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Charger Float Issue

August 05, 2017, 10:15:41 pm

My charger is not moving from accept to float.  A little background ... We have been traveling for about 6 weeks and have been doing a fair amount of dry camping which has driven the use of the generator.  I've been religious about charging the batteries once they got down to 70% (30% depleted) since I just invested a couple coach bucks on 3 new gels.  The charger has been working great.  For the last 2 weeks we have been places with hook ups so the charger has been on float most of the time.  Yesterday, I noticed the charger was on accept and would not go to float. The volts were at 14.6; however, the amps were at .1.  I tried turning the charger off and back on but no change.  Got up this morning and no change.  Just got back from daily activities and still no change, it's still on accept.  My assumption is this is not good for the batteries since float is normally at a much lower voltage.

Any ideas on what is going on and what my next course of action should be?

Thanks,

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Re: Charger Float Issue

Reply #1 – August 05, 2017, 10:27:55 pm

What is the charger?  What is it set for?  Do you have a battery temp sensor?

No gel floats at more than 14.15 as far as I am aware of.  Down to 13.2 or lower in hot weather

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Re: Charger Float Issue

Reply #2 – August 05, 2017, 10:56:10 pm

Jimmy,
Can you disconnect some battery cables so you can charge one or two batteries at a time to see if the charger works correctly with a certain battery disconnected?
I know the battery's are new but you need to be sure one of them doesn't have a problem that could effect the battery charger and over charge the other batteries.

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Re: Charger Float Issue

Reply #3 – August 06, 2017, 12:38:06 am

The charger is a Freedom 25  inverter/charger with a Link 2000 interface.

I will try and disconnect each battery and test them.

Thanks for the suggestion.

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Re: Charger Float Issue

Reply #4 – August 06, 2017, 12:47:57 am

You might want to check your charger temp settings.  I was having an issue where I was not getting to bulk charge and it was taking a long time to come from 12.6 volts to float at 13.3 or so.  I chatted a number of times with a number of notorious forum members and one very smart one suggested  I disconnect the heat probe wire from the inverter/charger and change the dip switch settings on the charger from "HOT" to "Cold".  Changing the dip settings alters the charging profile.  After the dip setting change my bulk charge changed from 13.5/13.6 to 14.5.  The settings might also work in reverse.  Change your Charging profile?  It might be set for hot which will lower initial bulk charge rate.  I think.

I will call Xantrex on Monday and ask how to verify functionality of the heat probe and discuss the dip setting issue.  My charger only has charging profiles for Gel and Wet cells and ambient temperature settings.

You also might consider when dry camping, running your batteries a bit lower - maybe 12.4V - (12.2V= 50% State of Charge) before starting the gen set, and try to keep your battery State of Charge between 50% and 80% while not plugged in. 

At least that's how I understand it.......

Good Luck,     

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Re: Charger Float Issue

Reply #5 – August 06, 2017, 12:17:38 pm

Your 98's freedom 25's serial number should be high enough to allow a battery temp gauge to be installed to automatically alter the charging voltage to match the batteries design and their temperature.

If you do not have the battery temp sensor then you must adjust the settings manually.

If you download the link2000 panel manual free from the internet and study it you will find the battery type settings and a chart showing the charging voltages versus the temps.

Cold gel batteries can take up to 14.15 volts if MK/east penn gels.  Other brands are closer to 14 volts I think.

Hot batteries use less volts.  70 degree is 13.6 or so.

100 degrees may be close to 13.3 or less.

See the chart and scroll through your settings for both the battery type and the charger voltage settings.

My charging voltage changes during use as the battery temp changes during use plugged in.

As 12 volt is being used continiously the charger is on.  As the temps change the float voltage changes as our new sw 2812 has a battery monitor sensor.

Without the optional sensor on your freedom 25 you get to be the voltage adjuster.

Or like I did set it at 13.6 volts which is roughly the 70 degree settings.

Cold could take higher voltage to charge slightly quicker and hot would need manual lowering of the voltages.

My guru installed a link pro little gauge as he says most owners only want to see how much battery percentage is in their batteries.  Versus all this tech stuff.

The newer inverters self adjust well and the magnum control panel allows easier setting readjustments such as the chargers source amp availabile(10,20,30,40,50,60 amp input)

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Re: Charger Float Issue

Reply #6 – August 07, 2017, 12:44:37 am

I don't think I have a temperature probe so I manually adjusted the temperature up a little and it moved over to float.  Looks like the problem is solved, I will have to be more diligent on adjusting the temperature.

Thanks for all the help.

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Re: Charger Float Issue

Reply #7 – August 07, 2017, 01:25:41 am

If you charge the gels at too high of float volts you can damage them.

13.6 volts matched our turned down alternators output.

The BMS on the sw2812 rarely has the fully charged batteries over 13.3 volts on float.

Better to be slightly low versus high so you do not bulge the batteries cases

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