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Old 15-12-2012, 12:45   #1
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Victron 12/2000/80

Help - I dont think my charger is functioning properly and needs to be adjusted.
I have 630AH AGM batteries and at 50% discharge I am only getting at best, 62-63 amps chg and about 13.2v according to my Blue Sky IPN. This is in bulk and when it goes to absorption, it still reads about the same until the batteries are up to appox 80% chg. Why am I not getting the full 80amp in bulk? The batteries are about one yr old and I have never equalized them.
Any suggestions?
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Old 15-12-2012, 13:13   #2
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Re: Victron 12/2000/80

How are you determining 50% discharge? If it is via the IPN, then it could be way off.
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Old 15-12-2012, 13:53   #3
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Re: Victron 12/2000/80

Has this changed with time? Did you ever get max current? The Victron Multiplus (not sure if that's what you have) has adjustable maximum charge; some of them apparently come set to be limited to 75%.

To Paul: Shouldn't matter -- at 13.2 volts the charger should be putting out max current.
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Old 15-12-2012, 13:54   #4
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Re: Victron 12/2000/80

How is your Victron programmed? There's a setting to regulate the maximum charge amperage as a percentage of charger capacity. Sometimes, this is set to, e.g., 80% which would be about right for what you're seeing.

Mine is set to 80% on a Victron 12/2500/120 or about 100A maximum charge from a charger capable of up to 120A.

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Old 15-12-2012, 13:55   #5
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Re: Victron 12/2000/80

Oops...Dockhead and I posted at the same time. Great minds, and all that :-)

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Old 15-12-2012, 18:45   #6
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Re: Victron 12/2000/80

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..... I am only getting at best, 62-63 amps chg
Maybe you have 17-18 amps of house running at the same time?
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Old 16-12-2012, 14:02   #7
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Re: Victron 12/2000/80

Yes Paul, that is per my Blue Sky IPN.
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Old 16-12-2012, 14:16   #8
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Re: Victron 12/2000/80

Thanks everyone. The charger is new to me having had Xantrex in my last boat. I had a boat electrician install everything just a few months ago and must admit I have a lot to learn about my system.
I have not done any adjustments to the charger and cannot figure out how its done. I did set the max Absorption value with the Blue Sky to 14.4v and left the float as is. I did not find the option to set max bulk and not even sure if the IPN is connected in such a way that it will regulate the Victron. The IPN was installed to monitor the solar and was under the impression that it controlled all inputs and outputs DC as we also installed a shunt on the neg on the batteries.
My main grip is that I am not getting all 80amp from my 80amp charger and having to run the genset too much. Hell, I think I would have to run the genny two days to get the batterys to 100%.
I dont think the lack of charge is a result of running other thing at time I am charging. Of course I do sometimes but not while I'm trying to trouble shoot the charger.
Big thanks to all the help.
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Old 16-12-2012, 16:11   #9
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Re: Victron 12/2000/80

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Yes Paul, that is per my Blue Sky IPN.
Then it is suspect. These pretty easily get out of synch with the actual battery state. Especially if you haven't done a 100% charge that causes it to reset recently. Does your at rest battery voltsge seem to match up with the 50% down?
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Old 17-12-2012, 07:16   #10
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Re: Victron 12/2000/80

The batteries were brought to a full charge about 10 days ago and yes, at 50% I'm showing about 12.2v. I suppose I could do some additional tests going straight to the batteries with a multimeter but I do think the reading I'm getting from the Blue Sky are correct.
I did read that default is 75% max chg (?????) but cannot change that setting.
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Old 17-12-2012, 07:53   #11
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Re: Victron 12/2000/80

I would strongly recommend getting the Victron serial adapter to set all the settings from a laptop. The simple Victron dip switch design is horrible and easily allows the user to make errors. With this tool you can actually make more adjustments than with the dip switches, and there is a help file which fully explains what each setting does.
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Old 17-12-2012, 09:52   #12
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Re: Victron 12/2000/80

Sailinglegend - I have a Digital Multi Control but I find it most difficult to use. Were you able to change the charging current with your laptop? And are you charging in bulk at the max or 75% ?
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Old 17-12-2012, 09:56   #13
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Re: Victron 12/2000/80

Dockhead - no, have never seen anything better than about 62amps. Yes, it is a Multi plus compact and did read in the book that by default, it is only charging 75%
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Old 17-12-2012, 10:06   #14
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Re: Victron 12/2000/80

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Sailinglegend - I have a Digital Multi Control but I find it most difficult to use. Were you able to change the charging current with your laptop? And are you charging in bulk at the max or 75% ?
I find the external laptop control so much easier. You can change everything, and you can save the setups, so if you want to change your winter absorption times, or set up for equalizing then just save and load the settings when you need them.

We are at full 100% current. but you may only ever see this going into a battery if they are heavily depleted.
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Old 17-12-2012, 10:14   #15
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Re: Victron 12/2000/80

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I find the external laptop control so much easier. You can change everything, and you can save the setups, so if you want to change your winter absorption times, or set up for equalizing then just save and load the settings when you need them.

We are at full 100% current. but you may only ever see this going into a battery if they are heavily depleted.
By heavily depleted, do you mean less than 50% discharge?
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