Fogstar App

[clonkel]

Hi, I am new to the whole van electrics but trying to understand it all better. On my Fogstar App I understand the dial and that the battery is currently charged at 91%. The screenshot was when the shore power was connected. Is the current, which shows 58.7A, telling me how much current is going in to the battery? At times this can be a minus number so I assume that it is discharging?

Also I am unsure what the Power, at 804.2W is showing me as this is not 13.7 x (300 *0.91)

Thank you for your patience

 

[MisterB]

Simply, yes it is the power going into the battery ....the grown ups will be along eventually to give a technical explanation..

 

[Guigsy]

13.7v x 58.7A = 804w

Yes, you're charging.

Power (in watts or joules/s) is the flow of stored energy (kWh or Ah or joules) over time.

If everything used the same SI units, it'd be less confusing.

 

[Bolti]

try 13.7 x 58.7

Edit: beaten to it.

 

[clonkel]

Thank you. I was looking at it as power available to the appliances (so the wrong way around).

When the current is minus then what is it telling me?

thank you again

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[Bolti]

Amount of power being drawn from the battery.

 

[clonkel]

Amount of power being drawn from the battery.

Let's say that the only input I have is solar and that is giving me 5A. The appliances are using 1370W (100A). Would the current then show -95A ?

thank you

 

[Guigsy]

Let's say that the only input I have is solar and that is giving me 5A. The appliances are using 1370W (100A). Would the current then show -95A ?

thank you

Yes.

 

[BusyBuilder]

Can I assume you have the 280ah battery ? as mine charges to just under 310ah .

 

[clonkel]

Can I assume you have the 280ah battery ? as mine charges to just under 310ah

300ah

Guigsy thanks

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[clonkel]

If I turn off the Charging option then I guess that the battery will not accept a charge from any of the three sources B2B, Inverter/Charger or Solar?

Is that correct?

thank you

 

[headlight]

If I turn off the Charging option then I guess that the battery will not accept a charge from any of the three sources B2B, Inverter/Charger or Solar?

Is that correct?

thank you

Yes if you turn charge off in the app then the battery will not accept a charge from any source.

 

[clonkel]

headlight thank you

I have seen a number of threads on here suggesting that it is not good to leave you battery on charge permanently (lithium). However, I spoke to Roger at Offgrid and he said that over the expected life of the battery it really doesn't make a lot of difference. I'm happy to go with Roger as he is the expert but wanted to know that if I got 'jittery' I could turn off the Charging (input) rather than having to unhook at home.

thanks all

 

[lonnie]

Can I assume you have the 280ah battery ? as mine charges to just under 310ah .

Lucky begger, my 280 charges to 304! It all seems a bit random for something I thought would be pretty binary.

 

[Speve]

headlight thank you

I have seen a number of threads on here suggesting that it is not good to leave you battery on charge permanently (lithium). However, I spoke to Roger at Offgrid and he said that over the expected life of the battery it really doesn't make a lot of difference. I'm happy to go with Roger as he is the expert but wanted to know that if I got 'jittery' I could turn off the Charging (input) rather than having to unhook at home.

thanks all

Since I have had my lithium set up I have not needed to put the van on EHU when at home the solar is keeping it at a good state of charge and I have a battery master that tops up the starter battery as required

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[clonkel]

Speve we are also near Salisbury so getting the same sun as you at the moment.

The van is parked next to the side of the house and the 260W solar is not getting enought sunlight to make a difference. That and the van is new to us so we spend more time in it than in the house. Just working through everything is time and power consuming. It is also a very relaxing space so we are both reluctant to go back in the house

 

[Speve]

Speve we are also near Salisbury so getting the same sun as you at the moment.

The van is parked next to the side of the house and the 260W solar is not getting enought sunlight to make a difference. That and the van is new to us so we spend more time in it than in the house. Just working through everything is time and power consuming. It is also a very relaxing space so we are both reluctant to go back in the house

We are at Netheravon and you don’t need full sun all day to keep it topped up ours probably gets sun for three or four hours at most at this time of year lithium is the best thing I have done with our van. We do have 400w of solar on top.

 

[headlight]

Speve we are also near Salisbury so getting the same sun as you at the moment.

The van is parked next to the side of the house and the 260W solar is not getting enought sunlight to make a difference. That and the van is new to us so we spend more time in it than in the house. Just working through everything is time and power consuming. It is also a very relaxing space so we are both reluctant to go back in the house

I'm in Cardiff and a single 115 watt panel kept my 2 x 100AH lead acid leisure batteries and my starter battery, via a Battery Master, topped up over the first 2 winters.
Since last Xmas I've got 2 x 115 watt panels and a 230AH LifePo4 and Battery Master and again it was fine.
We don't get much sun in South Wales lol

 

[clonkel]

Speve Nomansland in the New Forest.

headlight not heard of a Battery Master but looking it up it charges your engine battery from ehu?
If this is correct (not sure) then I am covered here because the Inverter/Charger trickle charges the vehicle battery. I am unsure here if it does it continually or when the leisure battery is full or when the ehu is on, or if its smart enough to detect the veh battery needs it. Could be any of those or maybe something else.

 

[MichaelT]

Speve Nomansland in the New Forest.

headlight not heard of a Battery Master but looking it up it charges your engine battery from ehu?
If this is correct (not sure) then I am covered here because the Inverter/Charger trickle charges the vehicle battery. I am unsure here if it does it continually or when the leisure battery is full or when the ehu is on, or if its smart enough to detect the veh battery needs it. Could be any of those or maybe something else.

It charges your engine battery from your leisure battery

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[headlight]

Speve Nomansland in the New Forest.

headlight not heard of a Battery Master but looking it up it charges your engine battery from ehu?
If this is correct (not sure) then I am covered here because the Inverter/Charger trickle charges the vehicle battery. I am unsure here if it does it continually or when the leisure battery is full or when the ehu is on, or if its smart enough to detect the veh battery needs it. Could be any of those or maybe something else.

The Battery Master does not run from EHU, it trickle charges the starter battery from the leisure battery when it detects that the starter battery is 0.7v below the leisure battery voltage.

 

[BusyBuilder]

I have a battery master, but I was always under the impression that the Hymer EBL did that anyway ?

 

[Cush]

Lucky begger, my 280 charges to 304! It all seems a bit random for something I thought would be pretty binary.

Mine charges to 280 exactly @ 14v.

 

[MichaelT]

Mine charges to 280 exactly @ 14v.

My 280 goes to 306, shouldn't it be 14.2v?

 

[Cush]

No problem going to 14.2 but don’t have to. Capacity related to amps in cell at 14v

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[Speve]

The Battery Master does not run from EHU, it trickle charges the starter battery from the leisure battery when it detects that the starter battery is 0.7v below the leisure battery voltage.

I did not say it ran from EHU clonkel said that earlier
No the battery master is independent of any ECU I fitted it for a bit of cover when NOT using victron multiplus through EHU trickle charge. It will still keep my starter battery topped up via leisure battery

 

[headlight]

Sorry I was replying to clonkel but you were in the reply by mistake

 

[Speve]

Sorry I was replying to clonkel but you were in the reply by mistake

No problem at all no need to apologise

 

[SeldomSeen]

My 280ah goes to 306.5!