Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: AC7880 on March 29, 2018, 01:21:57 pm
Title: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: AC7880 on March 29, 2018, 01:21:57 pm
I'd like to compare software settings with other Victron owners/users. I think my invertor goes from absorption to float sooner than it should. I'm communicating with Victron USA sales on this as well.
------ My BMV battery settings (via Victron Connect app) are:
Battery Capacity 765Ah (3 new Lifeline 8Ds). Charged voltage setting 14.1 amp tail current 4.00% (was 2.00%, Victron suggested bumping it to 4) charged detection time 3m Puekert 1.25 efficiency factor 97% current threshold .10A time to go averaging 3m
---- Shunt is 500A, volt 50mV ----
Invertor software selection is set to to Gel/AGM, Victron energy (via VE Configure software) adaptive battery safe, storage mode checkmarked 14.4 absorb, 13.80 float. Repeat absorb time 1 hour, repeat absorb interval 7 days, max absorb time 8 hrs (all default settings for battery type)
------- Other settings on the CGX: Synch VE Bus SOC with batteries is "on" use solar charge current to improve VE bus SOC "on" solar charger volt control "off" Has DC system "on" DVCC "off" under networked operation, BMS controlled "off" and networked "no"
----- My equipment, all installed by AM Solar in Oregon November 2017:
Victron MultiPlus 12/3000/120-50 120V VE.Bus Inverter/Charger MONITOR-VTCC Victron Color Control GX Monitor Victron CCGX WiFi module simple (Nano USB) 100AVictron BlueSolar Smart MPPT 150/100-Tr (100A) V-SVictron Battery Monitor BMV-712 Smart Victron Temperature sensor for BMV 8D AGM Lifelines About 8' - 9' cable run batteries to invertor, one 3/0 and one 4/0 cabling (had AM Solar add the 4/O)
For anyone else checking, do you have different settings?
EDIT: After testing I determined the Multi invertor/charger was operating correctly, but the battery monitor settings needed to be changed. ( I also changed charge profile on the Multi itself).
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: Caflashbob on March 29, 2018, 08:02:43 pm
Lifeline AGMs at 70 degrees F float at 13.4 volts per their chart.
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: AC7880 on March 30, 2018, 12:11:30 am
Hi Bob,
The Victron has a few more voltage settings as the default for AGM:
Absorb 14.4, float 13.8, and "storage" 13.2. Plus temp compensation wire to batteries.
EDIT: From storage mode of 13.2 volts, on a regular basis (I forget the specific interval), it reenters either float 13.8 volts or absorption 14.4 volts to "top up".
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: Caflashbob on March 30, 2018, 01:28:45 pm
See the lifeline tech page. 13.4 float. My east penn gels are 13.6 at 78 degrees.
I noticed the published Victron AGM programs did not seem to have a lifeline specific setting?
My solar and alternator are both set for 13.6. Currently no temp compensation. Working on that.
Magnum is 13.6 at 78 degrees on my gels
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: AC7880 on March 31, 2018, 01:19:37 am
The Multi problem of entering float too early is solved. It was a wrong setting on the config files on the actual charging device. (and the battery monitor settings were giving me false State Of Charge percentages).
Using VE Power setup to "get settings" , I found the battery charge points and selection in the Multi invertor/charger were not what I thought they were.
The configuration file I was reading was never sent into the Multi, so both absorption and float voltages were actually lower than I thought. Now (via VE Power setup, then via VE Configure software) Multi is definitely set to Gel/AGM, Victron energy adaptive battery safe, storage mode check marked 14.4 absorb, 13.80 float. Repeat absorb time 1 hour, repeat absorb interval 7 days, max absorb time 8 hrs (all default settings for battery type) "Storage" mode of 13.2 volts On a regular basis (I forget the specific interval), it reenters either float 13.8 volts or absorption 14.4 volts to "top up".
I also learned that the Multi does it's own thing on charging, independent of the BMV (battery monitor Victron). . BMV just approximates how the batteries are doing as a gauge for us to view and has zero influence over Multi nor solar charging. (I did not realize that before).
Next problem is to get the BMV to more closely approximate the actual charging by the multi. The BMV said 100% charged 3 HOURS before the Multi moved from absorption to float. I am 90% sure tail current setting was the problem. I had it set to 4% during testing today (charging from 80 percent battery charge to 100 percent)
Right after absorption to float change, float is currently showing 13.7 volts. Battery temps 81 degrees. EDIT: one hour later it is now in storage mode at 13.13 volts 81 degrees at batteries.
4 percent tail current of 750 Ah batteries is 30 amps. ** The Multi went from absorbtion to float right around 8 amps pushed into the batteries. 2% Tail would be 15 amps 1.5% tail would be 11.25 amps and 1% tail would be 7.5 amps.
*** I will try 1.5% tail current for now on the BMV. (11.25 amp)
I also need to verify what the BMV settings for the following "should" be compared to now:
****** Charged voltage setting 14.1 amp (need to verify correct) ***** tail current (now 1.5%) Charged detection time 5 minutes (was 3m) Puekert 1.25 charge efficiency factor 95% (was 97% previously) current threshold .10A time to go averaging 3m
Main one I would like to confirm now is the Charged voltage setting 14.1 volts (AM Solar set that value)
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: AC7880 on March 31, 2018, 01:41:51 am
One hour after the system went into float it has moved to storage with 13.13 volts at batteries.
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: ltg on March 31, 2018, 01:04:34 pm
I believe in this discussion the term float is causing some differences. In some three stage battery chargers the stages are Bulk, Absorption, and Float. Evidently, Victron appears to be using the terminology Absorption, Float and Storage for the three stages. I have no experience with Victron so I could be completely off base with this. If so, I apologize.
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: AC7880 on March 31, 2018, 01:55:08 pm
The Victron charging profiles and terminology is a bit different than I am used to.
They use Adaptive 4-stage charge characteristics: bulk - absorption - float - storage. They have added "adaptive charging", "battery safe", and "storage" mode to what most of us are used to.
Victron seems to "sort of" merge the bulk and absorption voltage.
Bulk: bulk charge (= the charger has reached its maximum current) So this seems to indicate bulk is from time charging begins, and ends when max allowed voltage is present in the batteries. (ramping up voltage in batteries to max).
Absorption: after each period of bulk charge (= the charger has reached its maximum current) an absorption period of 5 times the bulk charge period will follow (**with maximum time limits set as well**)
Even with the below explanations it's still a bit confusing.
I believe in this discussion the term float is causing some differences. In some three stage battery chargers the stages are Bulk, Absorption, and Float. Evidently, Victron appears to be using the terminology Absorption, Float and Storage for the three stages. I have no experience with Victron so I could be completely off base with this. If so, I apologize.
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: AC7880 on March 31, 2018, 02:40:18 pm
This will be more detail than most will want, but demonstrates how bulk and absorption are "sort of" merged. Bulk is when the adaptive charger is getting batteries from start point to max charging voltage (ramping voltage up at the batteries), then adaptive (time adaptive) "absorption" begins (also at max charging voltage).
The true battery charge percentage the below measurements began at is unknown because my battery monitor had incorrect software settings at the time. It "showed" beginning charging at 83% (I believe it was actually a good bit lower).
The below voltages and amps are as measured at the batteries, not at the charger.
I "think" it stayed in absorption up to this point based on the adaptive calculation, not based on actual amps into the batteries. If the bulk mode had been shorter, the absorption time would also have been shorter, and the amps at switch to float may have been different as well.
Software settings on the Multi Invertor/charger allow for turning adaptive mode on or off, and changing voltage settings as well for absorption and float (but not for storage).
**** 9:41 PM, FLOAT, 13.7 volts 4.5 amps
**** Approx one hour later it was in storage mode at 13.13 volts, minimal amps
So lots of data that most will not care about, but demonstrative of ramp down in amps as charging proceeds, and bulk versus absorption being nearly the same concept. Bulk is ramping up volts to max (at the batteries) and time measured, then adaptive calculates how long to stay in absorption (also at max voltage).
Also in Victron documentation it states storage mode is after 24 hours of no battery discharge. Clearly with newer firmware updates the 24 hours is no longer true, as mine switched to storage when the charger determined the batteries were at 100 percent, with little load on the system (approx one hour of float, little DC load).
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: ltg on March 31, 2018, 03:07:00 pm
I think the storage mode is a great feature. My current coach battery charger (I no longer have a Foretravel) has a float voltage of 13.6 volts. I think that is way too high. So, when in storage, I turn off the coach battery charger and hook up an external charger directly to the coach batteries. That charger has a float of 13.2 volts.
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: AC7880 on March 31, 2018, 07:01:46 pm
Shorter test today, from about 93% charged. BMV battery monitor showed 100 percent charged well before invertor/charger moved from absorption to float (but not as early as last test). The change to float was at about 6.5 to 7 amps charging at batteries.
The tail current was set for 1.5%, will try 1% next.
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: Caflashbob on March 31, 2018, 07:17:56 pm
Mk states to float its gels at 13.6 volts at 70 degrees F. Lifeline states 13.4.
On a Magnum ME-RC remote if the battery drops to 12.6 the control turns on the float for 4 hours.
Cycle repeats. 80% SOC back to 100% or however much of 100% you can get in four hours.
Changing to a ME-ARC as the voltage necessary to turn back on the charger is adjustable and the controller allows either going to float in storage mode or in silent mode it goes to bulk at whatever voltage you set for how long you set it if you want to over ride the std settings.
If you have the power versus on a limited supply I can see why the Advanced unit has the restart of charging cycle adjustable to lessen the cycling of the battery and/or optionally to allow zero power use in silent mode by just monitoring then where ever you set the voltage to go from off to bulk.
My buddy dislikes the 80% SOC needed on the RC unit to allow bulk larger 8d banks that can be 150 amp hours down.
Quicker for him as far as I understood this to run coach loads on the banks to get to 80% then bulk versus absorbtion mode.
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: jcus on March 31, 2018, 07:23:06 pm
Shorter test today, from about 93% charged. BMV battery monitor showed 100 percent charged well before invertor/charger moved from absorption to float (but not as early as last test). The change to float was at about 6.5 to 7 amps charging at batteries.
The tail current was set for 1.5%, will try 1% next.
It is confusing. My battery monitor will show 94% SOC when charger goes into float mode, and will stay there at 4 or 5 amps for a while until monitor shows 100%. I don't have the ability to change the tail current, wish I did. Part of my problem is I have a constant 40-50 watt parasitic load.
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: Caflashbob on March 31, 2018, 07:44:40 pm
The original freedom ran to 90% SOC before floating or timed out at 2 hours of absorbtion charging.
The magnum and its rc panel runs to 85% as a std setting.
The old Freedom manual suggests running from 50% SOC to 90% SOC in normal use with a every few day run up to 100% as going from 85-90% to 100% SOC can take 2-3 times longer.
That is less wear on gels as they do not sulfate like liquid batteries. So they can be returned to 100% as available without a reduction of capacity.
Liquid/agm's left in lower soc's can sulfate and reduce capacity over time. Lifeline can be equalized. As can flooded cells. Std AGM's cannot.
The 12 year oem gel life with a 90% SOC float setting shows that combo worked well.
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: AC7880 on March 31, 2018, 07:47:51 pm
I just did a custom charge profile on the Multi invertor/charger. 14.4 bulk/absorb (as it was), 13.45 float voltage (instead of 13.8 float before), leaving all other settings as is. I do have temp compensation.
Storage mode remains 13.2 (non settable value, only on or off). Storage mode takes the place of an extended float mode on this invertor/charger, so I don't need too low of a setting on float.
Untouched settings that remain as is: Repeat absorb time 1 hour, repeat absorb interval 7 days, max absorb time 8 hrs. Storage mode on, adaptive and battery safe selected.
I'm in float mode right now, real world showing 13.42 volts, 2.5 amps, 79 degrees at batteries.
Edit - Adding some info from the on line manual: "If the BMV synchronizes (to 100 percent) too early In solar systems or other applications with fluctuating charge currents, the following measures can be taken to reduce the probability for the BMV to reset prematurely to 100% state of charge: a) Increase the "charged" voltage to only slightly below the absorption charge voltage (for example: 14,2V in case of 14,4V absorption voltage). b) Increase the "charged" detection time and/or decrease the tail current to prevent an early reset due to to passing clouds. "
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: Caflashbob on March 31, 2018, 07:55:43 pm
Lifelines better current current carrying internal connections require the 14.2 volts bulk and absorbtion volts and the lower float voltage of 13.4 according to their websites info.
My mk gels has a 14.15 tag physically on them new.
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: AC7880 on April 01, 2018, 01:32:04 am
For Lifeline AGM batteries, tech manual is at: http://2cw8eb1vmmgg3g5i7jzt6upo.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/6-0101-Rev-E-Lifeline-Technical-Manual.pdf Pages 19 through 21 have the most critical info. (charge voltages at various temps, Peukert setting for chargers, conditioning voltage (only use as necessary)).
As Bob had indicated, Lifeline has different voltage recommendations than the Victron defaults.
Bulk/absorption 14.3 plus or minus 0.1 volts at 77 degrees F (my real world voltage was right at 14.3 at 78 to 81 degrees at batteries).
Float, Lifeline recommends 13.39 at 70 degrees, 13.3 at 77, and 13.25 at 80 degrees. (all plus or minus 0.1 volts) Degrees Fahrenheit: 70: 13.29 to 13.49 volts 77: 13.2 - 13.4 volts 80: 13.15 - 13.35 volts
Anything from there should be temp compensated. Keep in mind the Victron multi goes to storage of 13.2 volts after float is complete and DC loads are low or compensated for by the charger.
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: AC7880 on April 01, 2018, 09:37:02 pm
Did a final test after changing settings and now happy with the results, and with the Victron Battery Monitor agreeing with actual Victron Multi invertor/charging.
Final settings on battery monitor (BMV 712): Battery capacity set to 750 AH (actual 765 on 3 Lifeline 8Ds) Charge voltage 14.2 Tail current: 1.00% Chrg detect time 6m peukert 1.20 efficiency 95% threshold .10 A time to go 3m
Started invertor charging at 92% battery SOC. Showed 100% SOC when float was down to 2.2 amps, and total battery discharge at - 6AH. Very close with battery monitor to charger.
Invertor itself now set to 14.4 bulk/absorption volts, 13.45 float. Storage mode on (storage mode is non changable 13.2 volts), adaptive and battery safe selected.
I'll play with my solar setup soon. Eight 180 watt panels, 1440 watts total. Victron BlueSolar Smart MPPT 150/100-Tr (100A) controller.
Edit: The above values worked great with the inverter/charger, but not with solar charging only. It stalled out at 97% charged - never reaching 100%.
Back to: Charge voltage 14.1 Tail current: 2.00% Chrg detect time 3m peukert 1.20 efficiency 95% threshold .10 A time to go 3m
.
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: Caflashbob on April 01, 2018, 10:16:29 pm
Can you change the bulk/absorbtion voltage?
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: AC7880 on April 03, 2018, 03:42:21 pm
Then I assume you are going to reset the bulk/absorbation volts to the 14.2 lifeline specifies?
I am not finding your 14.2 volts voltage figure on any Lifeline/Concorde site.
What I have found is: Page 19. http://2cw8eb1vmmgg3g5i7jzt6upo.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/6-0101-Rev-E-Lifeline-Technical-Manual.pdf
Also see http://www.optimabatteries.nl/upl_files/File/lifeline%20owner%20manual.pdf 14.20 - 14.40 volts absorption 13.2 - 13.4 volts float
Real world retest on temp versus volts in the past hour: 73 degrees at batteries, Bulk/absorb is 14.37, float 13.43), and storage 13.18 at this temp.
Dropping my float from 13.45 now to 13.4. Done - now showing float at 13.35 at 73 degrees at batteries.
Happy with absorption as is for now. Bob - where are you seeing 14.2 for absorption? Link?
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: Caflashbob on April 03, 2018, 08:47:43 pm
Same chart, as a comparison magnum uses in their me-rc 2009 manual 13.1 for float on a lifeline. Their me-arc manual 2014 says 13.1 also. Wonder why Magnum uses a lower number?
Just interested for gee-whiz knowledge.
Be worth a call as both lifeline and magnum are here in the USA.
13.1-13.3 is a difference at 77 degrees. Useless curiosity on my part.
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: AC7880 on April 03, 2018, 09:59:28 pm
I edited my last post. Here was the new info:
Real world retest on temp versus volts in the past hour: 73 degrees at batteries, Bulk/absorb is 14.37, float 13.43, and storage 13.18 at this temp.
Dropping my float from 13.45 now to 13.4. Done - now showing float at 13.35 at 73 degrees at batteries.
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: Jack Lewis on April 05, 2020, 11:56:37 am
Thank you AC7880 for your very thorough explanation of setting up your Victron Multipath and Victron battery monitor BMV 712 with Lifeline AGM batteries. After reading this including CaFlashBob's input, I now have some things to check to make sure my settings are proper and giving me good information.
I have added this only 9 min video for all to watch, as it is the best I've come across to get across the importance of never letting your AGM batteries go below 12.2 (approx 50% charge) and the importance of the Victron battery moniter in extending the life of your batteries. Not going below 12.2, fully 100% charging, and only going to 80 or 90% state of charge extends life also more with your AGM's. To the point by this video, and AM Solar.
I would play this video thru till the end, as all is useful, even past his short talk about returning earphones to Walmart.
https://youtu.be/BJyjRUErSi8
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: Caflashbob on April 05, 2020, 12:34:11 pm
Your Lifeline AGM'S CAN be equalized. The only ones as far as I know that can be.
So you were able to setup a custom program for the Lifelines?
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: Jack Lewis on April 05, 2020, 12:50:43 pm
Thank you AC7880 for your very thorough explanation of setting up your Victron Multipath and Victron battery monitor BMV 712 with Lifeline AGM batteries. After reading this including CaFlashBob's input, I now have some things to check to make sure my settings are proper and giving me good information.
I have added this only 9 min video for all to watch, as it is the best I've come across to get across the importance of never letting your AGM batteries go below 12.2 (approx 50% charge) and the importance of the Victron battery moniter in extending the life of your batteries. Not going below 12.2, fully 100% charging, and only going to 80 or 90% state of charge extends life also more with your AGM's. To the point by this video, and AM Solar.
I would play this video thru till the end, as all is useful, even past his short talk about returning earphones to Walmart.
https://youtu.be/BJyjRUErSi8
Bob, I am answering your question for me, not AC7880. I too know the value of Lifelines, having spent, in the past over $3,000 buying them new for my two Monaco Signature Crown Royales. Now, I live most comfortably off of just social security. As many others, my budget is different now.
For two years, I got by on the core batteries that AC7880 would have traded for his Lifelines at AM Solar. Thank you AC7880, for selling to me for only the core value. Enter the Oreilly AGM8D, recently, was now in my budget for three new, with 10% off for Veterans discount. Absolutely pleased, made by East Penn, maker of the origin BK gell batteries. Also I use the Victron batery monitor BMV 712, thus the above video, and AC7880 thread to prolong their life.
That is the long answer to "do you equalize "? So, ...East Penn recommends no equalization, as only Lifeline provides cell structuret to equalize. My equalization setting is off.
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: Justin Cook on April 06, 2020, 02:43:43 pm
I just did a custom charge profile on the Multi invertor/charger. 14.4 bulk/absorb (as it was), 13.45 float voltage (instead of 13.8 float before), leaving all other settings as is. I do have temp compensation.
Storage mode remains 13.2 (non settable value, only on or off). Storage mode takes the place of an extended float mode on this invertor/charger, so I don't need too low of a setting on float.
Untouched settings that remain as is: Repeat absorb time 1 hour, repeat absorb interval 7 days, max absorb time 8 hrs. Storage mode on, adaptive and battery safe selected.
I'm in float mode right now, real world showing 13.42 volts, 2.5 amps, 79 degrees at batteries.
Edit - Adding some info from the on line manual: "If the BMV synchronizes (to 100 percent) too early In solar systems or other applications with fluctuating charge currents, the following measures can be taken to reduce the probability for the BMV to reset prematurely to 100% state of charge: a) Increase the "charged" voltage to only slightly below the absorption charge voltage (for example: 14,2V in case of 14,4V absorption voltage). b) Increase the "charged" detection time and/or decrease the tail current to prevent an early reset due to to passing clouds. "
It's also critical -as a note to the OP as well as to everyone else reading the thread- to ensure that nothing other than the "battery" side of the BMV shunt is connected to your house bank's NEG posts. I can't count the number of times someone's left a chassis ground connection running straight off the battery rather than moving it to the "loads and chargers" side of the shunt, then wondered why their SOC was off... ditto for connecting an SCC or other charge source NEG straight to the battery rather than correctly running it to the "loads and chargers" side of the shunt. It's simple, but it's a very common mistake.
The BMV-7xx (and the SmartShunt, for that matter) calculates SOC as a function of total Ah capacity as programmed, charge efficiency, Peukert exponent, and the total current in and out of the battery as measured by the shunt... not a function of battery voltage. So if you have a charge source with its NEG going straight to the battery instead of to the "loads and chargers" side of the BMV shunt, the BMV can't "see" that charge source and so cannot take that charge into consideration in the battery SOC calculation. Likewise with loads... if you have a chassis ground that's connected to the battery NEG rather than the "loads and chargers" side of the BMV shunt, then any load in your coach that uses the chassis for its return path won't show up as a load in the BMV, because the BMV can't see anything that isn't connected properly to its shunt... and that's how you can get depleted batteries with the BMV still showing 100% SOC.
It's very possible that everyone here has their BMV shunts correctly connected to their system, but it's such a common mistake that I felt it was well worth posting here for posterity. tl;dr: The only thing connected to your house bank NEG must be the "battery" side of the BMV shunt; everything else goes to the "loads and chargers" side, zero exceptions.
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: DavidS on April 06, 2020, 09:38:22 pm
Since we are on the subject...haaa Victron everything lol
I have all my setting on the Bmv, inverter and both solar chargers all set exactly the same.. I ran into an issue (seems after an update) that I lose my SOC and it stops counting. So it goes from say 90% down to 0% and never recovers. Its like the soc never calibrates or something..
Am I correct in thinking all the perimeters should be set the same in all aspects? Charger, solar, and so on?
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: Justin Cook on April 07, 2020, 06:14:31 pm
Since we are on the subject...haaa Victron everything lol
I have all my setting on the Bmv, inverter and both solar chargers all set exactly the same.. I ran into an issue (seems after an update) that I lose my SOC and it stops counting. So it goes from say 90% down to 0% and never recovers. Its like the soc never calibrates or something..
Am I correct in thinking all the perimeters should be set the same in all aspects? Charger, solar, and so on?
Hmmm odd problem - 98% of the time that I see this reported, it's because things aren't hooked up properly, rather than a software issue... but that other 2% of the time can be a bugger. If you post a picture of your shunt with your batteries, I can pretty much tell if the problem is in the way it's connected, which -again- accounts for about 98% of inaccurate SOC readings.
To directly answer your question, though, no, the BMV and MPPT and inverter can't all have the same settings because the settings are all referring to vastly different things; for instance your charging voltage in the MPPT is likely (obviously depending on your battery type and a bunch of other things) set somewhere around 14.4v, while the charged voltage in the BMV should not be set at 14.4 because it's referring to an entirely different thing. Generally speaking, the BMV charged voltage should be set at Float voltage -0.2v, so if your float setting is 13.8v, your BMV charged voltage should never be set higher than 13.6v,... and in cases with primarily solar charging, it's usually better to set the BMV charged voltage to "Float" voltage -0.4 to -0.6v, so 13.2v is the recommended setting, though of course this must be adjusted on a case-by-case basis. This is addressed in the BMV user manual on pages 15-16.
...that's one of many examples - unfortunately I'd have to spend at least an hour or two going through all your settings with you as they relate to your battery bank and the other components on your system, which can be a bit much... who was your Victron distributor? I mean, granted all this is largely covered in the user manuals (PLEASE read the manuals for ALL of your components, since literally 95% of questions I get about how to program these things are fully answered in the user manual) but secondarily it'll fall to your Victron distributor (or installer, if you had someone else install the system) to help you understand the functions and settings that aren't well-covered in the manual.
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: Jack Lewis on April 07, 2020, 07:21:51 pm
Thankyou to Justin Cook from Bay Marine for responding here. This is useful information for so many.
I have only a Victron BMV 712, and two Victron solar chargers I purchased before learning the following.
If you contact Victron they will refer you to your distributor, which is the company you bought from, or Victrons online forum. Many online retailers do not provide any way to contact them for support. That is why I recommend contacting the retailer before you buy, to know how you will be treated after you buy.
From my experience, and comments from others on this forum, any future purchases by me of marine or rv electronics will only be from Bay Marine. So.....my message here is before you click on that online buy button, try contacting the seller first. This may change your decision. Also I appreciate the discount Bay Marine offers our FT forum members.
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: DavidS on April 07, 2020, 08:37:17 pm
Negative off the battery to the shunt.. nothing else on the battery.. Dbl checked and had redone cables so its a for sure..
Also most of my stuff is from Bay Marine Supply.. Great help!!
Lithium
14.4 charge 13.6 Float(?) Or 13.8.. off the top of my head
I will take another look at the manual.
Title: Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings
Post by: folivier on April 07, 2020, 08:44:31 pm
Battleborn recommends the following: • Absorption voltage: 14.6 volts (acceptable range is 14.4 to 14.6 volts) • Absorption Time: 0.5 hours per 100ah of LiFePO4 battery (for example if you have 2 -100ah batteries select 1 hour.) • Float Voltage: 13.5 volts (13.6 volts or lower is acceptable for LiFePO4 batteries; you can even run a solar charge controller that is not settable at a 13.8 volt setting) • Equalization voltage: 14.4 volts (you do not need to equalize Lithium ion, you will have equalize turned off, but in case it ever runs a cycle the batteries will be fine at this voltage) • Temperature Compensation: should be disabled Lithium Deep Cycle batteries do not need to be compensated, leave this off.