Battery conundrum

[suavecarve]

I dont get the want or need for a shunt.
I got one on the last van and never looked at it.
I ve got the Victron and Fogstar app and that gives me sufficient enough information to work out I need some more electric and to pop into a place to get some.

 

[Ian_H]

It's the easiest of things to fit, you can buy pre made cable on line and if you buy from off grid you get a discount

Hi Michael
As I said I don't need/want it, so my discount is 100% on the cables and shunt!
The battery, b2b and ablemail fill the space under the drivers seat. Without moving something else the shunt would have to go under the passenger seat. Cable route there is jam packed with other wiring.

 

[JockandRita]

I dont get the want or need for a shunt.
I got one on the last van and never looked at it.

Whereas, I do get the need and want for a Victron Smart Shunt, as neither of our Fogstar batteries has Bluetooth or heating pads, so the Smart Shunt along with the 2 x Smart Solar Chargers, and the Smart Battery Sense, tell me all I need to know in the absence of the Fogstar App, including battery temperature.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[suavecarve]

Whereas, I do get the need and want for a Victron Smart Shunt, as neither of our Fogstar batteries has Bluetooth or heating pads, so the Smart Shunt along with the 2 x Smart Solar Chargers, and the Smart Battery Sense, tell me all I need to know in the absence of the Fogstar App, including battery temperature.

Cheers,

Jock.

But you could get the Fogstar app as well......it just won't work

 

[JockandRita]

But you could get the Fogstar app as well......it just won't work

Oh aye, that'd be well handy.

Cheers,

Jock.

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[MichaelT]

But you could get the Fogstar app as well......it just won't work

Anyway suavecarve have you solved your problem?

 

[suavecarve]

Anyway suavecarve have you solved your problem?

So last night it was full.
Lost a residual amount overnight which caused 33% bulk then float and absorption off 100 watts yield of solar whereas I could have expected about 350 watts of solar if it was in bulk all day (fils motorhome is next to it)

So I m relatively happy it is to do with it being relatively new and not having a full charge since about 8/9/24

 

[pat100]

Since lithium doesn’t need absorption or float, can someone explain to me why don’t folk just set all voltages to 14.5 so the controller is always effectively working at MPPT until it turns off?

 

[Lenny HB]

You have a short absorbtion phase to allow time for the cells to balance.

 

[pat100]

You have a short absorbtion phase to allow time for the cells to balance.

Thanks!
My KS-ARC120 claims to have “a high power internal controlled intelligent multi cell balanced system” BMS.
Does this suggest that an absorption phase is unnecessary or is it still needed or is it better-safe-than-sorry?
EDIT: Ah! Just noticed that there is a thread earlier today covering that issue

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[AdrianChen]

Thanks!
My KS-ARC120 claims to have “a high power internal controlled intelligent multi cell balanced system” BMS.
Does this suggest that an absorption phase is unnecessary or is it still needed or is it better-safe-than-sorry?
EDIT: Ah! Just noticed that there is a thread earlier today covering that issue

Speak to KS about how that BMS works and is setup. I wouldn't leave mine at 14.5v all day long which is what would happen if I set all the parameters to 14.5v especially whilst in storage, so mine are set to have a short cell balancing time at the voltage the manufacturer says is when balancing is triggered, then I drop the voltage down to just manage the loads.

 

[triky]

Used the 'Pioneer' radio all weekend,come Monday flat engine battery !!Do radio's pull that much !! ??

 

[AdrianChen]

Depends on the volume, but quite possible, especially if it is cold because the battery will have less capacity. Added to that if it is a smart alternator vehicle, it may only be charged by the alternator to around 70%ish?

 

[Pausim]

Used the 'Pioneer' radio all weekend,come Monday flat engine battery !!Do radio's pull that much !! ??

Yes.

Some manufacturers fit a change over relay so that the radio runs from the leisure battery when the engine is not running. Some Pioneer radios also use a fair bit of power when they switch to standby/off, you need to do a full power down to reduce this. Best to rewire to the leisure battery when the engine is off.

 

[McLouis]

I think it was me but I only did it for a couple of weeks.
I changed it back to 14.2v to re-check and they charged to 100% fine and have done ever since.
I note from my Victron app history that although I have the voltage set at 14.2v my battery is actually being charged to IIRC 14.35v by the Victron MPPT.
My SOC re-sets to 100% and fully charged my cells are within 0.001v of each other.
I wonder why Fogstar now recommend 14.3v rather than their previous 14.2v recommendation.

Probably Fogstar has changed the cell supplier. Obviously still LFP but most manufacturers use slightly different chemistry which gives a different charge profile..... Or they found a gnats higher V gives a more reliable battery.

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[Lenny HB]

Used the 'Pioneer' radio all weekend,come Monday flat engine battery !!Do radio's pull that much !! ??

Pioneers do even in standby mode.

Loads of Carthago owners have had flat starter batteries due to switching off the head unit but leaving the media switch on the control panel on. The media switch cuts the supply to the starter battery.