Greetings to all on the forum - at the point at which loadshedding became a 'necessary evil' in our lives last yeart, I created the basic infrastructure at my house to provide for the minimum requirement to power essential loads. I've installed an Axpert 3kVA (PF1) inverter along with two Enertec deep-cycle batteries (105AH). For the minimal investment, i am happy with the performance and reliability point. my view was also to use this as a basic  introduction to renewable energy and obviously to consider what options do exist for optimising performance and future upgrades. 

I am aware that much has been written about the battery charging algorithm/s in the Axpert and at this juncture wanted to ascertain what would be the best settings on the unit for accommodating lead-acid batteries ? The Axpert provides three options  AGM/Flooded/User options - I've noted that if you choose User - the unit does not allow you to activate the Battery Equalisation programme - these can only be done if the mode is selected to AGM/Flooded respectively. Under User - I've set the Bulk charge to 28.2V and the float charge to 27.5V. As the Axpert does not truly reflect the SOC of the batteries - I'm inclined to want to consider using an external device such as the BMV702 which can also be read via the ICC portal. 

I'm keen to receive your inputs and to further learn more on how best I can optimise what I have in service. 

Best regards

Vaughan

 

 

I can at least tell you that USE is for lithium-ion batteries, you have to use the AGM/Flooded setting, I don't however know which one of the two, I am a lithium-ion user and this is my 1st experience with renewable energy stuff

I am aware of the battery EQ program but have no idea how to use it. Also have no knowledge regarding the charge settings on the gel/flooded batteries.

3 hours ago, VaughanT said:

The Axpert provides three options  AGM/Flooded/User options - I've noted that if you choose User - the unit does not allow you to activate the Battery Equalisation programme - these can only be done if the mode is selected to AGM/Flooded respectively.

Are you sure? The manual I'm reading says about setting 33 (Battery Equalisation) that:

'If "Flooded" or "User Defined" is selected in program 05, this program can be set up'

So it's just AGM that can't have equalisation applied to it. That makes sense; AGMs are sealed lead acid, which can't handle the very high battery voltages that are usually used with equalisation.

3 hours ago, VaughanT said:

I'm inclined to want to consider using an external device such as the BMV702 which can also be read via the ICC portal. 

A lot of users do this, and it gives vastly superior estimation of the state of charge of the battery. A BMV isn't especially cheap, but then having batteries die before their time isn't cheap either.