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markhez avatar image
markhez asked

Blue Smart Charger 12/30 not Reconditioning

I've recently purchased the Blue Smart Charger 12/30, as due to the lack of sun at the moment my BlueSolarMPPT hasn't been able to bring the batteries (2x 6v 225ah flooded wired in series for 12v) in to float for 30 days.


I'm charging them on the high setting with recondition enabled, the charger us going up to 14.95v during absorb, which seems about right taking into account temperature compensation, but then when it gets to the recondition stage it drops the voltage to exactly 14.7v and just sits there for the hour, then goes into float. The main reason I bought this charger is for its ability to do a 16.2/16.5v charge, so I can't see what I'm doing wrong!


Any help would be appreciated.

charger
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mal avatar image mal commented ·

I am having same issues can see here never reaches 16v, i thought the idea of reconditioning would be for a battery that is less then perfect. this is after several attempts over a couple of days.

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wkirby answered ·

I'm really sorry, I was completely on the wrong track. I just automatically thought of solar stuff because that is what most people ask about. I deleted my previous answer because it bears no relevance.

Right, I'm now on the same page as you. :)
When the charger goes in to Recondition phase the maximum current that it outputs is 8% of 30A which is 2.4A. If the current required to sustain 14.95V during the Absorb phase was more than 2.4A then the Voltage will drop when the charger goes into Recondition.
Are you able to measure the actual current during Absorb?
With good batteries, the Absorb current should tail off to a very low level and then 2.4A would be able to push the Voltage up to 16.5V (on the High setting).

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markhez avatar image markhez commented ·

That's a bugger, as it means I can't have any loads whatsoever on the boat whilst charging, I might have to try tricking it by connecting another charging source in parralel. Seems a lot of the issues could be sorted with a firmware change, as it is this charger really doesn't live up the expectations I had from my other victron gear! :(

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wkirby avatar image wkirby ♦♦ markhez commented ·

After a full Absorb stage, 2.4A should be plenty to lift your bank up to 16.5V.

In order to diagnose if the charger is faulty or the bank is faulty, it'd be ideal to measure the Amps towards the end of the Absorb stage and then see if the charger is actually pushing out 2.4A when it hits Recondition.

The charger may well be doing its job and the battery bank is knackered. Only diagnostic measurements can tell.

My last lead-acid bank needed 25A just to hold float, then I knew it's time was up!

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markhez avatar image markhez wkirby ♦♦ commented ·

The issue will be me having loads applied that the charger is supplying whilst also charging the bank - running from a generator it's important to me to be able to equalise whilst also having the lights on or something similar. I'll try and sort something out! It was showing about 3a on absorption.

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wkirby avatar image wkirby ♦♦ markhez commented ·

Ah, right. I don't think that the charger is anticipating loads. Fair enough.
That 3A Absorption you mention, is that with loads or sans loads?

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markus avatar image markus ♦♦ commented ·

I think this is, as it should be. It is unacceptable for the charger to do recondition, when additional load is connected. I believe, the way to go is, to do a manual equalization with your MPPT.

Yesterday, I did a recondition of 4 paralleled 90Ah AGM batteries, with no problems.

Regards,

Markus

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mal avatar image mal commented ·

12/30 in recondition mode amps and voltage, never got near 16v for equalisation have charged and left on float several times .SG still not balanced across all cells battery around 24 mnths in boat normally. Hope video works seems a bit contradictory that you want to use recondition on a battery that needs it yet charger needs a good condition fully charged battery to equalise within the set limits?

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mal avatar image mal commented ·

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markus avatar image
markus answered ·

To add: today, I did a recondition of a flattened out Excide 65Ah ordinary car batt.

The battery was accepting charge at high setting and Bulk was at 25 amps for up to 1 hour and ended after 1.5 hours.

Then, the charger left Absorption too early at 8 amps after 45min. and was not going to Recondition (stayed at 14.7) and switched to Float.

I had to restart the charger 4 times to get it into Recondition, even, when the current was down to 2.5A at the third attempt.

Do I have been to little patient and the charger does switching back to Absorption and then to Recondition on its own?

I don't think so.

The battery was outside the car and at room temperature.

It worked well, with the much larger (newer) batteries on the first time.

Regards,

Markus



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markhez avatar image markhez commented ·

That's the exact situation I keep getting, but obviously on a much larger battery bank so it's near as damnit impossible to get it onto recondition (as tail current is higher) - I've ended up using a buck transformer set to 16.2v at 6a connected to a 19v PSU.

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mal avatar image
mal answered ·

Charger in recondition mode


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mal answered ·

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