After updating to the latest firmware 3.65, custom mode no longer works well. The problem is with the absorption length setting, the selection is ‘fixed’, the length of this phase is not fixed but lasts indefinitely and does not go into the float phase after the time has expired.
And that can be very dangerous in certain situations!
The problem is ‘solved’ by turning on the ‘tail current’, no matter what value is set, which is contrary to the instructions for this setting. It is written there that it should not be set, if you want a fixed working time in this phase.
Fixed should be fixed, and not depend on other parameters, and even worse if it doesn’t even work! So I set it for 1 minute, it works for hours and days, if someone forgets to turn on the tail current setting.
Small hint: The tail current setting should apply if the ‘adaptive absorption’ setting is selected, where the user will use that setting to determine when the absorption phase will end, for example, for a small capacity battery, set it to 0.1A, while for a larger capacity set to 0.3A, etc.
I also found that the ‘start manual recondition’ instruction does not work. I press and nothing happens.
So far I have found this to be bugs in the new firmware, if there are any more, I will post in the same place.
Hello Banega,
Based on your description, I have attempted to reproduce your fixed absorption issue. Fixed absorption works as expected here, regardless of the tail current setting.
Please double check your settings and retest.
FYI: When fixed absorption is enabled, together with tail current, the fixed absorption time will be cut short if the current drops below the tail current.
With regards to the manual recondition not working, I see that Victron Connect shows a manual recondition button for Blue Smart IP65 Chargers, these chargers do not support manual recondition. I will look into that.
It should be checked a little better though. Before, I didn’t have any problems with custom mode, which I actually use most often. Probably over 100 cycles, and never a problem. Now there is. I will try to post the video here if it can be uploaded.
In the video, I even showed that despite the set time of 30 minutes, and the elapsed time of more than 90 minutes, it does not go into the float phase. It doesn’t even accept online changes, and if I could change it before with the old firmware, I changed it often and successfully every time.
Thank you for the video showing all your settings.
I have duplicated the settings from your video in an IP65 12/5. Still no fixed absorption issue here:
Please check if the issue persists after performing “Reset to defaults” and then applying your custom settings again.
What do you mean with the charger not accepting “online changes“?
How can you not know what online parameter change means? I hope you are not serious.
My primary job is programming industrial machines and equipment (not the microcontroller that is in your device, but the logic is very similar, only it is programmed with a different program structure and tools), but now that is not the topic.
As a hobby, I have been maintaining and servicing batteries for more than 10 years and I have several chargers, and this one of yours is just one of them. I bought it just because of the custom mode where I can properly equalize, remove stratification and charge the battery to 100%, while the charger can be exposed to wet conditions. That is why it is very suitable for these jobs. What’s more, I recommend your chargers to everyone to buy, when they ask me which charger to buy.
However, now we have a problem with the software and I know exactly what the problem is and I can help you solve it. Now I will write to you what exactly it is about, and your software developers will understand this:
It is necessary to modify the code in the program structure related to the change of the fixed time parameter, if the tail current variable is at 0! Then only the set fixed time that is loaded is valid and is compared with the elapsed real time in the absorption phase. In essence, the error is precisely that it is not possible to change the time of fixed absorption online, which I showed in the video above. Did you see that I set 30 minutes and it doesn’t accept? What is the set time inside for fixed absorption? If it’s not 30 minutes, who is it? No one knows that, because it was set before my time, and it cannot and must not be like that!
I continued to consider the problem since this morning and came to the conclusion that in order to change the time and be sure that what is written, it must be spun in another recipe (eg normal mode), and then I should go back to custom mode! So loading parameters for custom mode works only on the positive edge of the recipe change! That is not enough as a condition for proper parameterization of custom mode!
Then, imagine that someone is doing absorption at 17.5V, that’s how the constant current regime is used without ‘limiting’ the voltage, and I see that I have no progress for some time, now online I want to go back to float and let the battery rest, here it is not possible now. It no longer accepts online time change. I showed that in the video. You didn’t show it online and your picture doesn’t prove that you don’t have this issue, because if you don’t, then the problem with me is hardware, and that can’t be, because I’m 99% sure of it.
Is it okay to explain now?
In this video I will show how potentially very dangerous this software bug can be!
Description: I am removing stratification on a battery with liquid electrolyte, and I set a fixed time of 1h. However, the absorption phase does not end at the set time because of a bug in firmware v3.65.
Explanation and warning about the problem:
- The user wants to use only custom mode
-The user does not want to switch to another mode and return to custom mode every time he needs to change a parameter related to fixed absorption (because the battery is already connected and this can be an illegal action and the consequences of the battery itself) - The user does not want to use ‘reset to default settings’ every time he needs to change the fixed absorption time, because he has to re-adjust all his parameters every time! (I also didn’t check this, because it’s very possible that this won’t even affect the given fixed absorption time)
Test the problem by just using custom mode, and regardless of disconnecting the charger from the power supply and reconnecting it, you will no longer be able to change the fixed absorption time until you go to another operating mode and return to custom mode. Other parameters work (for example, setting voltage, current, etc.)
Hi Banega,
Terminology can be very personal or domain specific. It helps to avoid negative responses when asked for clarification.
With an online change, you mean changing a parameter, while the parameter is in use by the charger. In my terminology, that is an on-the-fly parameter change.
I’m responding to your thread to determine whether this is an actual issue or expected behaviour. If it turns out to be an issue, then we can address it in an upcoming firmware release.
In your initial post, you state that the fixed absorption lasts indefinitely, unless a tail current is also provided.
In your second post you state that the charger does not end the absorption despite having been in absorption for 90 minutes while the fixed absorption time is set to 30 minutes. Then you go on to add that the charger “does not even accept online changes”, making it sound like an unrelated issue.
If I understand correctly, you have the following issue:
-
Situation:
You have a Smart Charger IP65. You configured a long (e.g. 2 hours) fixed absorption time. Tail current is disabled. -
Action:
After 90 minutes in absorption, you change the fixed absorption time to 30 minutes. -
Your expectation:
The charger immediately switches from absorption to float. -
Actual result:
In v3.65 the charger goes on to finish the fixed absorption time, as set when the absorption phase started (not indefinitely).
In your previous firmware version (which version was that?), the absorption phase ended immediately, switching to float.
My negative response is due to the fact that I explain to you the obvious thing that 2+2=4, and you still claim that it is 5!
I don’t know how to explain it better when the matter is so obvious that it cannot be explained more simply. Don’t be mad at me, but it’s starting to cost me my intelligence. ))
The answer to your question:
- I set 1h, not 2h, can’t you see in the video??? The time is already exceeded!!! It is clear that more than 1 hour has passed.
- Yes, the previous firmware v3.61 worked as it should, it immediately compares the set time with the already elapsed time and moves to the next stage
And just one more important thing. I want to help you, not myself, and the reason is to avoid suing your company, due to the potential danger to life and the environment, and due to:
- heating and destruction of the battery
- electrolyte spillage and gas evaporation
-injury and danger to the health of people and pets (for example, I have a cat in the house that can come into contact with leaked acid) - potentially causing a fire!
Greetings
I have verified the fixed absorption time behaviour on v3.65 and on earlier firmware versions.
The fixed absorption time is evaluated when the absorption phase starts. Changes to the absorption timer made, while already in absorption, are applied on the next cycle.
This behaviour is consistent across firmware versions and is intentional.
As there is no technical issue to address, I consider this topic resolved.