question

rolling-rolling avatar image
rolling-rolling asked

smart mppt 100/15 showing different battery voltage to actual battery voltage

just installed this smart controller about 3 weeks ago. The victron connect app always shows .5 to 1 volt higher on the battery than our on board gauges and multi meter. This means it is changing to absorbation too soon and just now stayed in float mode when switching on the invertor and watching our on board gauge show the battery dropping from 13 to 12.10 whilst the victron app never changed from showing battery volts around 13.60.


Thanks for any input on this

mppt charging
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9 Answers
klim8skeptic avatar image
klim8skeptic answered ·

It would seem that the fuse between the mppt and battery has blown.

Thin or long wires between the mppt and battery will cause voltage drop.

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rolling-rolling avatar image
rolling-rolling answered ·

The fuse is good as it wouldn't charge if the fuse was vblown. The victron controller is live and moves from bulk to absorbation to float... Our issue is that the app displays a higher voltage for the battery throughout the Day, thus moving into absorbation mode too soon because it thinks the battery is over 14 volts when it's only in the low thirteens. Our multi meter also displays at the battery input on the victron the same incorrect voltage. Does any one know why there is a discrepancy in the battery voltage readings between the victron dashboard and our multi meter and 2 other gauges we have that display leisure battery voltage.



Thank you


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kevgermany avatar image
kevgermany answered ·

The victron app reports what the MPPT says. Probably the voltage difference comes from a poor connection or cabling between the mppt and the batteries.

Did you check the voltage on the mppt output terminals while charging?

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Rob Fijn avatar image
Rob Fijn answered ·

Yes, this is because of cable and or connections where voltage is lost due to resistance.
If the proper wire diameter is used, then make sure the wire terminations are good and clean.
When a high current goes through the cable/connections the resistance change..

Rob

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kevgermany avatar image kevgermany ♦♦ commented ·
Resistance doesn't change, but voltage drop increases with the current.
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rolling-rolling avatar image
rolling-rolling answered ·

Hi guys. Could someone tell me what is the recommended cable size to use between mppt and our led acid battery. 100 /15 model and what amp fuse to use inline, I would assume a 15amp fuse. What is the maximum length of cable before the connection starts to become weak ?.

Thank you for your input.

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abqld avatar image
abqld answered ·

Hi, did you ever solve this issue?
im having the same issue on my boat.
MPPT showing roughly .5v higher than battery monitor and multimeter at batteries and switching to Float prematurely.

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kevgermany avatar image kevgermany ♦♦ commented ·
Check the output voltage at the MPPT with a meter. You're looking to see if there's a poor connection/high resistance between battery and MPPT. Same check across fuses and any connections. And look forvoltage drop in the boat cabling.
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willswansen avatar image
willswansen answered ·

I have a 75/15 smart controller. The voltage on the app is 13.24v and the actual voltage is 13.00 volt. The battery went into float prematurely. The cables are fine, no loose connections anywhere to be found. A friend had the same issue today. His voltage diff is 0.23 and mine is 0.24. The max PV voltage and power average, over the past few days, are very close. Any advice will be appreciated.

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delf67 avatar image
delf67 answered ·

When you say the "actual voltage" is 13V, how do you know, according to what? Is it possible that whatever is giving the 13V reading is incorrect and the 13.24V is correct? If it is a multimeter you are using, what reading does it give on the battery terminals of the MPPT? If it doesn't agree with the reported voltage in the app, then the multimeter is at fault. If it agrees with the app then the other possibility is volt drop in the cable.

Volt drop is proportional to the length of the cable multiplied by the current flowing in it. What size is the cable, how long and what was the current flow at the time the voltage reading was taken?

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onrbikes avatar image
onrbikes answered ·

I too have the same issue on my easysolar.

24/3000/75. With a built in Victron MPPT

Voltage at batteries is .3 volt lower than what the easysolar shows.

Bolts are tight, cable is correct and short. Have used 3 different multimeters as well.

I would think if it was voltage drop, it should be higher at batteries, not lower

Then the question is, should I alter the charging voltages to compensate for this voltage difference?

The problem then is if something goes wrong the inverter history would show incorrect charging for the batteries.

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JohnC avatar image JohnC ♦ commented ·
@onrbikes

Your Easy has a Multiplus and an mppt. Both read V, compare them. From another thread, you also have a Smartshunt that reads V too. Make sure any discrepancies are investigated thoroughly, and don't overlook things like isolators or fuses which might contribute.

You should also have a working GX device. Look to it's manual for a description of DVCC, which can share a V across the whole system. No need to compensate settings anywhere with that enabled. It would normally choose the shunt as the V source, right at the batteries.


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onrbikes avatar image onrbikes JohnC ♦ commented ·
I've not installed the smartshunt yet as the cable is too short. Now waiting for that.

Since then have had serious issues with my lead avid batteries.

The shunt cable is only long enough to exit the victron unit. Annoying

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delf67 avatar image delf67 commented ·

All of the people describing this problem above were talking about it happening during charging from the MPPT, so you would expect the voltage at the MPPT to be higher than the battery voltage. You don't state when your 0.3V difference is detected.

Also, as suggested above, have you used the same meter to test the battery terminals at the MPPT and then at the battery, or are you comparing the easy solar reading to the multimeter?

0.3V on a 24V system is approx 1% discrepancy, unless you have a high-quality, calibrated meter you don't even know it's even real.

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onrbikes avatar image onrbikes delf67 commented ·
Not sure about the others, but my readings were taken in the middle of the day, when charging or in float.

I'm comparing my multimeter readings to the easysolar display.

My electrician stated the difference is so minimal it's nothing to worry about.

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nickdb avatar image nickdb ♦♦ onrbikes commented ·
300mV is nothing. There is always some loss in the system as no connection, cable or fuse is lossless.

Absolutely fine.

When there is a significant discrepancy, and one that ramps under load, then it is time to look for a culprit.

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