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A step-by-step integration reference: DC voltage range, CAN protocol, wiring, HVIL handling, and inverter setup for pairing a BMW i3 pack with any current Deye SUN HP3 hybrid inverter.
Direct answer. A BMW i3 battery pack (60 Ah / 22 kWh, 94 Ah / 33 kWh, or 120 Ah / 42 kWh) pairs directly with the Deye SUN HP3 hybrid inverter family via the BMS-EV controller. The pack's 260–395 V DC range fits comfortably inside the Deye HP3's 160–700 V (5–25 kW) / 160–800 V (29.9–50 kW) battery-port window. The original BMW SME BMS is retained; the BMS-EV controller performs the LIN wake sequence required to bring the SME out of sleep, reads pack state on CAN, and re-encodes it in the Pylontech HV protocol the Deye expects. No pack disassembly, no cell-level wiring.
All Deye HP3-family hybrid inverters are supported. Choose according to phase count and household load.
| Model family | AC power | Phase | DC battery range | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUN-5K-SG04LP1-EU-AM2 | 5 kW | 1φ | 160–700 V (5–25 kW) / 160–800 V (29.9–50 kW) | 22 kWh i3, small households |
| SUN-6K / 8K-SG04LP1-EU-AM2 | 6–8 kW | 1φ | 160–700 V (5–25 kW) / 160–800 V (29.9–50 kW) | 33 kWh i3, medium single-phase |
| SUN-10K / 12K / 16K / 20K-SG01HP3-EU-AM2 | 10–20 kW | 1φ HP3 | 160–700 V (5–25 kW) / 160–800 V (29.9–50 kW) | 42 kWh i3, high single-phase |
| SUN-10K / 12K / 15K / 20K-SG04LP3-EU | 10–20 kW | 3φ | 160–700 V (5–25 kW) / 160–800 V (29.9–50 kW) | Any i3, three-phase |
| SUN-29.9K / 30K / 35K / 40K / 50K-SG01HP3-EU-BM3 | 29.9–50 kW | 3φ HP3 | 160–700 V (5–25 kW) / 160–800 V (29.9–50 kW) | 42 kWh i3 in commercial or multi-family installs |
All models listed use the same battery-port protocol and the same 160–700 V (5–25 kW) / 160–800 V (29.9–50 kW) DC window, so the BMS-EV controller firmware is identical across the Deye HP3 family.
The BMW i3 pack operates between 260 V (0 % SoC hard limit) and 395 V (100 % SoC), with a nominal midpoint of 355 V. The Deye HP3 battery port operates from 160 V to 700 V DC (5–25 kW range per Deye datasheet). The overlap is 260–395 V, giving 135 V of headroom at both ends. The Deye's charge and discharge current limits are respected against the SME-reported CCL/DCL frames via the BMS-EV translation.
There is one edge case to configure: default Deye "Lithium HV" mode assumes a nominal ~380 V pack (typical LFP HVM). For an i3 pack the "Battery low voltage warning" should be raised to 275 V and "Battery empty" to 265 V in the Deye's LCD menu; otherwise the inverter will treat SoC ~10 % as normal operation instead of an alarm. The BMS-EV setup guide includes a printable one-page menu-values sheet.
The BMW SME broadcasts pack state on CAN at 500 kbps using its native BMW message set. The Deye battery port expects Pylontech HV messages at 500 kbps. The BMS-EV controller performs a bidirectional translation:
| Data field | Source (BMW SME) | Destination (Pylontech HV → Deye) |
|---|---|---|
| SoC (%) | 0x1D2 byte 4, scaled 0–100 | 0x4210 bytes 0-1, integer 0–100 |
| Pack voltage | 0x112 bytes 0-1, unit 0.01 V | 0x4210 bytes 2-3, unit 0.01 V |
| Pack current | 0x112 bytes 2-3, signed, unit 0.01 A | 0x4210 bytes 4-5, signed, unit 0.1 A |
| Max cell temp | 0x122 byte 1, offset −40 °C | 0x4210 bytes 6-7 |
| CCL (charge limit) | 0x1D6 bytes 0-1, unit 0.1 A | 0x4220 bytes 2-3, unit 0.1 A |
| DCL (discharge limit) | 0x1D6 bytes 2-3, unit 0.1 A | 0x4220 bytes 4-5, unit 0.1 A |
| Max charge voltage | Computed from cell max (4.10 V) × 96 | 0x4220 bytes 0-1 |
| Fault flags | 0x35B (24 fault bits) | 0x4250 (mapped subset) |
Beyond translation, the controller also issues periodic keep-alive frames to the SME (emulating vehicle VCM heartbeat) and responds to Deye handshake requests (0x4210 request cycles at 1 Hz). Failure to answer within 2 s causes the Deye to declare "battery disconnected" and open its DC contactor.
Engineering values below are examples. Final conductor cross-section and protective-device sizing must be calculated for the actual pack, maximum current, cable length, installation method, ambient temperature and applicable local standards (IEC 60364-7-712, VDE-AR-N 4105, NEC 690).
Yes. Both single-phase (LP1/LP3) and three-phase (SG01HP3) Deye HP3 inverters use identical battery-port protocol, so the BMS-EV controller and pack move to the new inverter unchanged. Only the AC side (grid connection, meter) needs rework.
Continuous 20 kW is well within the pack's capability (~0.6 C peak, but sustained is limited by thermal). With the refrigerant loop terminated in a small chiller, 15–20 kW continuous is achievable. Without cooling, plan on 8–10 kW continuous.
Any HP3 shipped from 2023 onward is compatible out of the box. Earlier stock may need a firmware refresh from Deye; contact your Deye distributor.
Deye HP3 supports one battery bank per battery port. It cannot mix Pylontech HVM modules and an i3 pack in parallel — protocol conflicts and different SoC curves would cause misoperation. If you want both, use a two-battery-port model or two separate Deye inverters.
Two years standard EU consumer warranty on the controller hardware. The pack itself carries no warranty from BMS-EV (used part); if bought from a specialist EV dismantler, some offer 6–12 months on capacity.
The Deye HP3 in "backup" mode islands and continues to run the household on inverter + battery, respecting the CCL/DCL from the BMS-EV controller. Transition time is ~10 ms — fast enough that most electronics do not notice.
Two options. (1) Deye's Solarman Cloud shows inverter-side data (SoC, power, energy). (2) BMS-EV controller serves a local web page with SME-native data (per-cell voltages, temperatures, fault codes) accessible on your LAN. It can also push to a home-assistant instance via MQTT.
The Deye HP3 is CE-marked and grid-code-certified for the EU. The BMS-EV controller carries CE / RoHS. The complete installation (pack + controller + inverter + enclosure) is signed off by the installing electrician under national low-voltage code and the local grid-operator connection agreement.