Is this normal?

Apica
Apica Registered Users Posts: 35 ✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
Good day, I need some clarification on an observation that has me concerned.

I usually turn off my inverter on Saturday evenings before leaving work to allow my battery bank fully charge on Sundays. 


I wired an amazon purchased Baylite Digital Multimeter to the system to give me an idea of my load current and power usage which works really well. On several occasions when I get to work on Monday before turning on the inverter the FM80 indicates that the battery bank is Charged and the Multimeter indicates that there is no load on the system which is ok. However after turning on the inverter all loads are powered by the battery bank only but no current comes in from the PV array. The only way to get the PV array to supply current is to turn off the PV & CC breakers then back on.


Is this behavior normal?
System A
Victron Multiplus II 48V|3000VA Inverter || 4,980 Watts JA Solar Panels || Outback Flexmax 80, Outback Flexmax 60 || 2 EG4 48V 100AH Lifepower 4 Batteries V1 & V2 || Trimetric 2030 || Raspberry Pi running Venus OS. 

System B
Victron Multiplus II 24V|3000VA Inverter || 4,160 Watts Intenergy Solar Panels. || Outback Flexmax 80A, Midnite Classic 150 || 2 EG4 24V 200AH Lifepower 4 V1 LifePo4 Battery. || Trimetric 2025 || Midnite E-Panel || Raspberry Pi Running Venus OS.
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Comments

  • Apica
    Apica Registered Users Posts: 35 ✭✭
    #2
    Inverter Turned On but all Loads being powered by the battery Bank.


    System A
    Victron Multiplus II 48V|3000VA Inverter || 4,980 Watts JA Solar Panels || Outback Flexmax 80, Outback Flexmax 60 || 2 EG4 48V 100AH Lifepower 4 Batteries V1 & V2 || Trimetric 2030 || Raspberry Pi running Venus OS. 

    System B
    Victron Multiplus II 24V|3000VA Inverter || 4,160 Watts Intenergy Solar Panels. || Outback Flexmax 80A, Midnite Classic 150 || 2 EG4 24V 200AH Lifepower 4 V1 LifePo4 Battery. || Trimetric 2025 || Midnite E-Panel || Raspberry Pi Running Venus OS.
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  • Apica
    Apica Registered Users Posts: 35 ✭✭
    #3
    System now performing normally after turning off then on PV & CC breakers


    System A
    Victron Multiplus II 48V|3000VA Inverter || 4,980 Watts JA Solar Panels || Outback Flexmax 80, Outback Flexmax 60 || 2 EG4 48V 100AH Lifepower 4 Batteries V1 & V2 || Trimetric 2030 || Raspberry Pi running Venus OS. 

    System B
    Victron Multiplus II 24V|3000VA Inverter || 4,160 Watts Intenergy Solar Panels. || Outback Flexmax 80A, Midnite Classic 150 || 2 EG4 24V 200AH Lifepower 4 V1 LifePo4 Battery. || Trimetric 2025 || Midnite E-Panel || Raspberry Pi Running Venus OS.
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  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #4
    If I'm reading this right, it's probably (sort of) normal.

    With full (lead acid) batteries, the controller should be drawing just enough pv power to hold a float voltage and supply any other loads.  By rebooting the controller, you're likely starting a new bulk cycle, in which the controller needs to draw more power to raise battery voltage to absorb voltage.  With a full bank, this would happen fairly quickly, but would use whatever current is available to get there.

    To see if the system is working normally, maybe try waiting for a few minutes after turning on the inverter.  If working normally, voltage should stay at about float voltage, and current should be ~1-2% of bank capacity plus whatever loads are using the inverter. 

    25.2v seems low for a float voltage to me though.  Do you have non-LA (eg lithium) batteries?   
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
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  • Apica
    Apica Registered Users Posts: 35 ✭✭
    #5
    With full (lead acid) batteries, the controller should be drawing just enough pv power to hold a float voltage and supply any other loads.  
    That's what I expected to happen.
    25.2v seems low for a float voltage to me though.  Do you have non-LA (eg lithium) batteries?   
    Deka Gel batteries are being used for this system.

    System A
    Victron Multiplus II 48V|3000VA Inverter || 4,980 Watts JA Solar Panels || Outback Flexmax 80, Outback Flexmax 60 || 2 EG4 48V 100AH Lifepower 4 Batteries V1 & V2 || Trimetric 2030 || Raspberry Pi running Venus OS. 

    System B
    Victron Multiplus II 24V|3000VA Inverter || 4,160 Watts Intenergy Solar Panels. || Outback Flexmax 80A, Midnite Classic 150 || 2 EG4 24V 200AH Lifepower 4 V1 LifePo4 Battery. || Trimetric 2025 || Midnite E-Panel || Raspberry Pi Running Venus OS.
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  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #6
    I think they should float at something like 27v - you may want to check battery spec to confirm..  Could float be disabled or set lower in the controller?
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
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  • Apica
    Apica Registered Users Posts: 35 ✭✭
    #7
    Float is set to 27.2V but usually does at 27V due to temp compensation on a regular basis. I guess I'll have to monitor things closely and update.
    System A
    Victron Multiplus II 48V|3000VA Inverter || 4,980 Watts JA Solar Panels || Outback Flexmax 80, Outback Flexmax 60 || 2 EG4 48V 100AH Lifepower 4 Batteries V1 & V2 || Trimetric 2030 || Raspberry Pi running Venus OS. 

    System B
    Victron Multiplus II 24V|3000VA Inverter || 4,160 Watts Intenergy Solar Panels. || Outback Flexmax 80A, Midnite Classic 150 || 2 EG4 24V 200AH Lifepower 4 V1 LifePo4 Battery. || Trimetric 2025 || Midnite E-Panel || Raspberry Pi Running Venus OS.
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