Yes, please. More data = better data. Thanks.
Battery Monitoring -- How I Done It --
- Thread starter Dellmassive
- Start date
T6F summer camp is over now, so i thought i would post some battery readouts . .
T6F summer camp:
www.t6forum.com
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The Mobile solar layout for the weekend:
www.t6forum.com
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battery box that powered the weekend:
www.t6forum.com
and smaller 3-in-1 power bank:
www.t6forum.com
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these are the readout for the battery box via a BM2 unit:
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you can see the voltage was kept up with the mobile solar . .
which kept the batteries fully charged . .
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The dips and troughs of the battery readout are from the cooler box and compressor frisges running . . . plus running all the lights atc at night.
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T6F summer camp:
Summer Weekend T6F Meet
Summer Weekend T6F Meet 17th-19th July 2020 * UPDATE * June 24th 2020 - Booking confirmed. Revised location: https://www.brookmeadow.co.uk/# see here for start of new details: https://www.t6forum.com/threads/summer-weekend-t6f-meet.14782/post-273129...
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The Mobile solar layout for the weekend:
[Guide] Mobile Solar Panels ? . . . - How I Did It -
Hi @Dellmassive, thanks for kicking off his brilliant thread with loads of great insights. It’s convinced me I need to go down the portable solar route and the 100W area seems to be the sweet spot for price, size and yield. However, I’m pretty much torn between the Lensun ultralight folding 100W...
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battery box that powered the weekend:
12v Lithium Leisure Battery Box 138Ah 1766Wh -- How I Done It --
12v Lithium Leisure Battery Box 138Ah 1766Wh -- How I Done It -- It's about time that I got this long-overdue project sorted out. The missing parts are on order and completion is in sight . . . . . . . . ready for the Post Pandemic 2020 Camping Trips (Hopefully) This is where it started. p1...
and smaller 3-in-1 power bank:
Awesome 3-in-1 Battery Bank - How I done It -
Awesome 3-in-1 Battery Bank - How I done It - Now normally I don't post specific threads on kit . . . . . . but I had to this time. As some of you may know im into portable power . . . whether that be battery, solar, petrol genny, USB power banks or what ever i love it. The term Solar-Generator...
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these are the readout for the battery box via a BM2 unit:
...
you can see the voltage was kept up with the mobile solar . .
which kept the batteries fully charged . .
...
The dips and troughs of the battery readout are from the cooler box and compressor frisges running . . . plus running all the lights atc at night.
.
.
Dellmassive’s "How I Done It" blogs.
-- Dellmassive`s -- "How I Done It" -- thread -- ************************************************** Dellmassive`s -- "how I Done It" -- Thread ************************************************** Kit List And Stuff -- How I Done It & What I Use --...
@mmi
So here is the graphs for mine for the last few days. Only short journeys but the blower has been left on 2 throughout, AC is on and on pretty much every journey the lights were on (they are on auto but even though it is light they seem to come on early in the morning).
I have a DC-DC charger attached as well which will add some load. I can see it is working by looking at the leisure battery monitor graphs.
Aug 1-4 graphs below
I have no idea what the big spike is on 1 Aug at 12:30. Van is parked up on the drive and hasn’t moved since about 07:45
I’m not 100% certain that on the trips below the blower was at 2 before starting the engine but it was in the position for most of the journeys. 6hr drive to Snowdonia (25 Jul) - couple of stops on the way, couple of short trips to walk location (26 Jul), 6hr drive home (28 Jul) - couple of stops on the way. Fridge connected to leisure battery all this period which may/may not be relevant.
All the downward spikes in the mornings and evenings coincide with opening the doors etc to get food out of fridge and so on. ignition not turned on nor engine started in these periods.
Thank you very much. Unless I'm mistaken on the pictures, also yours seem to charge battery at 13+ Volts when engine is running with heater blower at "2".
Here is just one sample of mine - two relatively long runs started at 17:45 (a break at 19:30). Voltage is nailed at 13.3 V. Only DRL's, no DPF regens (voltage would jump to 14.8V for about 20-25 mins). The "spikes" are just regen braking - engine braking. Volatge drop starting at 09:00 are just because of unlocking doors and opening/closing doors as moving stuff in and out.
However, switching blower to "1" - that's another story
Huge thanks to @Dellmassive for this thread which I was reading in the van in the lakes earlier this week and as I have had some solar panel issues and am always a bit worried about over draining the battery I had a smart shunt waiting for me when I got back, which I fitted this morning.
I also swapped the mains charger (8 amp smart charger but I can't remember the name) from directly across the battery to the a post of the cteck and hey presto it charges the starter battery and once that is over 13.1v the ctek wakes up and charges the leisure battery.
Now comes the issue. The ctek charges at 20 amps, but the mains charger only supplies 8amps, so it starts dragging the starter battery down and once it drops to 12.2v, it stops the charge as you can see in the victron chart here.
The question is, will this damage either battery? Will it eventually drop the current enough and start charging normally?
I also swapped the mains charger (8 amp smart charger but I can't remember the name) from directly across the battery to the a post of the cteck and hey presto it charges the starter battery and once that is over 13.1v the ctek wakes up and charges the leisure battery.
Now comes the issue. The ctek charges at 20 amps, but the mains charger only supplies 8amps, so it starts dragging the starter battery down and once it drops to 12.2v, it stops the charge as you can see in the victron chart here.
The question is, will this damage either battery? Will it eventually drop the current enough and start charging normally?
It won't damage the batteries - typical allowed max charge current for automotive lead acid batteries (70Ah+) is around 100 A. And yes it will "stabilize" eventually.
Glad the thread helped.
As above no issues with batteries.
The cycling will depend on the different SOC level of each battery. As the SOC increases the current drawn by the battery deceases, eventually down to less than 1amp where its classed as charged.
As your aux battery is drawing 20A its showing that its currently a low SOC.
Eventually the cycling will reduce as the aux battery charges.
Is your solar connected to ctek too?
You could upgrade your EHU charger to a 15A or above for a faster charge... ie victron 12/15 bluesmart.
Got some pics of hour install?
As above no issues with batteries.
The cycling will depend on the different SOC level of each battery. As the SOC increases the current drawn by the battery deceases, eventually down to less than 1amp where its classed as charged.
As your aux battery is drawing 20A its showing that its currently a low SOC.
Eventually the cycling will reduce as the aux battery charges.
Is your solar connected to ctek too?
You could upgrade your EHU charger to a 15A or above for a faster charge... ie victron 12/15 bluesmart.
Got some pics of hour install?
Super. Thanks. I took it for a little drive and the current dropped off until the Victron declared it 100%.
Yes the solar is a 150watt into the ctek.
I'll take some pics of the install once u have tidies it up a bit. Just waiting for a bit of copper to arrive for an earth busbar. I refuse to pay £45 on ebay for a bit of copper with holes in.
Yes the solar is a 150watt into the ctek.
I'll take some pics of the install once u have tidies it up a bit. Just waiting for a bit of copper to arrive for an earth busbar. I refuse to pay £45 on ebay for a bit of copper with holes in.
looking good, you done well to get an 8min slice of data, my phone always times out and disconnects before that.
id imagine that current curve will keep sloping down to around 1amp . . . so it can still take some more charge . . .
thats i only thing i wish Victron would do better and add in the data logging, the boxes can do it, just wish i dint have to my a live cobection on the phone. =[
at least the good old BM2 can fill the gap till then.
saying that if you fit a Raspery Pi and connect up yo a hotspot you can have 24/7 data logging.
see here:
Solar Sheds & Other Non-t6 Solar Projects - How We Done It -
Solar Sheds & Other Non-T6 Solar Projects - How We Done It - @Pete C requested it, so here it is . . . . . Dell, What do the batteries in your shed power ? I too have a solar powered shed - perhaps we should have a separate thread for sheds :) Pete Lets Post here any NON - T6 related ECO...
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looking good, you done well to get an 8min slice of data, my phone always times out and disconnects before that.
id imagine that current curve will keep sloping down to around 1amp . . . so it can still take some more charge . . .
thats i only thing i wish Victron would do better and add in the data logging, the boxes can do it, just wish i dint have to my a live cobection on the phone. =[
at least the good old BM2 can fill the gap till then.
saying that if you fit a Raspery Pi and connect up yo a hotspot you can have 24/7 data logging.
see here:
Solar Sheds & Other Non-t6 Solar Projects - How We Done It -
Solar Sheds & Other Non-T6 Solar Projects - How We Done It - @Pete C requested it, so here it is . . . . . Dell, What do the batteries in your shed power ? I too have a solar powered shed - perhaps we should have a separate thread for sheds :) Pete Lets Post here any NON - T6 related ECO...
.
View attachment 80611
Yes its a bit disappointing that the Victron stuff doesn't do what the BM2 does.
check this out . . . .
a brand new voltage monitor with QC3 36w USB charger . . . and on/off switch !!!!
am i getting one . . . . . Hell Yeh. !!!
ill be fitting it in the battery box . . . .
edit . . .
here its is . . .
.
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the scale is a bit unusual . . .
as 12.2v and 12.6v are in the orange zone . . .
.
.
above 13.6v gets you into the green zone - so kinda indicating charging.
USB power wise its spot on . . .
QC3 - 9v @ 1.62 charging a samsung Galaxy 10.
when USB plugged in and charging the display does a fancy graphic display with was unexpected, but cool.
the switch turns it off too.
and a press and hold switches it off completely.
short vid clip . . . . .
photos.app.goo.gl
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a brand new voltage monitor with QC3 36w USB charger . . . and on/off switch !!!!
Quick Charge 3.0 USB Car Charger Socket 12V: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics
Free delivery and returns on eligible orders. Buy Quick Charge 3.0 USB Car Charger Socket 12V/24V 36W with Switch and Voltmeter Dual QC3.0 USB Fast Charger Socket Power Outlet for Marine, Boat, Motorcycle, Truck, Golf Cart at Amazon UK.
amzn.to
am i getting one . . . . . Hell Yeh. !!!
ill be fitting it in the battery box . . . .
edit . . .
here its is . . .
.
.
the scale is a bit unusual . . .
as 12.2v and 12.6v are in the orange zone . . .
.
.
above 13.6v gets you into the green zone - so kinda indicating charging.
USB power wise its spot on . . .
QC3 - 9v @ 1.62 charging a samsung Galaxy 10.
when USB plugged in and charging the display does a fancy graphic display with was unexpected, but cool.
the switch turns it off too.
and a press and hold switches it off completely.
short vid clip . . . . .
New video by ESD Lee
photos.app.goo.gl
*********************
Last edited:
Funnily enough earlier today I was thinking that I need a couple more USB sockets in the back of the van. Excuse the stupid question but would it be safe to just tap into the wires coming out of the back of my existing CBE (single) USB socket or CBE battery monitor (so long as the new one was fused).
depends on the existing cable gauge and its fuse rating . . .
but id imagine if its just the one extra i would imagine it to be ok. . .
pull out the existing and check the wire gauge and its fuse rating . . .
Heads up, Renogy Smart Lithium battery monitors now available to pre-order on the Renogy UK site for £35
uk.renogy.com
Monitoring Screen for Smart Lithium Battery Series
The Renogy Monitoring Screen for Smart Lithium Battery Series is a high precision meter designed for Smart Lithium Iron Phosphate Batteries in off-grid energy storage systems.
uk.renogy.com
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