Got sun!! Got charging questions

shockman
shockman Solar Expert Posts: 113 ✭✭
Okay at the lake and finally have good sun! So batt. SG of 1200, good charge for last 2 hours but feel I should be in eq. mode, have about 31/2hrs of good solar power left, is it okay to go to eq. mode right now or should I absorb longer?? absorb voltage is set for 14.7 but is showing on Classic as being at 15.2 Temp corrceted I assume? if I go to eq. voltage will rise to 16ish corrected. Just not sure if its okay to feed high voltage to dead batts or should they be brought up slowly???
4x240w panels,Classic 150 CC, 4x380AHR L16's, antique Trace 12V inverter

Comments

  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Got sun!! Got chargeing questions

    I've got sun too! It's warmed it up to -18C! :D

    You do not do an equalization until the batteries are 'fully charged'. And SG of 1.200 is far from fully charged. Yes, the higher Absorb Voltage is due to cold temp compensation. Let 'em charge.
  • shockman
    shockman Solar Expert Posts: 113 ✭✭
    Re: Got sun!! Got chargeing questions

    Thats what I needed to know! 9C here but melting snow on front deck :>)) supposed to be mixed sun cloud tomorrow so maybe I can eq. tomorrow
    4x240w panels,Classic 150 CC, 4x380AHR L16's, antique Trace 12V inverter
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Got sun!! Got chargeing questions

    If your SG doesn't have any big variations per cell and/or your over-all SG won't come up I wouldn't worry about EQ (Trojan's recommendations is to only do it when there is cell variance greater than 0.010).

    Otherwise when you're running out of sun the way we do up here, crank up the gen at breakfast and Bulk charge that way then let the panels do the rest.
  • Vic
    Vic Solar Expert Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Got sun!! Got chargeing questions

    Hi shock..,

    The Classic has the option of Temp Compensating the EQ voltage (when you need do EQ), and setting Yes to temp comp is probably a good idea for EQ, IMO.

    So you have 4 ea L-16s, each pair is about 400 AH at your 12 V. Unless you switch between using either of these strings, would not your 12 V Capacity of that bank be about 800 AH??

    Guess that you are saying that each of these 6V batts is 400 AH nominal, but that could confuse old folks like me. Perhaps I am just confused ...

    Glad you have sun! We have had far too much sun in the past three months. Need the rain. Good Luck, Vic
    Off Grid - Two systems -- 4 SW+ 5548 Inverters, Surrette 4KS25 1280 AH X2@48V, 11.1 KW STC PV, 4X MidNite Classic 150 w/ WBjrs, Beta KID on S-530s, MX-60s, MN Bkrs/Boxes.  25 KVA Polyphase Kubota diesel,  Honda Eu6500isa,  Eu3000is-es, Eu2000,  Eu1000 gensets.  Thanks Wind-Sun for this great Forum.
  • shockman
    shockman Solar Expert Posts: 113 ✭✭
    Re: Got sun!! Got chargeing questions

    Okay sun is off panels, absorb was set for 3 hrs then went into float. SG is 1.235-1.240 as best as I can read with those stupid hydrometers, lift point, shake and rattle off side etc. etc., surely they make something better??? and hopefully it's not the antifreeze type?? I really would spend more than 10 bucks for one if I could!! Okay got that off my chest!
    Vic, temp sensor is installed on batts, ab set to 14.7, eq set to 16.3, float 13.6, these v settings were increased slightly from original settings from comments on here. Float might be a little high ?? but I have had trouble getting these batts up to 1.270?? batts are 380AH, unbranded but positive they are US Battery, and were installed 6ish months ago.
    4x240w panels,Classic 150 CC, 4x380AHR L16's, antique Trace 12V inverter
  • vtmaps
    vtmaps Solar Expert Posts: 3,741 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Got sun!! Got chargeing questions
    shockman wrote: »
    Okay sun is off panels, absorb was set for 3 hrs then went into float. SG is 1.235-1.240 as best as I can read with those stupid hydrometers, lift point, shake and rattle off side etc. etc., surely they make something better??? and hopefully it's not the antifreeze type?? I really would spend more than 10 bucks for one if I could!! Okay got that off my chest!

    I used to dislike hydrometers until I got my Hydrovolt hydrometer. Another option is a refractometer. Most of the off grid installers around here prefer them.

    In any case you must be careful to rinse out your hydrometer with distilled water after you use it. If you don't, the inner surfaces get sticky and bubbles stick to the float and the float sticks to the side of the hydrometer. If you tap it enough, you can get a sticky hydrometer to read anything you want.

    --vtMaps
    4 X 235watt Samsung, Midnite ePanel, Outback VFX3524 FM60 & mate, 4 Interstate L16, trimetric, Honda eu2000i