Solar float mode: Necessary?

We Are Borg. Floating Is Futile.

HyGrometer: Moisture content

Two keys to the left, please.

Solar float means you had enough energy to fully recharge the battery bank. It is near Nirvana but not easy to achieve.

Harvey51 wrote:
I look forward to 20 years from now when charging will be controlled by a computer with inputs from a hygrometer built in to each battery, a clock, camera watching the clouds, weather report and perhaps brain implants in those who are thinking of using energy. When short of electric energy we will turn the darn thing off.

Total control is easy. They already have implantable chips.

I look forward to 20 years from now when charging will be controlled by a computer with inputs from a hygrometer built in to each battery, a clock, camera watching the clouds, weather report and perhaps brain implants in those who are thinking of using energy. When short of electric energy we will turn the darn thing off.

Float charge is beneficial to a battery. Period. I do not understand why anyone would want to disable that portion of a charge controller function. It's not like you're paying for the sunlight that maintains the float charge. Disabling float charge would be analogous to turning off your house water at the city street connection everytime you did not need to turn on a faucet inside your home.

smkettner wrote:
BFL.... how do you determine 'full' when battery is under some random load?
Must be unattended for proper use of RV. (IMHO)

Probably need a battery monitor connected to the controller.

This is the reason I frequently bring up what a benefit it is to have a controller with a variable absorption time. Still if the mark is missed it is better to remain in float vs off.

I got that now, you meant float is better than off while there is any sun at all.

I determine "full" by comparing my AH counter with my hydrometer reading "Baseline SG" . Once in a long while for the SG part as a cross-check of the AH counter. The AH counter needs a reset every so often--do it when at full by SG reading. there is no set and forget for all summer--you have to adapt to the weather.

Last summer we discussed how my batts were losing water in the long days at Vabs, so I had to drop to Float, trying 13.2v at first, but this was too low for also running loads so I made it 13.6v.

Which was noted as being what converters do too while camping on grid--do 13.6 instead of 13.2.

EDIT- BTW, I am reverting to "lurker status." Thanks everybody for all the help with my questions on how to keep the RV working right!

BFL.... how do you determine 'full' when battery is under some random load?
Must be unattended for proper use of RV. (IMHO)

Probably need a battery monitor connected to the controller.

This is the reason I frequently bring up what a benefit it is to have a controller with a variable absorption time. Still if the mark is missed it is better to remain in float vs off.

What might be ideal, as the SoC nears 100%, would be a desulfating mode, similar to my Battery Minders, which pulses a small charge, as opposed to a constant current. This is useful for keeping the batteries from boiling, and is helps keeps the battery plates usable.

OK, I was taking artistic license. :)

Snowman9000 wrote:
As BFL is mentioning, is float mode stealing valuable electrons, preventing you from getting as fully charged as possible from solar?

I think what he said was that Float mode might not get you to Full on some days (after it had switched to Float at 90%), because it's getting dark soon. In other words, on some days it's better to extend the Bulk and/or Absorption longer because Float is too slow charging. Float mode can't "steal" anything, charging is charging.