issues syncing controller

[blueh20]

hi, am a newbie so looking for guidance.

My setup:
lifeline 8dl 255ah battery, 3-100w renolgy eclipse panels, 40amp commander controller.

I also have between batterys a blue sea charging relay ML-ACR. A 40amp fuse between controller and battery.
House battery is the "main battery" in my setup and the starter battery is the aux.
Have the MT50 digital solar gauge, and a Xantrex "linklite" gauge that will let me monitor the house and starter battery.

I hooked this all up a couple of years ago with the help of the folks on this site. All seems to be working well other then the solar charging the battery fully.
When charging off the panels, The house battery is the "lifeline", the MT50 shows fully charged but the Xantrex will show 12.8 and be 2 bars short of full.

When charging off of a battery tender the MT50 shows about a 1/3rd full and the xantrex will show 13.8, but still be 2 bars short of showing full.

That is the Lifeline house battery. When I hit the button on the xantrex to check the aux battery(starter battery) it will show the same volts 13.8 but the aux battery will show full bars on the xantrex.

Just seems as though the commander controller or the xantrex is synced incorrectly by me.

On the face of the xantrex it shows to push the two outside buttons to sync things, im thinking I did something wrong, any ideas.

Anyway to cancel the sync and let the controller charge higher up around 14?
thanks for your help.

[BFL13]

Limited internet. Camping. You still need a 60 amper that does constant 14.4v till amps taper to 0.5/100. IMO ignore your monitors until you do that and zero them

The batt is likely sulfated and needs a reconditioning at 15.5v,like in the Lifeline instructions. You can do that with the PowerMax too. It will do 13-16.5

Back tomorrow.

[blueh20]

I get more confused as I go on. When I started this post my house battery was down around the mid 12s somewhere. During this blog I put on my 4amp charger that I have had forever and the charge went to the mid upper 14 range and the input dropped down into the 1/2amp range on the charger. Pulled the charger off and plugged in my mili amp tender.

All seems good...The battery slowly over the days dropped down to 13.6 where it has stayed all week, which seems good to me(but Im a newbie) what do I know.
So after I was checking on buying the charger you recommended just for the heck of it I went out and plugged in the 4amp charger I have and within 1 minute the warning light on my "Renogy MT50" gauge came on and started flashing overcharge.
Any ideas?

Thanks for answering those last two questions.

[BFL13]

No. Only when setting a voltage if you want to be right on. With it on the batt the voltage is skewed a bit, but could be close enough depending.

Yes use an extension cord 50 ft, whatever.

[blueh20]

Last post got messed up some how..........
should read::

BFL13,, instructions say to::
#1-& #10 - "DISCONNECT DC POWER. Disconnect the battery POS (+) wire at the battery end before connecting this Converter/Charger to any
vehicle/device wiring".

Does this actually mean every time you want to charge the battery with this unit the positive cables connected to the battery needs to be disconnected?

#4--ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENTS. A 120 VAC receptacle needs to be located within 36 inches of the Converter/Charger to supply power.
This doesnt work for me, can I just run a 12' extension cord to the unit while it is in the van next to the battery while in my garage?

thanks

[blueh20]

BFL13,, instructions say to::
#1-&#10- "DISCONNECT DC POWER. Disconnect the battery POS (+) wire at the battery end before connecting this Converter/Charger to any
vehicle/device wiring".

Does this actually mean every time you want to charge the battery with this unit the positive cables connected to the battery needs to be disconnected?

#4--ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENTS. A 120 VAC receptacle needs to be located within 36 inches of the Converter/Charger to supply power.
#2 doesnt work for me, can I just run a 12' extension cord to the unit while it is in the van next to the battery?

thanks

[blueh20]

bfl13, thanks for teaching me this, I really appreciate it, thanks for the link.
Being that I have such a small limited space in my van is there any reason other then convenience to have the powermax "permanently" installed in the van. Most of our outings are close by in Montana for weekend outings, and most all outings are in the woods with NO elec hook ups.

Johnny G1, I do already have a fuse between solar panels and the controller. Thanks

[Johnny_G1]

Put the fuse between the panels and controller, if the fuse blows, your controller will be toast because of no where for the power to go from your panels, you have close to 20 amps coming in from the panel's.

[BFL13]

You can use a deck mount converter as a portable charger. It does not replace the existing fuse panel etc. Just have a set of cables from the converter's output to the battery posts. I use a set of cut off jumper cables (at least #8 or fatter) with the clamps.

AGM battery posts are hard to clamp to so you might choose ring terminal lugs on the wires.

When on shore power, you can plug in the converter to any receptacle near enough to the converter attached to the battery. You can leave it there like that and set it to the Float voltage you want. That will depend on the temperature where the battery is but around 13.6 is normal for 25C

Here is how to operate the LK with a little screwdriver in the hole(s) and a flashlight so you can see in them! 🙂

https://powermaxconverters.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/PM3-Owners-Manual.pdf

[blueh20]

I do NOT have a converter. I checked availability and price of the PowerMax LK 60 and both look good, but I have not studied it yet.

I assume the PowerMax LK 60 is a unit that is permanently attached in the van, and permanently wired to the house battery?

Would this unit replace my 12v fuse box which feeds my lights,fan, fridge etc? or is this mainly designed for charging?

Assume i would just plug in shore power to unit and batteries would auto charge when needed?

Thanks a lot for helping me out.

[BFL13]

Can't add much to previous post. Lifeline site has their charging instructions.

Don't know the Xantrex monitor you have. I use my Trimetric for voltage and amps readings during the recharge. I set my charger to 14.4v and leave it at that setting until amps get down to 0.5/100. Then zero the AH counter on the Trimetric, which gets off kilter over time. Then adjust the charger to 13.x Float voltage.

Does your conversion have a converter? If not you should get a PowerMax LK 60 amper which has adjustable voltage setting and is over that 51 amps.

A 60 amper will need a 2000w gen to run it if you are off the grid. However, charging to full off grid using a gen is not practicable for gen time to do the 90-100 part so just do a 50-90 and then solar. Do get some shore power at least once a month and do the full recharge to 0.5/100

[blueh20]

this setup I have is in a 2014 ford e250 conversion.
The solar runs some interior LED lights, couple of usb chargers, a water pump for the sink now and then, a fantastic fan and an arb fridgerator.
The only thing on for long is the arb is full time when in use.

[blueh20]

bfl13
thanks for chiming in, all of this is real new to me, so am just going to ask a question one at a time and maybe you can help me understand this, please.
How do I tell when the battery gets to 0.5a/100ah of my lifeline 255?

Right now my xantrex reads---.2amps .6ah

thanks

[BFL13]

Ignore everything else, and just charge at 14.4v until the amps to the Lifeline AGM get down to 0.5a/100AH of rated capacity.

That is the ONLY indicator of "Full" that counts. Once there, you can "zero" or "synch" your monitor(s) to zero amp hours, and let them run from there.

BTW Lifeline also wants you to charge at a Minimum 20% in Bulk. 255AH means it wants a charge of 51 amps until Bulk ends and amps taper. That will be at about 75% SOC, so if you don't draw down to below 75% you can't ever meet that20% spec. Mex says that doesn't matter if you start charging at above 75% as long as you get the amps down to 0.5/100 (so with 255 that would be 1.3 amps)

So you need a charger that will stay at 14.4v as long as needed until amps get down to 1.3 amps. Many converters and chargers won't do that. (A PowerMax LK model will though EG)
Your solar 300w will do maybe 15 amps flat on the roof at noon for a little while so no way to meet that 51 amps spec. If all you have is solar you need to stay well above that 75% SOC by morning and have a long sunny day to even hope to get down to 1.3amps by dark and before you use anything 12v. Not likely!

So you need a gen and a charger that can do at least 51 amps and get to past 75% before turning the job over to solar if there is any to be had that day for long enough.

BTDT, just how it is.