Can't Get Amp Hours on Link 2000 to Read Zero

[s/v Sunsets]

We have a Freedom25 and Link200 on a 440ah house battery bank (2 8D gel-cells). We are sailing the Virgin Islands this winter so we no longer hook to shore power like we have in the past. To recharge the batteries, I usually run the genset when the AmpHrs reading gets down to about -120, which is once or twice a day. The system will go into float mode within about 15-20 minutes. But I can never get the amphrs meter above -70 or so.

I read the manual and it said once the panel indicated FLOAT, the batteries were charged, so I reset the panel manually yesterday. It doesn't really seem to have made a difference.

I read on another forum that I should change the defaults on the charging voltage and percentage to from 13.4 to 15 and 2% to 1%.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

[Cumajacabeel]

Sunsets, We have the exact same problem, but our equipment is different. We have a Xantrex 2412 and tri-metric metering system, that shows amp-hours used voltage etc. We do not have the ability to change the charging defaults.

We have solar, wind and a generator. When we get up in the morning the meter shows 150 amp-hours down, 80% full and 12.0 volts. We start the generator and it cranks in 50+ amps for perhaps 15-20 minutes and then goes back to float mode charging at 20 amps, even though the amp-hours read 100 down, 85% full and 13.0 volts.

We have gone through all the basics of checking connections, water etc and everything is good.

We tried equalizing this morning and it will not go into a consistent equalizing mode. It will pump in 50 amps and then pull back to 20 amps, then 2-3 minutes later it will do the same thing. We read that we must be fully charged to do the equalization process, but we would have to run the generator for the entire day to potentially get there.

Perhaps with two of us out here, someone can help us both find a solution

We are also in the VI in St Thomas. Where are you? If your in the area hail us (Dragonfly) on channel 16.


Al

[PamlicoTraveler]

I have to constantly reset the Amp Hours to 0 on the link 2000 - not sure why and I guess it makes the monitoring less meaningful. But when it gets to "float" I have to assume the batteries are charged. If I were to leave the charger on the Amp Hrs don't reset.

So, I'm following this thead too....