Balmar SG-200 Battery Monitor

[lateral]

�� #3 will report back.

[marty9876]

Is it ever advisable to purposely blank out the learning data (change chemistry and change back) and start over?

Basically I disagree with the current results and with the boat being seasonally used and recent firmware update (from original 2nd most recent after this release) I’m just wondering is it’s faster to start over to get what can be assumed accurate reads.

[lateral]

Good question. Do we start over?

[witzgall]

Good questions about "Starting Over." Check out the release table here: SG200 Software Updates | Balmar

If you are on Version 1.0.4 or earlier, you are using an original Chemistry. We have had only one update of the chems, which happened with release 1.5 (one release from the latest). If you are on an original chemistry, then yes, it is worthwhile to upgrade. Remember that when you do so, the ACTIVE chemistry is not changed, you need to either reselect your chem or doa factory reset to purge the active chem and replace it with the new chem file.

If you already did this with the last release, 1.5, then there is no reason to re-apply the chemistry, as they have not changed with the release of 1.5.1. The latest release only changes the underlying software (Firmware) in each of the devices, for the reasons stated above.

As a side note, we occasionally get calls from customers that are repeatedly doing factory resets, thinking that "Something must be wrong" and that resetting will cure it. In some cases, it will take many cycles before you get the best accuracy. If you are not getting results that you expect, here are some the most likely causes:

1. Improper installation. Yes, you really must do it by the book - no "Cheating by having a few loads or sources that circumvent the SmartShunt. This category also includes bad cables, including crimps and corrosion.
2. No battery cycling. We have been upfront about this. If you install an SG200, keep the boat on shore power 95% of the time and only cycle a small percentage out when you do use the boat, then the SG200 may not be able to give you accurate information. In this case, you are essentially relying almost completely on a chemistry's original profile information of ~ a 100AH battery in our lab, not your own. If you fall into this category, at least try to execute the procedure in the manual's appendix for getting a SoH figure.
3. Incorrect assumptions about your battery. We have seen owners insist that their 1 year old (or more) battery bank MUST have a SoH less than what they are seeing (or the opposite) when it is in fact falling within our standards of accuracy.
4. Some lead acid wet cells are not very good in quality. Some can take 50+ cycles before they reach their stated capacity, if they are treated well during that period when the cycling takes place.
5. Purposefully entering a design capacity that is incorrect. With traditional shunt-based monitors, this was an accepted method for accounting for declining battery health - just lower the capacity to what you think it really is. This does not really help the SG200, and can throw it off. It is not just a straight coulomb counting device. If the capacity is set incorrectly, it has assumptions that it makes that are incorrect, with no way of knowing it. Please resist the temptation to "Help" the SG200 by shaving off capacity.

As always, we are ready to help if you have any questions, just contact our technical support.

Chris

[Peeew]

Chris, do we still need to disconnect secondary displays and update devices in a particular order?

[witzgall]

If you have 1.5 or later, then this requirement is no longer. You do need to rename the displays. The Display 1, display 2 "Name" you see is not really a name at all, it is done by the software at boot-up. Just change them to anything else, and you will be good going forward.

In review. rename displays before you do the next upgrade, and all will be well.

The same holds true if you have more than one SmartShunt.

Always upgrade the Gateway first. then, in truth you can do the rest in any order.

Chris

Originally Posted by Peeew

Chris, do we still need to disconnect secondary displays and update devices in a particular order?

[lateral]

Chris ,
Regarding SOC (FLA's) with just self discharge and new FW, should the tail current still be set to 2-4% per v1 manual,
Or should I set it at 1%C which is 100% in reality.?
Or, is the fw change not really catering for self discharge?

In use, of course its getting cycled to various DOD'S more rapidly.

[djs]

HeyChris
Here’s an interesting one. Have just last night updated all the devices, so fully up to date. And restarted the network. App showed as all normal last night but this morning it had Reverted to default settings for all parameters, capacity, charge voltage and taper current.

Corrected these and restarted the network to see that it shows a current draw of 1311 amps. Restarted network, no change. Restarted device, no change. Haven’t gone for factory reset yet as I don’t want to lose the learning but think that’s the only thing left to do.

Any thoughts
Cheers
Dave

[sailah]

Had an interesting issue, figured I would share.

I have had "issues" with my SG200 since I got it and the Bluetooth Gateway. Mainly with gateway being very unstable and disconnecting. It (display & shunt) was fine all season and throughout the winter during layup.

I went to install the new firmwares today and it was not happening. Emailed back and forth with Chris and Tech Support. They both thought I crashed the shunt as the chemistries were corrupted. After a call with Chris it was determined that I would swap mine out. Basically the firmware update would stall out and the gateway would disconnect/reconnect, then nothing. I had gateway connected directly to shunt.

He also mentioned there were some issues with the cable crimps on a few early models. Well, I was sitting there on the phone with him and I gently tugged at the cable and 2 wires pulled out of their pins. Since I couldn't recrimp them and I was getting a replacement I figured I'd try to solder them.

Chris: "Your shunt is broken at this point, sorry there's no chance you can fix it but we'll get you fixed up"

10 minutes later I brought my soldering station aboard and repaired the cable. Wouldn't you know, it worked. The battery chemistries were there, my house bank was configured correctly, the bluetooth gateway worked 100%. I was shocked as was Chris.

So if you are having sporadic connection issues, check the cable. I just gently pulled the wires and 2 came right out. I would prefer a crimped connection but this isn't subject to vibrations and I solder electronics as part of my company, so I felt comfortable doing a good repair. Soldered the other 2 just for good measure.

A+ to Balmar and Chris for providing exceptional customer service. I was clearly frustrated today but in the end it all worked out fine.

[ayates]

Originally Posted by djs

shows a current draw of 1311 amps.

I upgraded to the latest firmware today. Interestingly, I first had to power cycle the unit before the gateway would recognise any devices. The firmware upgrade itself went by the book. I then did a factory reset of both the display and the shunt, as I wanted to ensure any new algorithms were being used for SoH calculation. After this I noted the 1311 current draw issue.


Allan.

[lateral]

Ditto on power cycle.
I didn’t factory reset, and all that was different was dashes for the previous soh (100%) which was wrong anyway.
Rested voltage and SOC stayed at 12.7v and 73% respectively.
Hope to get more relevant numbers on cycling.

[djs]

Spoke to tech support and the odd figures for current draw are a new issue. Interesting that another person is getting the same. Anyway, they have engineering on the case and I’m confident I’ll get a call back soon.
Have a good weekend everyone.

[mlydon]

I just installed mine last week - very happy with it so far, but I REALLY wish it would display AH in addition to %.
Being able to modify the percentage would be very nice as well. I’m planning on installing some firefly oasis batteries, would love to have the zero level be 30% of actual SOC. My understanding is that currently zero is 50% actual SOC....do I have that correct? And see why AH would be nice?

Matt

[SVHarmonie]

Originally Posted by mlydon

I just installed mine last week - very happy with it so far, but I REALLY wish it would display AH in addition to %.
Being able to modify the percentage would be very nice as well. I’m planning on installing some firefly oasis batteries, would love to have the zero level be 30% of actual SOC. My understanding is that currently zero is 50% actual SOC....do I have that correct? And see why AH would be nice?

Matt

I have to say, I am baffelled why a measurement of Amp-hours is important to people. If you trust the SOC %, and you REALLY wanted to know the Amp-hours used, just multiply...

I am pretty sure if you actually read your manual you will see that 0% SOC is actually 0% SOC. Why would you want it to be anything else?

[lateral]

And if you don't trust the SOC?
As in it is not correct.