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krdf

Solar Controller Settings

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I have a ML4860 MPPT Solar controller and three solar panels installed on my coach. I have 6-6VDC house batteries connected series/parallel for 12VDC to run things. While doing some battery maintenance I discovered the controller was set for SLA (Sealed Led Acid) rather then FLD (Open Flooded). The batteries needed quite a bit of water. Question is could this have caused the batteries to lose the water due to over charging? Battery sides are slightly bulged. There are 20 settings in the menu. How do I determine which settings are correct for the installed batteries.

4 batteries are Interstate GC2-XHD-UTL 6VDC 232Ah. 2 are US Battery US2200 6VDC 232Ah. I know mixing batteries is not ideal, but this is how it came.

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The was you know which profile setting is the correct one is old school...
Get the manual for the controller which shows the voltage levels for each profile, and compare with the recommendations of your battery manufacturer for charging voltages. Doesn't matter what name or acronym is on the settings, you want to use the profile which most closely matches your battery recommendations.

 

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Thanks for you reply Richard5933. I have the manual but it doesn't show any preset profiles just individual settings like "Over Voltage Threshold", "Charging Limit Voltage", "Boost Charging Voltage", "Over-Discharge Time Delay" etc. Checked on the battery manf. website which shows some parameters but not all. Was hoping someone out there has one of these and fill in some blanks.

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I think I found a copy of the manual for your device online, and it looks like the charge is on page 40. Also looks like you can set user-defined values for the voltage level at each of the stages of charging. If that's so, then just custom set them to match what's in your battery manufacturer's instructions.

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Or do as DD69 recommends, Why?"  Only know one other on this Forum, who is an expert on this subject.

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Actually, there is no one float (or absorption or bulk) mode voltage that is correct across the whole temperature range.

Yes, if fine-tuning a charging device, BATTERY TEMPERATURE is one of the variables.  In fact, many higher-end inverter chargers offer an optional battery temperature probe that automatically updates the battery temperature.

 

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If battery sides are slightly bulged...time to replace or at leased have them bench tested...It only takes 1 dead cell.

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