question

rudolf avatar image
rudolf asked

Victron smartsollar bulk mode vs batery temperature

Hi,
I would like to ask you for support.

I have 2 sollar total 300Wp, paralel connected, 180Ah lifepo4 Ultimatrone and smart sollar victron 100/20 controler + smart solar inteligent sensor with 5C temperatire limitation for charging.

Week ago, i changed battery from AGM to lifepo4, changed setup on my regulator/solar controler.
Yesterday, changed (220V). In this case, i had to cover sollar and turn off charging and discharging on battery. Thank I connect everything back.

..the controller started flashing yellow, probably due to the loss of the reference point.

Today it was between 3-5°C and VERY cloudy.

The sun wasn't shining much, the regulator was reading up to 20.9V on the solar panel, it was in bulk mode, but it didn't charge anything to battery. The BULK LED on the regulator flashed every 3 seconds and no current was flowing into the battery.


It's alright? How does the situation manifest itself when the battery temperature is lower than the temperature set on the sensor and regulator, how does the regulator at such a moment signal this situation when the sun is shining, but the temperature is lower and does not allow charging. Is it the blinking bulk led diodes? Or is there some other problem? I also save a couple of screenshots of the regulator settings and the situation when the bulk was flashing. Thank you
screenshot-20231122-125624.png

battery charging
screenshot-20231122-125624.png (163.9 KiB)
2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

5 Answers
Alexandra avatar image
Alexandra answered ·

@Rudolf

Is your app and mppt up to date in firmware?

Re Bulk offset (unless you have changed it with expert mode) is 0.4v under float. Go to the expert and change/check that it is set to 0.1v.

Your float is set to 13.5v and your battery is 13.25v. maybe it has not stopped because of low temp it has not started because of not hitting re bulk yet.

It is likely you are used the the AGMS voltage dropping faster and so always needing a charge in the morning, so would always trigger a new charge cycle. Lithium is a much flatter voltage.

8 comments
2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

rudolf avatar image rudolf commented ·

@Alexandra It make a sense,

I didn't check this, I assumed that this setting is done by switching the battery type on controler in the battery preset menu... I'll check and if necessary set it, I'll give it a go. Thanks for the tip.

0 Likes 0 ·
Show more comments
snoobler avatar image
snoobler answered ·

Include settings with EXPERT mode enabled.

2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

rudolf avatar image
rudolf answered ·

I don't have expert mod on, only "lifepo4" mode.

A temperature limit of 5°C is set here for the start of charging. Yesterday were between 3-4,9°C


The question was simple, how does the controller behave if the temperature is at the limit and it could charge, but it won't charge because of the temperature. Is it voiced somewhere? Or, like in my case, set bulk mode, but the blue led flashes in 3s on the LED panel, so charging is interrupted? (just because of the temperature?).


In such a situation, I would expect at least information that charging would be possible, but it is stopped due to low battery temperature.screenshot-20231122-125632.png


screenshot-20231122-125632.png (170.9 KiB)
2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

pwfarnell avatar image
pwfarnell answered ·

The manual on page 36 lists the LED codes, three blinking LED means the MPPT is working OK but there is not enough power to charge the battery, therefore I assume that this error code also means low temperature.

https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Manual_SmartSolar_MPPT_75-10_up_to_100-20/29694-MPPT_solar_charger_manual-pdf-en.pdf

2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

snoobler avatar image
snoobler answered ·

If you are at or below 5°C, you will not charge.

2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.