Doesn't change from float to bulk next day???

[billmill]

Newbie here running my system for a year now. but a few quirks:

My system was reading 94% SOC but still in float mode in the morning.  Shouldn't it bulk charge to get the system back up to 100%.  It was still like this at noon and even dropped to 93% SOC.  I run a 48 volt system, 12 Trojan J2000 batteries, 3,600 watts of solar panels and a 2000 watt wind turbine.

I turned off the classic 150 and turned ti back on.  It then went into Bulk charge.  Do I need to change some settings? 

[boB]

Not sure but you might check the SKIP days menu to make sure it isn't set to skip Bulk/Absorb for a certain number of days.

That is in one of the CHARGE menus on the right side of the menu.  Can't remember exactly which one at the moment

Bring that number down to zero if it is set to some non-zero skip days value.  Don't forget to press ENTER to save it so it remembers.

[Vic]

HI billmill,

boB,   wondered if your Classic was set to Skip Days (causes the Classic to not do a full charge for the number of days set in a Charge menu).

Question:  Is your Classic set to Skip Days ??

Here is how to check:
In the Charge menu,  scroll to the Advanced page.   At the right of that page,  under Skip Days,   if there is any number other than zero,  under that label,   then,  the Classic will NOT do a Bulk>Absorb cycle for that number of days.

Please check this,   and report back.

Thanks,   Vic

[billmill]

It was set for 0 days.  If I turn the unit off and back on, it will go to bulk charge.  I wonder if the absorb has a time to meet? sot sure how all the settings work yet.

[Vic]

It was set for 0 days.  If I turn the unit off and back on, it will go to bulk charge.  I wonder if the absorb has a time to meet? sot sure how all the settings work yet.

Hi Bill,

Thanks for checking on Skip Days.

Absorb time setting is in the Charge menu:   Chg Time.   This would  normally be 2 - 4 hours,   depending on the DOD of the battery in the previous discharge.

Would use the recommended Absorb voltage (and other charge parameters),   recommended by Trojan.

In the Tweaks menu,  you will find a Force Bulk  (Blk),  which will begin a new charge cycle.    If you would prefer not switching the Classic   off,   and back on to do so.

In the Advanced Menu,  there is an End Amps setting.   Make sure that this is set to 0.0,   unless you want to use this function.

In the rear of the Classic manual,   there is a Menu Map on about page 72.   This will help you find where different settings are found.

All for now,   FWIW,   Vic

[FNG]

Check your clock, it is a 24hr clock and if set wrong the classic will stay in float the next day and switch at noon instead

[billmill]

Absorb time is 2 hours and ending amps is 3.6.  and the wiz bang JR box is not checked in my Status panel. but I think I talked to a tech from midnite and he told me to set it at 3.6 for the wiz bang Jr. not sure though.

[billmill]

I called midnite and he said to make sure my shunt was selected(  it was not) and to figure out the end amps. So I will have to monitor every 5-10 minutes, the absorb time and see the lowest amperage as it evens out at before it ends and goes to float.  Also he said to increase the absorb time by a few hours to make sure the averages of times are more accurate towards the end of the cycle.

[Vic]

Check your clock, it is a 24hr clock and if set wrong the classic will stay in float the next day and switch at noon instead

Hi Ryan,

Had wondered about the Clock's  affect on this,   but was uncertain.

Thanks for this info.   73  Be safe,    Vic

[Vic]

I called midnite and he said to make sure my shunt was selected(  it was not) and to figure out the end amps. So I will have to monitor every 5-10 minutes, the absorb time and see the lowest amperage as it evens out at before it ends and goes to float.  Also he said to increase the absorb time by a few hours to make sure the averages of times are more accurate towards the end of the cycle.

Hi Bill,

The WbJr current (this is the charge current going into the battery) will diminish as the Absorb stage continues.

It is suggested that one sets the Charge Time to hours more than one would need on a normal Absorb.   This keeps the normal Absorb time from stopping Absorb,  before the Wb current has diminished to its ultimate value.

You will probably want to reset the Absorb timer to a value that is somewhat longer than you would ever expect Absorb to be.

As you know,  for our Flooded LA (FLA) batteries,   this is usually about 1 to 2 percent of the 20 hour Capacity of the battery bank.   Or,   somewhere between about 8 and 16 End Amps.   On the FLA banks here,   the ideal End Amps value will change,  based on the DOD  of the battery,  in the previous discharge.

Opinions,    FWIW,    Vic

[billmill]

I have it set at 4 hours now.  Should it be longer?

[Vic]

Hi Bill,

Four hours is probably long enough.   BUT,  why not set it to six hours,  just for the time that you are trying to determine at what point,  the Wb current stops falling.   Then reset the time to something like 2 - 3 hours.

You just want the Classic to not end Absorb from having reached the charge time setting,   but stay in Absorb long enough to see the end of the current tapering.

Vic

[billmill]

It was 2 hours but I changed it to 4 today.  I will monitor it.

I also did a hydrometer reading today and there was only one cell at 1.280.  All the rest were 1.290-1.295
The Trojan manual says they should be at leas  t 1.177
The batteries were at 100% SOC and 51.4v  The reading was done o hour after resting mode.  I will do a reading in the morning to double check the readings.  The manual says to wait 12-24 hours after a full charge but I would have to shut off the PV for a day to do that right?

[FNG]

The clock is used to know when its a new day and as such when to start a new bulk charge so at 23:99 it trips to a new day and thus a new bulk charge so if you set the clock at say 1PM and set it for 01:00 not 13:00 it is off by 12 hours and as such will wake up in float each day (provided it went to float the day prior)

[billmill]

How do I check the clock and set ti correctly?