Sterling Power charger and Victron LiFePO4 NG batteries?

DIY
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I’ve just upgraded my Victron Gels to NG 200 24V batteries. My engine has an 80-amp 24V alternator which I had been running through a Sterling Power charger, which conditions the incoming current and does 2-stage charging.

The Sterling has a LiFePO4 setting, which has a slightly different charging profile from the Victron recommendation: Victron Absorption is 28.4v, the Sterling outputs 29.2; float is 27V vs 28.4v. The Sterling can’t controlled by a BMS, so is there a danger of overheating/overcharging the batteries?

I could replace the Sterling with a Victron Orion-TR DC-DC charger, but it doesn’t look like they make one that handles 80 amps - the biggest Orion-TR charger is rated 400w, which translates to about 16a at 24v. (Not sure whether the rating is for input our output current - anyone know??)

Also, I would need to connect the TR-Smart to my BMS ‘Charge Disconnect’ port, so that the BMS can shut down the charging when needed - but I also need to use the ‘Charge Disconnect’ port for my solar controller (see related post). Since the port is NH (normally high), I can’t connect both devices to it, which I could if it were normally low. Any ideas??

Thanks in advance,

  • Dave
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Sorry, can’t help regarding your Sterling charger but there is an Orion XS 1400w available now that’ll do 24v at 50 amps I believe.

3

As @drs68 states, the new Orion XS will do 50A at 24V and importantly for you, it is fully VE Direct compatible so connected to a GX device, the BMS will manage the Orion XS charging via DVCC.

I have NG batteries and they charge rapidly at the set absorption voltage which for the NG batteries is 28.0V and float at 27.0V. I recommend that you remove the Sterling, the 29.2V is well above what is required and the lack of BMS control is a red flag should there be cell overvoltage or high or low temperature.

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