Classic 200 Voltage settings

[romakad]

I am definitely a newbee and I am sure this is the first of many questions... so thanks for any help...
1.  I jiust finished installing my solar setup... My first question is that in the classic owner's manual rev 2056 on page 61, I found voltage settings for Flooded 1, 2, and 3.  What are the parameters you use to pick which settings are right for your system.  I don't want to kill my batteries...

My RV system:
4 - 250 watt solar panels
1 - Quad 100 amp breaker to batteries(8, 6 volt batteries, run in series and parrel to = 12 volts, 928  amp hours
1 - classic 200
1 - mnpv6 disco w 300 vdc 10 amp breaker

[Westbranch]

You need to tell us the make/model of battery(ies) you have in order to give an answer. 

The manufacturer will have the charging specs on their website...somewhere,  they do not tend to be on the front page...

[Vic]

Hi romakad.    Welcome to the Fourm.

As Wb mentioned,  if you can determine the manufacturer of your batteries,   DO contact them for their recommended Charge Parameters for Renewable Energy  (as in Solar)  charged systems.   AND,  ask for the correct Temperature Compensation value,  which you will want to enter into the Classic's Charge Menu.

If your batteries ARE Flooded,  also ask for the target Specific Gravity (SG) readings when batteries are fully-charged. 

Also,  if your batteries are Flooded,  make certain that you have a good quality Hydrometer,  to measure and record the readings of each cell,  in your Battery Logbook.

If you number each battery and,  perhaps use a letter for each cell,  Like battery 1,  cell A,  B,  C,  etc,  this will help you notice trends,  record charge settings,  and so on,  and be able to find this important info,  later.

If your batteries are GC-2 (Golf Cart)  batteries,  it may be a bit difficult to determine just which company manufactured the batteries.  If this is the case,  please Post the brand name of the batteries,  and others can help you with the manufacturer,  and/or charge parameters.

As you probably know,  those Flooded 1,  2,   3 profiles from Manual pg. 61,   are actually Switch settings for the Classic lite.  If your batteries are Flooded (easily removable cell caps),  then,  Flooded 2 may be a good start for Absorb voltage,  and perhaps for Float V,  but probably a bit too low for EQ voltage ... YMMV.  One benefit of a Standard Classic,  with the MNGP display,  is that you can set all of those charge voltages in increments of 0.1 V.  The Local App,  also allows this setting capability,  plus much more.

FWIW,   Vic

[romakad]

I have a problem with my classic 200 goes to Absorb and then goes to Float.  The problem is that it stays in Float until the next day.  The SOC reaches 100% and then as I use power... (only 15 max amp hours) the SOC goes down to 85 or lower and I never see it go to Bulk as it should... can I manually force it to Bulk or Absorb.  The batteries and or the power is not used.
Help.

[Westbranch]

Have you updated the FW lately?

[Vic]

Hello again roma..,

I posted this yesterday in reply to your question in the Classic CC Topic,

"Hello roma..,

OK,  so you are probably using 8 GC2 batteries,   wired as 4 strings of two batteries,  for 12 V?   Are your batteries Flooded?  Flooded batteries have easily-removed caps on top of the batteries.

Please give information about the PVs that you are using  --  manufacturer,  model number,   and how the PVs are wired  --  one series string of four,   ...   or (?).

Need info on your batteries - mfg and model number.

After Absorb is completed,  and the Classic goes to Float,  if there is sufficient PV power available,  the batteries State Of Charge (SOC) should be maintained during Float.   Any power above that which is needed to keep batteries fully charged will be supplied by the Classic,  unless there is not sufficient power available from the Classic.

When the Classic (CC) has been in Float,   and there is insufficient power to maintain the Float voltage,   the Classic will show Float - MPPT,   and you will notice that the battery voltage will begin to descend,   as the battery becomes more and more discharged.

In another Post,  you asked about Pg 61 in the Classic 2056 Manual  --  the settings in that section apply ONLY to the Classic Lite CCs.

You do NOT have a Classic 200 Lite,   right?
What are your settings for Absorb and Float?
If your batteries are Flooded,   what is your EQ voltage setting?
What  is the Absorb time setting?
Are you using the Battery Temperature Sensor attached on the side of one battery?
Are you using an Ending Amps setting?
What Firmware version is your Classic using?

It is not too common for people to use the Rebulk function of the Classic,  but,  if you wanted to do additional charge cycles in a single day,  the Rebulk voltage could be set to a voltage that is below the Float voltage setting,   and you could do additional charge cycles on the battery.   Generally this is not needed,   and can cause added wear on batteries (IMO).   Trying to Rebulk when the CC is in Float - MPPT will do nothing in the way of any additional battery recharging.

There will be additional questions about just how you have your series/parallel battery bank wired,  etc,   but enough for now".

Could you please answer as many of the questions that have been asked?
This will help us understand  more about your system,   and make meaningful comments that are appropriate to the system that you have.

EDIT:  We can help find charge parameters for your exact batteries.   Normally one would begin by using numbers that are provided by the battery manufacturer.   If there is a range of voltages given,  one would often use settings roughly in the center of that range,    as a starting point<.

THANKS for those answers!   Vic