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Topic: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings (Read 2472 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings

Reply #20 –
Then I assume you are going to reset the bulk/absorbation volts to the 14.2 lifeline specifies?

The constant for lifelines is 1.12 on their technical page?

Float is 13.4 at 70 degrees

Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings

Reply #21 –
Quote from: Caflashbob –
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 

Degrees Fahrenheit/float:
70:  13.39; (+/- .1 )  13.29 - 13.49 volts float
77:  13.30; (+/- .1 )  13.20 - 13.40 volts float
80:  13.25; (+/- .1 )  13.15 - 13.35 volts float

Degrees Fahrenheit/absorb:
70: 14.41 (+/- .1 ) volts abs  14.31 - 14.51
77: 14.30 (+/- .1 ) volts abs  14.20 - 14.40
80: 14.27 (+/- .1 ) volts abs  14.17 - 14.37

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?

Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings

Reply #22 –
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. 

Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings

Reply #23 –
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.

Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings

Reply #24 –
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


Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings

Reply #25 –
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?

Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings

Reply #26 –
Quote from: Jack L –
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. 

Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings

Reply #27 –
Quote from: AC7880 –
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.

Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings

Reply #28 –
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?

Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings

Reply #29 –
Quote from: DavidS –
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.

Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings

Reply #30 –
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.

Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings

Reply #31 –
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.
 

Re: Victron Invertor/BMV owners - compare software settings

Reply #32 –
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.