The Battery Thread (Solar / Inverter)

[johnjm]

Normal AGM (type of plates) still has liquid in them, you can hear it if you shake the battery. Gel, the "liquid" is gel, so you won't hear anything when you shake it. Don't equalise gel batteries, equalising creates bubbles which is fine for flooded but no go for gel. It's not weird to get a hybrid, should offer many cycles.

You'll be fine with 30A or less. Less is always kinder on the battery, just takes longer.

That’s why I’m confused. The MPPT has a battery type selection for Sealed, Gel, or Flooded.

The sealed type is usually AGM, but there is a gel type charge profile too. So which to use on a AGM/gel hybrid?

AGM is not Gel as far as I know and the latter is pretty delicate when it comes to charging.

 

[wingnut771]

That’s why I’m confused. The MPPT has a battery type selection for Sealed, Gel, or Flooded.

The sealed type is usually AGM, but there is a gel type charge profile too. So which to use on a AGM/gel hybrid?

AGM is not Gel as far as I know and the latter is pretty delicate when it comes to charging.

Use gel setting.

 

[gbyleveldt]

Heh your right. AGM isn’t gel like I thought. I should’ve checked before commenting lol

 

[wingnut771]

AGM is gel

 

[johnjm]

Use gel setting.

Thanks. This thread delivers

 

[wingnut771]

Thanks. This thread delivers

Do you not have a custom/user setting? These default settings usually have a very low cutoff voltage.

 

[johnjm]

Do you not have a custom/user setting? These default settings usually have a very low cutoff voltage.

There is a custom setting via a app or pc connection. Which I haven’t ordered...

I haven’t even got the items yet but what does worry me is that my PV array will have a max of 660w which will be 27A to charge the batteries.

And for the life of me, I have no idea what my UPS charges the batteries at, because it only has a low, medium and high setting (max59A), and has no battery type selection. I’m just wondering how I stuffed the batteries up in 5 years with only about 200 cycles. Current ones are AGMs.

 

[wingnut771]

There is a custom setting via a app or pc connection. Which I haven’t ordered...

I haven’t even got the items yet but what does worry me is that my PV array will have a max of 660w which will be 27A to charge the batteries.

And for the life of me, I have no idea what my UPS charges the batteries at, because it only has a low, medium and high setting (max59A), and has no battery type selection. I’m just wondering how I stuffed the batteries up in 5 years with only about 200 cycles. Current ones are AGMs.

5 years is a good innings. How low SOC did you cycle them? What did you use low, medium or high? Are there values in the manual for these settings? I would have to guess, low is 15A, medium is 30A and high 60A but that is just a guess. I would stick with low setting and only when loadshedding gets bad maybe push it to medium. Low and slow is the way to go, but even more important, that the battery gets a full charge, or else they sulphate. Are you able to set your bulk absorption and float charge levels?

 

[johnjm]

5 years is a good innings. How low SOC did you cycle them? What did you use low, medium or high? Are there values in the manual for these settings? I would have to guess, low is 15A, medium is 30A and high 60A but that is just a guess. I would stick with low setting and only when loadshedding gets bad maybe push it to medium. Low and slow is the way to go, but even more important, that the battery gets a full charge, or else they sulphate. Are you able to set your bulk absorption and float charge levels?

When we had the stage 6 load shedding I had lodshedding for two hours every 6 hours, ilL be honest that the in some instances the batteries weren’t fully charged when they were used again... and then I set the charging current to high (which is 50A in the manual). It has a setting for cut off, which is also low, medium and high, and I set it to low too... so maybe I did mess them up due to that.

There are no settings for bulk or float on it, but when I bought it the AGMs were recommended. I’m hoping it has some built in intelligence but I doubt it has an equalisation setting or anything. Very confusing and generic this thing is.

I’d love to go lithium but I’m certain it can’t handle it, even thought the MPPT could..

 

[Neuk_]

Hi guys, me again

So you think a 30A MPPT charger could be matched with this battery? It say recommended initial charge should be 30A, not too worried as I can use the UPS to charge it initially and then let solar float charge it on most days.

What is also confusing is that it’s a hybrid and apparently both AGM and Gel, which is weird.

https://www.livestainable.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Datasheet-30.pdf

Edit, for some reason the data sheet shows a 12v, it’s this one, a 24v

OmniPower 24V 240Ah Deep Cycle Rechargeable AGM / GEL Hybrid VRLA Battery Pack - LiveStainable

Buy OmniPower 24V 240Ah Deep Cycle Rechargeable AGM / GEL Hybrid VRLA Battery Pack - Based on 20 years' experience in research and development, the OmniPower

www.livestainable.co.za

We have those, well the 12v 120aH versions that we have been using since Jan 2020 for load shedding and then Aug 2020 as part of a small ESS. The description confused the hell out of me at first but my fiancé had bought them already and they are working well for what they are and what I am doing with them. We are using a Victron inverter/charger which are regarded as one of the best when it comes to battery management though.

 

[johnjm]

We have those, well the 12v 120aH versions that we have been using since Jan 2020 for load shedding and then Aug 2020 as part of a small ESS. The description confused the hell out of me at first but my fiancé had bought them already and they are working well for what they are and what I am doing with them. We are using a Victron inverter/charger which are regarded as one of the best when it comes to battery management though.

Pv and MPPT delivered at 630 this morning. Very impressed with geewiz as always.

Installation quote is R5k so all in all a very big value install it seems. It can only grow from there but hopefully I resist the temptation.

 

[Neuk_]

Pv and MPPT delivered at 630 this morning. Very impressed with geewiz as always.

Installation quote is R5k so all in all a very big value install it seems. It can only grow from there but hopefully I resist the temptation.

Is the R5k to install the PV panels and MPPT?

 

[johnjm]

Is the R5k to install the PV panels and MPPT?

Yup, including the mounts, wiring and breakers etc. Pretty impressed. Got their details from the guy that installed the CCTV system so I trust them.

They already did a site visit yesterday.

They also did a large quote for my neighbour for a complete 5kw install with 10 or 12 panels, Canadian solar and lithium 48v. That one was R85 all in. Impressive.

 

[Neuk_]

Yup, including the mounts, wiring and breakers etc. Pretty impressed. Got their details from the guy that installed the CCTV system so I trust them.

They already did a site visit yesterday.

They also did a large quote for my neighbour for a complete 5kw install with 10 or 12 panels, Canadian solar and lithium 48v. That one was R85 all in. Impressive.

That is good to hear, let us know how it goes and post some pictures.

What did the R85k include for the neighbour? That sounds cheap for a complete ESS install.

 

[johnjm]

That is good to hear, let us know how it goes and post some pictures.

What did the R85k include for the neighbour? That sounds cheap for a complete ESS install.

Yeah thanks, hopefully the can install next week.


The intention of the neighbour wasn’t to go off grid I think.

 

[Neuk_]

Yeah thanks, hopefully the can install next week.


The intention of the neighbour wasn’t to go off grid I think.

Aah, the cost makes a bit more sense now, I wonder what battery that is though.

 

[Speedster]

Pv and MPPT delivered at 630 this morning. Very impressed with geewiz as always.

Installation quote is R5k so all in all a very big value install it seems. It can only grow from there but hopefully I resist the temptation.

Where are you located?

 

[johnjm]

Where are you located?

Pretoria

 

[Speedster]

Pretoria

Could you PM me the installer's deets?

 

[johnjm]

Could you PM me the installer's deets?

Sure, I just want to give him a heads up and to prioritise me hehe. He is based in Benoni though just FYI but he does work everywhere.