Balmar Regulator Programming

[DaveBMusik]

I just programmed my ARS-5 according to the spec's below for my new house bank of Firefly AGM's and I have a few questions if anyone can help:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=174781&d=1533234421

The high voltage limit (AHL) is supposed to be 14.4. My ARS-5 will only scroll down to 14.8.
Is this a problem with the battery type being set for AGM or am I doing something else wrong?

Two other questions:
1) The minimum Absorption Voltage Duration ( A1c) is supposed to be 30 minutes. If the batteries are full due to solar charging, why would I want the minimum Absorption to be 30 minutes?

2) The Minimum Float Voltage Duration (F1c) is supposed to be 6 hours. The regulator only goes to 5. As Firefly's don't need a float charge and because I have my solar controller already set to float at 13.2, I can't see that this is a problem. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[Stu Jackson]

I just programmed my ARS-5 according to the spec's below for my new house bank of Firefly AGM's and I have a few questions if anyone can help:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=174781&d=1533234421

The high voltage limit (AHL) is supposed to be 14.4. My ARS-5 will only scroll down to 14.8.
Is this a problem with the battery type being set for AGM or am I doing something else wrong?

Two other questions:
1) The minimum Absorption Voltage Duration ( A1c) is supposed to be 30 minutes. If the batteries are full due to solar charging, why would I want the minimum Absorption to be 30 minutes?

2) The Minimum Float Voltage Duration (F1c) is supposed to be 6 hours. The regulator only goes to 5. As Firefly's don't need a float charge and because I have my solar controller already set to float at 13.2, I can't see that this is a problem. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Dave,

I just looked at the ARS-5 manual.

I can't find a "high voltage limit" in the manual.  I searched the word limit.  Can you point out what page it is on?

Durations:  I've read page 6, Regulator Operations, repeatedly.  IT is identical to the MC-612 I have had installed in my boat for decades.  I carefully considered changing times (not V values since they -the V values - are either associated with the pre-programmed values or settable manually).  I concluded that since the regulator checks itself, essentially, every six minutes, either of two things happen:  1)  the test is validated and it moves to the next step, or 2) it isn't and it stays in that step/phase/mode, i.e., bulk or absorption or float.

I concluded that changing any durations in the program would make no difference.  I believe Maine Sail thinks otherwise and his new website has a long presentation on programming your AR-5.

You're right about the solar impact, but think of it like leaving the dock with a full bank which the regulator "sees."  V is met, it cuts back even if the B time is whatever the default time is.  Because of the checks presented on page 6.

[DaveBMusik]

I can't find a "high voltage limit" in the manual.  I searched the word limit.  Can you point out what page it is on?



I concluded that changing any durations in the program would make no difference.  I believe Maine Sail thinks otherwise and his new website has a long presentation on programming your AR-5.

You're right about the solar impact, but think of it like leaving the dock with a full bank which the regulator "sees."  V is met, it cuts back even if the B time is whatever the default time is.  Because of the checks presented on page 6.

Thanks Stu, Page 11 in the left hand column and page 12

[Stu Jackson]

High voltage limit appears to be a different term than high voltage alarm which is the definition of AHL on page 11.  If you received information from Firefly actually using the phrase high voltage limit, then it is possible that these two terms are actually different. 

By definition AHL is one volt above the bulk V, which on page 12 for AGMs is 14.38V.  That would make the alarm sound at 15.38.

Are you saying you want to alarm at 14.4V?  IMHO, that's way too close to the bulk V.  You would be alarming all the time.

Something doesn't sound consistent.

Is the chart in your OP from Firefly?  I see AHL as limit there, not alarm.  Bulk could also be considered a limit.

I haven't looked at the MC-614 manual, which might have more features than your ARS-5.

My search for the term didn't work because it was in a "picture" rather than text, thanks for locating it for me.

[DaveBMusik]

Perhaps we are looking at different manuals.
This is what it says in mine which I downloaded from Balmar

(AHL) High Voltage Limit. Allows user adjustment of the maximum allowable bulk charging voltage.
Adjustment spans from cl to 16 volts. See information for Battery Equalization for more details on AHL
adjustment.


I believe the PDF originated from Bruce Schwab.

[mainesail]

This should help...

Programming a Balmar Voltage Regulator:
https://marinehowto.com/programming-a-balmar-voltage-regulator/



.

[Stu Jackson]

Perhaps we are looking at different manuals.
This is what it says in mine which I downloaded from Balmar

(AHL) High Voltage Limit. Allows user adjustment of the maximum allowable bulk charging voltage.
Adjustment spans from cl to 16 volts. See information for Battery Equalization for more details on AHL
adjustment.


I believe the PDF originated from Bruce Schwab.

Dave, I downloaded the one I used from balmar.net.  If you have a link, please post it to Bruce's version.

Maine Sail's link is what I mentioned earlier.  IIRC it's for an MC-614, the newer version of my MC-612. 

The Electrical Systems 101 topic has a link to Maine Sail's post about the differences between an ARS-5 and an MC-612.

[mainesail]

Programming the ARS-5 and MC-614 is virtually identical..

[mainesail]

Perhaps we are looking at different manuals.
This is what it says in mine which I downloaded from Balmar

(AHL) High Voltage Limit. Allows user adjustment of the maximum allowable bulk charging voltage.
Adjustment spans from cl to 16 volts. See information for Battery Equalization for more details on AHL
adjustment.


I believe the PDF originated from Bruce Schwab.

AHL has nothing at all to do with your BV setting. AHL is your high voltage alarm threshold. You also have CL which is your max temp compensated allowable voltage.

For example if you set BV for 14.4V and AV for 14.3V and CL at 14.5V, in cold weather the highest voltage the bank would see, temp compensated would be 14.5V no matter how cold it got.. If something went wrong,a dn you went past 14.5V, and you had AHL set to 14.6V you'd get a high voltage warning.

You  charging voltages are set with BV, AV & FV....