Toyhauler Power System Build
I’m starting a thread here about the power system I’m installing in the trailer I’m building. Most of it will be a copy and paste from another thread I have going over at SBR. Here’s the opening po...
Forum Discussion
(This is a copy and paste from my SBR thread)
I’ve ran the battery bank down to 75% on the TriMetric which triggered a recharge as I mentioned. Prior to the recharge I surveyed the battery bank as I want to document the performance capabilities and operating parameters in an effort to establish set points for my system.
As I mentioned back in post #174, Handy Bob’s Blog speaks on the subject of where a true 100% state of charge (SOC) is and the fact that might not be what the mainstream train of thought is. Additionally, as of late we’ve seen the major battery players in the marketplace lower their charging parameters/set points.
As you’re all aware I’ve chosen Crown 6 VDC Commercial Deep Cycle batteries for my project. I’ve contacted the corporate headquarters in Fremont, Ohio and spoken with their technical customer service team in regards to my project. They have supplied me with their Technical Data Sheets (TDS) for my batteries with some of the data being way above my ability to decipher and comprehend and other data being very straight forward.
Using the straight forward data of Absorption Charge at 14.5 VDC and a Float Charge of 13.5 VDC I have configured the Magnum accordingly. Additionally, Magnum Energy recommends an Absorption Time of 3.5 hours (for my size battery bank) before reducing to Float Voltage. I have set that time to 3 hours and bumped the absorption to 14.6 and float to 13.6.
Last Wednesday I recharged the battery bank using my genset, again, in an effort to establish operational information. I started the recharge around 8:30 AM with a full tank of gas (5 gals) and ended the recharging around 5:00 PM with the system in float mode, how long it had been floating is unknown as I was busy with other tasks that took me offsite for most the day.
As most of you know I have the Magnum MS 2812 Inverter / Charger. The charger side is rated at 125 Amps DC. I have my charging set point set at 100%. Here’s a pic of the control panels and as you can see what they state and what it really does are two different figures, I trust the TriMetric.
On to the charging puzzle as Handy Bob calls it. I’m attaching (at SBR) the TDS information so you can follow along if you wish to. Page two (2) on CR-260 TDS states specific gravities (SG) with a 100% SOC being a SG of 1.275 and a 100% depth of discharge (DOD) of 1.125
Here’s the rub now, I’ve charged to the set points stated in the Crown document number 47-TRD-FO210 (attached and verified with the technical customer service team) but the data does not add up. My voltages tell me I’m at a 100% SOC but the SG tells me I’m at around 80% SOC.
Below (at SBR) are the worksheets I’ve created to tract the battery bank operational parameters.
I’ve contacted Crown in regards to this data and they were unable to come up with a reason for the discrepancies. They’ve brought in an outside consultant to review the data and have come back with, you guessed it, higher charging parameters just as Handy Bob has stated. They’re now telling me I can go as high as 15.2 on the absorption voltage if I wish to without damaging the batteries but are warning to keep a close eye on the electrolyte levels due to gassing.
I’m concerned that I might not have correct SG readings and have ordered a second (and different) hydrometer in an effort to better track the SG.
As always I’d like to hear what you guy’s think might be going on and once I get the new hydrometer I’ll take another set of reads to verify the SG’s and report accordingly.
I’ve ran the battery bank down to 75% on the TriMetric which triggered a recharge as I mentioned. Prior to the recharge I surveyed the battery bank as I want to document the performance capabilities and operating parameters in an effort to establish set points for my system.
As I mentioned back in post #174, Handy Bob’s Blog speaks on the subject of where a true 100% state of charge (SOC) is and the fact that might not be what the mainstream train of thought is. Additionally, as of late we’ve seen the major battery players in the marketplace lower their charging parameters/set points.
As you’re all aware I’ve chosen Crown 6 VDC Commercial Deep Cycle batteries for my project. I’ve contacted the corporate headquarters in Fremont, Ohio and spoken with their technical customer service team in regards to my project. They have supplied me with their Technical Data Sheets (TDS) for my batteries with some of the data being way above my ability to decipher and comprehend and other data being very straight forward.
Using the straight forward data of Absorption Charge at 14.5 VDC and a Float Charge of 13.5 VDC I have configured the Magnum accordingly. Additionally, Magnum Energy recommends an Absorption Time of 3.5 hours (for my size battery bank) before reducing to Float Voltage. I have set that time to 3 hours and bumped the absorption to 14.6 and float to 13.6.
Last Wednesday I recharged the battery bank using my genset, again, in an effort to establish operational information. I started the recharge around 8:30 AM with a full tank of gas (5 gals) and ended the recharging around 5:00 PM with the system in float mode, how long it had been floating is unknown as I was busy with other tasks that took me offsite for most the day.
As most of you know I have the Magnum MS 2812 Inverter / Charger. The charger side is rated at 125 Amps DC. I have my charging set point set at 100%. Here’s a pic of the control panels and as you can see what they state and what it really does are two different figures, I trust the TriMetric.
On to the charging puzzle as Handy Bob calls it. I’m attaching (at SBR) the TDS information so you can follow along if you wish to. Page two (2) on CR-260 TDS states specific gravities (SG) with a 100% SOC being a SG of 1.275 and a 100% depth of discharge (DOD) of 1.125
Here’s the rub now, I’ve charged to the set points stated in the Crown document number 47-TRD-FO210 (attached and verified with the technical customer service team) but the data does not add up. My voltages tell me I’m at a 100% SOC but the SG tells me I’m at around 80% SOC.
Below (at SBR) are the worksheets I’ve created to tract the battery bank operational parameters.
I’ve contacted Crown in regards to this data and they were unable to come up with a reason for the discrepancies. They’ve brought in an outside consultant to review the data and have come back with, you guessed it, higher charging parameters just as Handy Bob has stated. They’re now telling me I can go as high as 15.2 on the absorption voltage if I wish to without damaging the batteries but are warning to keep a close eye on the electrolyte levels due to gassing.
I’m concerned that I might not have correct SG readings and have ordered a second (and different) hydrometer in an effort to better track the SG.
As always I’d like to hear what you guy’s think might be going on and once I get the new hydrometer I’ll take another set of reads to verify the SG’s and report accordingly.
