need help getting started

[Bearingman]

Maybe its just me, but there are no instructions whatsoever on how to use the Battery Capacity Meter. I connected the red and the black to the positive and negative on a battery that we were trying to check. I saw that the meter was going through self-test mode - also not knowing how long that is suppose to last. All of the lights were blinking and cycling. Then it just turned off. That's it. There is no mention anywhere in the skimpy manual about what to do next.
We are attempting to check the charge on a brand new AGM deep cycle marine battery. We plan to use it to power a pellet stove during a power outage, through an inverter.
Any additional information on how exactly this unit is suppose to work would be much appreciated.
Thank you.
(PS the battery type selector jumper is already correctly set)

[TomW]

bearingman;

You need to set a jumper inside to the correct battery type. It figures out battery voltage on its own assuming "normal" battery voltage. 12.24,36 or 48 volts.

Not sure what you mean by "shuts off"?

It should settle down to one LED on the % scale and one LED in the Battery Care LED area.

It actually needs to be attached for awhile to determine the Battery Care LED status.

It really is pretty simple. Red to positive, black to negative on battery and wait for it to settle. One % green LED should be lit and either a RED, YELLOW or GREEN Battery Care LED. It will be RED until it has been connected awhile.

Not really intended as an instant capacity meter but more "over time" monitoring.

If it literally goes dark after running the tests you may need a replacement.

Tom

[boB]

In case the printed page did not end up in the box, it can be found here...

http://www.midnitesolar.com/pdfs/MNBCM12.13a.pdf

Please let us know if it was not included.

The important parts are listed here...

1- The top GREEN LED will light up when the batteries have received a “Full Charge” . 
2- The center AMBER LED will come on if the batteries have not been fully charged for 1 week. 
3- The bottom RED LED shows that the batteries have not been charged for 2 weeks or more. 

I can't remember exactly when #1 happens (Full) although I think it may be when the set-point
voltage (set from the jumpers) has been reached for 2 hours.  The state of charge goes down
from there of course until the next Absorb cycle from the battery charger.

boB

[Halfcrazy]

My guess is there is a yellow wire on this monitor and if so it Needs to be hooked to battery positive for the LEDs to stay on after the self test. The Yellow wire is intended to work as a switched positive wire so the processor can stay alive and the LEDs can be switched.

Ryan

[Bearingman]

Ahhh, so that's the problem! We don't yet have a switch for the yellow wire but I assume that if we make contact that it will stay on.

[Bearingman]

bearingman;

You need to set a jumper inside to the correct battery type. It figures out battery voltage on its own assuming "normal" battery voltage. 12.24,36 or 48 volts.
See my last comment. It is set correctly

Not sure what you mean by "shuts off"?

Shuts off means no lights

It should settle down to one LED on the % scale and one LED in the Battery Care LED area.

It actually needs to be attached for awhile to determine the Battery Care LED status.

Please define "for awhile" - minutes, hours, ?

It really is pretty simple. Red to positive, black to negative on battery and wait for it to settle. One % green LED should be lit and either a RED, YELLOW or GREEN Battery Care LED. It will be RED until it has been connected awhile.

Yes, we understand all that. Its just that it is turning OFF entirely

Not really intended as an instant capacity meter but more "over time" monitoring.

If it literally goes dark after running the tests you may need a replacement.

Tom

[Bearingman]

The instructions were in there but no help for my question

In case the printed page did not end up in the box, it can be found here...

http://www.midnitesolar.com/pdfs/MNBCM12.13a.pdf

Please let us know if it was not included.

The important parts are listed here...

1- The top GREEN LED will light up when the batteries have received a “Full Charge” . 
2- The center AMBER LED will come on if the batteries have not been fully charged for 1 week. 
3- The bottom RED LED shows that the batteries have not been charged for 2 weeks or more. 

I can't remember exactly when #1 happens (Full) although I think it may be when the set-point
voltage (set from the jumpers) has been reached for 2 hours.  The state of charge goes down
from there of course until the next Absorb cycle from the battery charger.

boB

[TomW]

Please define "for awhile" - minutes, hours, ?

Yes, we understand all that. Its just that it is turning OFF entirely

Bearingman;

In my case "awhile" varied from a couple hours to overnight until it decided it was fully charged.

I was aware there was a switch option for switching off the LEDs for power saving without resetting it. I thought it required a modification like removing a resistor and adding the switch to + from a pad on the board. Mine only had a black and a red wire.

I guess you got one built for switched LEDs from the factory?

Hopefully connecting the yellow wire Ryan mentioned to battery + will get it sorted out.

Tom

[jcox11]

During the day my battery meter says 100% while the battery is being charge from the solar panels but after the sun goes down i get another reading immediately.  it seems my meter is taking the solar panel reading and using its voltage during the day.

Any help on this?  what am i doing wrong?

[TomW]

It will take a bit more info to get a handle on this.

Panel size, system  voltage, battery AH capacity and configuration, loads, etc.

Is it the Midnite Battery Monitor?

Normally, without loads and properly wired and set up your battery should hold voltage for some time if it is unloaded.

Wiring and loads will play a role in this but the voltage dropping immediately after the sun goes away is normal to a point but there are a few things that affect this. Dropping from 14.4 to 12.8 or so would be normal on a nominal 12 volt system when the charge source (sun) goes away. Loads and wiring will affect this also.

Actual voltage readings at the battery during and right after charging is happening would help sort it out.

Good luck with it and more details will help us help you sort it out.

Tom

[Westbranch]

point of clarification on voltages after the sun goes down.  The voltage should remain close to the sun up voltage (assuming Float V) for at  least a half an hour and does/will not reach its resting V for 3 or more hours.

Do not rely only on the SOC meter, it is only an estimate.  Voltage and SG of the electrolyte tells the real story.

If yours drops immediately then you are not getting a good/proper charge.  Check your charger settings against the manufacturers recommendations

[boB]

Also, is the LED lit up that says you have not received a charge in the last week ?
What the BCM tries to do is to show when you received a decent amount of time
in the Absorb charge cycle within the last week or two.  To be fully charged, the battery
voltage must be at or above this voltage (set by jumpers in the BCM) for a minimum
amount of time, usually an hour or two.

boB