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MPPT prematurely going into Float mode

BeGin

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Joined
Dec 10, 2020
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Solar - premature MPPT Float - Solved by Battle Born Support

Neither my local solar equipment supplier nor Victron Energy could solve my MPPT prematurely going into Float mode preventing my batteries from charging fully.

I had bought two Battle Born batteries (BB10012), 4 solar panels, Victron Energy SmartSolar 100/30 and Victron Energy SmartShunt from a large local solar company for my travel trailer. Once I installed the system, I was not able to charge my batteries properly with the SmartSolar going to Float mode prematurely and therefore only maintaining the batteries at a partial charge. Repeated testing and email exchanges back and forth with my original supplier, who I remind you sold me both the Victron Energy equipment and Battle Born batteries, left me with no solution. Victron’s website redirected me back to my retailer so no help there. (An aside, I would seriously hesitate to buy Victron Energy equipment again as their support to an end customer is non-existent.)

My problem was my system could not charge the batteries over a complete day of good sunshine. I was sure my problem was settings in either the SmartSolar or SmartShunt but didn’t know what settings to change.

One day’s (there were many days lol) testing situation as an example:
“This morning the batteries were at 12.91 V and 19% state of charge (as displayed via Victron app ) from the Victron SmartShunt. However, the SmartSolar was in Float mode and only putting out 13.5 V (as displayed in Victron app) and 94 watts. If I put a load (eg kettle) on the system the power and current display from the SmartSolar would increase but the panel output would decrease again once I removed the load. Therefore, I knew the panels had the capability to generate more power. During 4 hours of good sunlight my battery charge remained at 19% and voltage at battery is 12.93V ie did not increase significantly as shown in the Victron app”

I turned to the Battle Born website and found settings more compatible to my Battle Born batteries for both the SmartSolar and SmartShunt. This helped a bit but the SmartSolar was still prematurely going into Float mode. I could only get a greater charge into batteries by custom setting a high Float voltage on the SmartSolar. This wasn’t adequate as batteries charged very slowly and not to a high enough voltage.

I contacted Battle Born directly at info@battlebornbatteries.com and was immediately engaged in their Support system with Brandon Newman. A few email exchanges to familiarize himself with my system and his solution solved my problem. The ‘setting’, required by my system, was to engage both the SmartSolar and SmartShunt into the VE Smart Network enabling the SmartSolar to receive both the battery voltage and current readings from the SmartShunt. This solved my prematurely entering a Float mode on the SmartSolar. I am now getting full SmartSolar output current and my Battle Born batteries are charging fully and as quickly as I expected.

Without this support from Dragonfly/Battle Born, I would have been left very frustrated without a functional system. I felt my original supplier of the equipment was unable to help and Victron Energy left me abandoned. I thank my lucky stars I bought the Battle Born batteries and was able to turn to Dragonfly/Battle Born for help.
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