SOC

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   Mine has a little note on the display that indicates that it is set for LiFePO4. Other notes in the manual are that flooded batteries are only supposed to equalize if taken below 11.5V or every 28 days. Equalization is for a 2 hour period maximum. Battery type is set via the instructions on page 9 of the manual. While it does not display charge mode in text form, the LEDs do indicate which mode it is in (page 10), the controller has 5 modes as stated on page 4 of the manual:
Soft Charge: over discharged batteries starts at 3 and ramps up to 10V.
Bulk charge: Maximum charging until absorption level reached.
Absorption charge: Constant voltage charging when battery is over 85%.
Equalization: As stated abovve.
Float charge: for all but Lithium battery types.

I had mine charge the LiFePO4 battery today. It worked well and indicated via the LED display that my battery was full (FUL). If the controller is not showing FUL on the display, then it is still charging the battery. At full, it should have gone into float mode for flooded batteries.

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StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6289	Topic: SOC Posted: 21 Jul 2020 at 4:34pm
	Mine has a little note on the display that indicates that it is set for LiFePO4. Other notes in the manual are that flooded batteries are only supposed to equalize if taken below 11.5V or every 28 days. Equalization is for a 2 hour period maximum. Battery type is set via the instructions on page 9 of the manual. While it does not display charge mode in text form, the LEDs do indicate which mode it is in (page 10), the controller has 5 modes as stated on page 4 of the manual: Soft Charge: over discharged batteries starts at 3 and ramps up to 10V. Bulk charge: Maximum charging until absorption level reached. Absorption charge: Constant voltage charging when battery is over 85%. Equalization: As stated abovve. Float charge: for all but Lithium battery types. I had mine charge the LiFePO4 battery today. It worked well and indicated via the LED display that my battery was full (FUL). If the controller is not showing FUL on the display, then it is still charging the battery. At full, it should have gone into float mode for flooded batteries.
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

fwunder Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 04 Oct 2013 Location: New Jersey Online Status: Offline Posts: 1676	Posted: 21 Jul 2020 at 4:11pm
	Yes, this version does Li. It has climbed 10 14.6. Yeah, need more time to really test well and no, it doesn't display charge mode.
	2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks!

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 21 Jul 2020 at 3:58pm
	By new version I assume this one is the version that does Li batts too? The setpoints on the new version are supposed to be the same on the flooded battery setting. I'd expect this one to try to get the batts up to 14.6-14.8 as well. Getting late in the day, see what happens tomorrow. It doesn't tell you what charge mode it's in does it?
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

fwunder Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 04 Oct 2013 Location: New Jersey Online Status: Offline Posts: 1676	Posted: 21 Jul 2020 at 3:33pm
	OK! Here we go. New controller. Just started testing Battery connection sans solar. 22 hours battery rest with no charge/load Right after hooking up panels After about 20 minutes. Seems to have leveled out @ 14v and 10A. Definitely a different result than other controller was showing. I think I need to get a response from Renogy on other controller.
	2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks!

GlueGuy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 15 May 2017 Location: N. California Online Status: Offline Posts: 2630	Posted: 21 Jul 2020 at 3:31pm
	All the solar controllers that I'm familiar with have a separate connection for battery and load. That allows them to monitor the battery charge state without the load obfuscating the current draw. That would be a slightly more complicated installation, but not by much.
	bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 21 Jul 2020 at 1:54pm
	We know the existing controller is charging because the battery voltage was at 14.7 and because the batteries were gassing. We know there are no significant loads because its staying at 12.6-12.7 V when removed from charge. We know that 14.7 is high especially in hot weather. Renogy warns you its high in their manual. It also says not to have any loads on the battery during equalization or it won't exit, which is kinda ridiculous. No doubt, the controller is just registering amphours going into producing H2, Its just wasted energy with nowhere to go. All off grid solar systems waste energy once the batts are fully charged, either by gassing or by curtailing solar output. That controller goes into equalization mode at 14.8V every 28 days and I bet it goes into equalization initially as well. You can defeat that by selecting gel/AGM battery mode. That also brings boost mode down to 14.2 from 14.6. Adding temp compensation will help too. Personally I would do all the above. When you want to equalize just do it manually either by charging from the WFCO or by putting the Renogy controller into Flooded mode and resetting it.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

fwunder Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 04 Oct 2013 Location: New Jersey Online Status: Offline Posts: 1676	Posted: 21 Jul 2020 at 12:30pm
	Thanks Stephen. Yeah, I know it should all be board mounted. I need one of those nose cones like Marwayne built! I have triple checked all connections and used multimeter. 4 positive, 4 negative, check. All fused (albeit not optimally). Good to know about fuse. I'm confident the controller has been charging. It's been four days since I started testing and the solar charger has been disconnected since yesterday evening. Battery bank is @ 12.7v right now. Yep, it will be interesting to test with new controller! Right now, though, the smoker is ready to go and the coho salmon is brined and prepped. Priorities!!
	2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks!

StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6289	Posted: 21 Jul 2020 at 11:31am
	I got out my 100w Renogy kit today to test a bit. I think I found out something that may or may not apply to your case. First, I had made an extension. The controller was reading 6.1A in bright sunlight, which was pretty good. However, my battery did not seem to be charging. After trying a couple of things, I popped open the cover of the fuse holder and found to my chagrin that there was no fuse in it. Add one 10A fuse, and all is well. The symptom was that there was no LED showing above the battery icon. Once I put the fuse in, it appeared and the battery is charging. I don't know if it will help with your situation, but this is one angle to double-check. Make sure all connections are going to the right places. I see the positive lead to your positive terminal, but I can't visually unravel the spaghetti to see all the other connections. Since you have a new controller on the way, I am looking forward to seeing if it will fix your problem or if the problem turns out to be something else.
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 21 Jul 2020 at 11:00am
	You might want to move the fuse to the battery + terminal. If that wire shorts that is where the fault current will come from. Same as with your home panelboard, fuses and circuit breakers only protect what's downstream from them, so they're always meant to be placed as close to the source as possible. Since you have a remote on/off, all you need is a controller with a contact that closes at full battery charge. Like the Morningstar TriStar. You'd also need to rewire the water heater element to run off the inverter with a double throw switch so you can put it back on grid power when that's available or you want to use the inverter for something else. https://thesolarstore.com/morningstar-tristar-ts-45-pwm-solar-charge-controller-45-amp-12v24v48v-no-digital-display-p-453.html?osCsid=hhhf92l98eo29vc6qj2jrm0ho6
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

fwunder Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 04 Oct 2013 Location: New Jersey Online Status: Offline Posts: 1676	Posted: 21 Jul 2020 at 10:45am
	150 AMP fuse (under glass on top). Remote on/off is just below galley outlet. Thanks!
	2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks!