Just finished a long run down the coast. Issue I am having is WS500 sometimes transitions to correct target FloatV with steady Field% and at other times tries to hold a lower V, with constantly variable Field %. This is well after the transition to Float.
at some point in the trip, after an hour or so of the lower Float V, the system corrected to the target Float V and stayed there for the rest of the trip (another 36 hrs or so)
During the beginning of the trip I made a number of changes to the program to prevent the system from going into Post Float (my best guess at what was happening. Before the start I thought I had already disabled Post Float. Once I saw this behavior I changed the time parameter to hold Float for the max 6000 hrs. But even after this change, I still saw the low V in Float, at least for an hour or so before it jumped back to the correct Float V and held it for the remainder of the trip.
Attached are some logs from the trip. If anyone has an idea what is going on, would be much appreciated.
(for those foll0wing my previous posts, the system is now correctly staying in Acceptance to the target tail current. (Thanks Ben) and the temp comp is correct.
I can only study exactly what goes wrong, when you post a full log, and point to the exact time where something goes wrong.
At your posted log, I see, regulator goes in float, and go to 0% field, because voltage need to \"\"bleed\"\" down to float voltage(26.86V).
At your posted CPE , I see you don\'t follow the advised profile from the Wakespeed website for your batteries.
Below information is made, from the charge recommendation from firefly.
From Firefly PDF, downloaded from website:
# CPE #6 FireFLy
$SCA: 0,100,1.00,0.75,0.50,0,0,0,10000,0,0,30,0@
$CPA:7 14.4,360,7,0@
$CPO:7 0, 0, 0.0, 0@
$CPF:7 13.4,-1,0,-20,0,12.0,50@
$CPE:7 14.4,0,180,3@
$CPP:7 0,0.0,0,0.0@
$CPB:7 0.024, -20, -20, 50, 0.0, -99, -99, 0, 500@
$SCN: 0,CPE 6,1234@
$SCT: 12,2.83,0,0,0@
$SCO:7,0.0,0.0,0@
If you don\'t follow the standard charge profile, you need to read the manual carefully.
At reading your CPE, I dont understand why you use a MAX amp setting in float. This is a VERY unusual setting.
Maybe your batteries need more amps than 5 to \"hold\" the floatvoltage.
START with the standard charge profile, ONLY change something, IF it needed and knowing what you like to do.
I dont like to offense, with the above, but first let us know which problem have have when you use the standard settings.
Why you use other settings?
can only study exactly what goes wrong, when you post a full log, and point to the exact time where something goes wrong.
Ok. Will do next time. I used excerpts to reduce the pages
At your posted log, I see, regulator goes in float, and go to 0% field, because voltage need to \"\"bleed\"\" down to float voltage(26.86V).
I captured well after the bleed down
At your posted CPE , I see you don\'t follow the advised profile from the Wakespeed website for your batteries.
The Firefly profile has some issues:
- PBF=0 I don’t think this is a good setting for the typical boat set-up.
- Exit amps =7 and no battery multiplier, so these both needed changes
- Battery High temp to reduced charge =-99. Better to have a real temp here
- Float = 13.4V. Correct for Firefly G31. 4V battery setting is 13.5V (minor, I agree)
If you don\'t follow the standard charge profile, you need to read the manual carefully.
At reading your CPE, I dont understand why you use a MAX amp setting in float. This is a VERY unusual setting.
I will remove the limit
Maybe your batteries need more amps than 5 to \"hold\" the floatvoltage.
Possible….i will remove the limit. Attempting to reduce risk of overcharging
START with the standard charge profile, ONLY change something, IF it needed and knowing what you like to do.
I dont like to offense, with the above, but first let us know which problem have have when you use the standard settings.
Primarily because the settings caused the system to go to float before achieving appropriate SOC and tail current (exiting @ 97% and +15A vs target of 100% and +6A). Also, issues identified above.
Thanks
Greg
As to Max A in Float, 5 A is the default in the tool.
My answer was ONLY focus on your question to solve unstable float voltage.
Therefore I copied the standard firefly profile.
Copied completely from the pdf.
But only this lines are the charge profile:
$CPA:7 14.4,360,7,0@
$CPO:7 0, 0, 0.0, 0@
$CPF:7 13.4,-1,0,-20,0,12.0,50@
$CPE:7 14.4,0,180,3@
$CPP:7 0,0.0,0,0.0@
Start with these settings.
After that you can fine tune, if needed.
The other lines need to be adjusted to your system. (ONLY if needed)
Like voltage(goes automatic at first install) and battery multiplier( can be done with dipswitches or software)
Other things you mention, are good points, but has nothing to do with the problem we like to solve. (PBF, high temp setting)
As explanation, in float with 13.4 or 13.5, You dont need any amp limit setting.
With 13.5V batteries can not be overcharged.
limit amp setting:
I dont use the offgrid tool for programming often, mainly I use the wakespeed configuration tool.
see pdf ConfigurationUtilityGuideWeb.pdf on their website.
With this program I program the regulators to my favorite settings, and I can program multiply units in a shorter time.
I have no idea WHY you see a default in your version off the off grid tool, you need to ask Rick off grid solutions.
In your posted worddcoc:
At 14:07:17 your target float voltage is 26.86, actual battery voltage 27.79.
The voltage is NOT yet \"bleeded down\" to the programmed float voltage.
Bulk to Float voltage takes some time, depend on the LOAD (drain) from the battery.
If NO LOAD, it can take very long before float voltage is reached.
Between 14:07:14 and 14:07:17
-the alternator field is 0 (alternator not producing any amps)
-reading amps are fluctuating. Probably because different LOAD, switching on and off.
ALSO there is another charge source in the system that drives the voltage up again. (see also +amps in AST line)
The voltage fluctuation you see, comes NOT from the alternator, but probably from different LOAD and other charge sources
Thanks Ben, I am pretty close to those settings;
CPA I am using 420 minutes and 3A for exit A
CPO and CPP all zeros
CPF close with 13.5V
Will test all this soon
One more question: when I connect the cable between my laptop and the WS500, Field % moves from zero to 100%. Do I care? If this also happens when I engage the ignition switch, then that would be an issue. The manual warns of this risk with a PBF setting of zero, but I am using 1. ( a change from the Firefly recommended as 1 is a more appropriate setting for my engine/alt combination than zero)
Thanks again.
