Renogy Rover Lithium settings

[JWLV]

Today, my Rover 40A MPPT charge controller actually went into Float Mode! I am using the settings that SolarShed suggested.
Here are a couple of screenshots. While in Float Mode, the current from the solar panels was limited to < 1A, whereas I would normally get around 6A or 7A in MPPT mode at this time of day.

I have a feeling that I may have been frying my batteries using the Renogy Default settings for Lithium batteries because it was a higher voltage and the fact that it has never gone to Float Mode for the entire time. It was pumping in 7A when the batteries don't want any more. But then the batteries BMS did not disconnect either. So... Hard to say!

 

[SolarShed]

Today, my Rover 40A MPPT charge controller actually went into Float Mode! I am using the settings that SolarShed suggested.
Here are a couple of screenshots. While in Float Mode, the current from the solar panels was limited to < 1A, whereas I would normally get around 6A or 7A in MPPT mode at this time of day.

I have a feeling that I may have been frying my batteries using the Renogy Default settings for Lithium batteries because it was a higher voltage and the fact that it has never gone to Float Mode for the entire time. It was pumping in 7A when the batteries don't want any more. But then the batteries BMS did not disconnect either. So... Hard to say!

that's impressive that you managed to get your battery to float! Especially considering that you have the float=boost=equalize, I didn't think that would be possible.

Do you mind letting me know the build-date of your Rover? The sticker is on the top and there is also another identification piece starts with a "V" something, which I assume its the firmware. I'm just trying to figure our if there is a hardware difference or system difference, here.

I still have yet to see float on my Rover.

You may wish to change your float value to a lower value than boost=equalize, but too be honest...if its working....don't touch it lol!

I don't think you ruined your batteries by the way, because your right, the BMSs job is to do that. I think what we doing here is turning a 5 year battery into a 10 year battery, or a 10 year battery into a 15 year battery....I think your battery will perform at least what the manufacturer said it would do.

 

[Bob142]

Today, my Rover 40A MPPT charge controller actually went into Float Mode!

Wow.

1. What is the value of your Boost Charge Time setting?
2. How does the Boost Charge Time setting compare with how much time it actually took to get to float?
3. Would you be willing to change your Float Charge Volt to 13.5V and see if it goes into float mode?

 

[JWLV]

The Boost time is set to 60 mins. The equalize time is set to 0 mins. My equalize, boost, float charge voltage values are exactly the same (13.8v). It will never go to equalize (because equalize time is set to 0). It probably did go to Boost mode (for 60 minutes) but I didn’t see it. Then it went to float and that’s when I noticed it.

 

[JWLV]

I changed the float voltage to 13.5 (was 13.8) and the Rover switched to MPPT charge mode. It did not go to Boost mode.

The label at the top of my Rover shows a date 2019.05 and the other number is V010305.

Btw my Rover is the gray version, not the black version. The gray version is the Positive ground and the black version is the Negative ground.

I bought the gray version because it was much cheaper than the black version at the time.

 

[SolarShed]

I changed the float voltage to 13.5 (was 13.8) and the Rover switched to MPPT charge mode. It did not go to Boost mode.

The label at the top of my Rover shows a date 2019.05 and the other number is V010305.

Btw my Rover is the gray version, not the black version. The gray version is the Positive ground and the black version is the Negative ground.

I bought the gray version because it was much cheaper than the black version at the time.

Thanks for this information. This is interesting.

To be honest, I kind of of prefer having the float as the same voltage as the boost (and equalize with it set to 0) because in the day time, when I use my inverter the battery is doing nothing (0 amps going in and 0 amps going out according to the BMS), all the power is coming from the panels (unless a clouds come). If float was at a lower voltage, it would use the power from the battery. It's either use your battery when you don't have to (during lots of sun), or have it sit at a voltage higher than float...its a trade-off I guess. The video I posted above "Using default LiFePO4 settings for Bulk, Absorption and Float? Probably not..." really talks about this. I think by lowering it to 13.8, its way better than 14.4 and doesn't seem to affect my battery performance at all.

So far the profile that you are using @JWLV (where float=boost=equalize and boost=60 min) is working well for me.

 

[SolarShed]

FYI.

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/the-new-tesla-recommendation-for-the-cars-with-lfp-batteries-changes-everything-you-know-177815.html

 

[Alexank]

Today, my Rover 40A MPPT charge controller actually went into Float Mode! I am using the settings that SolarShed suggested.
Here are a couple of screenshots. While in Float Mode, the current from the solar panels was limited to < 1A, whereas I would normally get around 6A or 7A in MPPT mode at this time of day.

I have a feeling that I may have been frying my batteries using the Renogy Default settings for Lithium batteries because it was a higher voltage and the fact that it has never gone to Float Mode for the entire time. It was pumping in 7A when the batteries don't want any more. But then the batteries BMS did not disconnect either. So... Hard to say!

Well that seem weird, your battery bank appears to be 24v yet you seem to have been using settings for a 12v bank?

To everyone else, I just read through this thread after noticing my Rover 40 also seems to be in continuous boost if allowed to do so.
As that seems to be a bug I actually disconnect the array and manually manage the soc of the batteries when my van is parked at home I normally let them discharge down to about 50% taken from my Aili as I find the built in BT BMS monitor to be unreliable.

Ironically I replaced a perfectly adequate Epever Tracer with the Rover because it supposedly had an Li profile!

Maybe Renogy think if they cook the batteries via an overly aggressive profile they will sell more!

 

[Dynoman]

Well that seem weird, your battery bank appears to be 24v yet you seem to have been using settings for a 12v bank?

To everyone else, I just read through this thread after noticing my Rover 40 also seems to be in continuous boost if allowed to do so.
As that seems to be a bug I actually disconnect the array and manually manage the soc of the batteries when my van is parked at home I normally let them discharge down to about 50% taken from my Aili as I find the built in BT BMS monitor to be unreliable.

Ironically I replaced a perfectly adequate Epever Tracer with the Rover because it supposedly had an Li profile!

Maybe Renogy think if they cook the batteries via an overly aggressive profile they will sell more!

I have the Renogy Rover 40 using it successfully with user battery settings and Lifepo4 cells. Possibly I could be of some assistance?

 

[Alexank]

I have the Renogy Rover 40 using it successfully with user battery settings and Lifepo4 cells. Possibly I could be of some assistance?

I am ok with doing diy settings thanks, I am just a bit surprised and rather cross that by default the Renogy Rover lithium profile seemed, to me, to be completely wrong.

It was interesting to find this thread where other people have noticed this as well.

 

[Alexank]

@SolarShed & @Bob142
I have been experimenting with my Rover 40 as it too never seems to come out of bulk ever and I really don’t like it sticking the Li profile default of 14.4v in the battery all day.

First thing I realised was yet another limitation of the awful DCHome app.
The default Li profile switches the controller from auto to 12v

This prevents correctly setting the voltages via the user profile.Some values I entered were not being saved.

Changing the voltage to Auto corrected that problem and the user settings then saved exactly as entered.

Second problem is the user settings are limited not everything is shown.
You can’t see or turn off temperature compensation which for Li is essential.

So exit DCHome app and load up old Renogy BT app

Prat about for a while getting it to connect, read settings and then adjust as required. Job done.

For an experiment I have set boost (and the redundant equalisation) to 13.8v and float to 13.4v

The boost duration can not be set below 10 minutes.

Oddly there is not actually a bulk voltage setting in either app!

 

[Alexank]

Well a short amount of charging later and my battery is at just over 99% according to DCHOME and my Aili monitor

The Rover is now displaying 13.4v and float so it’s now doing what I want it too.
First time I have ever seen the thing in Float!

It’s important to understand it’s not a real float, there’s no current flowing the Rover is simply holding the battery at 13.4v rather than the far too aggressive 14.4v default

I will probably alter the actual bulk/boost charge voltage according to how I am using my van.

The gradual increase in voltage as the battery charges to the preset cut off point effectively determines the amount of current supplied before it switches to boost/absorption at that point the voltage remains constant and as the battery nears 100% the current tails off

When just parked on my drive I really don’t need the battery being forced to 100% rapidly by excessive voltage all day so instead I will settle on a voltage that’s just about right!

However when camping I may up the voltage slightly simply to make better use of available solar

 

[Alexank]

Ps I’ve only set the absorption time to 10 minutes for the porpoise of the test, in reality the lower the voltage being used the longer the absorption will take to get to a required Soc.

This probably explains why the Renogy default is 14.4 as it is for rapid charging to a high Soc.

My battery yesterday was already above 90% Soc when I started, if I discharge it heavily over the next few days with the panels disconnected then reconnect I may find the Soc only goes up to say 70-80% at 13.8v before the controller switches to absorption.

This behaviour is demonstrated here

 

[wmgeorge]

My garage/shop is set up, most of it anyway on my 600 watt Renogy solar system with the 40 amp Rover and set at the default for the LiFePO4 batteries which have a built in BMS. I see it in "float" a lot since I sometimes do not use my shop. The BMS keeps the batteries from overcharging. This was all new this year.

 

[Moby0520]

Should I just use the LI setting on the river 20am. Seems like the charging voltage is only 13.5. Will it hurt anything leaving it there , is it still actually charging the battery? And mine says bulk charging but battery is 100%

 

[MisterSandals]

Should I just use the LI setting on the river 20am. Seems like the charging voltage is only 13.5. Will it hurt anything leaving it there , is it still actually charging the battery? And mine says bulk charging but battery is 100%

You will likely get a better result with your own thread but i will indulge since this one has been dormant.

Are you using the Li setting now and its set to 13.5V? seems odd.
The Rover is showing that it is charging in bulk mode and battery at 100%? also seems odd.

Have any pics of the display and settings?

 

[Moby0520]

You will likely get a better result with your own thread but i will indulge since this one has been dormant.

Are you using the Li setting now and its set to 13.5V? seems odd.
The Rover is showing that it is charging in bulk mode and battery at 100%? also seems odd.

Have any pics of the display and settings?

 

[Moby0520]

As of now since it’s dark this is all I can see . I don’t think I can see Renogy LI parameters . If I tried the user setting maybe it will allow me to use advanced setting

 

[MisterSandals]

As of now since it’s dark this is all I can see . I don’t think I can see Renogy LI parameters . If I tried the user setting maybe it will allow me to use advanced setting

Did you read this thread?
Everything you need should be in posts #12 - #21 of this thread.

Lots of other stuff you could learn from real experienced users thru this entire thread.

 

[Dynoman]

As of now since it’s dark this is all I can see . I don’t think I can see Renogy LI parameters . If I tried the user setting maybe it will allow me to use advanced setting

Renogy Rover LI parameters should not be used for Lifepo4 batteries as they are too aggressive. User settings should be used.

A suggestion would be to click the link below and read this message and then read the entire thread. There is significant information on the Renogy Rover MPPT solar charge controller.
Hope it helps...

Renogy 40a mppt Li settings

Thanks for the info, I get no heat from the 2 awg wire so that's good for me. Just ordered a 40a circuit breaker to go between the charge controller and batteries plus the Blue Sea 5191 terminal block and 200a fuse today. The 8 guage is less than 2 feet and I did find a little heat when the...

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