ℹ️ This issue does not impact the safety of the battery in any way, and there is no immediate action that is required. This issue does not affect the performance of the Smart Solar Power System, only our ability to log performance data.
Overview
Recently, we discovered a manufacturing issue with more recent shipments of our Smart Solar Power System that affects a subset of customers powering their MODULAIR-X series devices with the Smart Solar Power System. In short, the RS communication pins within the battery itself are swapped, which means the sensor is unable to communicate with the battery to gather and report helpful debugging data.
To know whether you are affected, please reference the table below.
Sensor Model | Smart Solar Power System | Affected |
MODULAIR or MODULAIR-PM | All | No |
MODULAIR-X or MODULAIR-X-PM | SSPS <= 600 | No |
MODULAIR-X or MODULAIR-X-PM | SSPS > 600 | Yes |
If you cannot find the serial number of your Smart Solar Power System, it is possible to identify affected devices by looking at the label on the battery. All Smart Solar Power Systems with serial numbers higher than 600 look like the figure on the right, below, with the RS485 label present on the sticker:
Next Steps
If you have an affected device, there are three options for resolving the issue.
Modify the internal RS Cable. If you would like to, you can follow the instructions in the appendix below and fix the cable yourself. The fix should only take a minute or two and is relatively straightforward.
Replace the internal RS Cable. If you would like to replace the internal RS cable, please create a support ticket and let us know. We will expedite a replacement cable for your sensor, and you can install it following the instructions in the appendix below.
Ship to QuantAQ for Repair. If you would like us to fix or replace the cable, please create a support ticket, and we will fix your sensor and get it back to you as soon as possible.
If you have any questions, please reach out to QuantAQ Support.
Appendix
🔋 Please make sure your device is powered down before touching the cables internal to the device.
Option 1. Modify the MODULAIR-X/MODULAIR-X-PM RS Cable
Tools Needed:
Tweezers or a small, standard screwdriver
The simplest adjustment that will fix the communication issue is to swap the two communication pins on the MODULAIR-X/MODULAIR-X-PM's internal RS Cable. To do so, follow these instructions:
Locate the MODULAIR-X/MODULAIR-X-PM's internal RS Cable. The cable, shown from the outside of the enclosure, is the smaller, M8, 4-pin connector. You do not need to remove the portion that is attached to the enclosure to complete this process.
Unplug the RS Cable from the Core Board. Follow the cable-end of CBL-RS-INT-9 to the Core Board and pull the end of the cable from the Core Board to remove it. There are three similar cables plugged into the Core Board — make sure you remove the one in the lower-left, labeled "BAT-RS".
Swap the two middle pins on the JST connector side. Using tweezers or a small, standard screwdriver, lift the small, white piece of plastic, keeping the pin in place, and pull out the white cable. Repeat the process for the blue cable. Once both are out, insert them into the opposite slot, making sure it matches the ordering in the figure below. From left to right, the cables should be: black, white, blue, and then brown.
Plug in the cable. Plug CBL-RS-INT-9 back into its slot on the Core Board, labeled "BAT-RS". At this point, you can power the device, and it should be good to go.
Option 2. Replacing the MODULAIR-X/MODULAIR-X-PM RS Cable
Tools Needed:
Adjustable wrench or socket
To replace the MODULAIR-X/MODULAIR-X-PM's internal RS cable, follow these instructions:
Unplug the RS cable from the Core Board. Using your fingers, locate and unplug CBL-RS-INT-9 from the Core Board. On the Core Board, the cable is labeled as "BAT-RS".
Remove the M8 Bulkhead fitting from the Polycarbonate Enclosure. Using a wrench or socket, unscrew the nut around the M8 connector and remove CBL-INT-RS-9.
Install the replacement cable. Replace the cable you just removed with the replacement cable that was sent to you by QuantAQ. First, slide the M8 bulkhead fitting through the polycarbonate enclosure and secure it with the nut using a wrench or socket. Second, plug the white plastic end into the Core Board.