Trojan batteries

[sailaboutvic]

Just an obervation Vic, your bulk and absorption period is very long. If you have sufficient charge going in the to the batteries you would expect the combined bulk and absorption period to be circa 6 or 7 hrs. If you are not using expert mode as well my guess is you have been undercharging the batteries. Have you used a hydrometer at all to check the batteries charge state? Do you run an equalisation cycle periodically?

All cells are showing. Between 1.277 and over as much as 1.300 .
No not equalise them but not for trying , the MPPT. has a equalise stage 16.5v but it's never reach that far even with I put all the panels in Series Which give me 80v it won't go any higter then 14.7v

 

[PaulRainbow]

Just an obervation Vic, your bulk and absorption period is very long. If you have sufficient charge going in the to the batteries you would expect the combined bulk and absorption period to be circa 6 or 7 hrs. If you are not using expert mode as well my guess is you have been undercharging the batteries. Have you used a hydrometer at all to check the batteries charge state? Do you run an equalisation cycle periodically?

He has not been using expert mode, if you look at the pics on post #27, you'll see he doesn't have that option, or at least he didn't until he updated today.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Paul I have the App on both my iPad and my sumsung if I delete the sumsung or iPad app and re download it , it loads the same app again .
Any suggestion

The app' you downloaded today, v5.25 is the current one. But this is not the app that you were using before. Look at the picture in post #27 and you will see there is no expert mode, but expert mode is showing in the last pic you posted.

You can now select expert mode and adaptive absorption.

 

[sailaboutvic]

The app' you downloaded today, v5.25 is the current one. But this is not the app that you were using before. Look at the picture in post #27 and you will see there is no expert mode, but expert mode is showing in the last pic you posted.

You can now select expert mode and adaptive absorption.

Ok I now can .
Suggestion on setting Paul

 

[sailaboutvic]

Ok I now can .
Suggestion on setting Paul

 

[vas]

Vic, did you edit these numbers?
mine shows on adaptive expert mode:
Maximum absorption time 6:00h
Tail current 2.0A
equalisation current percentage 8%
Equalisation duration 1h0m

I thought that Equalisation cannot be more than 1h?
I'd try that tbh, nothing to loose

V.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Vic, did you edit these numbers?
mine shows on adaptive expert mode:
Maximum absorption time 6:00h
Tail current 2.0A
equalisation current percentage 8%
Equalisation duration 1h0m

I thought that Equalisation cannot be more than 1h?
I'd try that tbh, nothing to loose

V.

Very similar to mine, except my tail current is 1a

I don't equalise mine, they are sealed lead acid, but i just checked, i can set the time up to 24 hours. Obviously wouldn't want to equalise for 24hrs.

 

[vas]

my settings:

2X300W panels as f/b hardtop
4XTrojan T105RE
VictronMPPT100/30

 

[geem]

my settings:

2X300W panels as f/b hardtop
4XTrojan T105RE
VictronMPPT100/30

Vas, who advised these settings for your system. Do you equalise your batteries?

 

[RobbieW]

my settings:

2X300W panels as f/b hardtop
4XTrojan T105RE
VictronMPPT100/30

Am I missing something ? All I see is a description of the hardware installed

 

[sailaboutvic]

Are we now saying Vas setting are not correct ,
This seen to be a problem , everyone seen to have different setting for the same MPPT and batteries.
Surely Trojan data setting must be the one to set them at ?

 

[lw395]

I think the big issue is not tiny variations in absorption voltages, but when the charger is switching into float.
Vas has 'adaptive absorption time' enabled. Do we understand exactly what that does? Not me!

Victron have a fairly wide range of firmware releases and different modes available, it's not trivial to keep on top of what's actually happening, especially if you don't have the exact same set up.
Why do they keep needing to release new firmware? Implies the previous editions weren't ideal, by extension there's no reason to believe the current edition is ideal.

If you want optimum battery life, then you have to try to get your batteries optimally charged every day. Even the same set up can do different things if absorption timers etc are restarted when a load temporarily drags the volts down. There are a lot of variables, no two days may be the same. You can spend your life monitoring it or you can accept buying batteries a little more often.

 

[vas]

Geem noone advised me, must be the default values and yes I do equalize them once every couple of months (when I remember...)
BTW, by no means i claim I'm an expert!!!

 

[Graham376]

I find much of the content in the threads confusing. I have the Smartsolar 100/30 and have just set the parameters to those on the Trojan site - 14.82v absorption and 13.5 float. From time to time, software updates are downloaded but no instructions about what the new features do or, how to use them. Have never understood the difference between bulk, which can't be changed and absorption which can.

My previous set of T125s only lasted around 5 years, most likely due to being undercharged by the 200w panels I had then. New panels are 320w and made a hell of a difference last year, new T105s getting full charge.

 

[noelex]

Vas has 'adaptive absorption time' enabled. Do we understand exactly what that does? Not me!

The adaptive absorption time modifies the the absorption time based on an estimation of the state of charge of the batteries. It is not perfect and can be mislead, but overall it is good system for lead acid batteries.

When the solar controller wakes up in the morning it measures the battery voltage and based on this voltage reading will modify the selected absorption time.

If the start up voltage is below 11.90 v the full absorption time is programmed.

If the start up voltage is between 11.90 v and 12.20 v the absorption time will be 67% of the time programmed.

If the start up voltage is between 12.20 v and 12.60 v the absorption time will be 33% of the time programmed.

If the start up voltage is above 12.60 v the the absorption time will be 17% of the time programmed.

 

[sailaboutvic]

I find much of the content in the threads confusing. I have the Smartsolar 100/30 and have just set the parameters to those on the Trojan site - 14.82v absorption and 13.5 float. From time to time, software updates are downloaded but no instructions about what the new features do or, how to use them. Have never understood the difference between bulk, which can't be changed and absorption which can.

My previous set of T125s only lasted around 5 years, most likely due to being undercharged by the 200w panels I had then. New panels are 320w and made a hell of a difference last year, new T105s getting full charge.

Graham if I could get five year at less that two years longer then I was getting out of cheap batteries £120 a touch , but it's not even been three year and unlike my cheap batteries where I just fitted and left , I been constantly monitored these blood things .

 

[sailaboutvic]

The adaptive absorption time modifies the the absorption time based on an estimation of the state of charge of the batteries. It is not perfect and can be mislead, but overall it is good system for lead acid batteries.

When the solar controller wakes up in the morning it measures the battery voltage and based on this voltage reading will modify the selected absorption time.

If the start up voltage is below 11.90 v the full absorption time is programmed.

If the start up voltage is between 11.90 v and 12.20 v the absorption time will be 67% of the time programmed.

If the start up voltage is between 12.20 v and 12.60 v the absorption time will be 33% of the time programmed.

If the start up voltage is above 12.60 v the the absorption time will be 17% of the time programmed.

John go on confuse me more then I am
Are you saying the abs time setting need to be change every day depending on the starting valve , if so I'm off to the bin with the batteries .
Before I down loaded the new app before expect mode and abs time . My abs was set at 14.75v and my float was 13.5v was that correct for my batteries?

 

[noelex]

Have never understood the difference between bulk, which can't be changed and absorption which can.

Some controllers allow for different bulk and absorption voltages. The Victron controllers always select the same bulk and absorption voltage.

The controller is in bulk until the battery voltage has reached the bulk/absortion voltage. Once the battery has first reached this voltage the controller will show you are in absorption mode. If the voltage becomes low enough the controller will switch back to the bulk stage.

So it easy if he blue (bulk) light is on the battery voltage has not yet risen to the set absorption voltage or has risen to this level but has subsequently dropped back below the re-bulk voltage (which an also be set by he user).

If the yellow (absorption) light is on the voltage has previously risen to absorption voltage and has not subsequently dropped back below the re-bulk voltage.

 

[noelex]

Are you saying the abs time setting need to be change every day depending on the starting valve , if so I'm off to the bin with the batteries .
Before I down loaded the new app before expect mode and abs time . My abs was set at 14.75v and my float was 13.5v was that correct for my batteries?

If you select adaptive absorption time the adjustment is automatic, but it is based on the programmed absorption time so it is important to set this correctly.

In the perfect system the absorption time would be adjusted for every cycle. There are controllers that will do this (my previous Outback controller was set up in this way). I think this can also be done with Victron controllers but requires extra (expensive) hardware.

While the above is ideal the adaptive absorption time will adjust this parameter so that it close enough on most cycles. However initially you need to adjust the absorption time correctly for this to occur. The correct setting varies considerably from system to system.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Geem noone advised me, must be the default values and yes I do equalize them once every couple of months (when I remember...)
BTW, by no means i claim I'm an expert!!!

Vas man to man , you said you equalised your once a month , have you actually seen the voltage go to 16.5v? Or have you just set them to equalise come back after some hours seen the equalise setting gone through it time and they back on float .
Cos I actually constantly watch the voltage for some hours and not seen the mppt rise the voltage more then 14.7v , with panels given 80v