question

d-graves avatar image
d-graves asked

Display of % of battery used

Hi


I have a Vision lithium 100Ah battery connected to a SmartSolar 100|20 charger - I am wondering why the app cannot generate a % remaining or used value? something like what is display on a laptop or similar device with lithium battery.


I have no real idea when I look at the app outputs how much energy is available in the battery for use. Rather annoying when the tech is all quite pricey. Victron people - can this be done? Thanks

MPPT SmartSolarLithium Battery
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1 Answer
kevgermany avatar image
kevgermany answered ·

The only reliable way to measure charge in a battery is to fully charge it and then measure everything that goes out of it or into it. This is done with a shunt connected directly to the battery. The MPPT has no way of seeing what leaves the battery, or knowing whether its output goes into the battery or to another load.

There's a belief that voltage based methods work. And some batteries use this, but it's inaccurate and we see posts where a shunt based measurement differs.

To build shunt based measurements into an MPPT would be expensive and in systems where multiple MPPTs are used, greatly increase cost.

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