epever 4210 settings

[Eric Mitt]

I have 2 200 watt 24v Rich solar panels, 5.32amp, 45.4 Voc, 37.6 Vmp, in series
Epever Tracer4210an MPPT connected to PC
2 12.8v 200ah 2560wh Chins LiFePO4 in series
Aeliussine 2000W 24v pure sine wave inverter

I have read to much, my brain is full of mush and I just need to know what settings you would recommend for the charge settings in the Epever software please.
I tend to overdo things and I have myself confused. I currently have it all set to default.
The solar controller always says PV .5 kw when it scrolls through.
The epever software also says .51 kWh total solar energy produced.
I just feel like something is not right.
Thanks in advance.

 

[JoeHam]

Here is a concise article to read that contains the pertinent info :

How to Find Happiness With LiFePO4 (Lithium-Ion) Batteries –...

By: Rob Beckers You have just sold your first-born into slavery, remortgaged the house, and bought yourself a lithium-ion battery! Now you want to know how to take care of your precious new purchase: How to best charge lithium-iron batteries, how to discharge them, and how to get the maximum...

www.solacity.com

 

[Browneye]

The default "LiBattery" settings in the Solar Station Monitor software is a good starting point. You can adjust duration and boost and float voltage to suit your charging and discharging methods and rates. You probably don't need a full 2 hours of boost, which is the default, maybe set that at 30 minutes, and if your bms shuts down before charging terminates, you can reduce the boost voltage to 14.2 or 14.1. The default 14.4 is max for lifepo. 13.4V is a good float setting for supplying loads. Set equalization to zero.

I have two controller parameter files I can upload to my SCC - one for when the RV is in storage, not in use, and one for when we're actually traveling in it and using power every day. The 'away' settings charge more aggressively and to a higher SOC, and the 'storage' settings let it sag back and maintain at about 60-70% SOC.

If the battery bms terminates charging before the SCC does, you can adjust the peak voltage and duration. Float should maintain your loads once the battery is 100%.

A cheap way to keep track is with a shunt meter. Cheap or good, either way you should at least have something, since battery resting voltage is really hard to tell exact state of charge. A shunt will count coulombs of energy in and out, you set it to 100% when the battery is fully charged, and it keeps track as you discharge and recharge, giving you a percentage of charge level. They're very slick.

Couple of other good threads on Tracer programming:

Epever question regarding "SolarStation" for PC

I have 1 Epever running for a while, had programmed it with the Solar Station for PC Now i have a 2nd one I'm ready to commission. They are both AN6415. Problem is.. I thought i'd be smart and Export the settings from the 1st one, and "save as.." Well, I linked up to the 2nd unit, and tried to...

diysolarforum.com

Struggling with basic LiFePO4 settings in Epever Tracer

Hello all. I am struggling to justify some basic LiFePO4 charging parameters, and relate them to how to set up my Epever Tracer 2215BN. The Epever has many charge parameters geared toward charging older chemistries. This is very confusing to apply to LiFePO4, and the fact that terminologies and...

diysolarforum.com

 

[ianganderton]

The default "LiBattery" settings in the Solar Station Monitor software is a good starting point. You can adjust duration and boost and float voltage to suit your charging and discharging methods and rates. You probably don't need a full 2 hours of boost, which is the default, maybe set that at 30 minutes, and if your bms shuts down before charging terminates, you can reduce the boost voltage to 14.2 or 14.1. The default 14.4 is max for lifepo. 13.4V is a good float setting for supplying loads. Set equalization to zero.

I have two controller parameter files I can upload to my SCC - one for when the RV is in storage, not in use, and one for when we're actually traveling in it and using power every day. The 'away' settings charge more aggressively and to a higher SOC, and the 'storage' settings let it sag back and maintain at about 60-70% SOC.

If the battery bms terminates charging before the SCC does, you can adjust the peak voltage and duration. Float should maintain your loads once the battery is 100%.

A cheap way to keep track is with a shunt meter. Cheap or good, either way you should at least have something, since battery resting voltage is really hard to tell exact state of charge. A shunt will count coulombs of energy in and out, you set it to 100% when the battery is fully charged, and it keeps track as you discharge and recharge, giving you a percentage of charge level. They're very slick.

Couple of other good threads on Tracer programming:

Epever question regarding "SolarStation" for PC

I have 1 Epever running for a while, had programmed it with the Solar Station for PC Now i have a 2nd one I'm ready to commission. They are both AN6415. Problem is.. I thought i'd be smart and Export the settings from the 1st one, and "save as.." Well, I linked up to the 2nd unit, and tried to...

diysolarforum.com

Struggling with basic LiFePO4 settings in Epever Tracer

Hello all. I am struggling to justify some basic LiFePO4 charging parameters, and relate them to how to set up my Epever Tracer 2215BN. The Epever has many charge parameters geared toward charging older chemistries. This is very confusing to apply to LiFePO4, and the fact that terminologies and...

diysolarforum.com

Just setting up my Epever 4120AN. Could you share the 2 different text files you use for storage and full

 

[Browneye]

Just setting up my Epever 4120AN. Could you share the 2 different text files you use for storage and full

These are pretty close to what I've been running for the past year. We spent two weeks onboard with the 'away' settings and it worked perfectly.
The 'storage' setting is perfect for when the unit is parked - maintains the battery at 60-80%.

I am also pleased with max temperatures - we've had 100* plus temps for over a week now, nighttime dropping to about 75, and the battery reached 92*, well within operating range.

Keep in mind you may need to tweak settings to suit your particular battery(s), capacity, load use, or any voltage drop inherent in your circuit, etc.
For example, my SCC has about a ten foot run to the battery, with a variety of wire sizes and bus connections, and a switching circuit breaker. I know I get some voltage drop, and although it's not excessive it still has to be accounted for in charge voltages. The main thing is that you're not bouncing off the bms high voltage cutoff, but getting a full charge.

Storage settings:



Away/travel settings - active use:

 

[ianganderton]

These are pretty close to what I've been running for the past year. We spent two weeks onboard with the 'away' settings and it worked perfectly.
The 'storage' setting is perfect for when the unit is parked - maintains the battery at 60-80%.

I am also pleased with max temperatures - we've had 100* plus temps for over a week now, nighttime dropping to about 75, and the battery reached 92*, well within operating range.

Keep in mind you may need to tweak settings to suit your particular battery(s), capacity, load use, or any voltage drop inherent in your circuit, etc.
For example, my SCC has about a ten foot run to the battery, with a variety of wire sizes and bus connections, and a switching circuit breaker. I know I get some voltage drop, and although it's not excessive it still has to be accounted for in charge voltages. The main thing is that you're not bouncing off the bms high voltage cutoff, but getting a full charge.

Storage settings:



Away/travel settings - active use:

Awesome. Thank you

Is there a key setting that affects the percentage of charge?

 

[ianganderton]

I see you’ve got the boost times different for each. Is there a reason for that?

I’ve read that 10 is the minimum the charger will go to.

I’m keen to minimise boost time

 

[Browneye]

A lower charge voltage means it will take longer to reach full charge, and vice versa.

A higher boost voltage charges faster, but can cause cells to overvolt the bms.

You have to experiment with what works for your system.

 

[ianganderton]

I’ve been collating data from a few posts into a spreadsheet

 

[Browneye]

Some charging logic...
Know that over volt shouldn't really be necessary, as it's supposed to charge no higher than your boost or float voltage. But EPEver's have been known to run over a bit, so it should be set a half a volt or so over your boost setting. I quit bothering with changing mine and just left it at the default, why I have differing voltages in my two parameter files. My 30A charger never over-volts the battery, it goes to float as soon as the boost voltage is hit.

Equalization is not used for lifepo4 - it will auto-set for whatever you set your boost voltage to. Set the duration to zero.

Boost and float are really all that is used - and then re-boost when you want the charge cycle to start over. The rest of everything is handled by your BMS. But boost and float are what will charge and maintain your battery. If it goes to float before the battery gets fully charged, you can extend the boost duration until you get to where you want to be. The lower your boost voltage setting, the longer duration you'll need to get to full charge. You can fully charge at battery at 13.6 or 13.8, it just takes a really long time as your controller limits current as the battery comes up to that voltage. My storage setting never fully charges the battery, the duration isn't long enough, so it just sits around 55-85% SOC.

In float it will also adjust current to support any loads. It won't need to boost again unless you drain the battery down to the reboost level. A slightly higher float is better for this purpose - supporting loads. At a lower setting you'll get a lower SOC before boost kicks back in and charges it all the way back up. And you usually get a little voltage sag at the battery with loads, so that is reflected in the float setting as well.

I've spent hours and days watching how the controller and battery interact, and tweak the parameters till I get it to do what I want. It took me a long time to discover the same thing that Aussie guys tests for on his YT channel. We separately arrived at the same conclusions. There are a couple of forum members that have good basic parameters to start from. The PC app is very slick for quick and easy changes, and for monitoring activity. I've even hooked up a tablet and just leave it, watch it do its thing.

Then you coordinate all your other charge sources to dovetail with it. I have a 12V converter/charger for shorepower or generator, and a dc-to-dc charger for when driving. Everything together keeps me charged when and if needed. My Orion is set quite low - I don't need it peaking up the battery every time I start the engine. When we travel we stop every hour or two for a break - the charger restarts its charge cycle every time it's powered on.

 

[ianganderton]

Boost and float are really all that is used

My understanding is the bulk (constant current) phase is the one that does the heavy lifting and that boost and float are lead acid specific

 

[mikefitz]

The Epever settings are for both charging and load output.
Thus the 'overvolt disconnect/reconnect' is for the load controlled output and is not involved in the battery charging process in any way.
Boost voltage is indeed the major influence on charging, regard this as the 'target voltage' that terminates the bulk stage of charging.
Boost duration is the absorbtion period at a constant 'boost' voltage.

 

[Browneye]

Boost = bulk
Everyone seems to have a different label for it. It's constant volt charging till the battery reaches that voltage, then current tapers for the 'boost duration' before dropping to your 'float' voltage.

If boost-bulk voltage is set too high or for too long, your can get cells that reach full and shoot up - your bms will shut down charging.
If the voltage is too low, it will drop to float before the battery is fully charged, and so some duration can keep charging at the fixed voltage you set.

High or low charge voltage both work, it just takes longer at a lower voltage as current tapers as the battery reaches the boost voltage.