Orion Jr. BMS Manual
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Rev. 2
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Why Orion Jr. BMS Internal Fuses Blow .......................................................................................... 37
What causes the fuses to blow? ............................................................................................................................................. 37
Reason: Altering wiring with the BMS connected (or loose busbar) ....................................................................................... 38
Reason: Cell tap wires reversed............................................................................................................................................. 40
Reason: Accidental contact to cell tap .................................................................................................................................... 41
Reason: Transients (and shorts within the high voltage battery pack).................................................................................... 41
Reason: Extremely weak cell, internal cell failure (fairly rare) ................................................................................................ 42
Fuses in the Orion Jr. BMS .................................................................................................................................................... 42
Orion Jr. BMS Manual
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Rev. 2
4
SAFETY: READ THIS FIRST
Important things to read first that will save you time and possibly a battery pack or BMS.
This product is designed to be integrated into an application. Integration must be performed by a
qualified person trained in electrical engineering and familiar with the characteristics and safety
requirements of lithium batteries. Proper integration, selection of components, wire selection,
installation, routing of cables and interconnects, and the determination of the suitability of this product
for the application are fully the responsibility of the integrator. Do not use this product if you are unsure
if you have the necessary skills to complete this integration.
1.)
The BMS must have a means of controlling and shutting off any connected charger, load,
source or any other means of charge and discharge.
At least two shutoff mechanisms should be
present to turn off a charger. The charge safety signal is designed to be used as an emergency backup
if a digital CAN control or digital charge enable signal fails. If the charger does not support an analog
shutoff, an AC relay can be used in series with the charger power supply. This is the last line of defense
if a failure occurs and should not be omitted.
In addition
to the above safety, the battery charger should
be programmed such that it does not exceed the maximum pack voltage if a failure occurs.
2.) The
voltage tap connectors must be DISCONNECTED from the BMS while any battery wiring
is being modified
for personal safety and to prevent damage. Wiring while connected to the BMS
may pose a personal safety hazard and/or fire risk since the remaining wires within the cell group can
become electrically ‘hot’ due to internal protection diodes.
Additionally, wiring with the BMS connected
significantly increases the risk of damage to the BMS. Damage to the BMS from mis-wiring,
misuse, or altering battery wiring while the BMS is connected is not covered under warranty and may
pose a personal safety and/or fire risk.
Immediately disconnect the BMS from the battery if the
BMS is damaged.
3.) Always
verify voltage taps and current sensor wires are wired correctly
before plugging them
into the Orion Jr. Failure to do so may result in damage to the BMS. Damage to the BMS from mis-
wiring or misuse is not covered under warranty, and some incorrect wiring may pose a personal
safety risk or fire risk from energy from the battery pack.
Please see the section “Verifying
Cell Voltage
Tap Wiring
” for methods of
testing to ensure the voltage taps are wired properly. Immediately
disconnect the BMS from cells if it is incorrectly wired. Leaving the BMS connected to cells when
incorrectly wired may drain incorrectly wired cells, even when the unit is turned off which may
permanently damage connected cells.
4.) All battery packs must be protected from over-current with a suitable current limiting device such as
a fuse.
If a fuse or safety disconnect is positioned between the first and last cell of a battery
pack, they must be wired in certain ways. If you are using a fuse or safety disconnect between the
first and last cell, it is critical to read the entire section on Safety Disconnects and Fuse Positions
before wiring the BMS.
Failure to comply may result in catastrophic failure of the BMS from full
stack potential present across two adjacent cell taps if a fuse blows or if the safety disconnect
is removed. Read the full wiring manual before wiring the BMS, especially the cell tap