diy solar

diy solar

Testing a charger and cells somewhat unconventionally

Freep

Solar Enthusiast
Joined
May 11, 2020
Messages
418
Location
USA
My neighbor just gave me a 30 amp DC power supply and I have a new Victron Orion-tr 12/12 30(non isolated) charger which I will install when I install my 271 ah battery which is arriving tomorrow.

I was thinking I could initially wire the cells in series and charge them for a while at 30 amps with the above charger and DC power supply. I'd wire the neg from the battery and the DC power supply to the DC charger so they are common.

This should work, right?

I'd pull the charger off and use my 10 amp supply, put the cells in parallel and lower the voltage as I got close to the knee.

If this is a bad idea, please let me know.
 
The voltage coming from the 30 amp DC power supply(which will power the Orion) is 13.6. It is not suitable for charging the cells when they are in parallel, which is why I would rewire to parallel and use the variable 10 amp charger when I start getting close to the knee.
 
lifepo4 cell votage is 2.5 to 3.65 volts.
However a constant current constant voltage charger will limit the charge voltage to limit the current.
So you can do the bulk part of the charge.
Theoretically anyways.

 
Good point SmoothJoey. This is why I thought I'd hook the victron up to the dumb DC power supply. Because I don't trust the dumb power supply and I should probably test the victron DC-DC charger anyway.
 
Back
Top