Why doesn't my Victron controller switch to Float mode?

DaveC

I have a 2023 400 with 1 100ah BattleBorn and Victron MPPT 75 15 solar controller.  Using solar charging only, I have 13.61v with no load (battery switch off) and it is still in Bulk mode. My float voltage is 13.5.  Why is it still charging the battery (8.2A)? Should it switch to float?

rh5555

I'm confused.  Is the BattleBorn a lithium battery?  If so, where did you get those charge voltages from?  There should be no equalization voltage for lithium.  When I go to demo mode, I don't see a "BB1" battery preset for the SmartSolar 75/15.

Aside from all of that, the solar will continue to charge your battery in the bulk mode until the charge current drops below some threshold (the "tail current", not when a voltage is reached.  You have to turn on Expert Mode to see this.

DaveC

@rh5555 BB is lithium and the settings are from the manufacturer.  
https://battlebornbatteries.com/programming-a-victron-smartsolar-charge-controller/
I believe that I saw a recommendation from BB elsewhere that suggested 14.4 for absorption setting.   What would be the practical difference between 14.4 and 14.6? I will try and find what they recommend for tail current.

pthomas745

What are you using in the trailer that is requiring 8 amps to be going to the battery?  Show us a shot of your history page and lets see if your battery is ever going into float.  And, what exactly is the "BB1" battery setting?

AnOldUR

The 8.2 amps is the bulk charge going into the battery, not what's being drawn from the battery. The controller changes the 22.56 voltage from the panel to 13.61 to make it compatible with battery charging. Using the formula Watts = Volts X Amps shows that the watts are consistent in both the battery and solar app readouts.

DaveC

Re: 8 amp draw.  Had battery switch off, so trailer had no load.  BB1 is custom settings from BattleBorn. 
https://battlebornbatteries.com/programming-a-victron-smartsolar-charge-controller/
Battery stopped going into float 7 days ago.

pthomas745

Have you been out camping?  Something in your trailer is using a lot of power.  Either that, or one of the settings is very off.  Is "BB1" what you named the "expert mode" settings or does Victron now have a preset for Battleborn?  Show us the settings page and lets take a look.

rh5555

The inverter is not disconnected when you turn the battery switch off.  Maybe this is where your power is going?  You can fully disconnect the inverter by pulling its (monster) fuse - follow the fat wires from the inverter to find it.

DaveC

Talked to BB they gave me new settings, still have 8 amp draw. Inverter is off. Turned it on then off. No change. Where is the inverter fuse? I have 2023 400. 

AnOldUR

DaveC said:

Talked to BB they gave me new settings, still have 8 amp draw.

So, I'm way off in thinking that the 8.2 amp Battery Current in the first screen shot is what's going into the battery from the solar panel, not a draw?

DaveC

That is the issue, don't have any known load on the trailer, battery switch is off.  I don't see how the battery can take 8 amps and not increase the voltage.  If you know where the inverter fuse is, I can disconnect it. Next step is to go back to Battle Born.  Thanks for your input.

rh5555

@AnOldUR, no you're right.  8.2 Amps is what is being delivered to the battery (and also to any other load on the battery).  The issue is that by now the battery should be fully charged (with battery switch off) so why does the Victron think it needs charging?  A failed inverter might be the problem as it is always connected.

The Inverter fuse is big and inside a clear cover.  Mine looks like this.

DaveC

@rh5555, I turned off the solar charger, bat current went to zero and voltage dropped from 13.76 to 13.4.  I guess that is the actual bat voltage. So it is not fully charged.  My next steps are pull inverter fuse and then plug into shore power.

AnOldUR

I got it @rh5555. I hadn't considered that an inverter could pull 8amps with no load applied to it, but if it is malfunctioning that could be it. Curious if the inverter is warm to the touch? That's enough amps to produce heat.

elbolillo

DaveC said:

Talked to BB they gave me new settings, still have 8 amp draw. Inverter is off. Turned it on then off. No change. Where is the inverter fuse? I have 2023 400. 

The solar charger info screen does not show current draw. The 8 amps is current going into the battery from the solar panel. 

pthomas745

@DaveC, I think you will find that a lithium battery is considered fully charged at 13.6 to 13.4 volts.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&sxsrf=AB5stBgFN2WFND1VObNPvtjM4tsITM85rQ:1688699833356&q=lithium+state+of+charge+chart&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjA3MuN0fv_AhVnI0QIHdlmCpIQ0pQJegQIDBAB&biw=1920&bih=1088&dpr=1#imgrc=VQnVtb7lZbha4M

AnOldUR

elbolillo said:The solar charger info screen does not show current draw. The 8 amps is current going into the battery from the solar panel. 

That was my initial though and is true, but if there was something (like the inverter) drawing from the battery, it could keep the battery from fully charging and prevent it from going into float mode. What I'm not sure about is if the load would have to be 8 amps or more, or if a smaller constant load could have the same result?

DaveC

Problem solved! After 6 days of bulk charging with high amp output. I spoke to BattleBorn and changed absorption to 14.4v and float to 13.6v. using solar and shore converter, voltage went to 14.4 and then switched to float.  See settings in my post above. BB thought that the high absorption setting (14.6) might have upset the battery/controller. Anyway, its working now.