POWR2 > Resource Center > Trainings > POWR2 POWRBANK Pro Operations Training
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POWR2 POWRBANK Pro Operations Training

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Course Content

Introduction to POWR2

Introduction-to-Powr2-Operations-Lesson-1-Video

About – POWR2 is Energy Storage Company that is dedicated to creating a world powered by Clean Energy. Our Energy Storage Systems are used in a wide range of temporary applications integrating with diesel generators, the grid, or renewables maximizing the use of battery power for the electrical load.

Locations – New York | Madrid | London

The Hybrid Concept

The-POWR2-POWRBANK-Renewable-Power-System-How-it-Works-Lesson 2 Video
generator is supplying power

When the generator is supplying power to the site, the excess power is used to recharge the batteries.

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generator is switched OFF

The generator is switched OFF and the load is supplied by the Renewable Power System.​
The changeover is seamless and the Renewable Power System provides silent power

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generator restarts

The generator restarts when batteries are depleted or when the load in is in excess of what the Renewable Power System can support. 

Technical Overview

Layout-and-Key-Components Video

The POWRBANK pro has a NEMA3 steel enclosure. NEMA 3 is a National Electrical Manufacturers Association standard in the USA for performance in specific environments, making the product suitable for outdoor use providing protection against windblown dust, rain, sleet, and external ice formation. The corresponding European standard is IP54.

The POWRBANK pro has a fully galvanized skid base with 4-way fork pockets for lift and drag maneuverability along with a lifting ring on the top for crane lifting.

Behind the removable base panels on each side of the unit is the battery compartment. Normal operation does not require removal of these panels. In the event they need to be removed for service the retaining bolts on the top inside of the panel can be accessed by opening the door above.

Behind the side access doors is the inverter compartment; the inverters take DC power from the batteries and convert it to AC power for distribution and the reverse for battery charging. Again, normal operation does not require access to this area unless initializing the unit for the first time, closing down the unit for long term shipping & storage troubleshooting or service maintenance.

Behind the upper door on the front of the unit is the Powr2 Energy Control Module, known as the ECM. This is the onboard computer controller and HMI to operate the POWRBANK and configure settings.

The lower door on the front of the unit gives access to the AC power distribution panel. On the US models there are busbar terminals and cam lock connections for both AC input and output. On the European models there are busbar terminals behind the door and CEE form sockets on the door front for AC power input and output. Both models have a maintenance charge inlet here too.

There are 2 key safety features on the front of the unit. One is the emergency stop button which when pressed will cut output power and the other is the limit switch on the lower distribution panel door which cuts output power when the door is opened. Always ensure these two devices are in good working order.

Connecting-the-POWRBANK Video

Detailed instructions for the correct installation and connection of the POWRBANK Pro can be found in the Operator Manual; always follow these instructions to ensure your own safety and protection of the equipment. POWRBANK installation must only be carried out by qualified personnel.

The POWRBANK produces silent power, no noise does not mean no power. Follow safety warnings at all times.

Always make this important check before starting to make cable connections. The generator voltage setting must be set to match the POWRBANK voltage setting. Failing to do this and sending the incorrect voltage through the POWRBANK will result in major equipment damage. If in doubt, check the voltage rating plate on the front of the POWRBANK.

The POWRBANK is designed to be installed between a generator and the electrical load. Power cables from the generator must be connected to the input busbars, cam locks or CEE form connections.

Power cables to the electrical load must be connected to the output busbars, cam locks or CEE form connections.

Refer to the operator manual for detailed instructions for the correct use of each connection type and the correct sequence of steps for the safe powering on of the POWRBANK.

The-Energy-Control-Module-Video

In this module we’ll take a look at the powr2 energy control module, known as the ECM. It’s the onboard computer controller and HMI to operate the POWRBANK and configure settings. The interface is separated into 6 main tabs; we’ll run through them 1 by 1 to learn the content of each one.

powr2 energy control module

The Home tab allows users to visualize key information relating to the current operating status as well as turn the POWRBANK system on and off.

The main system on/off button is at the bottom left corner of the screen. When set to ‘on’ the system inverters are activated to allow charge or discharge of the batteries.

To the left and top of the screen there are icons to shows the status of input power from generator, grid and solar. When input power is active from any of these sources the corresponding sections turn green and show the incoming power reading.

At the bottom of the screen is the battery icon which will show the state of charge and whether the battery is in charge or discharge mode and the charge or discharge power reading.

gridsolar

The 2nd tab is the Solar & Grid screen, it displays data generated from the solar charge controller and grid connections. This screen includes a switch to set the unit to maintenance mode; this mode which limits the ac input current to minimum and is the recommended setting for keeping the batteries charged using the grid when unit is not in use.

generator

The 3rd tab is the Generator screen. Information recorded from the generator is displayed on this tab as well as controls over the generator operation. The Input Current Limit slider is used to limit the amount of power the unit will draw in order to protect the generator from overloading. The Generator Remote Control buttons are used to set the system to either manual or auto based on the desired mode of operation. Unless the system is to operate manually the generator providing input power should be set to auto as well as the remote control setting on this screen. This will allow the POWRBANK to switch the generator on and off as and when necessary.

battery

The 4th tab is the Storage screen. Historical and current data from the batteries is displayed on this tab.

load

The 5th tab is the Load screen. Real time electrical load data is displayed on this tab which also allows users to add custom controls over the load and view historical data by clicking on the graph.

The buttons under ‘Load control’ allow the load to be set to ‘Manual’, in which case the load will be constantly on, or ‘Auto’, in which case the load will be switched on or off based on the weekly timer settings which can be accessed by touching the weekly schedule table on the screen. This function allows users to set their own load management controls; for example, they can configure the load to be disabled if energy has exceeded a given value or maybe enable the load only during a specific times of the week. For detailed instructions on configuring these settings please refer to the operator manual.

system

The 6th tab is the System tab. The system tab displays general system information for the POWRBANK.

Restrictions: This diagram show users “at-a-glance” if the system has any restrictions, the color of the arrows indicate power restrictions between the system elements, where Grey means restricted and Blue means unrestricted.

The system information tab lists the serial number and model number of the unit along with other system data.

System Mode: This will show one of four modes:

  • Operation: the normal mode when the unit is on site
  • Maintenance: If Grid is used to charge the batteries when not in use
  • Off: When the System is switched OFF
  • Unknown: If for some reason there is no communication with inverters.

Solar Status Shows the status of the Solar Charge Controller which can be ON, OFF or ‘Communication Lost’.

Inverter Status Shows the status of the inverters which can be ON, Charger Only, OFF or Communication

Lost.

There are also four buttons at the top of the display which appear across all tabs. These are marked ‘today’, ‘month’, ‘year’ and ‘lifetime’ and provide access to historical data accordingly.

  • Counters Display power and energy data such as charging, discharging and Load Power
  • Sensors Display the rest of parameters such as voltage, current or State of charge
  • Use the arrows to Navigate to previous or next day, month and year
  • the Home icon will take you bac to current day, month or year
  • the Calendar icon will allow you to select a specific day, month or year
  • the Grid icon Opens up the data in CSV format instead of graphs

For further detailed instructions on using all of the ECM tabs please refer to the operator manual.

Troubleshooting Video

In the event the POWRBANK is not providing power, not drawing power for charging or not passing input power through to the load here are 5 things to check.

  1. The emergency stop button. As previously noted, this is on the front of the unit on the upper door. It can sometimes be depressed inadvertently, shutting down power, and will need to be reset by twisting so that it pops out to its active position.
  2. The limit switch on the lower distribution panel door. If the door has not been fully closed or something else is interfering with the correct operation of the switch power will be shut off. Ensure the switch is operating freely and engaging properly when the door is closed.
  3. Battery isolator switches. This is a simple check to ensure that the batteries are engaged with the switches turned to ‘on’. As shown here, there are 3 battery isolator switches and they can be accessed through the side access door.
  4. There are a number of fuses in the POWRBANK’s cabling system. Check and replace the AC and inverter fuses as necessary. Please note however, that The failure of any fuse may be an indication of component failure. It is not recommended that fuses are replaced without evaluation of the fault.
  5. Communications cables. These are the RJ45 cables between the inverters, inverter comms hub and battery comms hub. Check that all RJ45 cables are undamaged and securely connected in their sockets.

These are some common items but be sure to refer to the operator manual for a comprehensive troubleshooting list.

Web Portal and Remote ECM access

portal

Login Page

Login to the Powr2 Portal by adding the address https://portal.powr2.com/ on any browser

Adding Units on your Account

The process to add the units on your account is as follow:

  • Go to System Overview (landing page)
  • Click on “Create a Device”
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  • Enter the Serial Number and Unlock key which is unique to your unit. The “Device Name” field

represents the name of your unit and it is only displayed on your account. You can rename the name of

your unit anytime by clicking on the blue triangle / Rename.

portal

System Overview

The landing page shows the most relevant information of your PowrBanks fleet such as location, status and performance of each individual units. It is where users can monitor all their units on a single page as well as decide which unit they want to select to have access to more advance information.

  • The blue triangle button displays more information.
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  • The legend at the bottom of the system overview tab shows the meaning of the icons displayed after clicking on the blue triangle.
Portal
  • Access to advance information (device details) by clicking on the unit name or “Go to device” button.
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Device Details

The device details displays live data widgets and predefined charts with data recorded from the chosen
Powrbank.

  • Widgets data is updated every 5 seconds.
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  • Data will pop up when hovering over on a chart. Datapoints on charts are 5 to 10min resolution.
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  • Drag an area on a chart to zoom in.
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  • Click on reset zoom to go back to normal view
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  • Energy data can be also displayed as month / year / global
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Data Analysis

This tab allows to create “on the go” bespoke charts by selecting the data recorded by the Powrbank for quick analysis.

  • All parameters of the unit are displayed on the selection list.
  • Daily curve is up to 10 days.
  • No limit data.
  • Data can be downloaded as CSV.
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Monitoring

Following user-customizable notifications:
Alarms:

  • Battery Low Alarm – If SoC below 8%.
  • Battery Critically Low Alarm – If SoC below 5%.
  • Inverter L1 Overloaded Alarm – If AC output current on L1 is too high or output voltage too low.
  • Inverter L2 Overloaded Alarm – If AC output current on L2 is too high or output voltage too low.
  • Inverter L3 Overloaded Alarm – If AC output current on L3 is too high or output voltage too low.
  • Modem Communication Lost – If the internal modem is not connecting with the ECM.

Warnings:

  • Limit Switch – If bottom front door is open.
  • E-Stop – If Emergency Stop has been activated.
  • Genset Fail to Start – If Generator Remote Control on ECM Genset tab is ON and no AC input power is available for 5 minutes.
  • Genset in Manual Mode – If Generator is running and Generator Remote Control on the ECM Genset tab is OFF.
  • Inverters off due to extended system inactivity – Unit is automatically switched off after 2 days on idle mode.
  • Max Charge A reduced due to low battery temp – Lithium batteries cannot be charged at full
  • charging current when internal temperature is below 12 ºC.

Device Configuration / Location

Setup the location of your Powrbank

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Device Configuration / Reports

Setup email alarms notifications.

  • Unlimited emails can be added to receive the notifications from the Powr2 Portal.
  • Emails accounts don´t need to have a Powr2 Portal to receive the notifications.
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User Profile

Edit the details of your Powr2 Portal account such as your pw, name or address by accessing to the profile tab as shown below.

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Maintenance

Lesson 5 Maintenance Video

In this module, we’ll take a look at the maintenance steps that should be carried out periodically.

Operational Maintenance: In the operator manual you’ll find a checklist of steps that should be carried as a pre-delivery inspection; and also a checklist of steps that should be carried out when the unit returns after being out on rent or hire. Be sure to adhere to these checks to ensure the safe and optimal performance of the POWRBANK.

Charging the Unit: the POWRBANK requires regular maintenance charging when not in use by connecting an AC source to the maintenance charge inlet either all of the time or at least every 4 weeks, ensuring that a full charge is maintained. Maintenance charging must be performed from a single phase source, from either the grid or a secondary power system, for example, a generator. Refer to the operator manual for detailed maintenance charging instructions.

Failure to correctly maintain the health of the batteries by keeping them charged will invalidate the warranty. In the event the batteries are left without maintenance they will eventually shut off and a recovery procedure will have to be followed. This procedure is outlined in the operator manual.

Servicing: For safety, peak performance and to maintain the warranty,  the POWRBANK must be serviced annually by a qualified technician. The following servicing steps must be carried out:

  1. Check connections have correct torque values and are clean & undamaged on the following items:
    1. Inverter Battery Terminals
    2. Inverter AC in and AC out terminals
    3. Battery terminals
    4. Lifting ring

…correct torque values can be found in the operator manual servicing section.

  1. Replace air filters ensuring they are installed in the right air flow direction.
  2. Check with the manufacturer for any required firmware or configuration updates and arrange updating as necessary.

As a best practice always ensure the unit is kept clean, away from moisture and away from oil, soot & vapors.

Pre-Delivery and Post-Rental Inspections

Pre-Delivery Inspection Lesson 6 Video

Prior to delivery of the Powrbank to a client, it is important to carry out a pre-delivery inspection.

This consists of the following steps:

  • Check the exterior of the unit to ensure the canopy is free from dust and dirt.
  • Check that all bolts are present and securely tightened
  • Ensure the lifting ring is tightened to the correct Torque setting which is 250 newton-meter or 184.4 pound foot.
  • Each air Inlet has a filter; check that the filters are clean
  • Check that all safety stickers are present.
  • UN3481 dangerous good or hazmat stickers should be present on both sides of the canopy.
  • Check that the door Keys are present
  • The inverters and battery isolators should be in the “ON” position.
  • All doors except the top front one should be locked.
  • The Battery Bank state of charge should be no less that 99%
  • The Powrbank can be turned ON/OFF through the soft switch on the Energy Control Module. Leave unit in OFF mode.
  • Check that the Powrbank is online and the SIM Card has available data by going to the powr2 portal to ensure it is showing as online.
  • Ensure the Energy Control Module Alarms are cleared. This can be done by pressing the alarm button on the screen and then pressing “acknowledge all”.
  • If needed update the time zone on Energy Control Module by going to the setting tab, then system, then, clock setting.
  • Finally check the output Breaker is switched OFF.

The Powrbank is now ready to be delivered to the customer.

Ensure any user of the Powrbank has full training. Be aware that the Powrbank produces silent power, unlike a conventional generator, so just because there is no sound it doesn’t mean there isn’t harmful electrical current present.

Post Rental/Hire Inspection Lesson 6 Video

When a Powrbank comes back from a rental or hire, it’s important to do a thorough check before putting it into storage:

This consists of the following steps:

  • Check the exterior of the unit to ensure the canopy is free from dust and dirt.
  • Check that all bolts are present and securely tightened
  • Ensure the lifting ring is tightened to the correct Torque setting which is 250 newton-meter or 184.4 pound foot.
  • Check that the air filters are clean and replace if soiled.
  • Check that all safety stickers are present.
  • UN3481 dangerous good or hazmat stickers should be present on both sides of the canopy.
  • Check that the door Keys are present
  • The inverters and battery isolators should be in the “ON” position.
  • All doors except the top front one should be locked.
  • The Battery Bank state of charge should be no less that 99%
  • The Powrbank can be turned ON/OFF through the soft switch on the Energy Control Module. Leave unit in OFF mode.
  • Check that the Powrbank is online and the SIM Card has available data by going to the powr2 portal to ensure it is showing as online.
  • Ensure the Energy Control Module alarms are cleared. This can be done by pressing the alarm button on the screen and then pressing “acknowledge all”.
  • If needed update the time zone on Energy Control Module by going to the setting tab, then system, then, clock setting.
  • Check the output Breaker is switched OFF.
  • Return unit to default settings via the Energy Control Module – refer to section 6.3 in the operator manual.

Storage Instructions

Maintenance Charge Procedure Lesson 7 Video

If lithium batteries are allowed to go completely flat it can cause irreparable damage. This video will show you how to correctly store the PowrBank. Details on this can also be found in the operator manual sections 2.1 and 4.1

While the unit is in storage, a constant AC single phase supply should be connected to the dedicated

maintenance input. Follow this procedure for maintenance charge:

  • On the ECM Home screen press the “System Switch” soft button to turn the inverters OFF.
  • Switch OFF the output circuit breaker.
  • Connect the AC source to the maintenance panel mount inlet connector.
  • On the ECM Home screen press the “System Switch” soft button to turn the inverters ON.
  • Turn ON the AC source circuit breaker.
  • The unit will now charge at a low rate to prevent battery depletion. Check that the unit is actively charging before leaving.

If a constant AC supply is not available, it will be necessary to provide Rotational or periodical Maintenance charges. To maintain the product warranty it is necessary to charge the POWRBANK unit at least every 4 weeks or when the state of charge goes below 10%.