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endlesssummer avatar image
endlesssummer asked

Can the 100/30 controller return to bulk from float in the same day?

Our 100/30 Victron MPPT controller NEVER returns to bulk during the day. We have three 2-month-old Lifeline 12V AGM batteries that have very little load on them. Cellphone charging, some water pump usage, and NO refrigeration. At the end of the day the voltage reads about 12.9 volts but not the float parameter of 13.8. The Victron controller is on the default preset setting of #2 which defines the absorption volts to 14.4 and float volts to 13.8. Why doesn't the controller sense that it should switch back to bulk during the day while there is still sunlight available? I realize that 12.9 is not excessively low, but can the controller enter back into another bulk stage?

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Paul B avatar image
Paul B answered ·

At the end of the day a VOLTAGE OF 12.7 TO 12.9 IS A full battery and its the voltage that the lead acid style of battery will hold if left in a fully charged state with no load or charge

I suspect that the charger starts on bulk, then once 14.4 is reached goes to absorbtion for its set period holding 14.4 then goes to float, Now it will then try to hold the float voltage and supply all load while holding the float voltage, However, you are maybe finding that there is not enough solar available to hold the float voltage so as the sun output lowers and lowers there is not enough solar power to raise the voltages and also supply loads thus the voltage slowly drops off until the battery starts supply the load.

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svbelieve avatar image svbelieve commented ·

I have two 100/30 and one 75/15. My batteries were low so I ran my generator and the solar values on all the app all showed zero I guess that is because the voltage is above 13 however when I turned off the generator the voltage was 13.2 But the SOC was still only 75%. I thought the solar would kick in but only the 75/15 1x160 watt panel) was in bulk and the two 100/30 controllers (2x160 watt panels each controller) were still in float. Hellllp I need all three solar panels to charge the batteries when the SOC is under 100%. What can I do? So today effectively I have only one out of 4 bulk charging the batteries. This is in acceptable

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klim8skeptic avatar image klim8skeptic ♦ svbelieve commented ·

Hi SV,

The easiest thing to do would be to shut down both the pv input, and the battery output of the mppt.

The mppt will think it is a new day and start charging from scratch.

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