How does the SmartSolar know my battery is LiFePO4?

Question

question

pmikep asked Feb 27, '21

How does the SmartSolar know my battery is LiFePO4?

This isn't a big deal, as my SmartSolar seems to work fine.

But out of curiosity, on "page" 11 of my SmartSolar manual it says,

(Update: I don't know why the forum won't let my links show. It's

https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Manual-SmartSolar-charge-controller-MPPT-150-35-EN-NL-FR-DE-ES-SE-IT-.pdf )

--------------

Reset of the charge algorithm:

The default setting for restarting the charge cycle is

Vbatt < (Vfloat – 0,4V) for lead -acid, and Vbatt < (Vfloat – 0,1V)

for LiFePO4 batteries, during 1 minute.

--------------

Okay, that's fine if one uses the default LiFePO4 setting. (Or, alternatively, Position 7 via the rotary switch with the battery type set to "Rotary.")

But I'll bet most of us have modified at least one setting in the default, which then changes the type of battery to "User Defined."

So, is my SmartSolar using 0.4V for the reset? Or 0.1V?

In this case of "User Defined," does the SmartSolar know that my batteries are still LiFePO4?

MPPT Controllers Lithium Battery

2 |3000

Attachments: Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

seb71 answered · Feb 27, 2021 at 08:23 PM

When using "User defined" as battery preset, you can set the re-bulk voltage offset yourself (you have to enable "Expert mode").

1

2 |3000

Attachments: Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

pmikep commented · Feb 27, 2021 at 08:27 PM

You're correct. I found the answer while you were typing.

0 ·

Modifications Space

Node Red Space

Answer 1 · 2021-02-27T20:26:11Z

pmikep answered · Feb 27, 2021 at 08:26 PM

I feel kind of stupid now. The answer is found (buried?) in this document:

https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/MPPT_Solar_Charge_Controllers/VictronConnect_-_MPPT_Solar_Charge_Controllers-en.pdf

You have to go into the Expert Mode in the Battery Settings of the VictonConnect app. From there you can manually set the re-bulk voltage. (See the text starting at the bottom of page 10, continuing to p 11.)

2 |3000

Attachments: Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

Answer 2 · 2021-02-28T09:41:36Z

kalito answered · Feb 28, 2021 at 09:41 AM

Dealing with lithium batteries with a BMS it is best that the battery controls the smart solar (external control). In my case I have my Smart Solar connected to the CerboGX via VEDirect and the lithium battery (SolarMD 7.4kWh) BMS connected to the CerboGX via VECAN, Manual settings in the SmartSolar are set for safety reasons. So the battery BMS tells the SmartSolar how to charge the battery. If the VEDirect cable is removed the CerboGx sounds an alarm and the SS stops working!

2 |3000

Attachments: Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

question