MidNite Solar 150 Float mode

[douglasjett]

I have recently upgraded my system to include new batteries and a MidNite Solar 150 SL CC. I'm noticing that once Bulk MPPT has finished and Absorb cycle has completed and CC goes into Float that it does not return to BULK MPPT when I add a load. It seem to want to "float" with exactly the right amount of charge. But what I see is my voltage slowly dropping. At times of day when the sun and panels should supply 1400 watts for example float supplies 1100 watts and voltage slowly goes down. Is there a setting I am missing? Can you override the CC to get it back into BULK MPPT when under heavy load (like a mini split AC unit)?

Thank You

[organic farmer]

Also when you manually tell it to start an EQ charge, what voltage does it go to?

[douglasjett]

I have not done one yet? It's set to 31V. Should I be doing them? Or should I set CC to do them?

[douglasjett]

OK. I've started an EQ charge. How long should it charge, and how often should I do this?

[organic farmer]

Depending on the battery manufacturer specs, the voltage for an EG charge will be different.

When we started using our system, we spoke with our off-grid neighbors. The consensus was to do an equalize charge once a year. Now 2 years later, we have had some problems with our system. The manufacturer kind of freaked when he learned we were not doing routine EQ charges.

I checked the specific gravities of every cell and I found that 1/3 of our batteries were out of whack. I had to use a separate battery-charger, to EQ charge each battery individually for 48 hours, before they all got up equal. Now we have been told that we need to EQ once a month.

Looking at this process closer, our MidNite Solar 150 CC, when I tell it to do an EQ, it says 'starting EQ' but the actual voltage never comes up to be an EQ charge.

Part of the problem, I think, is that it wants to time itself doing a BULK charge for so long, and then to do a FLOAT charge for so long, and by then the sunlight is gone. So it never gets around to doing the EQ charge.

I have grid-power coming in as 'AUX-IN' so I have the power to do an EQ at anytime, except the MidNite Solar 150 CC is fighting me.

[Sunking]

OK. I've started an EQ charge. How long should it charge, and how often should I do this?

Who told you to EQ your battery? Ignore them because they have no clue WTF they are talking about. Never EQ a battery unless it absolutely needs an EQ charge. Only your Hydrometer can tell you when to EQ a battery. An EQ charge does damage. So go right ahead and EQ the crap out of your battery like you have been told.

What you are seeing is normal.

[douglasjett]

Thanks Sunking. Can you answer my original question then? Thank You...

[organic farmer]

My off-grid neighbors all seem to agree that doing an EQ charge once a year is plenty.

The techs at Wholesale Solar https://www.wholesalesolar.com Have told me that I need to do an EQ once a month.

How long you do an EQ is really up to your specific gravity readings.