPO power points on the system to plug loads into directly (one 15amp & one 10amp) or hard-
wire an external sub-board to the terminal block inside the BlackMax (to access the full 6kVA of power available)
3.
Earth and MEN link:
These need to be in place as required by national standards.
4.
Generator or grid:
Directly connect a hard-wired generator. The generator can be set up for either manual or 2-wire
auto start. Note: it is mandatory to test that the generator works with the BlackMax during installation. Instead of a
generator a single-phase grid supply can be connected to the same hard-wire terminal blocks to achieve generator
like performance from your grid supply.
•
Note:
As an alternative to a generator or grid supply, a different AC-coupled renewable energy source can be
connected to the generator terminals in the BlackMax. This could be an additional Solar PV inverter or Micro-
Inverter system. The BlackMax needs to be pre-configured for one of these options. By default, the BlackMax is
set up for a generator. Therefore, please inform RedEarth before connecting the system to an alternative
renewable energy source.
There are several ways to monitor the BlackMax.
• Local monitoring via the battery SOC meter (state-of-charge) on the top
of the unit.
• The two Power meters on the side of the unit. One shows power in
from the generator and the other shows total power out of the inverter
to the loads.
• Flashing orange light. This turns on when the SOC drops below the set
point (it is factory-set to 20%).
• Remote monitoring: The BlackMax includes an industrial grade
monitoring kit to enable remote monitoring and control capabilities. To
activate this service, the owner needs to enrol in RedEarth's Optimum
program which includes ongoing monitoring of the BlackMax system by
RedEarth. Note that this requires mobile phone coverage or another
source of internet (e.g., Starlink, which RedEarth can assist with).
• RedEarth's EMU app. Once remote monitoring is activated the
BlackMax can be monitored from the customer’s mobile phone.
Note:
The BlackMax is not designed to act as a main switchboard for the
premises, as it does not include space for additional main and customer circuit breakers or RCDs. The MEN link and Earth
connection need to be in place at the premises as required by national standards.
Qualified installation person (installer)
The installation tasks described in this manual
should be carried out by a suitably qualified and
skilled electrician with adequate skills,
qualifications, and experience. They should:
• Have a thorough understanding of
operations, design, and installation
principles of on- and off-grid electrical
systems.
• Have a thorough understanding of the risks
and dangers associated with installing and
using electrical equipment.
• Hold all local, state and country-based
qualifications to carry out such work.
• Adhere to all safety and installations
requirements contained in this manual.
• To c l a i m the STC's available for the solar
panels they must be an accredited installer

BlackMax – Installation and Operation Manual
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Issue date: 24/11/2023. Version 13.0
Dimensions
Description of the BlackMax
Opening the BlackMax
RedEarth’s BlackMax energy storage system can be accessed via the
top (lid) or the front door.
To o p e n t h e l i d , 2 s c r e w s ( o n e f r o m e a c h s i d e) m u s t b e r e m o v e d a n d
then the lid can be lifted and pivoted on the rear hinge.
To a c c e s s f r o m t h e f r o n t , t h e r e a r e 2 l o c k s o n t h e f r o n t d o o r . T h e k e y
to open these locks comes tied to the left handle and must be kept
out of the reach of children.
Inside layout
The BlackMax is divided internally into four main areas, The AC
electrical switchgear, the DC electrical switchgear, the inverter, and
the battery area.
Opening the front door provides
access to the AC side, inverter area,
and DC side. To access the AC or DC
side, you will have to remove the
clear plastic safety covers that are
held in place by 3 nuts.
Note:
Do not over tighten the nuts
holding the clear plastic cover in
place as they will crack under
pressure .
To access the battery area, either
open the top lid or remove the
screws holding the rear panel in
place. Removing and replacing
batteries is easiest via this rear panel.
The BlackMax
weighs 176kg
when fully loaded
with three (3)
Troppo batteries.
Each battery
weighs 43kg and
can be removed
for ease of
handling.
The empty
BlackMax weighs
74kg.

BlackMax – Installation and Operation Manual
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Issue date: 24/11/2023. Version 13.0
BlackMax Components
The main components of the BlackMax includes the hybrid inverter one, two or three lithium Troppo batteries and the pre-wired
enclosure containing all the other electrical components as shown in the picture below.

BlackMax – Installation and Operation Manual
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Issue date: 24/11/2023. Version 13.0
Parts kit
The BlackMax system is supplied with a parts kit containing all the addition items needed to complete the installation.
Complete BlackMax PowerStation kit (option)
RedEarth also provides a convenient BlackMax PowerStation kit. This includes the BlackMax on a small pallet and the solar
panels as well as all mounting equipment for a typical tin roof on a second pallet as shown.
The PowerStation kit includes the following items,
• BlackMax (with 1, 2 or 3 Troppo lithium batteries)
• 15A lead for connecting a typical
small generator.
• Note that no generator is provided
however RedEarth can recommend
some models that work with the
BlackMax.
• Solar Panels (up to 18 x 400W panels
= 7.2kW) subject to change as panel
sizes continue to increase
• Clenergy solar panel mounting
hardware and rails for tin roof along
with required PV cables.
o The list below shows the
parts included for an order
with 16 solar panels.
o The PV rails are cut in half
to be 2.1m long (additional
PV rail splices are included)
• Dimensions for the solar panel kit
pallet (1.2m wide x 2.1m long x 1.4m
high)
• Weight of solar panel kit pallet weight
= 450kg (16 panels)

BlackMax – Installation and Operation Manual
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Issue date: 24/11/2023. Version 13.0
WIISE
SKU
Description
Oty.
Unit
CH001010
SKU
BlackMax 16 Panels Mounting Kit—Tin Roof
|1377
SKU-001
SPLICE PLATE, PV-EZRACK, SUITS ECO RAIL
16.
EA
|1378
SKU-002
TIN INTERFACE KIT
40.
EA
|1379
SKU-003
CABLE CLIP, PV-EZRACK FOR PV PANELS, HOLDS 2 CABLES, BOX OF
900
64.
EA
|1380
SKU-004
CLAMP, UNIVERSAL MID/END WITH GROUNDING CLIP
50.
EA
|1382
SKU-006
GROUNDING LUG, PV-EZRACK
6.
EA
|1384
SKU-008
RAIL, PV-EZRACK ECO 4200MM LONG ALU/STEEL, BUNDLE OF 90
9.
EA
|1394
SKU-018
SWITCH, ZJ BENY DC ISOLATOR 32A 4 POLE 1200V
1.
EA
|1395
SKU-019
COVER, ZJ BENY ISOLATOR
1.
EA
|1134
CON-015
CONNECTOR, MC4 BRANCH MALE
1.
EA
|1135
CON-016
CONNECTOR, MC4 BRANCH CONNECTOR FEMALE
1.
EA
|1961
CON-017
CONNECTOR, MC4 STANDARD MALE & FEMALE (1 x BAG = 5)
10.
EA
|1078
CBL-021
CABLE, 2C x 4MM2 DC SOLAR (9PV-1F), 0.9/1.8KV
25
P/M
|1095
CBL-038
CABLE, 4MM2 SINGLE CORE DC SOLAR (PV-1F)
25
P/M
|1297
PLT-002
PALLET, WOOD 2100MM x 1170MM (BlackMax with PV only)
1
EA
Installation
7 steps to complete your BlackMax installation:
1. Transporting the BlackMax
2. Positioning the BlackMax
3. Solar array sizing
4. Electrical connections to the BlackMax
5. Commissioning the BlackMax
6. Monitoring and communication
7. Finalising installation and customer handover
Step 1. Transporting the BlackMax
The BlackMax system is supplied on a pallet in one of two configurations (just the
BlackMax on a small pallet or as a complete PowerStation kit on a larger pallet) as
shown below.
The BlackMax weighs 203 kg (with 3 batteries installed). Each battery weighs 43kg.
The solar panel kit with 16 solar panel weighs 450 kg shown below.
RedEarth’s BlackMax comes fitted with two handles to help with handling. However, it
is a heavy unit and should be handled with a transportation device such as a hand
trolley. (
Note:
if using a hand trolley, you may need to click the bottom vents back into
place after finishing using the trolley).
The lithium batteries can also be removed via the panel in the rear of the BlackMax,
and replaced once the system is in position. Each Troppo battery module weighs
43kg. The empty BlackMax weighs 74kg.
WARNING: Personal Injury
Use safe lifting techniques and standard safety equipment
when working with this equipment

BlackMax – Installation and Operation Manual
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Step 2. Positioning the BlackMax
The BlackMax is designed to be a freestanding weatherproof system (suitable for outdoor locations).
It is recommended to locate the system in a shaded area to reduce the
chances of overheating. It should also be placed close to the solar panels to
minimise voltage drop and power loss.
The BlackMax can be secured to the ground via the four holes in the feet of the
system. This can be done with the Dynabolts, or screws supplied in the Parts
kit, or other material appropriate fixings.
Clearance:
Allow 600mm spacing on both sides
of the BlackMax.
If positioning the BlackMax against
the wall of a habitable room, then the
clearance requirements are as per
AS5139 and shown at right, must be
observed. In addition, the wall should
be made of non-flammable material,
if it is a habitable room.
Note: If the BlackMax is placed at
least 300mm off the wall of any
building, then these requirements of
AS5139 do not apply.
Ventilation:
Cooling air flow passes up through the vents in the base of the system and then out the fan located on the top left-hand side of
the unit. Do not block the air vents as the system may overheat and shutdown. If the BlackMax does shutdown because of
overheating, it will automatically restart once it cools down again. The fan is controlled by a temperature switch set to 25
⁰
C in
the factory, which can be adjusted on site.
Step 3. Solar array sizing and layout
The PV Array should be designed and installed in accordance with AS/NZS 5033 and
the latest CEC Installation guidelines.
Caution should be taken in selecting PV panels and the wiring method to ensure the
rated Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) and Short Circuit Current (Isc) is not exceeded
(factoring in the coldest and hottest expected ambient temperatures).
The maximum Voc for the BlackMax is 500Vdc. This usually means a maximum 9 panels
in series when using typical 400 Watt panels.
The maximum Isc is 19.5 amps. This means a maximum of one string in parallel when
using typical solar panels. (<15.6A per panel taking into consideration the 1.25x derating
factor of Isc, used in Australia)
BlackMax Minimum
Clearance
According to AS/NZS
5139

BlackMax – Installation and Operation Manual
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Issue date: 24/11/2023. Version 13.0
Note that the BlackMax has two MPPTs, so PV panels can be installed facing in two different directions.
Example calculation of maximum number of solar panels in the array:
Below are the specifications of a typical 400W panel that RedEarth supplies in the complete BlackMax PowerStation kit (as of
December 2023).
Electrical characteristics
400W panel
Mono-Crystalline Module (HiE-S_____UF)
Maximum Rating Power (Pm)
W
400
Open Circuit Voltage (VoC)
V
49.5
Short Circuit Current (Isc)
A
10.12
Maximum Power Voltage (Vmp)
V
41
Maximum Power Current (Imp)
A
9.76
Module Efficiency
%
21.3
Maximum System Voltage
V
DC 1,500
Temperature Coefficient of Pmax
% / °C
-0.340
Temperature Coefficient of Voc
% / °C
-0.270
Temperature Coefficient of Isc
% / °C
+0.040
Maximum number of panels in series (Max. PV array voltage):
For the 400W panel shown above, Isc is 10.12 Amps at 25degC. If the highest expected temperature is 50degC then the
temperature correction is +25degC x +0.040% = +1.00%. This means that at 50degC the Ioc is 1.00% higher than at 25degC =
1.010 x 10.12 = 10.22Amps.
As the temperature increases the Ioc Increases which is why the highest temperature is important for Ioc calculations.
The Isc rating of the BlackMax Is 19.5A per MPPT. In Australia the Isc rating is decreased by 1.25x to get the usable Isc. This
means a maximum of 19.5/1.25 = 15.6 Amps Is allowed according to the Australian standards.
This means that a maximum of one (1) string can be connected in parallel.
Total maximum number of panels:
This means that a total of 18 x 400W panels with these specifications can be connected to the BlackMax. This is 18 x 400W =
7.2kW.
To achieve closer to the maximum 7800W rating of the BlackMax inverter is recommended to seek lower voltage panels that
remain within the short circuit current limit of 15.6A Isc.
An example of this is the Tindo Karra 410W, specs below:
Electrical Characteristics
108 Cell Module
Karra – 410G2H
Item
Unit
*STC
*NMOT
Max. power (Pmax)
Wp
410
301
Max. power voltage (Vmp)
V
31.11
28.6
Max. power current (Imp)
A
13.18
10.5
Open circuit voltage (Voc)
V
37.11
34.3
Short circuit current (Isc)
A
13.93
11.3
Panel efficiency
%
20.6
Positive power tolerance
W
0 + ~ 5
*STC (Standard Test Condition): 1,000 W/m2, AM 1.5,25
°
C/ *NMOT (Nominal Module Operating Temperature): 800W/m2, 20°C, wind speed 1m/s,
Tolerance of Pmax, Voc &Isc ± 3% within each watt class at STC.
WARNING
The Solar DC circuit breaker on the BlackMax must be in the
off position before any solar panels are connected