RedEarth DropBear User manual

DropBear
HOME BATTERY SYSTEM—ON AND OFF-GRID
Single and Three Phase Models

DropBear | Installation Manual Jan 2023
RedEarth Energy Storage
For sales enquiries contact [e-mail]
For technical support: [e-mail]
15 Fienta Place, Darra BRISBANE QLD 4076 | 1800 733 637 | www.redearth.energy
2
RedEarth Energy Storage is an Australian-owned and operated manufacturer of energy storage systems
Co-founded by CEO Charlie Walker, CTO Chris Winter, and non-executive director Bruce Ebzery in 2013, RedEarth Energy Storage began as a
start-up doing research and development into battery energy storage systems specifically for the Australian market.
Starting in the off-grid environment with the development of BlackMax, RedEarth has since added on-grid, commercial and industrial, and
residential systems to its suite of products, all designed to be modular and scalable to allow the end-user customer to update their systems
should their needs change.
RedEarth operates with the belief that electricity will be the primary energy source in the future, and that every business and residence can
generate more clean, green electricity than it can consume – meaning they can financially capitalise on their excess solar energy.

DropBear | Installation Manual Jan 2023
RedEarth Energy Storage
For sales enquiries contact [e-mail]
For technical support: [e-mail]
15 Fienta Place, Darra BRISBANE QLD 4076 | 1800 733 637 | www.redearth.energy
3
Table of Contents
Table of Contents.................................................................................................................................... 3
Safety ..................................................................................................................................................... 4
Overview ................................................................................................................................................ 5
Dimensions and Clearance/Positioning Information ................................................................................ 6
Components ........................................................................................................................................... 7
3-phase switch gear .......................................................................................................................................... 9
Components supplied ..................................................................................................................................... 11
Installation—8 steps for installation and customer handover ........................................................................... 12
Step 1. Transporting the DropBear ........................................................................................................................................... 12
Step 2. Positioning the DropBear .......................................................................................................................................... 13
Step 3. Solar Installation ....................................................................................................................................................... 13
Step 4. Electrical connections ............................................................................................................................................... 14
Step 5: Turn ON and Shutdown procedure ........................................................................................................................... 18
Step 6: Commissioning .......................................................................................................................................................... 19
Step 7: Monitoring via RedEarth’s EMU App and Select.live ................................................................................................ 21
Step 8: Customer Handover .................................................................................................................................................. 22
Appendix A ........................................................................................................................................... 24
Appendix B ........................................................................................................................................... 28

DropBear | Installation Manual Jan 2023
RedEarth Energy Storage
For sales enquiries contact [e-mail]
For technical support: [e-mail]
15 Fienta Place, Darra BRISBANE QLD 4076 | 1800 733 637 | www.redearth.energy
4
Safety
Symbol Explanation
Refer to the operating instructions.
Indicates additional information, emphasized contents or tips that may be helpful.
Caution, risk of electric shock.
Caution, risk of danger.
Do not touch live parts until 10 minutes after disconnection from the power sources.
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 (and 1&2) Installation and safety requirements for photovoltaic (PV) arrays
AS/NZS 4509.2:2012 Stand-alone power systems—Design
AS/NZS 1170.2:2011 Structural design actions—Wind actions
AS/NZS1768:2007 Lightning protection
AS/NZS 3008.1.1:2017 Electrical installations—Selection of cables
AS4777.2:2020 Grid connection of energy systems via inverters
AS/NZS 5139:2019 Electrical installations—Safety of battery systems for use with power conversion
equipment
The DropBear must only be installed by suitably qualified personnel who have read and are familiar with
its operation and hazards.
The battery provided with this system must be charged only by the Selectronics inverter. Do not attempt
to charge the batteries with any other charger device or connect any devices directly to the DC battery
bus unless approved by RedEarth.
In the event of a fire evacuate the area and call emergency services. A dry
agent fire extinguisher should be readily available and used. DO NOT use
water.
Note: MSDS document is provided with the system and can be found at
www.redearth.energy
Do not use a damaged battery. Batteries should only be disposed of at an appropriate recycling centre.
Please contact RedEarth for advice.
A battery can present a risk of electrical shock and high short-circuit current. The following precautions
should be observed when working on batteries:
 Disconnect charging source prior to connecting or disconnecting battery terminals.
In our efforts towards constant product enhancement, this document is subject to change at any time.
Please visit http://www.redearth.energy and download the appropriate and latest version manual.

DropBear | Installation Manual Jan 2023
RedEarth Energy Storage
For sales enquiries contact [e-mail]
For technical support: [e-mail]
15 Fienta Place, Darra BRISBANE QLD 4076 | 1800 733 637 | www.redearth.energy
5
Overview
The RedEarth DropBear is an Australian-made ready-to-run energy storage system for On or Off-Grid and single or three-phase
applications.
The system is designed to be easy to install and use. It is assembled and factory tested
prior to shipment and requires only limited programming on-site for standard
configurations.
It uses Selectronics SP Pro battery inverters together with RedEarth’s TROPPO 4841
lithium batteries (LFP). As standard it is combined with Selectronic-certified Fronius
inverters (single or three phase versions depending on the system ordered) making it an
AC-coupled system.
It is supplied with everything needed to connect the PV Solar array and a generator
(either 2-wire auto start or manual start), or the grid for grid-connected systems.
The DropBear is designed to be installed indoors or outside in a shaded and weather protected area and fixed against a wall. A
changeover switch is included in case there is a problem with the system. In this case the loads are run solely off an alternate
power source (e.g., generator or the grid) until the system is operational again.
Remote monitoring is available subject to mobile phone coverage. This uses RedEarth’s EMU app.
DropBear installations require the electrical connection of:
 The customers load – there are dedicated terminals inside
the unit to connect to.
 Arrays of PV solar panels to the Fronius inverters. In 3-phase
systems the Fronius inverters are outside the system and
need to be connected to the AC MCBs pre-Installed within
the DropBear.
 Grid or Generator - there are dedicated power, generator
auto-start and generator trickle charger terminals inside the
unit to connect to.
 Remote monitoring uses RedEarth's RedPi edge device as
well as Selectronics SelectLive- The RedEarth supplied RedPi
has a built-in SIM-card (requires mobile coverage), otherwise
connect the internet via LAN cable. Starlink satellite communications can also be used.
For a smooth installation, RedEarth offers installation training as well as tech-support during installation. RedEarth requests that
the Installer contact RedEarth's Tech Support once the system Is turned on during Installation to confirm operation.
Note: Selectronics allows more complex installations to be installed (such as dual phase or high-power grid T-connections) To do
these, the installer should have experience with Selectronics and have received training directly from them. RedEarth primarily
supplies and supports our standard configurations. If they are modified for a particular installation, then the responsibility for
these changes passes to the certified installer.
During factory testing all parameters are pre-set for correct operation between the SP Pro inverter, the Fronius and the battery
bank. However, some parameters may need to be adjusted during installation (e.g., generator size, maintenance run, etc).
Please consult this manual as well as the Selectronics Manual and comprehensive Selectronics website.

DropBear | Installation Manual Jan 2023
RedEarth Energy Storage
For sales enquiries contact [e-mail]
For technical support: [e-mail]
15 Fienta Place, Darra BRISBANE QLD 4076 | 1800 733 637 | www.redearth.energy
6
Dimensions and Clearance/Positioning
Information
DropBear Weight
367kg for 1-phase with x2 Fronius PV
inverters and without any Troppo batteries
(42.5kg per battery)
Dimensions:
203.2 cm H x 155.7 cm W x 68.8 cm D
DropBear Minimum Clearance
to allow
access:
2.4 m H x 2.0 m W x 1.3 m D
Positioning information summary:
Minimum Clearance around SunRise where
no windows doors etc are allowed, according
to AS/NZS 5139.

DropBear | Installation Manual Jan 2023
RedEarth Energy Storage
For sales enquiries contact [e-mail]
For technical support: [e-mail]
15 Fienta Place, Darra BRISBANE QLD 4076 | 1800 733 637 | www.redearth.energy
7
Components
This is an overview of the DropBear. It has two main sections. The top section contains the inverters and switch gear, and the
isolated bottom section contains the TROPPO batteries. Each section has a key-lockable double door. The image below shows
the 1-phase version of the DropBear.
DropBear 1-phase version with 7.5kW Selectronics inverter and two Fronius PV inverters (Selectronics certified) setup for off-
grid operation. The Fronius inverters are rated at 1 x 8.2kW and 1x 6.0kW to remain under the 15kW maximum specified by
Selectronics for their 7.5kW inverter.

DropBear | Installation Manual Jan 2023
RedEarth Energy Storage
For sales enquiries contact [e-mail]
For technical support: [e-mail]
15 Fienta Place, Darra BRISBANE QLD 4076 | 1800 733 637 | www.redearth.energy
8
The two images below show the 1-phase and 3 phase version of the DropBear. In the 3-phase version the Fronius PV inverters
are installed outside the DropBear.
1-phase setup with x2
Fronius PV inverters
3-phase setup (external
Fronius PV inverters)

DropBear | Installation Manual Jan 2023
RedEarth Energy Storage
For sales enquiries contact [e-mail]
For technical support: [e-mail]
15 Fienta Place, Darra BRISBANE QLD 4076 | 1800 733 637 | www.redearth.energy
9
The switch gear in the top section is labelled for easy identification as shown below. There is a 1-phase and 3-phase version.
The installer can make a minor change in the switchgear between the on-grid and off-grid versions. In the off-grid versions the
switches are setup for generator input, meaning that the Neutral is also switched. This is not done when connected to the grid in
an on-grid installation. In this case the installer can replace the Generator switches with either a 1 or 3-pole switch or just
choose to use the active poles of the existing generator switches.
1-phase switch gear
3-phase switch gear
Removing the panel with the switch covers in the top section exposes all the cable connection points and switch gear wiring.
Depending on whether you have a single-phase or three-phase version, the configuration will be as shown below.
1-phase wiring:

DropBear | Installation Manual Jan 2023
RedEarth Energy Storage
For sales enquiries contact [e-mail]
For technical support: [e-mail]
15 Fienta Place, Darra BRISBANE QLD 4076 | 1800 733 637 | www.redearth.energy
10
3-phase wiring:
The lower enclosure is where the TROPPO batteries are installed. The DropBear can hold up to 14 batteries (4.1kWh x14 =
57.4kWh nominal).
Front and rear rails secure the batteries in place as shown below.
Because of the characteristics of RedEarth’s TROPPO lithium battery, it is possible to install additional batteries in your system at
a later date, please contact RedEarth to purchase extra TROPPO batteries.
The enclosure is pre-wired with battery cables for all 14
batteries via the bus-bar system attached to the top
plate. This makes adding additional batteries a simple
process of plugging in the spare battery cables into the
connectors on top of each battery.