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  • Charge off - How much?

    Hi!

    How much should I let the controller charge my battery with?

    I can set the controller "charge off" between 10 volt and 15 volt.

    My setup:
    CMP45 controller up to 30A
    12v battery
    2x 15W solar panels

  • #2
    Since you did not give a link to the mfg of your controller, I have no idea if it's a waste of money or not. Most modern controllers come preset for flooded cell batteries.

    Modern charge controllers have 3 or 4 seperate charge set points, and not a simple voltage, which will eventually cook your batterie(s)

    Here's a link about solar charge controllers
    http://www.windsun.com/ChargeControls/ChargeCont.htm
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

    Comment


    • #3
      My question wasn't about my controller was a waste of money or not. I bought what I could afford with my small budget. I just wanted to know how much volt the controller should feed the battery with in order to get it charged correctly. It was a general question and not only for my CMP45. Perhaps I didn't make myself clear about that. Sorry if that was the case.

      I found this link although this is a 45A controller/regulator:
      http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/20..._24V_Auto.html

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Sire swe View Post
        My question wasn't about my controller was a waste of money or not. I bought what I could afford with my small budget. I just wanted to know how much volt the controller should feed the battery with in order to get it charged correctly. It was a general question and not only for my CMP45. Perhaps I didn't make myself clear about that. Sorry if that was the case.

        I found this link although this is a 45A controller/regulator:
        http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/20..._24V_Auto.html
        Just knowing the voltage, is not enough. The type of battery - Flooded, AGM, Gel, Forklift
        all have different finish charge voltages. Chargers are generally voltage set at the factory,
        leaving the TYPE selection for the end user. Most DVM's in tool boxes are less accurate than the preset voltages in a charge controller.

        Now for the killer sentence:

        Charging at 15.5 volts will give you a 100% charge on Lead-Acid batteries.
        exceed it a bit, and you are cooking the battery.
        (Automotive regulators are set @ 13.8 - 14.5V)
        Float voltage should be about 13.2V

        Rest voltage on a fully charged battery:12.7V @ 77F

        The voltage fed to the battery will vary a bit due to the 3 different charging stages,
        so this is not an easily measured item.
        Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
        || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
        || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

        solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
        gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

        Comment


        • #5
          It's hard to describe the battery type since I live in Sweden and don't know all the english technical words.

          It's called SMF battery. Fully enclosed and maintenence free. You can tilt it 45 degrees max.
          It can be used for snow blowers, mobile homes, lawn mowers, boats etc. and uses calcium-calcium technology.

          Reading some Swedish forums people seem very pleased with these batteries.

          I emailed the store and asked them how much volt to charge my battery with and got the answer 12 volt exactly.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Sire swe View Post
            It's hard to describe the battery type since I live in Sweden and don't know all the english technical words.

            It's called SMF battery. Fully enclosed and maintenence free. You can tilt it 45 degrees max.
            It can be used for snow blowers, mobile homes, lawn mowers, boats etc. and uses calcium-calcium technology.

            Reading some Swedish forums people seem very pleased with these batteries.

            I emailed the store and asked them how much volt to charge my battery with and got the answer 12 volt exactly.
            I think your best solution is , go to the forums that have happy battery owners, and ask their advice. You should give them the numbers and codes on the battery, because that will help discover the proper charge voltage and current for YOUR battery.

            "12V exactly" is the wrong charge voltage, of that, I am sure.
            Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
            || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
            || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

            solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
            gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

            Comment


            • #7
              LOL
              I didn't think it would be this hard to find out how much volts would be needed to charge a battery with...

              Thank you anyway.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Sire swe View Post
                LOL
                I didn't think it would be this hard to find out how much volts would be needed to charge a battery with...

                Thank you anyway.
                You must have missed this:

                Now for the killer sentence:

                Charging at 15.5 volts will give you a 100% charge on Lead-Acid batteries.

                exceed it a bit, and you are cooking the battery.
                (Automotive regulators are set @ 13.8 - 14.5V)
                Float voltage should be about 13.2V

                Rest voltage on a fully charged battery:12.7V @ 77F
                Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
                || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
                || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

                solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
                gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

                Comment


                • #9
                  Well, no I didn't miss it. I just couldn't translate it correctly. As I said in the previous post, technical english is a bit tricky to translate.

                  Do you mean that I should charge my battery with 15.5 volt?

                  Maybe I misunderstood the "Charge off" on my regulator. The more I think of it, doesn't it mean at what volt the regulator should stop charging the battery when it's fully charged??
                  The instructions manual is a bit fuzzy and I think it is translated to english with a software translator or Babelfish.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    translations

                    I just love some of the technical translations.

                    In my new home in Turkey the kitchen is Siemens equipment. The translations were obviously made by someone who had no idea of Turkish or English to the point of being nonsense at times.
                    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Sire swe View Post
                      Well, no I didn't miss it. I just couldn't translate it correctly. As I said in the previous post, technical english is a bit tricky to translate.

                      Do you mean that I should charge my battery with 15.5 volt?
                      Generally, yes. BUT , the battery manufacturer is the one with the proper answer. The mfg may say 15.5V for no more than 5 minutes.
                      It's very difficult to attempt this cross language stuff.
                      Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
                      || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
                      || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

                      solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
                      gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        russ:
                        Yes, and sometimes it's just damn frustrating when the translations makes no sence...

                        Mike90250:
                        When is a battery fully charged? When it reaches 13.7 volts? This is the factory "Charge off" preset of the regulator/charger.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Sire swe View Post
                          It's hard to describe the battery type since I live in Sweden and don't know all the english technical words.

                          It's called SMF battery. Fully enclosed and maintenence free. You can tilt it 45 degrees max.
                          It can be used for snow blowers, mobile homes, lawn mowers, boats etc. and uses calcium-calcium technology.

                          This is where I can't offer too much more help. There are 3 major types of batteries:

                          Flooded (with caps you take off and refill with distilled water)

                          AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) Sealed, no leak
                          GEL (Gelled electrolyte) sealed no leak

                          All 3 types have different voltage settings.

                          Any of the sealed types have a tiny bit of catalyst inside that recombines Oxygen and Hydrogen. While charging, they bubble a little bit, like Flooded batteries do. The catalyst takes and recombines the gas back to liquid. No problem. But, the instant the battery is fully charged, a whole bunch of gas gets released, and overloads the catalyst. The battery builds up a little pressure, and the safety valve vents the gas. You loose water, and as you loose water, you loose battery capacity. No way to refill the sealed batteries.

                          I don't know which of the sealed types you have AGM or GEL. I can't tell you for sure, because the wrong voltage will ruin your battery.

                          Find the manufacturers name on the battery, or from the shop you got it from, and only the manufacturer can tell you what the right setting is. Trust me, the store does not know the right voltage, but they will be there in a month to sell you another battery.

                          read the battery FAQ, http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm
                          I can't just give you a voltage, only the battery manufacturer can.

                          13.8 - 15.5 is good for most flooded cells, but you can add water if you boil a bit
                          off with an overcharge. If you overcharge a sealed battery, you loose capacity forever,
                          or damage it.

                          Mike
                          Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
                          || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
                          || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

                          solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
                          gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            The search continues...
                            Thanks again.

                            Comment

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