Re: [RE-wrenches] AGM battery charging, more detailsHugh,
One last point about the Solar Boost IPN product: Once you have programmed the
2512iX charge controller from the IPN Pro, the controller retains the
information and can be installed as a stand-alone unit. That means you can have
a custom programmed charge controller for just a little more than the Tristar
you are considering.
I don't get your final comment. The group has shared a vast amount of
information in this thread. If you review all that has been said, I think you
will be able to make the right choice for your customer.
Larry Crutcher
Starlight Solar Power Systems
www.starlightsolar.com
928-342-9103
----- Original Message -----
From: Hugh
To: RE-wrenches
Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 10:59 PM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] AGM battery charging, more details
At 22:38 -0500 26/4/11, William Dorsett wrote:
OK, I can see how you could input the amphr capacity of a given set of new
batteries, but would someone explain how a controller which counts amps can
adjust as the battery bank ages? As the capacity of the bank drops over time,
and this varies by different manufacturers, it still seems that a controller
which measures voltage would track the SOC of the bank better than current
counting.
Keeping track of SOC by counting Ah is a challenge in itself, but the battery
manufacturers' instructions don't require this. Fullriver and Surrette require
the you make a transition between Absorption and Float charge regimes/stages at
a certain point where the charging current drops to a given level (although the
Rolls FAQ is puzzling in its wording there - suggesting that you can charge at
0.25 x C20 indefinitely!). Most stand alone RE system controllers do not
possess the ability to monitor the battery current, so they cannot follow these
instructions. This is my concern.
At 10:54 -0700 26/4/11, Rick Cullen - Blue Sky Energy, Inc. wrote:
There has been some discussion in the past few days regarding AGM
batteries and charge control switching to Float based on net battery charge
current matched to battery size and that our IPN-ProRemote product can provide
this.
Rick's Blue Sky product fits the bill but it seems expensive in the context
of very small systems. Phil Smith of Barden Batteries in the UK has told me
that a correctly programmed Tristar controller will do a good job even though
it does not 'know' the battery current. This is good news.
I am still deeply puzzled about sealed batteries as I learn that you must not
make them gas but you have to be sure to charge them well (like any other lead
acid battery) or they will fail prematurely. That's why I would like to be
able to fit controllers that monitor the battery current and use this to
determine the transition to a float charge.
Maybe it would help if somebody told me what sort of charging would actually
damage a sealed battery. Then I would simply charge them as hard as the
wind/sun allows while avoiding doing that.
--
Hugh Piggott
Scoraig
http://www.scoraigwind.co.uk
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