Chargeverter voltage setting, same as inverter voltage setting? Or does it matter?

[vin2002]

I have a few cloudy days coming up and want to be sure my batteries get fully recharged each day. I have a small 120v generator and a chargeverter hooked to my battery bank (60kWh lifepo4.)

I can't find the thread where I think timselectric covered this, but does it matter what the charge voltage is set to versus the inverter charge voltage?

My inverter charge voltage is 56, and I have the chargeverter set to 54V @ 38A. I have it at 54V to ensure it stops supplying before the inverter does.

Any advice is appreciated!

Thanks,
James

 

[DIYrich]

You probably want the CV to stop before the inverter to give some room for PV. 54v should work.

How many watts is the generator? 1,100 ah batteries?

 

[SignatureSolarJames]

I would agree, The chargeverter is a bulk charger target solution, dont shoot for top off if you are sharing with an inverter. 56v or less IMO

 

[vin2002]

You probably want the CV to stop before the inverter to give some room for PV. 54v should work.

How many watts is the generator? 1,100 ah batteries?

Thanks DIY. The gen is 3200w surge 2900w running. So I set the 'verter to 54v and 38A just to keep the load down. I've got 1200ah of LifePower4 batts, wth 2 SolArk 15k in parallel, off-grid.

Thanks!

 

[vin2002]

I would agree, The chargeverter is a bulk charger target solution, dont shoot for top off if you are sharing with an inverter. 56v or less IMO

Thank you for the input James!

 

[SignatureSolarJames]

Thanks DIY. The gen is 3200w surge 2900w running. So I set the 'verter to 54v and 38A just to keep the load down. I've got 1200ah of LifePower4 batts, wth 2 SolArk 15k in parallel, off-grid.

Thanks!

I would recommend our comms hub if you dont have it, really improves the lifepower4 experience

 

[Zapper77]

Thank you for the input James!

I would reccomment our comms hub if you dont hae it, really improves the lifepower4 experience

I agree the Communication Hub ?

As for the CV....capped at 40 amps and it appears that you have 12 batteries...you can shoot for the sky, for the voltage 56 or less. I'd keep it at 53v if you will have solar and dont need 100% SOC.

 

[Watts Happening]

I would agree, The chargeverter is a bulk charger target solution, dont shoot for top off if you are sharing with an inverter. 56v or less IMO

Any easy way to trigger the chargeverter to turn on and off? IE have the 18kpv close a contact or something of that nature to "wake it up"? Can't imagine it makes a ton of sense power wise to leave it on 24/7, and would like to automate it as much as possible.

 

[vin2002]

I would recommend our comms hub if you dont have it, really improves the lifepower4 experience

I have not seen any discussion about how and what closed-loop communication controls? The batts can report their SOC (which for my units vary pretty widely), but I think that's it.

What variables within the inverter does the comm hub control? I guess I really don't understand how the closed-loop control works. If you have any insight, I'd really like to know how closed-loop works.

Thanks James!

 

[mcsg57]

Any easy way to trigger the chargeverter to turn on and off? IE have the 18kpv close a contact or something of that nature to "wake it up"? Can't imagine it makes a ton of sense power wise to leave it on 24/7, and would like to automate it as much as possible.

Did you ever get an answer to your question? I would like to do the same.

 

[Watts Happening]

Did you ever get an answer to your question? I would like to do the same.

Nope, nothing.

 

[DIYrich]

Normally you turn on and off the generator that powers the chargeverter. You could plug the chargeverter into a switch that is controlled by the two wire generator control on the 18k.

 

[johhen]

Nope, nothing.

Curious if there's any substantial draw on the DC side if the CV is disconnected on the AC side. It'd be moderately easy to use a 50A RV transfer switch (contactor based) with a relay modification to control the input side, though unnecessary.

Having the CV have just a little bit of smarts I feel could make it much more of an automated part of systems, rather than a SHTF let me roll out my genny manually and plug this thing in.