XW-MMPT-60-150 LifeP04

[Guest]

I secured a XW-MPPT-60-150 for my 48v nominal 400ah 16 series Winston Cells. I've set the solar charge controller for two stage charging and zero for the battery bank amp hour capacity. For the few days I've been running it without zeroing the battery amp hour setting I seem to see it spends more time off than on. I'm hoping this setting keeps it charging non-stop especially in these cloudy rainy conditions.

Otherwise I was setting:
Bulk: 54.5
Absorption: 54.5 (not sure what this one should be)
Equalization: Off
Two Stage Charging: On (no float)
Absorption Time: 800 (max)

Even when the sun is shining and I'm here on the boat I'm a pretty hungry energy consumer and there is no way so far that I see the solar getting anywhere near to having the bank above 55 volts. That could change though when I get all 2160 Watts of my panels at least level and not mounted to the sides of the boat like 4 180w panels are.

I'm running 2160watts of panels flexible in 2 in series and then in parallel. I'm 79.80 VOC and 5.48 amp per set for a theoretical maximum of 32.88 amps. It will be interesting as summer approaches to see if the MPPT controller will surpass this or not. I've only ever seen the panels as high as 26 amps once outside on my extended test bench on land and not mounted on the boat. Previously and still I'm using a standard shunting type charge controller for other DC input loads like generators and battery chargers and perhaps a few windmills in the future.

Anyway I just don't want the charge controller shutting down even if I can get .5 amp out of it. What have other people done with there Xantrex charge controllers?

[Sunking]

You are doing it wrong, you want to use FLOAT, and you DO NOT WANT TO FULLY CHARGE your batteries. For Winston aka Thunder Sag set voltages to:

Set Bulk = Absorb = Float = 55 volts.

Your batteries will charge to 55 volts and saturate, charge current stops and holds 55 volts. From that point on the panels will supply power saving the batteries for after sunset. Winston are like a Fricking Old Rebuild Dodge and use to be called Thundersky which went bankrupt from Warranty claims and broke up into 3 companies of CALB, Sinoploy, and Winston. Calb and Sinopoly improved them and Winston is the same old Thunder Sag. They use some doping chemical that makes them run at slightly higher voltages. They have fairly high internal resistance which means the voltage will SAG under loads. If you use the factory higher voltage setting will cause them to fail prematurely. So if you want them to last at least 2 years run them at lower voltages.

Doing your way with no Float when they Saturate your panels turn off leaving you running on battery power while there is still good sun. Is that what you want?

[Guest]

Great post trashing a great battery company with incorrect facts and entirely not what I was asking about period. I am more after how people configure their XW-MPPT-60-150 as it is only my second day with it running and I'm making observations in the rain and the clouds. I've had my batteries for almost three years now. Frequently I charge and deplete and never float high simply because floating a 20kwh bank is next to impossible and with my gear it is around 54.3 and my chargers shut off anyhow. Once or twice a year I'll juice them right up and make observations.

It's been so cloudy and rainy the last few days I'm not sure what to make of this controller. These are my settings so far:
Bulk: 54.5
Absorption: 54.6(not sure what this one should be? Should it be lower than bulk or higher than bulk?)
Equalization: Off
Two Stage Charging: On (no float)
Absorption Time: 300 (800 max 1 min. In hindsight I guess it can run a cc/cv curve near 54.5 if it likes)
Force Mode: Bulk
Amp hours: 420 (Some manuals state setting this to zero guarantees no exit from bulk mode. Not sure if my firmware supports this.)
Recharge Vots: 50.0 (I'm experimenting with this to have it higher so the charge controller always stays on. 53.3v)

Does Force Mode Bulk override every other setting? The manual is not entirely clear on this point. I want all bulk all the time if possible.

I'm referencing the following manuals:
https://ironedison.com/images/produc...n%20Manual.pdf
http://solar.schneider-electric.com/...-Rev-G_ENG.pdf

Just to be clear it takes me all day at 30amps to get the bank from 49.9v back up to 54.3 volts for the most part with no solar. I can then run a 20-25 amp load for overnight 12-14 hours usually. I normally charge to 54.3 and then deplete unless I need the power for other chores at which point I supplement with the shore chargers. If solar ever gets kicking in it saves having to run the battery chargers as technically I can see upwards of 32.88 amps max but settle for whatever I can get.

My other charge controller would just be always on and never near the high voltage disconnect of the BMS.

[Sunking]

Great post trashing a great battery company with incorrect facts

Great battery? You got to be kidding. There is only one battery with lower quality and that would be GBS. What is left of Thunder Sag, Calb is the only one worth looking into.

If your panels are not capable of recharging the batteries, then it makes no difference what voltage you use because you never reach that voltage. But you most certainly want a simple CC/CV charger and the way to do that with a Solar Charge Controller is to set Bulk = Absorb = Float.

[Sunking]

I have answered your question Can't you read?

Set Bulk = Absorb = Float. That is how you keep the panels producing power all day so battery power does not get used until after dark. Real damn simple.

[Mike90250]

OK Pacific Green. You have been given good answers about the charging regime. Advice on batteries pedigree - you are obviously a fanboy for Winston, and don't like Winston bashing, but sometimes the bad comes along free with the good..

[SunEagle]

OK Pacific Green. You have been given good answers about the charging regime. Advice on batteries pedigree - you are obviously a fanboy for Winston, and don't like Winston bashing, but sometimes the bad comes along free with the good..

I think Pacific Green got pissed and left. Too bad maybe he would have learned something if he hung around a while.

[Sunking]

He got his answer 3 times. Nothing lost, he was Green Mafia.