New Battery Monitor For Systems using A Classic & utilising MNGP

[williaty]

Is this the MNBCM currently listed on the site or is this product still in development? From the NAWS forum, I recall boB talking about a new battery monitor in the works that could tell the Classic what the current flow into the battery actually was. I came over here looking for a status update and this thread seems to be talking about the same product boB was over there. I'm trying to sort out whether it's come to market yet or not.

[boB]

I've been thinking about battery monitors...

When Midnite battery monitor estimates SOC, will it derate battery capacity based on battery temperature?  If so, how will it know the temperature... will the Classic tell it?

Good idea !  The actual capacity depends on what the  capacity is at 25 degrees C of course so
you have to know that or create a discharge curve to find out.  You'd also have to be able to
enter a temperature derating constant and I'm not sure if that is actually constant or linear.

The Classic(s) know the battery temperature if at least one is installed.

When the monitor counts amphours will it be able to compensate for Peukert effect?  (display raw amphours vs. compensated amphours, and calculate SOC by either method)

We'll see.  That isn't too hard to do.  If the coefficient is correct, it should help the accuracy of the SOC.
Problem with these kind of inferences is that as the battery ages, the coefficients and efficiencies change
so it's really hard to know exactly what the correct factors are at any time.  These may possibly be
learned and re-learned periodically.

Will the monitor make its own determination of 100% SOC, or will it assume the Classic's transition to float indicates 100% SOC? 

It would be mixed in with the Classic's charging.  Since you know the Absorb voltage and battery temperature, etc,
a lot is known about the system which can help to better calculate the SOC.  There may be some learning of
the battery characteristics involved as well.

Will the Classic be able to change modes or activate AUX relays based upon the SOC?

--vtMaps

Aux output based on an adjustable SOC ?  You bet !

Is this the MNBCM currently listed on the site or is this product still in development? From the NAWS forum, I recall boB talking about a new battery monitor in the works that could tell the Classic what the current flow into the battery actually was. I came over here looking for a status update and this thread seems to be talking about the same product boB was over there. I'm trying to sort out whether it's come to market yet or not.

Yes, this is that monitor.  No, it isn't available yet.
Probably still 3 months or so out.  Give or take a bit.
It will also not be an SOC meter at first.

boB

[williaty]

Yes, this is that monitor.  No, it isn't available yet.
Probably still 3 months or so out.  Give or take a bit.
It will also not be an SOC meter at first.

Is the ability to aid the Classic in terminating Absorb via Ending Amps part of the release-day functionality?

[Halfcrazy]

Yes it should be.

Ryan

[unyalli]

Is this the MNBCM currently listed on the site or is this product still in development? From the NAWS forum, I recall boB talking about a new battery monitor in the works that could tell the Classic what the current flow into the battery actually was. I came over here looking for a status update and this thread seems to be talking about the same product boB was over there. I'm trying to sort out whether it's come to market yet or not.

Yes, this is that monitor.  No, it isn't available yet.
Probably still 3 months or so out.  Give or take a bit.
It will also not be an SOC meter at first.

boB

This is exciting. I have the mouse arrow hovering over the check out button on a Classic 150 Lite because I hear you would be including battery shunt monitoring. I hope you will allow the option of real time monitoring of loads in the local app and the my midnite site.

- Jeff

[unyalli]

Should I get a Deltec 500 amp (or 100 amp) shunt now and include it in my new install anticipating this ability in my lite 150 that arrives tomorrow?

[crunnells]

Should I get a Deltec 500 amp (or 100 amp) shunt now and include it in my new install anticipating this ability in my lite 150 that arrives tomorrow?

It's never a bad idea to include a shunt into your system anyway, and the cost is pretty trivial.

FYI, the Classic won't have included battery monitoring; what they're talking about is a separate unit that will interface with the Classic (and a shunt) but you won't be able to do battery monitoring with just the Classic. You'll need both.

[unyalli]

Any progress on this thing?

[Vic]

Been hotter here in the past two weeks -- hotter than "normal"  for more days in  a row,  and NOT cooling off much at night.

Having this Absorption terminator based on charge current would allow us to reduce our battery temps by 10 degrees F or more.

The batteries were frying,  so have elinimated the Absorption Stage,  and set Vabs to Vflt +0.1V.  This will work OK for a while.  Am hoping that there will be a few cooler days soon,  when we can fully recharge the battery banks.

We run A/C in both power rooms,   and use EA as absorb terminator.  We must set the A/Cs to a temperature high enough to allow it to always cycle at the typical time that absorb ends  (otherwise,  the CC current to run the A/C means that EA value is never reached)  But,  earlier this week,  we guessed wrong,  the A/C did not cycle off,  and the Absorb stage was temrinated by Max time -- not good.  Batts got up to at least 85 F.   With this Whiz-Bang device,  I could set the A/C's thermostat in the 60s F,  and help keep the batts much cooler,  and all of the electronics would be much happier,  too.

Just a ping ...    We sure could use this charge terminator.   Have shunts installed,  just begging for something to do.  Know you MN folks are very  busy,  and many of your customers are begging for other things,  but I just needed to beg a bit for this.
(Note:  A/C= Air Conditioner.   AC= Alternating Current to me)  Thanks,    Vic

[vtmaps]

We sure could use this charge terminator.   Have shunts installed,  just begging for something to do.

Hi Vic,

I suspect (but I hope I am wrong) that you will have to replace your shunts.  The picture I have seen of the WhizBang Jr looks like it includes an integral shunt. 
The picture was posted by Robin over at the NAWS forum: 
http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/showthread.php?p=153695#post153695

--vtMaps

[Vic]

Hi,  vt,

Thanks,  did see that some time ago,   but it looked like a standard 50 mv shunt, that the whizzie thingie was attached to.

Will go back to look.   I have never used an e-panel,  but believe that some of them include the Shunt,  and others may well have a position for standard shunts.  Might seem a bit wasteful to include a shunt,  when a reasonable number of systems have them not ...

The shunts in limited use here are in Xantrex DC Conduit boxes --  DCCB-Ls --  which Robin probably designed while he was at X.  The MN folks know better than others weather a shunt should be included.

If the Whizz included a shunt,  would not be a big deal,  could replace the ones that exist,  or perhaps put the MN guts on the existing shunt.  I had thought that the shunt might be a more expensive part than all of the rest of the WhizBang Lite,  such that the shunt might be an option.  Dunno.   And the shunt question has been asked in this Thread and not yet answered.

Enjoy the Summer,  Thanks,   Vic

[Westbranch]

Hi Vic, have been looking at pics of the Epanels  the last few days and a lot (all?) of them seem to have a shunt installed, might be wrong about all, but seemed a lot of them.

[TomW]

Hi Vic, have been looking at pics of the Epanels  the last few days and a lot (all?) of them seem to have a shunt installed, might be wrong about all, but seemed a lot of them.

West;

Both of mine do (OB Stretched). And I seem to recall it listed in the spec sheet. Every picture I have seen of the guts show a shunt installed.

Just FYI.

Tom

[Vic]

Hi Wb ( Eirc/k?) and TomW,

Thanks for the added detail.  Had looked at only a couple of different e-panels,  and thought that each had a Shunt installed,  but had been some time ago,  so thanks for data.

And guess that these Shunts might be 500 Amp Full-Scale?  Expect that this device could have a  scale factor  adjustment.

The Shunts in use in systems here are 500 A jobs.

OK,  Thanks again.  It IS cooler here today,  and am not starting to recharge the banks that have been slacking for a while.   Vic

[mtdoc]

And guess that these Shunts might be 500 Amp Full-Scale?  Expect that this device could have a  scale factor  adjustment.

From the pic it looks like it is mounted on a standard 500A/50mV shunt.  I suspect the device is a very high resolution volt meter which is measuring the voltage drop across the shunt and with a high bit AD chip to give some good resolution in digital form.  The question I have is where will that digital output data go to be displayed? - Will it plug into the CC for display on the MNGP or to a separate display?

Can't wait to get my hands on one. I've bought some components to make my own Arduino based monitor but haven't gotten around to building it yet. Most likely, I'll  finally get to it just in time to have it outdone by the Whizbang Junior!