I have batteries that I am unable to secure the proper charge parameters for. So, I would like to use default parameters.
So far, I am thinking:
Absorb at 14.4
Float at 13.6 (or should that be 13.8?)
What about EQ and Bulk? What should they be set at, please?
what type of batteries are they ? AGM ? FLA ? Gel ? Traction? etc.
Sorry. FLA
what brand and model are the batteries?
Quote from: chris on July 17, 2014, 08:17:15 PM
what brand and model are the batteries?
A generic brand from Taiwan. 120AH is all I know.. No paperwork, no nothing. That is why I want to go with the default settings for my Kid, please.
If it helps, it is a Beta Kid, with all options offered by Midnite - Temp sensor, Whizbang, shunt.
Crap !!! Timed out again ...
HI F E F,
Good that they are FLAs, so you can measure how well the batteries are getting charged.
Agree with 14.4 Vabs to start with. Adjust the time or EA to fully charge the bank. Increase the Vabs to fully charge the bank.
Would guess 13.25 V for Float. Most say that you want to just barely maintain SG with the Vfloat you choose ... you can measure how well this setting does that by measuring SG after a few hours in Float.
My opinions and guesses. YMMV. Good Luck, Vic
Thanks. And, God, I hate it when it times out, as we have discussed before.
Um, anyone have input on EQ and / or Bulk voltages?
EQ, possibly 15.0v for 1.5 hours?
Should (Could?) Bulk be the same as Absorb, at 14.4v?
Quote from: Free Energy Freak on July 18, 2014, 02:46:14 AM
Should (Could?) Bulk be the same as Absorb, at 14.4v?
There is no bulk voltage setting. During bulk, the kid pushes as many amps as it can into the battery, and the battery voltage rises. When the voltage rises to the absorb setting, the bulk stage of charging is over and the kid throttles back its output current so the battery does not go over the absorb setting.
--vtMaps
Thanks.
Okay, so, settings for the Kid, for an "unknown" battery:
Bulk = Automatic
Absorb = 14.4vdc
Float = 13.25vdc
Equalization = 15.0vdc
Thanks to all for helping me sort this.
I still have to wait another day for the concrete to cure. Then, I will start mounting the panels and work on the rest of the installation.
do you have a generator to bulk the battery to prep for an EQ?
Quote from: Free Energy Freak on July 18, 2014, 11:09:11 AM
Thanks.
Okay, so, settings for the Kid, for an "unknown" battery:
Bulk = Automatic
Absorb = 14.4vdc
Float = 13.25vdc
Equalization = 15.0vdc
F E F, Generally, EQ @ 15 V is TOO LOW. Would raise this to a minimum of 15.5 V ... unless your Inverter (or connected DC loads) will not tolerate a voltage above this.
Sometimes, with cool batteries, this voltage can rise above the Max for the inverter of DC loads connected to the batteries ... FWIW, more opinions. Vic
Quote from: Westbranch on July 18, 2014, 11:32:40 AM
do you have a generator to bulk the battery to prep for an EQ?
No, unfortunately.
Quote from: Vic on July 18, 2014, 12:03:04 PMF E F, Generally, EQ @ 15 V is TOO LOW. Would raise this to a minimum of 15.5 V ... unless your Inverter (or connected DC loads) will not tolerate a voltage above this.
Sometimes, with cool batteries, this voltage can rise above the Max for the inverter of DC loads connected to the batteries ... FWIW, more opinions. Vic
Okay.
I can disconnect loads during the day. We only really
need to have the loads connected at night. Only once in a while do we need anything running during daylight hours. That would be a pump, but only for a little while.
And, cool or cold will not be happening here I am pretty sure. We are at 13 degrees North Latitude. :D
I forget how much PV (W) you will have? If not a good sized array for the batteries you may not get to EQ without a genset (or grid).
You have to be fully charged before you can do an EQ.
Quote from: Westbranch on July 18, 2014, 07:46:59 PM
I forget how much PV (W) you will have? If not a good sized array for the batteries you may not get to EQ without a genset (or grid).
You have to be fully charged before you can do an EQ.
This array will be 270 watts (2-135 watts panels), at 24 volts into the Kid. Out to a single 120 AH, 12vdc battery.
I will make sure I wait for a good sunny day, prior to going to EQ.
Midnite Kid settings for an "unknown" battery:
- Bulk = Automatic
- Absorb = 14.4vdc
- Float = 13.25vdc
- Equalization = 15.5vdc
Thanks, guys, for the help. I will make it a point to buy some quality batteries when these need replacing. The only reason I am using them, is due to the fact that I got them for an exceptional deal.
Just to be clear when I said
"You have to be fully charged before you can do an EQ"
it means you have to go through Bulk, Absorb and into Float before starting an EQ and that may be very difficult to get to as an EQ will take many hours...
hth
Quote from: Westbranch on July 18, 2014, 09:56:20 PM
Just to be clear when I said
"You have to be fully charged before you can do an EQ"
it means you have to go through Bulk, Absorb and into Float before starting an EQ and that may be very difficult to get to as an EQ will take many hours...
hth
Many? I thought to do an EQ only would take up to 2 hours? If that isn't true, how many ours are we talking here? Should I move the battery where it can be charged off the mains?
Yes, I understand that you mean the battery must be fully charged, prior to starting EQ.
Quote from: Free Energy Freak on July 18, 2014, 11:11:33 PM
I thought to do an EQ only would take up to 2 hours? If that isn't true, how many hours are we talking here? Should I move the battery where it can be charged off the mains?
As many hours as it takes to get the SG of each cell back to normal.
EQ must always be done under supervision.... you must watch the temperature of the batteries and halt the EQ if/when they become to warm.
When I do an EQ, I halt the EQ every 30-45 minutes to check the SG. (I don't like to remove the battery caps and check SG while the batteries are gassing).
--vtMaps
Thanks, vtmaps.
I didn't realize this.
I'm glad equalizing doesn't have to be done very often.
Quote from: Free Energy Freak on July 19, 2014, 06:09:12 AM
I'm glad equalizing doesn't have to be done very often.
If you're lucky, you may never need to do an EQ. The purpose of EQ is to equalize all the cells at 100% SOC (SOC, as determined by SG).
If all SG are OK (and therefore all cells are at 100% SOC), then there is no need to EQ.
--vtMaps
Quote from: vtmaps on July 19, 2014, 06:14:54 AMIf you're lucky, you may never need to do an EQ. The purpose of EQ is to equalize all the cells at 100% SOC (SOC, as determined by SG).
If all SG are OK (and therefore all cells are at 100% SOC), then there is no need to EQ.
--vtMaps
Understood.
Okay, thank you very much.
Completely agree with vtmaps;
Generally, with batteries that are well tended, a fairly short EQ is all that is required, and, then relatively infrequent.
Batteries that are abused/misused need more frequent, longer and higher voltage EQs ... generally.
Here, we generally EQ every few months, and then seldom much more than one hour or 1.5 hours.
Seems that on a battery bank that really needs an EQ, that it can take quite a long time to reach the EQ voltage setting, and the EQ current (into the battery) is relatively high. Also, on a battery needing an EQ, the aroma of sulfur is usually strong, and prolonged.
Batteries that deficit-charged for extended periods become sulphated. This sulphate becomes harder and harder, because it was not removed with the normal Absorption stage. The longer that this sulphate remains on the plates of the battery, the harder it becomes to remove with Absorption. Then EQ is required, sometimes a prolonged EQ.
The above are some thought on EQ, based on personal experience. Just opinions, YMMV, and so on. Vic
And, F E F,
Should have mentioned this before;
Because these appear to be generic batteries, you may not know the target SG at a full charge.
Often in NA, many FLA batteries seem to have target SG of 1.265. Many of the High Capacity and Traction batteries use higher SG electrolyte -- 1.277 - 1.280.
The general standard reference temperature for many FLAs is 25 C. For HC batteries, the reference temperature is often around 27 C.
You can infer the target SG, but you may not need to ... FWIW ... Vic