Balmar 618 Advanced Program Settings for Epoch Lithium

[pamadams1025]

Can someone share the Balmar 618 advanced programming settings for the Epoc 460 v2? MV Intrigue? I know your boat has Epochs and the new 618. I’d appreciate anything you can offer. Thanks,Pam

 

[Barking Sands]

Just set it to 14.2 absorption for roughly 20 minutes per battery. Then 13.5 float. IIIRC the 618 also has settings for Bulk. make bulk the same as absorption. Also if it has equalization turn it off or also set to 14.2. Temp compensation off. or disabled. The V2 has no full charge protection as long as you update to V2.6 or 2.7. If you already have 2.6 dont bother with 2.7 its the same.

I set my 618 a long while ago and havent revisited it so I dont remember all the parameters. I am using the Victron DC2DC 50 amp off the start battery to kick in a bit of amps to the house. So I never set mine up for that.

 

[pamadams1025]

Thank you so much! I appreciate the response. I’ve downloaded 2.7 already. How about the settings in the 618? and I have a xantrex 3012. Anything different required in those setting to customize. I know each set up is individual to the boat the alternator the inverter and they’ll be some tweaking to optimize. The biggest concern is BMS cut off and burning up the alternator, but I think these settings will cover that right?

 

[Delta Riverat]

If you have the alternator temp sensor installed it will protect the alternator.

 

[Barking Sands]

Thank you so much! I appreciate the response. I’ve downloaded 2.7 already. How about the settings in the 618? and I have a xantrex 3012. Anything different required in those setting to customize. I know each set up is individual to the boat the alternator the inverter and they’ll be some tweaking to optimize. The biggest concern is BMS cut off and burning up the alternator, but I think these settings will cover that right?

The V2 with firmware 2.6+ has standard 3.65 and 14.6 volt limits and no full charge protection. So programming the standard 14.2 absorption will steer plenty clear of that range. Program all charge sources to the 14.2 volts absorption and 13.5 float and you will be fine.

After programming and start up...closely monitor the alternator voltage as it approaches the 14.2 volts and does not overshoot. Use an alternator protection device such as the Balmar APM for some additional insurance.

 

[pamadams1025]

I took a look at Balmar’s APD and the installation instructions. Currently on my Powerline 100amp alternator there’s a 20amp slow blow fuse. I’d have to remove that fuse to install the Balmar, so I asked if their APD was simply a fuse and they said yes, rayed at 25 amps, if I remember right..but I will monitor the startup closely using the Balmar app…once we’re in the water and can run all they charge sources I’m sure to have a few more quotes.Should be in the next day or so, but as we walked out of the shed, yesterday at quitting time, the lift was being torn down for a head replacement…so I’m thinking we may be pushed back on the launch. Thanks for your help.

 

[Marco Flamingo]

I took a look at Balmar’s APD and the installation instructions. Currently on my Powerline 100amp alternator there’s a 20amp slow blow fuse. I’d have to remove that fuse to install the Balmar, so I asked if their APD was simply a fuse and they said yes,

Interesting. I saw that Balmar said the APD might, under some conditions, open to protect the alternator but then stay open. That sounded like a fuse. A YouTube video of the Sterling APM (Alternator Protection Module) shows a simulated battery disconnect (or BMS shutdown) at 150 amps and the APM reconnected without a problem. Based on that sketchy info, I decided that the APM sounded more like "reusable" protection.

As it turns out, having multiple batteries seems to be the best protection. I have several times had a battery BMS shut down during charging caused by a single cell overvoltage. This always occurs at the very top end of the charge cycle. In every instance, while one BMS was cycling on and off because of a cell overvoltage, the entire battery bank reached the set "absorb" voltage. Charging voltage then drops to "float," which is below the voltage at which the one BMS begin having balancing issues.

For instance, one battery may be struggling to balance and, beginning at 13.8 volts, that BMS shuts down intermittently because of one cell overvoltage (3.65V). It then cycles on and off as the bank continues charging towards the absorb cutoff (14.27V). The system drops to "float" at that point whether or not the cell overvoltage battery has balanced or is even still online. The entire bank settles back to about 13.4V.

Thus, the "battery bank" saves the system should a battery have a balancing issue and any "protection device" is redundant (as one would hope).

 

[NoRain]

Seems to be some conflicting information going around. I just bought 2 x APM-12 modules for my upcoming lithium install. I spent quite a bit of time on the phone with their (excellent) tech support on this very topic. The APM-12 is not “just a fuse”. It gets installed across the +ve and -ve alternator terminals, so if it was a fuse it would blow as you installed it. It is an active resettable device that they rate at 200A surge protection, but they told me they had tested at 250A and it was still fine. Maybe even higher but that’s all they ran it up to. It is totally possible to blow it up as described here https://balmar.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/PDS-APM-12.pdf, but those would be very extreme circumstances.

 

[Marco Flamingo]

I went back and found this disclaimer for the Sterling APD:

"If the spike is excessively rough, it can lead to APD damage (which can’t be fixed) but, your alternator / regulator has been protected."

So it looks like either can be permanently damaged by an "excessively rough" spike. My 100A alternator is set to 80A max. The YouTube video showed a disconnect spike generated with an alternator putting out 150A. Hopefully, that means my alternator can't generate an "excessively rough" spike. All of this would be assuming that my 4 BMSs can concurrently disconnect.

Another thing these devices don't talk about is what happens to the other onboard electronics. Great that the alternator diodes have been protected. That would be inconvenient and cost a few bucks. I would have to get to civilization to get it fixed, but I know that I can motor a few days without generating electricity. If my radar/depth sounder/MFD/nav lights, etc., are also out, that trip could be really exciting.

 

[NoRain]

Given that the alternator would be the source of the spike/surge in this scenario, and the APM is connected right there, I’d imagine it would not propagate through the whole system.

 

[pamadams1025]

One more question, I have the Bluetooth gateway installed, and I’ve had the MC618 showing in my device list. I used the app to semi-program the 618. Then I posted my questions here (thanks everyone) now the newer issue is I cannot get the gateway or app to see the 618 again. I had the issue before, any suggestions?

 

[Barking Sands]

One more question, I have the Bluetooth gateway installed, and I’ve had the MC618 showing in my device list. I used the app to semi-program the 618. Then I posted my questions here (thanks everyone) now the newer issue is I cannot get the gateway or app to see the 618 again. I had the issue before, any suggestions?

unplug the gateway and plug it back in. Mine does that all the time. Its not great.

 

[pamadams1025]

Okay, I did that! I’ll try again tomorrow. My gateway is in the back of the display (as recommended)and not real easy to access, but I have small hands. Will the MC618 showing on the app’s “device list”with the key on, key off or engine running or doesn’t matter?

 

[Barking Sands]

Key on maybe. But definitely running.

 

[Delta Riverat]

It should be OK with ignition on (buzzers sounding) mine lights up that way. It won't light up w/o the 12 volts on the ignition line. When on the display scrolls through the list w/o engine running.