MPPT Controller. (1 Viewer)

[jumar]

Could someone with the knowledge please take a look at the readings I have put below and explain to me if all is as it should be....I have just replaced my leisure battery which had died..

 

[Robert Clark]

Looks like your battery is being fully charged every day as you can see that it is reaching a float charge.

Guessing you only have a 100w solar panel?

Do you think you have a problem Martin?

 

[jumar]

Looks like your battery is being fully charged every day as you can see that it is reaching a float charge.

Guessing you only have a 100w solar panel?

Do you think you have a problem Martin?

Hi Robert,
.just didn't know what to expect and needed to ask an expert to look over the figures...
My previous leisure battery lasted 2years and died...

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[Robert Clark]

Hi Robert,
.just didn't know what to expect and needed to ask an expert to look over the figures...
My previous leisure battery lasted 2years and died...

What type of battery do you have now?

Might be worth checking that the solar controller is set to the correct maximum charging voltages as too much can kill a battery over time.

Edit
If your solar controller is set to the correct battery type, you’re probably ok

 

[Bobby-gg]

Have you got any load on your battery?

Why has it dropped to 12.10V today?

For a standard lead acid battery that's down to 50% dod

 

[Raul]

Yes, I can see a 14.8v in absorb, that’s very high for any lead in this temperatures. Open the setings tab on the controller and make sure that temperature compensating is enabled and set to at least 16mv, or 4mv per cell. Then the internal sensor will work out to back up if is hot and raise if cold.

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[jumar]

What type of battery do you have now?

Might be worth checking that the solar controller is set to the correct maximum charging voltages as too much can kill a battery over time.

Thats the sort of direction I need to take, thanks....
I have just one 95ah Varta Professional, Dual purpose which I bought here in Galicia, I will have a fiddle tomorrow if I have time....got some serious riding to do before the rain arrives on Wednesday....Cheers buddy.

 

[jumar]

Have you got any load on your battery?

Why has it dropped to 12.10V today?

For a standard lead acid battery that's down to 50% dod

Yes, put a load on today through my inverter....with the engine running...noticed that it didn't appreciate it too much so turned it off...Thanks....good spot.

 

[jumar]

Yes, I can see a 14.8v in absorb, that’s very high for any lead in this temperatures. Open the setings tab on the controller and make sure that temperature compensating is enabled and set to at least 16mv, or 4mv per cell. Then the internal sensor will work out to back up if is hot and raise if cold.

Cheers....another task for tomorrow, my van lives in Spain...gets lots of heat...

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[jumar]

Is the current setting correct for a 95ah Lead Acid Battery....this appears to be as the MPPT controler arrived?

 

[Two on Tour]

You want the factory default battery setting.

 

[jumar]

You want the factory default battery setting.

View attachment 414736

Cheers....on with that..

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[Raul]

You should be on gel Victron deep discharge 2, the one underneath. I know that one is 14,4v absorb and 13,8v float. This is the default setting as per manual.
The higher voltage I seen on the app could be the result of other source of charging, ehu or alternator.
Or you can input your values as suggested on user defined tab.

 

[eddie]

Ooooooooooo That error count looks low

 

[jumar]

Ooooooooooo That error count looks low

Thats interesting...but what do you mean?

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[jumar]

I reverted to Factory Default...this is my latest usage report...no sun today...raining in Galicia..

 

[Don Quixote]

Martin, what your not saying is what your taking out of the batteries. A 100watt panel will in Spain on a good day go up to 6/8 amps with the sun right over the panel ( can be 1 or 2 amps as late as 11am ) until sun at full overhead height. If the battery is 80amp battery you have 40amps before you start killing it. So over 3 days you take out 30 amps (10amps per day) but you only top up 2 days because poor sun coverage by day 4 you might have only 10 amps left as battery have not been charged. The key thing is charging not topping up.
If you off grid you really need 300wats of panels this will charge you batteries in no time and during the day you can take out what you waht from the batteries without problems as it will be replaced in no time by the panels.
3 years ago we went off grid for 3 months in Spain and batteries handled whatever we threw at them. The same batteries are still in use now all be it being charged on mains as MH locked up for now.
Solar charhing is a black art.........................

 

[Lenny HB]

Which battery have you actually got as you said 95a/h, I thought the 95a/h was an AGM and the flooded cell was 90a/h.
If it is an AGM it won't get a full charge on the default setting.

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[jumar]

Which battery have you actually got as you said 95a/h, I thought the 95a/h was an AGM and the flooded cell was 90a/h.
If it is an AGM it won't get a full charge on the default setting.

LFD 90 Varta....sorry...Lead Acid....my Victron MPPT controller 100/15 is set at Default.....

 

[jumar]

Which battery have you actually got as you said 95a/h, I thought the 95a/h was an AGM and the flooded cell was 90a/h.
If it is an AGM it won't get a full charge on the default setting.

Martin, what your not saying is what your taking out of the batteries. A 100watt panel will in Spain on a good day go up to 6/8 amps with the sun right over the panel ( can be 1 or 2 amps as late as 11am ) until sun at full overhead height. If the battery is 80amp battery you have 40amps before you start killing it. So over 3 days you take out 30 amps (10amps per day) but you only top up 2 days because poor sun coverage by day 4 you might have only 10 amps left as battery have not been charged. The key thing is charging not topping up.
If you off grid you really need 300wats of panels this will charge you batteries in no time and during the day you can take out what you waht from the batteries without problems as it will be replaced in no time by the panels.
3 years ago we went off grid for 3 months in Spain and batteries handled whatever we threw at them. The same batteries are still in use now all be it being charged on mains as MH locked up for now.
Solar charhing is a black art.........................

Thanks for that....my one panel is all I have roof top space for....it works well for us...my main concern with starting this thread was to make sure my MPPT controller is correctly configured and supplies my new Varta 90 ah battery...
My previous battery died during lockdown when I put my van undercover....without solar coming in it proved the battery to be lifeless....I want to make sure this new battery serves me better.

 

[eddie]

Thats interesting...but what do you mean?

I was kidding

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[Robert Clark]

Cheers....on with that..

The name of the setting is less important than the voltages it uses

On the Sterling website it suggests the following voltages for sealed lead acid batteries (see line 3)

14.4V for bulk and absorb
Absorb phase beween 120 - 440 minutes
Float charge 13.6V

you can set up a custom charge regime if you need to, but I expect that your Victron controller will have something appropriate

 

[jumar]

The name of the setting is less important than the voltages it uses

On the Sterling website it suggests the following voltages for sealed lead acid batteries (see line 3)

View attachment 415048

14.4V for bulk and absorb
Absorb phase beween 120 - 440 minutes
Float charge 13.6V

you can set up a custom charge regime if you need to, but I expect that your Victron controller will have something appropriate

Thanks Robert...interesting...getting to grips with all this tec stuff...no sun today..
However solar charge is coming in...

 

[Robert Clark]

Thanks Robert...interesting...getting to grips with all this tec stuff...no sun today..
However solar charge is coming in...

Solar doesn’t need bright sun
Just daylight

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[eddie]

Solar doesn’t need bright sun
Just daylight

Or Moon light with Jim's new range of panels

 

[jumar]

The name of the setting is less important than the voltages it uses

On the Sterling website it suggests the following voltages for sealed lead ac kiid batteries (see line 3)

View attachment 415048

14.4V for bulk and absorb
Absorb phase beween 120 - 440 minutes
Float charge 13.6V

you can set up a custom charge regime if you need to, but I expect that your Victron controller will have something appropriate

Float is 13.8 on my victron settings....is this acceptable...the rest is how you have sent me. Is the moonlight solar panel a wind up? As sent by Eddie...?

 

[Lenny HB]

13.8v float is fine.
I'll let you make your own mind up on the moonlight panel.

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[Robert Clark]

Float is 13.8 on my victron settings....is this acceptable...the rest is how you have sent me. Is the moonlight solar panel a wind up? As sent by Eddie...?

Looking at the Sterling list 13.8V is too high and may cause damage in the long term as the battery in question only requires 13.6V and your battery may be getting too high a float charge over long periods when you’re not using the van

Yes Eddie made a joke (almost)

 

[eddie]

Float is 13.8 on my victron settings....is this acceptable...the rest is how you have sent me. Is the moonlight solar panel a wind up? As sent by Eddie...?

I have a couple of Lunar panels for sale, along with your solar it should keep you topped up 24/7 Give me a shout if you want a pair, they come in at a very reasonable £100 a Watt

 

[jumar]

Looking at the Sterling list 13.8V is too high and may cause damage in the long term as the battery in question only requires 13.6V and your battery may be getting too high a float charge over long periods when you’re not using the van

Yes Eddie made a joke (almost)

Changed to 13.6 kind sir...... thank you.

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