Question for Battery & Solar Gurus - Daily Charge Setting
Hey gang,
This would be one for you solar experts and certainly ol' Mex...
My father still has his 8 Surrette L16 equivalents in the home, off-grid system. I think they've got a few years on 'em now. He uses 'em pretty hard and I'm a bit concerned that they're not getting the care they deserve, i.e. relying too much on solar and not much generator unless they inverters shut down.
I've been counseling with him to figure on a little more generator each morning with the PV to do less Bulk, more Absorption and more of a topping job each day. This with an occasional equalization for maintenance, of course. However, the goal is to require fewer controlled overcharges in hopes of fewer average man-hours to maintain the batteries.
Weather has been clear and cold lately. Perfect conditions. Nevada. Gotta' love the high desert when you're off grid, eh?
May not need the generator 'til the clouds roll in again. He just texted me that the system is doing 12.5A at 59.8V and the display on the Outback MX60 MPPT Controller reads "ABSORBING," which sounds right. Peak voltage setting must be 60 or so. He can hear bubbles, which also sounds right.
All that said... the question is pretty simple...
What's a good peak voltage setting (maybe one for winter and one for summer?) for a mechanically inclined, but busy man who isn't as obsessive as we freaks here on the boards?
I've been suggesting 62 (15.5 equivalent.) Seems a good balance between too low vs. frying plates too hard on a fairly regular basis.
And you say?
.
This would be one for you solar experts and certainly ol' Mex...
My father still has his 8 Surrette L16 equivalents in the home, off-grid system. I think they've got a few years on 'em now. He uses 'em pretty hard and I'm a bit concerned that they're not getting the care they deserve, i.e. relying too much on solar and not much generator unless they inverters shut down.
I've been counseling with him to figure on a little more generator each morning with the PV to do less Bulk, more Absorption and more of a topping job each day. This with an occasional equalization for maintenance, of course. However, the goal is to require fewer controlled overcharges in hopes of fewer average man-hours to maintain the batteries.
Weather has been clear and cold lately. Perfect conditions. Nevada. Gotta' love the high desert when you're off grid, eh?
May not need the generator 'til the clouds roll in again. He just texted me that the system is doing 12.5A at 59.8V and the display on the Outback MX60 MPPT Controller reads "ABSORBING," which sounds right. Peak voltage setting must be 60 or so. He can hear bubbles, which also sounds right.
All that said... the question is pretty simple...
What's a good peak voltage setting (maybe one for winter and one for summer?) for a mechanically inclined, but busy man who isn't as obsessive as we freaks here on the boards?
I've been suggesting 62 (15.5 equivalent.) Seems a good balance between too low vs. frying plates too hard on a fairly regular basis.
And you say?
.
