diy solar

diy solar

Charging at 21 amps

NoSmokeYet

New Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2020
Messages
49
Is charging (4) golf cart batteries in series/parallel 12 volt at 21 amps 40v +/- too much?
Each battery 215ah.
I think I should add two more batteries.
 
Look at the battery case, odds on it states the max charge current there. If not, make friends with Google and type in the model number.
 
The 40V part confuses me...

you are charging 21A at 14ish volts, right? If you are pumping 40volts into 4 batteries, I don’t think that is right?

what voltage are the golf cart batteries? How are they arranged? What bank voltage are you working with?
 
Heck I'm confused too. The 40v is what the panels are producing, not whats going to the batteries. My mistake #1.
6v batteries hooked up 2s2p at 12 volts. (4) 100w panels 2s2p at 40volts at noonish. You are right Supervstech it's okay to charge at 20amps.
I was only concerned because the new batteries were bubbling a little while charging at 20amps. Mistake #2, they should. My old batteries I charged at 10amps and didn't bubble.
All and all my system is working great. Thank you for your help Supervstech?
Case closed
 
If anything, your charging rate is too low. One tenth C is about right for a single string. That works out to 215AH x 0.1C = 21.5A. Since you have two strings, it's 2 strings x 21.5A = 43A. To be clear though, the 40V is the raw solar voltage going IN TO the controller? What is the charging voltage coming OUT OF the controller? It should be about 13.5-14.4V, depending on the charge of the battery. That's how a MPPT controller works. My gut feeling is that you've been undercharging for a while now. You're supposed to hear bubbling in a properly charging battery. Don't add additional batteries unless you add more panels at the same time.
 
Yes, 40+ volts into the controller and 13.5/14.5 output to the batteries. With my old set of batteries I was charging at 10amps, with my new ones I have it set at 20amps. Everything is working perfect now. Not planning on adding anything until I decide to go 24 volts?This solar stuff sure is fun to play with.
Thanks for your input MichaelK
 
Back
Top