Victron MPPT 100/30

Bobtaylor

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72
Hi ladies and gents,
ive just pulled the trigger and bought a new solar system from our friends at Onboard Energy, getting a great deal and saving over £100.00,
Many thanks to Phil and all the team for providing this service.
ive got a problem, ive fitted the cables, 6mm, and I’m about to fasten the 2 x 175w panels on the roof in series, double pole isolator fitted, but I’ve read the instructions several hundred times and cannot get my head around what settings I need for the controller.
My 2 batteries are varter 90ah, flooded, and are quite new, so don’t really want to replace them for a few years, then maybe with lithium but we’ll see,
The controller comes preset to setting 3, on the rotary switch, stating AGM, but there doesn’t appear to be a setting for flooded battery,
Is this setting ok for my batteries, or do I need to connect everything up, connect it to the Bluetooth app, and start changing values ?
It also starts getting a bit beyond my comfort zone stating absorption times you can alter etc etc....
am I getting too deep into this, or can I just connect it up, on the preset and let it do it’s job.
i Know there’s a few very knowledgeable people on here who are well versed in solar technology,
Hope you can advise please,
Bob
Ive rang Onboard, but the tech guy is away till mid of next week, and i would like to get the job progressed this weekend...
 
Is it a SmartSolar Controller or a BlueSolar Controller? That will decide how you make any changes.
You mention the Bluetooth App so sounds like the SmartSolar. What you need to do to make changes from the Bluetooth App is to remove the little jumper on the 4 pin white connector to allow the App to take control.

I wouldn't worry about having the default setting in place initially until you do any fine tuning. Do make sure the controller is connected to the batteries before you make the connection to the Solar Panels though. That is important.
 
Is it a SmartSolar Controller or a BlueSolar Controller? That will decide how you make any changes.
You mention the Bluetooth App so sounds like the SmartSolar. What you need to do to make changes from the Bluetooth App is to remove the little jumper on the 4 pin white connector to allow the App to take control.

I wouldn't worry about having the default setting in place initially until you do any fine tuning. Do make sure the controller is connected to the batteries before you make the connection to the Solar Panels though. That is important.
Many thanks Wildebus, it is indeed the Smartsolar controller, although mine doesn’t appear to have anything in the 4 pin connector, I can see the 4 pins, and nothing looks removable,
Im connecting everything up this weekend, so hopefully be playing with the app, it was really the charging voltages that worried me, but the more I read about it, and with your reassurance, I’m sure it’ll be fine,
thank you again
 
It is a very small black jumper usually and not very obvious when it is fitted. May not be on all , but if you do try and make a change and it won't let you, have another wee look just to make sure :)
If you post up the exact Varta battery model, can check how the recommended voltage ranges match against the presets.
 
It is a very small black jumper usually and not very obvious when it is fitted. May not be on all , but if you do try and make a change and it won't let you, have another wee look just to make sure :)
If you post up the exact Varta battery model, can check how the recommended voltage ranges match against the presets.

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Had a look and I couldn't find a seller of the Varta LFD90 that quoted any charging specs!

Typical Wet Cell/Flooded Battery would be around 14.4V Absorption (charge) and 13.8V Float

From the built-in Presets, I would say the AGM one has too high a Charge Setting at 14.4V. I would go for one of the Gel Presets - either (1) which is 14.3V or (2) which is 14.4V.
The Varta LFDs are popular batteries so someone with one may be able to say what is working for them?
 
Had a look and I couldn't find a seller of the Varta LFD90 that quoted any charging specs!

Typical Wet Cell/Flooded Battery would be around 14.4V Absorption (charge) and 13.8V Float

From the built-in Presets, I would say the AGM one has too high a Charge Setting at 14.4V. I would go for one of the Gel Presets - either (1) which is 14.3V or (2) which is 14.4V.
The Varta LFDs are popular batteries so someone with one may be able to say what is working for them?
Many thanks again Wildebus, going to take your advice and put it on setting 2
 
Treat them as VRLA, they are the PowerFrame arent they?
 
I think it is a Powerframe battery, yes :) (never bought one or knowingly used one)

Ref my comment about the jumper fitted to the 4-pin connector ....looked into that more and it is only on the 100/20 and smaller - and it is to do with being able to configure the LOAD output via the App when jumper off.
As the 100/30 has no load output, it won't have the jumper fitted :)
 
We are on our third set of lfd90’s I’m not impressed with them. This is the settings we are using now and they seem to charge better like this.
Absorption 29V
Float 27.6V
Storage 26.5V

This is done in expert mode.
 
We are on our third set of lfd90’s I’m not impressed with them.
Looking at the listing on Alpha, with the 2 year warranty and 200 Charge Cycles quoted, they don't sound overwhelming fantastic I must say, but seem to have a fanbase (especially with those A&N Caravan people) for some reason?
I'd still get others

This is the settings we are using now and they seem to charge better like this.
Absorption 29V
Float 27.6V
Storage 26.5V

This is done in expert mode.
so for a 12V system:
Absorption - 14.5V
Float - 13.8V
Storage - 13.25V
 
Looking at the listing on Alpha, with the 2 year warranty and 200 Charge Cycles quoted, they don't sound overwhelming fantastic I must say, but seem to have a fanbase (especially with those A&N Caravan people) for some reason?
I'd still get others


so for a 12V system:
Absorption - 14.5V
Float - 13.8V
Storage - 13.25V
Many Thanks again Wildebus, system all fitted, connected up and working,,,,,,beautifully.
My mistake, the 100/30 preset was number 2.... There’s 0,1,2,3 etc up to number 7 and was on the third setting.....number 2..
14.4 bulk and 13.8 float, as you say, typical 12v flooded battery charges at this so I’ll see how it goes.
The MH came with those batteries, and they‘d just been replaced before we bought it, 5 yrs old last year, so if I get another few years out of them, then we’ll see how many banks I’ve got to Rob to buy lithium, or just buy better lead ones.
Thank you also to everyone who’ve chipped in with help, really appreciate all the advice, it truly is a nice feeling that all this experience and advice it at hand....Bob.
 
I have 2x LFD90s and a Victron controller in a small campervan. I asked Varta (UK) for charging specs. After a bit of a wait someone did get back to me. Here's what they said (their answers are in bold italics):

Absorption period: there seems to be a default of 6hrs. ????
This adsorption period is to allow the battery to adequately ‘absorb’ the charge given to supply its depth of discharge. This may appear high, however this will give a battery optimum performance……. Couple this with a Float charge then the charger will maintain this absorption period with a 13.4v constant charge.

Absorption voltage: 14.4v (this is the only figure I am confident is correct for the Varta batteries) 14.4 V is the maximum voltage for flooded lead acid batteries YES 14.4 volts is correct, however you may read during research the a ‘Float charge’ can be higher….the float charge maintains the battery for long periods of time and is safe to do so.

Charge Voltage: I think this is limited by the controller, but I am interested to hear what you recommend. ????
We prefer to use Amp Hour as a charging reference as to volts… for example… the Ah charge should be 10% of the battery Amp Hour…example…. 200Ah battery requires t least a 20Ah charger.

Float voltage: 13.3 (could this be higher?) 13.4V is the highest voltage for flooded lead acid batteries
YES this will be prefect.

If you search ‘smart’ chargers these a charging profile, many steps to charging a battery from pulse charge, standard charge through to absorption period to then continue in a Float charge. Once connected, the charger will perform all these functions automatically.

Im not going to comment regarding solar charging as these can be very hit and miss due to charge rate volume, size and quality of the panels, length of leads, thickness and so on.

I think this is fairly close to the default settings for a Victron charger. I was using slightly different specs based on helpful forum posts (13.5v float was one difference) but I've since changed to the Varta person's recommendations. This all happened mid-August, but appears to be okay from 7+ nights spent away over the last month, using fridge/freezer, charging things, lights etc. I'm expecting to have to boost it with hook-up once per month in the winter.

Anyway, hope this helps someone.
 

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