Victron installation questions.

[Bycrick]

The current system:

4 Trojan L-16 lead-acid batteries rated 880 Ah. Equalization voltage 16.2 volts.

Victron Multiplus II inverter charger.

I’ve been unable to get the equalization voltage to anything near 16.2 volts.

My dealer has pointed out that the manual states that equalization CURRENT is limited to 25% of the maximum charger output, which is 30 amps. Even when the batteries have been charged until the tail current is down to about 20 amps, when put on equalize the voltage only gets to about 15.2.

I’m sure there’s something I’m missing. What settings do I need to change to get this to do a decent equalization?

Rick

[AlvyLad]

Originally Posted by Bycrick

The current system:

4 Trojan L-16 lead-acid batteries rated 880 Ah. Equalization voltage 16.2 volts.

Victron Multiplus II inverter charger.

I’ve been unable to get the equalization voltage to anything near 16.2 volts.

My dealer has pointed out that the manual states that equalization CURRENT is limited to 25% of the maximum charger output, which is 30 amps. Even when the batteries have been charged until the tail current is down to about 20 amps, when put on equalize the voltage only gets to about 15.2.

I’m sure there’s something I’m missing. What settings do I need to change to get this to do a decent equalization?

Rick

By no means I'm an expert, but acid batteries can not be equalised, except for/to charge them up and measure up their output, to find the weakest or the best one...
+ also, acid battery continued- constant charge is safe up to 15.6V, whilst battery shouldn't be higher than 14.9V
(at least in normal car acid battery electrics)

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by AlvyLad

By no means I'm an expert, but acid batteries can not be equalised, except for/to charge them up and measure up their output, to find the weakest or the best one...
+ also, acid battery continued- constant charge is safe up to 15.6V, whilst battery shouldn't be higher than 14.9V
(at least in normal car acid battery electrics)

Quite the opposite. Lead-Acid batteries can and should be equalized. It helps to reduce sulphation, and equalizes the individual cells to the same SOC.

Just like as the battery is in bulk mode, the voltage should rise. It will not be at 16.2 volts instantly. Proceed with the equalization, and monitor the acid level and temperature. It should slowly boil. Even if it never gets to 16.2, if you complete the eq. time, it probably worked fine.

[CharlieJ]

My house bank consisted of 12 Trojan T105s in series/parallel. 36 individual cells!

Equalizing a FLA battery is a long, and fairly detailed process. You don’t just push the “Equalize” button and walk away. Typically it took > 6 hours for the bank to complete equalizing.

The only metric to determine if an equalization has been successful is to take hydrometer readings of each cell on a regular basis (I used to take a round of readings every 1 hr and then every ½ hour as the SG increase slowed) and watch as the specific gravity of each of the cell starts to converge on a value. Equalizing is done when the specific gravity stops rising and all of the cells are within the SG spec.

Read the Trojan Battery Maintenance Guide: https://www.trojanbattery.com/resour...ry-maintenance

[Bycrick]

I obviously didn’t make my qustion clean.

I’ve been using Trojan L-16 batteries since 2002. My two previous chargers, an old pre-Xantrex Prosine and an Outback, of similar specification, both would start equalizing at about 75-80 amps. The Victron MP II is apparently limited to 30 amps in equalize. That seems arbitrarily low and makes the equalization take a lot of generator run time. So:

1. Why is the equalize current set to such a low value?
2. Is there any way to increase it?

Rick

[Baronkrak]

Originally Posted by AlvyLad

By no means I'm an expert, but acid batteries can not be equalised, except for/to charge them up and measure up their output, to find the weakest or the best one...
+ also, acid battery continued- constant charge is safe up to 15.6V, whilst battery shouldn't be higher than 14.9V
(at least in normal car acid battery electrics)

Yes you are right some manufacturers even recommend no more than 14.5V.