offgriddave
Solar Enthusiast
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2020
- Messages
- 225
I'm having weird capacity issues with the Signature Solar EG4-LL 48V. I've had it since Januray, daily use. I pull about 100-180w per hour 12-14 hours a day and charge it with a generator.
Yesterday my phoenix Victron 375VA cut off at 49.1v (where I have it set to turn off) but it surprised me because it was fully charged 8 hours before.
When it shut off, the battery was reading 49.1v and __30%__ charge. That's not right. There's a possibility it had a sharp voltage drop and I didn't catch it until after the victron tripped. But 49.1v is not 30% capacity! That's an issue
So when I got this battery I would charge it every 3 days. Then I noticed every 2 days. I figured I'm just using more power. Now it's every day.
If I do a back of the napkin calculation (inaccurate) I was only able to pull 2.5kwh from the 5.1kwh battery yesterday.
The performance is degrading.
When I charge it, I turn the charger off after 5 minutes after the BMS reads 100%. This is usually 54.4v to 56v. The cells all read equal. I don't know what the balancing algorithm starts or end. Is it possible because I am not pushing "100%" to 58v I am not balancing the internal batteries cells and causing me to get half capacity?
Also the first month I got it I caught the battery cells not equal -- some spiking way up. However I haven't seen that in a few months. I think that issue is gone. But I was concerned this might have damaged the cells. I was told that is normal?
Why is the BMS display saying 30% charge at 49.1V?
WHy does it appear I'm only getting half capacity?
How do I tell if its me or the battery?
Today I am going to charge it to 100% and then keep charging it to 58v... See if that fixes it. Any other ideas?
Signature solar offered a refund but I don't want to go through the logistics. I need a battery to work. I would have to order another one and have it hear first, then replace it.
Also I don't run windows so if I need to install the software and buy a cable, I'd have to run it in VMWare linux or something... but I don't know if that would help.
Yesterday my phoenix Victron 375VA cut off at 49.1v (where I have it set to turn off) but it surprised me because it was fully charged 8 hours before.
When it shut off, the battery was reading 49.1v and __30%__ charge. That's not right. There's a possibility it had a sharp voltage drop and I didn't catch it until after the victron tripped. But 49.1v is not 30% capacity! That's an issue
So when I got this battery I would charge it every 3 days. Then I noticed every 2 days. I figured I'm just using more power. Now it's every day.
If I do a back of the napkin calculation (inaccurate) I was only able to pull 2.5kwh from the 5.1kwh battery yesterday.
The performance is degrading.
When I charge it, I turn the charger off after 5 minutes after the BMS reads 100%. This is usually 54.4v to 56v. The cells all read equal. I don't know what the balancing algorithm starts or end. Is it possible because I am not pushing "100%" to 58v I am not balancing the internal batteries cells and causing me to get half capacity?
Also the first month I got it I caught the battery cells not equal -- some spiking way up. However I haven't seen that in a few months. I think that issue is gone. But I was concerned this might have damaged the cells. I was told that is normal?
Why is the BMS display saying 30% charge at 49.1V?
WHy does it appear I'm only getting half capacity?
How do I tell if its me or the battery?
Today I am going to charge it to 100% and then keep charging it to 58v... See if that fixes it. Any other ideas?
Signature solar offered a refund but I don't want to go through the logistics. I need a battery to work. I would have to order another one and have it hear first, then replace it.
Also I don't run windows so if I need to install the software and buy a cable, I'd have to run it in VMWare linux or something... but I don't know if that would help.