Custom settings are disabled in this section “EXPERT MODE DISABLED” as our engineers have determined that these default settings are best suited to extend the life of lead-acid batteries. Depending on the type of battery selected, these values will change for different lead acid chemistries (liquid or sealed).
Equalize voltage is specific to flooded batteries. Flooded batteries require a regular equalization charge to remove sulfation that accumulates on the internal plates of the battery, which is a natural consequence of repetitive battery cycling. Non-liquid, lead acid batteries do not require equalization, but do require a regular boost charging voltage.
Boost is a target charging voltage for a lead acid battery, which your charge controller will regulate to when there is initial input power or when a battery has reached a low SOC. This will happen at the beginning of each day (when the panels first receive sun) and when the controller first turns (when it is initially connected or reconnected to a battery).
Float is a target voltage that occurs once the battery has reached sufficient SOC.
The temperature compensation value is used in conjunction with your charge controller’s temperature sensor wire. Battery voltages will change when environmental conditions are hot or cold. The battery voltage decreases with higher temperature because temperature has a large effect on resistance. To compensate for fluctuating environmental temperatures, a value of 24 millivolts/Kelvin is used. This is a generalized temperature compensation value, but if you are living in extreme weather conditions, contact our Technical Department for more appropriate recommendations that best suit your environment.
