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Old 12-30-2018, 01:24 PM   #43
Maerin
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twistedtree View Post
Just restarting this thread....

First ffl sets the field threshold for transitioning from Float to Abs. It does NOT play a role in the transition from Abs to Float. The problem I have been having is 24hrs into a 56hr cruise, the regulator kicks back into absorb every time someone uses the microwave. The load causes the alternator output to rise, exceeding the ffl threshold, and it goes back into abs mode. To solve this, ffl should actually be set to a high value, allowing heavy external loads on the alternator without going back into absorb.

It's no wonder people find these things hard to program, or not performing as expected.

Aha! That's something I missed, and it makes perfect sense, as I've experienced the very same sequence of operation while underway. I'll be changing mine! I, too find the Balmar documentation a bit lacking, and I'm sure it's in response to creating a manual that folks will use. I'm afraid too much detail will overwhelm the typical user. I agree fully that setting a default on these versatile but complicated devices isn't enough. It takes a good bit of tweaking to get it right, that involves some persistence and an understanding of what the regulator is tasked with. I expect that the majority of end users have little interest in tweaking, and are more than likely intimidated to the extent they'll avoid it for fear of breaking stuff.

Another feature that is minimally documented is the "Slope" (SLP) setting (advanced programming) for a regulator that monitors battery temps. Since most banks live in the hostile environment of the engine room, temperature monitoring of the bank will prevent damage from overcharging at higher temps. The down side is that the OEM setting probably doesn't match the temperature curve that the battery wants, and there's no explanation of how to determine the correct setting for the bank's published curve. Further complicating things, different manufacturers follow different temperature curves.

I experienced chronic undercharging while underway, and eventually related it to the SLP setting: it was set too high, and did not allow the float voltage to go high enough to fully charge. There is scant information about this setting; ultimately I had a conversation with Balmar support and received some guidance on the function as well as a recommendation for a new setting that more closely matches the temp profile of my batteries. It's not one size fits all, the profiles for different manufacturers' products vary enough to warrant tweaking the setting for the published profile.

I confess, my understanding of the setting is limited to obtaining the desired result. As explained, the setting is PWM related, the decimal is superfluous; a higher value sets a higher temperature difference per degree C. From where the difference is referenced, I am unaware. From my notes, the OEM setting is about 037, my setting for Full River L16-2V batteries was changed to 023. It made a significant difference in the charging behavior, eliminating the chronic undercharge. At the end of a day's run, I'm routinely seeing 100% SOC.

An important takeaway from this discussion is, as others have pointed out, that you should know the charging profile for the battery you're using, and strive to match that profile to gain the optimum benefit that the regulator is capable of providing. It's not enough to simply install and set a preset, unless that preset happens to meet the profile for your system, an unlikely coincidence!
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