Weco 16K0-LV16.06kWh 51.2V low-voltage LFP battery module, IP66

Overview

The 16K0-LV is WeCo's largest low-voltage module: 16.06kWh at 51.2V from sixteen 314Ah LFP cells, housed in a wheeled IP66 cabinet with its own BMS, contactor, fire suppression and heating. Standard charge and discharge current is 157A, and the battery talks to the inverter over CAN with an adaptive charging logic. A single unit replaces several small rack modules in 48V hybrid and off-grid systems, and parallel clusters build banks of tens of kWh for farms, workshops and larger homes.

• 16.06kWh, 51.2V, 314Ah LFP cells in one module
• IP66 cabinet on wheels, floor or wall fixing
• Up to 28 modules in parallel per datasheet
• 157A standard charge and discharge current
• Fire suppression and cell heating built in
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth apps for monitoring and firmware

How it works

The 16K0-LV packs sixteen 3.2V/314Ah LFP cells, arranged as 1P16S in two 8-cell sub-modules, into a single 51.2V unit of 16.06kWh. BMS, contactor and pre-charge circuit sit inside the module, and charging follows the inverter over CAN with a three-step adaptive logic. Standard charge and discharge current is 157A (0.5C); the datasheet states 320A as maximum, while the technical table in the manual gives 200A continuous.

Modules are connected in parallel to build larger banks. The datasheet describes clusters of up to four modules in direct parallel and up to seven clusters, 28 modules in total, whereas the manual's table sets eight as the maximum parallel number, so large layouts should be agreed with WeCo. With several modules the manual asks for groups wired to a main busbar with equal-length cables and a fuse or breaker on each group.

Key features

Each module carries its own fire suppression system and a heating function that helps when the room drops below the temperature allowed for charging; WeCo stresses that heating does not make cold or damp sites acceptable. The cabinet is IP66 with corrosion class C3 and offers RS485, CAN, RS232 and two programmable DI/DO. Expected life is more than 8000 cycles at 25°C and 90% depth of discharge.

Installation and compatibility

The module is heavy and arrives with wheels, handles and a wall bracket for fixing to the floor and/or wall, on a surface able to carry its weight. WeCo asks for at least 500mm free on each side, above, below and in front, a sheltered position out of sun, rain and snow, and recommends +15 to +30°C for long life: IP66 is not a promise of weather or temperature resistance. Battery cables should be as short as possible.

Warranty cover requires a CAN/BMS link to an inverter on WeCo's compatibility list, with the matching protocol selected in the app. WeCo publishes connection guides for single-phase GoodWe ES, Ingeteam 1PLAY LV, Schneider, SMA, Solis and Studer inverters, and CEI 0-21 certificates exist for its own ESX and ESY hybrid inverters combined with the 16K0-LV.

Monitoring and settings

Monitoring, protocol choice and firmware updates run through the WECO WIFI and WECO Bluetooth apps; with Bluetooth, firmware can be updated from a phone without a local Wi-Fi network. Critical updates must be installed within 60 days of WeCo's notice. The performance warranty of 120 months or 8000 cycles requires the battery to stay online in the app, with no more than 60 days offline per year, and use within the stated temperature, current and DoD limits.

Questions and answers