LiFePo4 charging
#1
Posted 18 August 2019 - 09:26 PM
My Victron 100 20 mppt controller is set to 13.8 V for absorption
160 Watt panel in full sun doing great but battery not going over 13.2
2016 Duramax 2.8 Diesel long bed Colorado 4WD with 2011 Eagle
#2
Posted 19 August 2019 - 12:49 AM
Are you using a LifeP04 charging profile?
LifeP04 uses constant current charging as far as I remember. I don't believe it uses absorption.....
Others may know more.....
Edited by Happyjax, 19 August 2019 - 12:52 AM.
2018 Ford F-250. Customized Bundutec Sable
#3
Posted 19 August 2019 - 01:48 AM
Yes, you should be using a lithium charge profile. According to the manual for the Victron 100/30, the profile is #7 on the rotary switch, however in review of the manual for the Victron 100/20, it doesn't offer an easy profile selection. You may be able to manually change the voltage levels to match what is required of the lithium battery you have using a pc connection.
Ford 2018 F250 FX4,Lariat, Gasser. FWC 2013 Hawk W6QN (formerly KH6FBU)
#4
Posted 19 August 2019 - 06:14 AM
Buckland is using a LiFePo4 charging profile. He knows more than most on this forum re: these batteries.... heck, he built his own 12v battery from scratch!
And correct me if I'm wrong, but this WAS working before, right? This is a recent issue?
I just got a BattleBorn 100AH for my new PUMA build out. As a newbie to LiFePo4 I have relied on rando, Craig333, buckland, PaulT and others (sorry if I missed you) who have been pioneers in this area.
The stuff I know I also gleaned from Will Prowse - LINK, who is enthusiastic, knowledgeable and helpful. Also from Battleborn's web site on using Victron gear with their batteries - LINK and from this helpful dude - .
I usually avoid reading comments on social media posts, but in this case there were some useful ones, and I quote:
Paul G - on Oct 29, 2017 at 10:09 AM - said: Here's a quick reference so you don't need to keep replaying the video like I did. There are only 4 changes from default (01, 02, 05 and 06) marked with a *:
01 Battery Capacity - 99AH*
02 Charged Voltage - 14.4V*
03 Tail Current - 4.0%
04 Charged Detection - 03
05 Puekert Exponent - 1.05*
06 Charge Efficiency Factor - 99%
07 Current Theshold - 0.10A
08 Time to Go Averaging Period - 03
09 Zero Current Calibration - ZERO
10 Synchronize - SYNC
11 Relay Mode - DFLT
And then Denis Phares added to this on June 2, 2018 at 4:449 PM
Try reducing your end charging current from 4% (as suggested in the video) to 1%. This will allow the batteries to be topped off in the absorption stage a little bit more. This will also allow extra time for balancing. If the charge current is high, than [sic] 4% of the charge current my be too high for the final top off.
All that said, in my BMV 712 I have my Bulk/Absorption voltage set to 14.5V with a 30 minute Absorption cycle per recommendations from Battleborn, and float set to 13.5V.
And the 100/30 MPPT controller is set as in the notes above.
I also recall rando saying something about backing off from those setting to keep the battery between 10% and 90% SOC, as LiFePo4 chemistry rewards not using the full cycle of available SOC by vastly increasing the number of discharge cycles they will tolerate. Unfortunately I don't remember the details.
Now, my Buckland isn't getting a the batteries to go beyond 13.2V.... I don't know, but hopefully something in the above info will be helpful!
2012 ATC Puma Shell build - https://www.wanderth...012-puma-build/
Power considerations thread - https://www.wanderth...e-power-scotty/
Building out an electrical system - So, you want to setup a good electrical system in your camper? - Electrical, Charging, Solar, Batteries and Generators - Wander the West
#5
Posted 19 August 2019 - 11:48 AM
Not sure if I should have used the Ultimate battery thread for this I'll continue here unless told to move.
I am perplexed. I am a novice though learning. I tend to jump into things with both feet and cause a lot of my own misery. But I have to
have a hands on approach on to grasp concepts. That is why I decided to build my own despite the fact I was learning as I went along.
On a three week trip the new built battery was doing great then suddenly 12 days in started to not charge as high and the voltage drained lower and lower until I noticed that my cells were out of balance and I shut it all down and bought ice!
After getting home I pulled the battery. I set up an inverter on the battery and and ran a crock pot to drain the battery down to 2.9 volts in lowest cell. Then used a pack of 4 resistors to drain each cell pack down to 2.85 Volts. Then I Bottom-Balanced with the battery Management gizmo to 2.9 (as there was bounce back voltage). Then I reinstalled the battery and watched it solar recharge throughout the day... a real high sun day. It charged up to and leveled off at 13.2 Volts. Nothing was running in the camper except the propane detector.
I have the Victron 100 20 smart controller with a bluetooth app. Attached find two photos of the settings page and the display. I have renolgy 160 panel.
Perhaps I should have it set up differently? Perhaps I have built a lousy battery!
Either way I am glad I attempted it for the experience. If I can't get it to work I will chalk it up and save up for a Battleborn. I am sold on LiFePo4 as the only way to go.... once I get out of the hole I'm in!
Thanks for all suggestions. BTW the BMS monitor attached to the packs shows the four cell packs as: 3.2, 3.3, 3.3, 3.3 Volts this morning.
Attached Files
Edited by buckland, 19 August 2019 - 12:01 PM.
2016 Duramax 2.8 Diesel long bed Colorado 4WD with 2011 Eagle
#6
Posted 19 August 2019 - 09:38 PM
It can't hurt the battery to really top it up ... once. Try setting the bulk/absorb voltage to what Battleborn recommends for theirs... 14.4V, with a 30 min absorb cycle per 100AH, and a 13.5 Float level.
2012 ATC Puma Shell build - https://www.wanderth...012-puma-build/
Power considerations thread - https://www.wanderth...e-power-scotty/
Building out an electrical system - So, you want to setup a good electrical system in your camper? - Electrical, Charging, Solar, Batteries and Generators - Wander the West
#7
Posted 19 August 2019 - 11:22 PM
2016 Duramax 2.8 Diesel long bed Colorado 4WD with 2011 Eagle
#8
Posted 20 August 2019 - 04:47 PM
If you just bottom balanced your pack, then all the cells started at almost 0% SOC, so it may take more time than you think to get them back to fully charged. I don't remember your battery and solar specs - but assuming a 160W panel and a 100Ah battery, it could take 2-3 days of good sun (and more days of New England 'sun') to get 100Ah back into the battery. What does the history display in your Victron look like?
PS I would set the equalize setting on your victron to something like 14V, just in case it accidentally gets switched on - you will get a BMS shutdown at 16.2V.
2016 Fleet Flatbed
2016 Toyota Tacoma
#9
Posted 20 August 2019 - 05:45 PM
2016 Duramax 2.8 Diesel long bed Colorado 4WD with 2011 Eagle
#10
Posted 20 August 2019 - 05:49 PM
2016 Duramax 2.8 Diesel long bed Colorado 4WD with 2011 Eagle
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