Should I be worried?? (1 Viewer)

[TigerFan62]

Hi can someone please explain what the picture of our CP unit is telling me. We are off grid and a tad concerned we are about to fade into an electrical abyss
TIA

 

[EML]

I've just read your second post - you can't tell the unit what your current estimate of the charge is; that would be pointless. You have to tell it what the total capacity of your batteries is, and tell it when they're fully charged. It doesn't have any magic to decide when they're fully charged: it just counts charge in, and charge out.

 

[gus-lopez]

Morning all
Thanks very much for all your replies. Update: read the Sargent manual and it states AH reading is approx capacity of battery= so 3% at that time. Does say more important reading is the V.
I checked the AH setting in the unit and it was on 0%. Although not sure why or if that was a true reading of the current battery status (x2 95Ah = 190 Ahrs??) I changed the setting to 60% as an estimate of its current charged status as we had been off grid for 4 days. Once done the AH display reflected new inputted measure ie 60%. Settled down for the rest of the day/night, usual tv, lights, water…. without crashing. Checked this morning and the AH is at 50%. So at my reckoning that is a 10% loss of capacity. As the initial reading said I had 3%, that’s a difference of 7% so would indicate AH reading was incorrect, set wrong for some unknown reason? Volts now12.5!
Plan: moving to ehu site today. Charge every thing up for 2-3 days. Unplug, note all readings, set AH on unit settings to 100%. See how get on from there as will be heading to Lincoln SG for 4 days shortly, test out again off grid!
Apologies if I have rattled on a bit, I do like to tell a good story.
If in the meantime anyone has any further advice, it would be gratefully received. Thanks again

As last post .when you return home or can fully charge 100% guaranteed with no usage ,you can then reset the 'capacity' to 190A & then the meters will be reading correctly.

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[TheBig1]

One of the problems with lead batteries is that as they age, capacity drops. Brand new they might be 90ah but after a few years use could be as low as 10ah. The voltage would still read full, but quickly drop as you use the battery. AGM batteries in particular suffer badly if only used for a few AH and then recharged constantly. They then never receive a full charge

 

[iandsm]

Morning all
Thanks very much for all your replies. Update: read the Sargent manual and it states AH reading is approx capacity of battery= so 3% at that time. Does say more important reading is the V.
I checked the AH setting in the unit and it was on 0%. Although not sure why or if that was a true reading of the current battery status (x2 95Ah = 190 Ahrs??) I changed the setting to 60% as an estimate of its current charged status as we had been off grid for 4 days. Once done the AH display reflected new inputted measure ie 60%. Settled down for the rest of the day/night, usual tv, lights, water…. without crashing. Checked this morning and the AH is at 50%. So at my reckoning that is a 10% loss of capacity. As the initial reading said I had 3%, that’s a difference of 7% so would indicate AH reading was incorrect, set wrong for some unknown reason? Volts now12.5!
Plan: moving to ehu site today. Charge every thing up for 2-3 days. Unplug, note all readings, set AH on unit settings to 100%. See how get on from there as will be heading to Lincoln SG for 4 days shortly, test out again off grid!
Apologies if I have rattled on a bit, I do like to tell a good story.
If in the meantime anyone has any further advice, it would be gratefully received. Thanks again

Phone Sargent for technical advice, the number is in spout handbook or you can look them up on the web. I haven't had to do it but I understand from others that they are very helpful and can talk you through most issues.

 

[The Dotties]

Wonder it this helps @tigerfan62

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[Hirsch]

Slight digression but being a fellow Tigerfan I feel in a position of authority to say.

You have far more to worry about than the state of the electrics on the van

Hope it is already or gets sorted asap.

See you down there Saturday..............................

 

[Doogy Dog]

Hi there

All looks ok to me

Re: solar output ,,,, if you are getting any useful solar after 5pm in September you must be wild camping on the equator !!.

 

[marchie]

Hi there

All looks ok to me

Re: solar output ,,,, if you are getting any useful solar after 5pm in September you must be wild camping on the equator !!.

If you're on the Equator after 5pm, then it'll be at about the end of the sunshine period too! And that'll be pretty much all year round ...

July daytime temperatures in Cape Town Winter were warmer than a Scottish summer day, but, then at around 5pm, some bugger turned the lights off and it got very dark, very quickly!

Steve