EA with last firmware

[SolarMusher]

Hello Guys,
I've just installed the last firmware this morning and the EA function worked very well. Plogson, when used with a BMK you can set it at 2% of your capacity bank, you just have to add the loads that your BMK shows you. To be clear I set it to 12EA, (1% battery bank plus 3-4 amps loads : DC fridge, DC Freezer, and a few AC loads) and my Classic gently went to Float 1 minute after 12A. Perfect! I will try to set it tomorrow with 2% capacity (I was +3A in and out positive with my SG to 1.275).
Thank boB and all the Midnite Gang,
Erik

[niel]

i know why you tried accounting for the ac loads, but i see a problem with doing that when the refrigerator and the freezer are not constantly running. these loads are not consistent loads and without the consistent draw of power the ea will stop at a much higher current.

[Vic]

Hi SolarMusher,  niel,

Well,  on a 48 V bank of reasonable to large capaicty,  the EA value should need only account for average loads experienced near/at time EA is approached,  especially if those loads are NOT LARGE,  and DO NOT RUN for HOURS and hours (but are intermittant,  like a deep well pump filling a large tank).

I have done the same as SM has for many years with my system.  And this approach works perfectly.  Having FLA batts is a large benefit in these situations,  as one can actually measure the SGs of the bank,  allowing tracking of how one is doing at keeping the SGs at the desired levels.

A larger bank does a good job integrating the total charge over days,  and these loads from refers and freezers are not large compared to the desired EA value,  especially if these loads are from efficeint appliances.  AND,  EA does a much better job than timed-only Asorb termination when the DOD varies considerably from day-to-day.  A larger bank responds slowly to a slight undercharge one day when the downstream loads are a bit larger,  and the odds the next day,  these smallish added loads will not be there,  and the bank could return to full charge,  or perhaps a slight overcharge.  All gets integrated,  and one can measure the effects.

Realize that SM's situation could be a  bit different,  as in the Far North,  the Freezer/s load/s could be larger than mine,  as many up there could be avid hunters with LARGE freezers.

EA  IS Nirvana!
Sorry for the too wordy post,  but the above is true in my situations.  With a small 12 V   SLA bank,  things could be very different.
Vic

[SolarMusher]

Hi Niel,
I know EA is not THE perfect way to go, but with a slight daily discharge (30-35A/830AH@48V), it works better than Time absorb. Off course, one has to check SG frequently, but before EA, I was 25A positive every day with just 1 or 1 1/2  hour absorbing and it was the same with my old MX. I was just 3A positive this morning at the end of EA and my cells were 1.275. How could I ask something better...? Was it better to always play with the Absorb Time every day?
My refrigerator and freezer are less than 3A and as an old off grider (15 years), I only need 3 or 4 kw/day.
I'm sure that Absorb Time would work better in september and for the rest of the year. I just wanted to say that with a BMK (or other BM), you can easily know what would be a correct EA setting for your system and that in some situation, it could work well. No more, less, nov... as boB said.
Vic,
My freezer is too small for a moose (10 cubic Feet) , and I agree with you, EA is Nirvana!
A+,
Erik

[SolarMusher]

Hi Niel,
You're right but don't forget these DC refrigerator and congelator only draw 2.8/3A when running together, so even if they stop 1 or 2 hours before noon, we are just talking of a 3/6A max overcharge, in all cases that's better than a steady 20/25A overcharge using Absorb Time.
Every system in each season is different, and you can control easily if your AH In/Out balance is positive or negative and adjust your EA
accordingly.
Erik live from the pole.

[plongson]

I'm back...
While I was gone, I had a week of work and last weekend was our 35 anniversary so we party'd it up and had a great time in Las Vegas (part of the time I have to live in Las Vegas, and the rest of the time I'm here...)

I JUST loaded the new firmware, no problems at all but it is different and I have some questions.

1.) SolarMusher, it looks like my system is very similar to yours. I have the same positive amp issue at the end of the day (on the BMK), and my draw is around 3 to 4 amps steady so I'm going to try EA set at 12 amps. I set the ABSORB time at 15 minutes minimum and the maximum at 5 hours with EA at 12a. (to everyone) Does that sound right?

2.) boB, from an earlier post regarding the time and EQ counting down. I did as you said and the MGP is counting every second so the timer in the Classic must be fine. Right now I have EQ set to manual...which brings up another question.

3.) After powering up from the update, the Classic says EQ MPPT and not BULK MPPT. The EQ is set to MANUAL...strange.

4.) The README says the WIZARD is gone from the main menu, where did it go? I cruised around and didn't find it right off. After an update, I run through it just to be sure nothing has changed. Is that necessary or not?

Well, Happy 4th of July (even if you are in Canada!! LOL)

Paul

[SolarMusher]

Hi Paul,
If your loads are steady during the absorbtion, try to set EA at 16A (2%) and check your SG to be sure you're at 100% SOC (1.275 for Rolls).
I don't know how deeply you discharge your bank, but for a 80/90% SOC I've set  the Absorb Time for 30mn min and 2hr max for summer. Try these setting, check your SG and only adjust to 2 1/2hr max if you need.
If your Classic say EQ MPPT, it's because it's trying to Equalize... Stop this EQ and re-check your parameters to be sure it's fine.
The Wizzard has gone, so check the charge menu (Voltage, charge time, EA, etc...) to be sure your parameters are still the same.
After the update my Classic didn't change, it was exactly the same settings except for the wizzard and password which has gone too.
Have a good 4th July!
A+
Erik, live from the pole as Vic said

[plongson]

Erik,
Ya, I'll go to that now. My SOC right now during the summer is always about 91% when I start to get sun. Live'n is easy in the summer...LOL

All my setting appear to have been retained but it won't stop trying to EQ. I'm going to power off and reboot and see it that works.

I'm wondering now the wizard is gone, how will they set LAT/LON and daylight savings time etc.

Anyway, I'm off the make some changes. Talk soon.

Paul

[SolarMusher]

Paul,
If you are at 91% most of the days, EA is for you!
God save the Queen, Yo!
Erik, Live from the Pole.

[plongson]

The re-boot did the trick. It's Bulking now and all setting look good. I'll be on top of it today and see how it goes. I haven't done an EQ in quite a while and I might work that into my hectic schedule in the next few days. I'm pretty much on vacation all week.

[Halfcrazy]

We made the decision to lose the Wizard as it was confusing to most and frankly asked a boat load of questions that did not pertain to anything in the Charger. Like Lon/Lat and daylight savings time for instance. they both did nothing. At some point they will and we will bring back the menus that are needed but for now it was seeming from all the calls I get that simple is better?

we did add a "Quick Start" set of menus that should come up on a new unit. Here is the revised manual: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/31975941/Classic%20Just%20the%20facts%20RevC.pdf

Ryan

[plongson]

Like Lon/Lat and daylight savings time for instance. they both did nothing.

LOL, That's funny. I use to go through the WIZ after a power up and struggle to get all that correct. That's all good to know now, I guess that's why it worked so good, I couldn't screw it up!

Paul

[boB]

The re-boot did the trick. It's Bulking now and all setting look good. I'll be on top of it today and see how it goes. I haven't done an EQ in quite a while and I might work that into my hectic schedule in the next few days. I'm pretty much on vacation all week.

Paul, when you did the firmware upgrade and the Classic came up for the first time, did the Classic get powered down
and back up one more time before you saw this EQ try to happen ??

Sometimes after an upgrade, values new values get stored in its non-vomitable memory and have to
be read properly for things to be correct.

Tom, our man in Hawaii had the same thing happen and so I was just making sure this was it.

I think this procedure is documented in one of our quick-start guides, hopefully.

boB

[plongson]

boB,
I don't think the classic got powered down after the firmware, It did after the MNGP which I did first but in any event, powering down and rebooting corrected the EQ deal.

Right now, I'm at 98% on the BMK and the Classic is still bulking. I'm watching to see if everything backs off and goes to absorb then float soon and keeps it from going into the plus area too far...

[boB]

boB,
I don't think the classic got powered down after the firmware, It did after the MNGP which I did first but in any event, powering down and rebooting corrected the EQ deal.

Right now, I'm at 98% on the BMK and the Classic is still bulking. I'm watching to see if everything backs off and goes to absorb then float soon and keeps it from going into the plus area too far...

Great !  Good !

except that at 98% SOC, I would think that the charge stage should be well into Absorb.

These BM's get out of synch of course, to that's probably why the 98% and still in Bulk.
Unless, maybe, it WAS in Absorb before and just went into Bulk because charge power
went down because of clouds or a big load, etc.

boB

boB