Article updated December 2022.     Here are the default settings for the Balmar MC-618-H alternator regulator set to Lithium Ion batteries:

Balmar MC-614-H Lithium Program

Here are the recommended charge settings for Victron Lithium Ion batteries, taken from the Victron battery manual

4.2 Charge voltage

  • Recommended charge voltage: 14V-14,4V per battery (14,2V recommended),
  • Absorption time: 2 hrs for a 100% charge, or a few minutes for a 98% charge.
  • Maximum charge voltage: 14,4V resp
  • Recommended storage/float voltage: 13,5V
  • Batteries must be regularly (at least once every month) charged to 14V (max. 14,4V) in order to fully balance the cells.

There is quite a difference between the two.   So by applying the Victron recommendations to the Balmar program this is what I came up with:


  • Start delay is the same
  • High Voltage limit: I would make it 14.2 (even though 14.4 is allowed why push the limit if 14.2 is recommended)
  • Compensation limit: 14.2 (There should be no temperature compensation, see last line above)
  • Bulk voltage 14.2
  • Absorption voltage 14.2
  • Absorption time * see note below but keep as is for now
  • Float voltage 13.5
  • Max Bat temp leave as is
  • Max alt temp leave as is
  • Batt temp compensation leave as is (zero)

 

*You can only define the minimum absorption time, not the max absorption time.  You may have to tweak this a bit.  The purpose of the absorption time is to equalize the cells.  You just have to do that from time to time, so if you go to a dock the MultiPlus does it for you and you don’t necessarily have to do it on the water.  If you never go to the dock you might have to monitor it a few times to see what happens when you leave it set to 18 minutes


If you have batteries (such as the Victron Smart Lithium) that have an external BMS then you can have the BMS control the regulator and stop charging when any cell in the battery gets to full.  This is done using the Victron SolidSwitch as an ON-OFF switch for the regulator.   

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3 Comments

Ed

Date 8/3/2019

Peter Kennedy

Date 8/5/2019

Andre

Date 11/9/2022

Peter Kennedy

Date 11/9/2022

Kent

Date 2/10/2023

Peter Kennedy

Date 2/13/2023

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