Battery charger with equalising funtion?

[mross]

Apart from MPPT controllers, are there any chargers or combis which have the option to do an equalising charge? Trojan recommends 16.2V until SG stops rising. I have bought a bench DC Power Supply to 'do' mine as existing, Sterling, charger does not need replacing.

[cuthound]

The Victron Combi's include an equalising mode. It is accessed by switching it on/off/on within a certain timeframe, but I have not been able to find the correct "tempo" to get mine into equalising mode.

 

Edited to remove the word "hinged" which has been mysteriously trainsported by unknown forces into the middle of my post. I blame Matty's zombies!

Edited October 16, 2016 by cuthound

[mross]

That's as bad as the Mastervolt combis where you need the manual in front of you to decode the flashing lights. Manufacturers ought to be able to produce an interface that is completely self-explanatory, at least after commissioning is complete. (I read the manual for the Victron Combis).

[nicknorman]

The MV and Victron Combis can be set to whatever voltage you like using a PC. Or in our case a MV masterview easy panel. I find this the best way to do it. I wouldn't want a charger that automatically reached 16.2v as it might damage connected services.

 

There's some conflicting info from Trojan about charging, but personally I wouldn't do any equalising unless it was actually proven necessary (unable to reach original sg using normal charging method, or sg split in excess of .030).

Edited October 16, 2016 by nicknorman

[cuthound]

The MV and Victron Combis can be set to whatever voltage you like using a PC. Or in our case a MV masterview easy panel. I find this the best way to do it. I wouldn't want a charger that automatically reached 16.2v as it might damage connected services.

There's some conflicting info from Trojan about charging, but personally I wouldn't do any equalising unless it was actually proven necessary (unable to reach original sg using normal charging method, or sg split in excess of .030).

I agree, equalising has the potential to damage batteries by increasing the rate of shedding of the active material held in the plates.

 

It should only be done when there is an actual need, and probably not more than quarterly.

 

If it needs doing more frequently that then there is either something wrong with the charging regime or the batteries themselves.

[dmr]

15.5volts works fine for me and has the big advantage that most 12v devices are just about ok to 15.5v, whilst some may well get into trouble above 16v.

 

I think there is some conflicting advice from Trojan depending upon which one of their documents you read (not 100% sure about this).

 

............Dave

[dmr]

I agree, equalising has the potential to damage batteries by increasing the rate of shedding of the active material held in the plates.

 

It should only be done when there is an actual need, and probably not more than quarterly.

 

If it needs doing more frequently that then there is either something wrong with the charging regime or the batteries themselves.

 

This very depends upon your lifestyle, if you are an off grid liveaboard then you may well need to equalise every couple of months in the winter, nothing wrong with the batteries, they just don't get to 100% nearly as often as they might like. Quarterly is about right in the summer when we do lots of long cruising days.

 

................Dave

[bottle]

The Victron Combi's include an equalising mode. It is accessed by switching it on/off/on within a certain timeframe, but I have not been able to find the correct "tempo" to get mine into equalising mode.

 

Edited to remove the word "hinged" which has been mysteriously trainsported by unknown forces into the middle of my post. I blame Matty's zombies!

 

Managed to do it, not every attempt, with a pencil that had an eraser on the end, picked up the tip from You-Tube

 

Basically rest hand on unit and press the switch with the eraser.

[cuthound]

Managed to do it, not every attempt, with a pencil that had an eraser on the end, picked up the tip from You-Tube

 

Basically rest hand on unit and press the switch with the eraser.

Thanks Keith, I'll give it a try.

 

I have 9 year old Lifeline 660Ah AGM's which still have well over 50% of their capacity left so the charging regime (mainly the previous owners who had DQ for 7 years) must be working.

 

However I hate to have a facility that I cannot access

[mross]

Is that on one of the DIP switches inside?

[Arthur Brown]

Quite a lot of the items you plug into 12v nominal power will get unhappy at 15v, any attempt to charge past 15v will start to put the rest of the installation at risk of death by over voltage.

 

If you need to do an equalising charge first disconnect everything that's connected as load, then do the equalise as the makers suggest. Repeated equalising will create a need for topping up the cells with pure water (distilled or deionised or RO ).

[mross]

Good advice, thanks.

[cuthound]

Is that on one of the DIP switches inside?

No according to the manual you put the Victron Combi into equalise mode by operating the on/off switch off/on within (I think) 1.5 seconds.

 

From memory the DIP switches are to set up different charge voltages for different battery types etc.

[mross]

No according to the manual you put the Victron Combi into equalise mode by operating the on/off switch off/on within (I think) 1.5 seconds.

 

From memory the DIP switches are to set up different charge voltages for different battery types etc.

 

 

Managed to do it, not every attempt, with a pencil that had an eraser on the end, picked up the tip from You-Tube

 

Basically rest hand on unit and press the switch with the eraser.

 

Cuthound, I was actually asking Bottle. You would not use a pencil eraser on the main switch.

[cuthound]

Cuthound, I was actually asking Bottle. You would not use a pencil eraser on the main switch.

Not according to the YouTube clip when you Google. "Putting a Victron Combi into equalisation mode".

 

It clearly show how to use the pencil to rapidly switch the Combi between inverter and charger only odes, and thus into equalisation mode.

 

 

Sorry, can't seem to embed the actual YouTube clip.

 

Edited for spillung and getting the switch wrong. It is the charger only/inverter switch that is rapidly switched, not the off/on switch.

Edited October 17, 2016 by cuthound

[mross]

Link does not work?

It's a Mastervolt Combi that is put into equalise mode by cycling the dip switch, that is what I was thinking of.

[WotEver]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ldxuEVXEQf4

 

Tony

 

It's a nasty video where the idiot filming it did it on an iPhone with the phone the wrong way round, but it shows the procedure.

[mross]

Thanks Tony, but I don't think it can go uo to 16.2V?

[cuthound]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ldxuEVXEQf4

Tony

It's a nasty video where the idiot filming it did it on an iPhone with the phone the wrong way round, but it shows the procedure.

Thanks Tony, I couldn't get the video to embed. Edited October 17, 2016 by cuthound

[mross]

Having been unable to find a charger that will equalise at 16.2v I'm going to try a benchtop power supply and I'll revert with the results next week.

[nicknorman]

I find 15.5v is quite adequate for equalising Trojans.

[mross]

But is that the max your charger will do? I guess 16.2V will be quicker.

[WotEver]

I guess 16.2V will be quicker.

Not necessarily. As described in another thread, higher than optimal voltage dramatically increases gassing with only a minimal increase in charge input or possibly even a reduction in charge input due to the gas bubbles getting in the way.