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Pairing a used BMW i3 22, 33 or 42 kWh HV pack with GoodWe EH single-phase and ET three-phase hybrid inverters using BYD Battery-Box protocol emulation.
Direct answer. A complete BMW i3 HV pack (22, 33 or 42 kWh; 260–395 V operating range) is compatible with GoodWe EH single-phase hybrid inverters (100–500 V DC battery input) and with GoodWe ET three-phase hybrid inverters (180–600 V DC). The BMS-EV controller emulates a BYD Battery-Box HV module stack on the GoodWe battery CAN port. The BMW pack voltage window fits cleanly inside both EH and ET ranges. EH is the best fit for single-phase homes (5–10 kW); ET for three-phase homes and small commercial (5–15 kW).
| Component | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| BMW i3 22 kWh (60 Ah) pack | Yes | NMC, 260–395 V |
| BMW i3 33 kWh (94 Ah) pack | Yes | NMC, 260–395 V; most popular option |
| BMW i3 42 kWh (120 Ah) pack | Yes | NMC, 260–395 V; best capacity/euro |
| GoodWe EH single-phase (5.0–10.0 kW) | Yes | 100–500 V DC battery, BYD HV protocol |
| GoodWe ET three-phase (5.0–15.0 kW) | Yes | 180–600 V DC battery, BYD HV protocol |
| GoodWe ES / EM (LV series) | No | 48 V nominal, incompatible with HV pack |
| GoodWe MS / DNS (PV-only) | No | String inverter, no battery interface |
| Model | AC power | Phase | DC battery range | MPPT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GW5000-EH | 5.0 kW | 1-phase | 100–500 V | 2 |
| GW6000-EH | 6.0 kW | 1-phase | 100–500 V | 2 |
| GW8000-EH | 8.0 kW | 1-phase | 100–500 V | 2 |
| GW10K-EH | 10.0 kW | 1-phase | 100–500 V | 2 |
| GW5K-ET | 5.0 kW | 3-phase | 180–600 V | 2 |
| GW6.5K-ET | 6.5 kW | 3-phase | 180–600 V | 2 |
| GW8K-ET | 8.0 kW | 3-phase | 180–600 V | 2 |
| GW10K-ET | 10.0 kW | 3-phase | 180–600 V | 2 |
| GW15K-ET | 15.0 kW | 3-phase | 180–600 V | 2 |
The BMW i3 pack sits at 260–395 V (0–100 % SoC). The GoodWe EH input starts at 100 V, so the entire BMW discharge curve is inside the window; the ET input starts at 180 V, still well below the BMW low limit. Neither inverter will trip the pack on low-voltage cutoff during normal operation.
The 500 V upper limit on EH is comfortably above BMW full charge (395 V). ET's 600 V ceiling is also fine. The BMS-EV controller applies a chemistry-derived charge voltage limit of 395 V and a discharge cutoff at approximately 300 V (~10 % SoC), preserving pack lifespan.
Both GoodWe EH and ET use the BYD Battery-Box HV protocol on their battery CAN port. The BMS-EV controller identifies itself as a BYD HVS stack:
| Data | Source (BMW i3 BMS) | Target (BYD HV frame) |
|---|---|---|
| Pack voltage | 0x112 byte 0–1 | 0x110 byte 0–1 |
| Pack current | 0x112 byte 2–3 | 0x110 byte 2–3 |
| SoC | 0x1F0 byte 4 | 0x150 byte 0 |
| Cell voltages max/min | 0x2A2 byte 0–3 | 0x210 byte 0–3 |
| Temperature max | 0x2FC byte 3 | 0x220 byte 0 |
| Temperature min | 0x2FC byte 4 | 0x220 byte 1 |
| Charge current limit | Computed by BMS-EV | 0x130 byte 4–5 |
| Discharge current limit | Computed by BMS-EV | 0x130 byte 6–7 |
| Alarm/warning flags | 0x2C0 bit-mapped | 0x360 byte 0–3 |
| Manufacturer name | Injected by BMS-EV | 0x35E "BYD" |
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).
Choose based on your grid connection: single-phase home = EH; three-phase home = ET. If you have three-phase supply, ET is strongly preferred — better balance, higher continuous power, and the backup output can span all three phases with the right accessory.
The BMW i3 33 kWh pack tolerates up to ~50 kW peak on the vehicle side, but for stationary use we constrain to 0.3–0.5 C to preserve lifetime. On a 33 kWh pack that's 10–16 kW — well within GW10K-EH or GW10K-ET limits. The BMS-EV controller reports these limits over CAN so the inverter self-regulates.
Yes. Peak-shaving is a control-side feature that only reads pack SoC and available power from CAN. The BMS-EV controller provides both fields correctly.
Yes. BMS-EV supplies a pre-terminated CAN cable with an RJ45 connector on the inverter end and Molex terminals on the controller end. Pinout matches GoodWe's BMS port specification.
The GoodWe ET is grid-tied with backup, not a full off-grid inverter. It requires a live grid or a black-start-capable generator to synchronise. For permanent off-grid use, consider the Deye SUN HP3 or Victron MultiPlus-II with DC coupling.
The GoodWe inverter loses battery communication and opens its internal battery contactor after 30 seconds. PV production continues (grid-tied). No damage occurs, but the battery is unavailable until CAN is restored.
Marginal. The 22 kWh (60 Ah, 2013–2016) pack after 8+ years of use often has ~15 kWh usable. If the pack price is below €1 200 it can still make sense; otherwise a 33 or 42 kWh pack offers substantially better €/kWh.