09FLSTC wrote:
I've looked at all those graphs and they are point in space theory. ...
They were plotted from observations of the amps showing on the Vector chargers and the time using my watch. I got the idea how to do that from Barre's book (sold by Randy) on all this stuff.
My Trimetric amps read-out shows the same amps as the Vectors show, which is a cross- check on the amps reading correctly. When plotting the profile for the PM3-100 and Paramode (when I had one of those) I used the Trimetric for the amps reading, since converters don't come with an amps read-out.
To get a good plot you first need to know the SOC at the start of the recharge, such as 50%. You get that from the battery spec such as 12.1v and 1.19 SG or whatever it is supposed to be.
You cannot trust the AH reading on the Trimetric as to how far down from "full" it is to get your starting SOC because the Trimetric method of measuring "full" is not for 100% SOC, it is for some amount you pick less than that for your settings. However, the AH count is useful as another cross-check that you are in the ballpark.
On recharge you must allow some AH for heat when figuring your SOC. The Trimetric uses 4% but this might not be what your batteries do at the time at your charging rate. The Trimetric AH comes out fairly close on cross-checking when you do get the batts to 100% as measured by hydrometer.
I am seeing the batts (four 6s) reach "full" to their baseline SG late in the day on solar when solar conditions are good. By then, the Trimetric is showing the AH count has gone "over" by about 10-14 AH into positive AH past zero. So I reset the AH counter to zero at dusk to get the AH zero matched with when the batts are truly full, ready for the next cycle. IMO going "over" like that indicates the 4% allowance for heat is not quite enough for what I am doing, so that is why it needs a reset.
