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WHY DOESTHEVOLTAGE RISE VERY QUICKLY CAUSINGTHE CHARGERTO SHUT OFF WHEN I BEGINTO CHARGE MY BATTERY BANK?
This is often an indication of sulphated batteries which can be confirmed by completing a load test
• An increase in Absorption time may be necessary to sufficiently charge the battery to full SOC.
WHY DOESTHE BATTERY BANK NOT REACHTHE BULK VOLTAGE SETTING WHEN CHARGING?
If the system is not reaching the Bulk voltage, the charger voltage and/or Amp output to the battery bank may be too low. To ensure
sufficient charge, the output should be approximately 10%-25% of the C20 capacity rating of the battery bank. Another cause may be
from DC loads running on the system during the charge cycle and reducing the current supplied to the battery bank.
• Verify that the charging settings meet the recommended charging parameters and that the charger output (Amps) is
sufficient to meet the capacity requirements of the battery bank.
WHAT DO I DO IFTHE BATTERYTEMPERATURES ARE VERY HIGH?
If at or nearing 55˚C (131˚F), shut off the charger and allow the batteries to cool. If a single battery or cell in a string is hot, this may
indicate a cell failure or short. Verify the voltage readings from each battery, and perform a load test to identity any cell failures.
9. Definitions and Abbreviations
• Ampacity: The allowable current-carrying capacity of a conductor measured in amps. Ampacity is the current, in
Amperes, that a conductor can carry continuously under the conditions of use without exceeding its temperature
rating.
• Battery Capacity: The power a battery can deliver from full charge at standard temperature, and at a specified (usually
C10) discharge rate.
• Circuit Breaker: Is an automatically operated electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage
caused by overload or short circuit. Its basic function is to detect a fault condition and interrupt current flow. Unlike a
fuse which operates once and then must be replaced, a circuit breaker can be reset (either manually or automatically)
to resume normal operation.
• DoD: Depth of Discharge or how deeply the battery has been dis-charged. Like the fuel gauge of your car, DoD is the
measure of how much fuel you have used.
• I10: The constant current (I) discharge rate that can be maintain for 10 hours (10).
• MDDoD: Maximum Daily Depth of Discharge allowable
• MDoD: Maximum allowable Depth of Discharge
• OCV: Open Circuit Voltage: The voltage across the cell/ block or battery terminals with no load applied. The maximum
possible voltage across a PV array, module, or cell with no load.
• SoC: State of Charge or how much energy is still available to be discharged. Like the fuel gauge of your car, SoC is the
measure of how much gas you have left.
• V: The unit of measure for voltage. Voltage is the electrical pressure which forces the current to flow in a conductor
such as a wire.
• VPC: Volts per Cell. The voltage of each individual cell, each cell in a block or each cell in a battery. The system voltage
of your battery is the sum of the individual volts per cell.
• 100AH C10: Battery has a capacity (C)of 100 amp hours (AH) when rated at the 10 hour (C10) rate.
