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Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: neoneddy on March 14, 2018, 01:18:02 PM

Title: Blue Solar MPPT Charging, never full / Anyone familiar with Victron Equipment?
Post by: neoneddy on March 14, 2018, 01:18:02 PM
I am a week or two into running my Victron Solar setup, really like it, but right now my batteries never get full.   At night they go down to 80% or so, only fridge and some small DC loads are really present. 40-60 watts usually.

If anyone is curious what the system is doing and reporting, check out my public VRM Portal

https://vrm.victronenergy.com/installation/17735/share/c7e5a8fd


Right now I have a 4x 6v FLA battery bank, is it one of those things where the last 5% of charge takes 4-8 hours and I shouldn't sweat it?

I'm homedocked currently, it doesn't get real use.  Just monitoring and testing.
Title: Re: Blue Solar MPPT Charging, never full / Anyone familiar with Victron Equipment?
Post by: eagle19952 on March 14, 2018, 01:38:21 PM
i would find a secondary charger and see if it will bring the batteries to 100%  that might help troubleshoot the situation.
Title: Re: Blue Solar MPPT Charging, never full / Anyone familiar with Victron Equipment?
Post by: neoneddy on March 14, 2018, 01:41:13 PM
I should have mentioned, I have the Victron Multiplus inverter / charger as well.  That is where the state of charge is currently.  I have a BMV I'm installing soon as well.

My main question was more on the FLA batteries I guess, do they just  have a long tail on charging ?
Title: Re: Blue Solar MPPT Charging, never full / Anyone familiar with Victron Equipment?
Post by: neoneddy on March 15, 2018, 02:24:07 PM
Well I figured it out.  Turns out you need to boost the Absorption voltage a bit on these a bit.

I'm using the Duracell GC115 batteries, same as the Deka GC15 batteries here http://www.eastpennmanufacturing.com/wp-content/uploads/Renewable-Energy-Charging-Parameters-1913.pdf (http://www.eastpennmanufacturing.com/wp-content/uploads/Renewable-Energy-Charging-Parameters-1913.pdf)

Turns out these guys like 29.4 or so, I was using an AGM profile because it was the closest profile it had.  I entered in my own custom settings with the PDF chart above and as 4:30 PM central time approaches I'm at 98% SOC

Attached is a screenshot of the monitor.  The PV charger throttles down as the amperage needs drop.   For fun I turned on an electric heater, and the PV watts soared to 1400 or so.
Title: Re: Blue Solar MPPT Charging, never full / Anyone familiar with Victron Equipment?
Post by: solardude on March 15, 2018, 07:42:07 PM
I also run Victron, I have had mine for 3+ years with no problems.

Also - funny thing, I looked at your webpage and was looking at the map, at first I was creeped out because I was wondering why it was showing my location.... then I realized, the map was not exactly over my location, you must live very close to me... I'm straight up 65 in Cambridge. Small world.

SolarDude
Title: Blue Solar MPPT Charging, never full / Anyone familiar with Victron Equipment?
Post by: neoneddy on March 16, 2018, 07:23:49 AM
Yeah there are a few of us on here. I'm down 65 by PTL tire .

We ought to do a mini meet up sometime.

I'll be outside working on the bus this afternoon and all weekend, like usual.


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