H, @brucetyron! Yes, this charger is designed to work with any battery chemistry. If you need help picking the right sized charger, you can message us here from the product page. icmontana.com/blogs/technical-articles/some-battery-chargers-were-born-to-rule
Hey thanks for the great video. I'm sure I could spend a few hours digging around but I thought I would ask you this: is it important to have the terminals clear of other accessories? Like could I do pass-through charging or at least keep everything hooked up in my custom battery box?
Hey, yes. You can keep everything connected all the time. If the batteries go up in state of charge, the charger knows that. It will do what it can based on voltage and if there is a significant draw that is more than the battery can handle, the charger will limit itself at 15 amps (or whatever it's rated for).
As long as each battery is connected to your charger through the same number of interconnecting leads, and the total length and gauge of these leads is the same, balanced charging can be achieved. In other words you need to connect the charger to opposite corners of the battery bank. There are some good visuals for this online. If you want to message us via the chat function on our website, icmontana.com, I can share a few.
Click on the Top right "Settings" wheel in the Victron Connect app, scroll down to "Advanced Battery Settings". Then click on "Battery Preset" and Select "User Defined". This will allow you to adjust the Absorption and Float Voltages. The lowest allowed Absorption voltage is 12.8V. The two options for adjusting maximum current are either 4 amps or 15 amps. Depending on what charging stage the battery is in, the charger will adjust itself accordingly within the max. current setting."
Only if for instance the person voltages are in charging can be higher than the battery voltage only if the loads can cope with it which in most cases they can
Hi @slae46, most vehicle starter batteries, while in regular use, do not need to be topped up regularly. A full charge + equalization cycle once every 6-12 months is a good idea but not required. If your vehicle is sitting unused most of the time, such as a vintage car that you only drive once every few months, having the charger connected while the vehicle is not in use can be a good way to maintain the health of the battery, and protect against vampire loads that are often present in older vehicles. In general, it is good practice to store any unused battery at 100% SOC and to top it up every 3 months if it is in storage. Please take a look at your battery datasheet for more specific recommendations.
Hi, good question. Yes! As with all Victron battery chargers, they are engineered with lithium batteries in mind. When you toggle on the 'Li-ion' charging profile from the front display panel on the IP65 or from the Victron Connect app, you'll see that it switches from a 3-stage charger to a 2-stage charger which is what you want for lithium. That custom charge profile for LiFePO4 batteries ensures they get appropriately charged without overcharging because the charger is also detecting the voltage of the battery while it's charging - not blindly hammering it with power. As you know, it's easy to boil/overcharge or undercharge lithiums which can really diminish performance/life expectancy. More info here: icmontana.com/blogs/technical-articles/some-battery-chargers-were-born-to-rule
Hi Jamie, yes that's exactly when you would use a Blue Smart charger. This article goes into more detail but thanks so some built-in settings, Victron battery chargers protect from overcharging even when plugged in continuously. As you likely know, trickle chargers can harm a battery in the long term because they don't know when to back off when the battery has reached a certain state of charge. icmontana.com/blogs/technical-articles/some-battery-chargers-were-born-to-rule
Hi there, the NORMAL mode is recommended for AGM batteries. Also, based on your battery's amp hour capacity, the recommended model is the Blue Smart IP65 15 amp. See here: www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Folder-A5-Blue-Smart-IP65-Charger-120V_EN_web.pdf
@@intelligentcontrolsAccording to the link, a 10A is recommended as well for 30-100Ah batteries. So why do you recommend a 15A charger instead of a 10A charger? Also, could you please recommend an optimal charger for a 12V EFB start/stop 60Ah, 520A battery? Also, which mode should I use for the first charge, if the battery is about 2 years old and in normal condition? (4A+normal or 15V+Normal)?
Hi@@alex.maxwell Sorry for the late reply! So all of these chargers can be limited on their output current, so in that sense, the 15 A charger is a pretty good choice for anyone who’s going to be charging different batteries at different times. There is now a 25A version, and we are very aware that that’s a bit too big in some cases. Victron makes a lot of different sizes: 1, 5, 8, 10, 15, and now 25. Also, the C rating of the battery would be helpful in this more so than the AH rating. For a fairly small 60ah high current starter battery like this, the main question is if this is all you are going to use it for and if your main application is charging quickly or if the battery is sitting for a while. If it’s sitting on the charger, a smaller charger will get the job done, as well as a large one. If you want to charge it as quickly as possible, then we are looking at the C rating to figure out the maximum charge current and how big we can go without damaging the battery.
Asking the UA-cam comments you probably do not know how to do this I’d recommend following the manufacturers instructions it’s quite dangerous to be trying to set profiles with zero clue as it can go wrong
really need help. I'm searching the internet, but I can't find clear answers anywhere. 1.) I need a charger that I can use without removing the battery from the car. Can I use it this way by connecting it to specific terminals in the car? 2.) How does the PowerSupply mode work? Can I use this mode for constant voltage charging of the battery? For example, I set the voltage to 14V and the current to 5A. What will happen if the current exceeds 5A, will the charger lower the voltage?"
Hi there. Yes, you can definitely use a BlueSmart IP65 charger while the battery is in the vehicle. The clamps accessory works excellently to attach directly to the battery studs. The M6/M8 Eyelets accessory is also a great way to more permanently mount a charging point so you can use the quick connect any time you’d like to hook up the charger to the +/- of the system. The Power supply mode provides a constant voltage with amperage up to the maximum amperage you have chosen (usually either full amperage, or half). You could, in theory, use that mode to charge a battery, but you’d not benefit from any of the sophisticated charge curves the unit is capable of. So while you could do so, I would highly encourage using the charger functionality as it is designed to charge a battery and then safely keep it at a full charge. All parameters are adjustable within the Victron Connect app on a smartphone, which allows for detailed control. If you haven’t yet downloaded Victron Connect on a smartphone or laptop, I suggest doing so. There is a “demo” section where you can open up a demo of the software for nearly any Bluetooth capable Victron device that can be controlled via smartphone to see what the settings are/what they can be.
Hey, yeah, one of the reasons why this charger rocks is its ability to charge a fully dead/fully discharged battery. Most chargers will not even recognize a battery in that state. That's a feature shared by all Victron battery chargers, even the MultiPlus inverter/charger. On the IP65 and other chargers, it's called the 'Recovery' function. It starts putting out a very low current and then once the battery voltage has risen sufficiently, starts charging normally.
0.00 amps in bulk mode Phone says 13.6 15A.. Gets hot..... 0.00 1 button fir 2 banks of options and goes absolutely crazy trying to cycle manually.. and refused to bluetooth about 30 times.. (kept getting stuck at 20%) ABSOLUTE TRASH OUT THE BOX!.
@nobiden3134 , that sounds super frustrating. Get in touch over email and we can probably help you figure out what's going on (question@icmontana.com).
Victron have very very stringent quality control with their distributors and manufacturing partners. The only time it does this is if you connect it with inappropriate battery and it triggers every internal protection available.
@UKsystems it turns out my $250 KLEIN Ampmeter only reads AC amperage (no doide in clamp) which the $300 Fluke 274 has...... and I dont🤬 One remaining question.. battleborn says the GC3 ($3,000) battery charges so fast it will burn up your alternator.. yet it takes 18 hours with the ip165 charger. Hits 14.4V and within 1 hour falls to 13.1V. the 13.6V 270ah GC3.. thats 40% life💩 Hell of an investment huhh? Have the libm225 that shuts off immediately and turns on on its own (key off)💩 Suppose I need the $350 victron 50amp DC to DC charger now... ?
And yes 1 button for 2 banks of options is extremely ghetto. I have a rc car multi charger with 5 buttons and a digital screen.... don't geek out like this VICTRON
@@nobiden3134 victron ones are recommended you may be more suited to a Victor buck boost the specific back set up but the program ability is definitely going to be a good thing and should help with issues
Just got the 12/25A model
Best charger I ever owned.
Victron is superb in all respects
Does that charge agm batteries and if so what is the model number please
H, @brucetyron! Yes, this charger is designed to work with any battery chemistry. If you need help picking the right sized charger, you can message us here from the product page. icmontana.com/blogs/technical-articles/some-battery-chargers-were-born-to-rule
I just ordered one. Can’t wait to get it.
Can you leave the Blue Smart Charger ip65 on a lead 12v battery as a tender?
Great video...I learned a lot.
Hey thanks for the great video. I'm sure I could spend a few hours digging around but I thought I would ask you this: is it important to have the terminals clear of other accessories? Like could I do pass-through charging or at least keep everything hooked up in my custom battery box?
Hey, yes. You can keep everything connected all the time. If the batteries go up in state of charge, the charger knows that. It will do what it can based on voltage and if there is a significant draw that is more than the battery can handle, the charger will limit itself at 15 amps (or whatever it's rated for).
Next on my shopping list
Awesome, John. You’re going to love it. 💪👍
Where did you buy the case for charger?
Hi Greg, it's made by Victron: icmontana.com/products/carry-case-for-blue-smart-ip65-chargers-and-accessories
Can the charger be hook up to a battery bank, the 12v/15a. ?
SAY 4 100A BATTERIES IN PARALLEL.
As long as each battery is connected to your charger through the same number of interconnecting leads, and the total length and gauge of these leads is the same, balanced charging can be achieved. In other words you need to connect the charger to opposite corners of the battery bank. There are some good visuals for this online. If you want to message us via the chat function on our website, icmontana.com, I can share a few.
how to adjust voltage and amps in expert mode? below 12.8 not exhibit!? and 4 amps. I have ip65 12/15
Click on the Top right "Settings" wheel in the Victron Connect app, scroll down to "Advanced Battery Settings". Then click on "Battery Preset" and Select "User Defined". This will allow you to adjust the Absorption and Float Voltages. The lowest allowed Absorption voltage is 12.8V. The two options for adjusting maximum current are either 4 amps or 15 amps. Depending on what charging stage the battery is in, the charger will adjust itself accordingly within the max. current setting."
Is it possible to charge lithium lifepo4 battery with 12v socket adapter while fridge is working?
Hi, are you asking if will it charge while running a DC fridge that's connected? If so, Yes.
Yes to the 12V connector as well.
@@intelligentcontrols thanks a lot for your answer
Only if for instance the person voltages are in charging can be higher than the battery voltage only if the loads can cope with it which in most cases they can
How many time need 200ah battery full charge ?
Hi @slae46, most vehicle starter batteries, while in regular use, do not need to be topped up regularly. A full charge + equalization cycle once every 6-12 months is a good idea but not required. If your vehicle is sitting unused most of the time, such as a vintage car that you only drive once every few months, having the charger connected while the vehicle is not in use can be a good way to maintain the health of the battery, and protect against vampire loads that are often present in older vehicles. In general, it is good practice to store any unused battery at 100% SOC and to top it up every 3 months if it is in storage. Please take a look at your battery datasheet for more specific recommendations.
Does the charger have auto cut off once lithium battery is charged
Hi, good question. Yes! As with all Victron battery chargers, they are engineered with lithium batteries in mind. When you toggle on the 'Li-ion' charging profile from the front display panel on the IP65 or from the Victron Connect app, you'll see that it switches from a 3-stage charger to a 2-stage charger which is what you want for lithium. That custom charge profile for LiFePO4 batteries ensures they get appropriately charged without overcharging because the charger is also detecting the voltage of the battery while it's charging - not blindly hammering it with power. As you know, it's easy to boil/overcharge or undercharge lithiums which can really diminish performance/life expectancy. More info here: icmontana.com/blogs/technical-articles/some-battery-chargers-were-born-to-rule
Yes and no, it can stop charging but in most cases it says charged and keeps sitting a float state
Can I connect and forget this into my motorhome so when I'm plugged into the mains it will auto charge and condition my leasure battery?
Hi Jamie, yes that's exactly when you would use a Blue Smart charger. This article goes into more detail but thanks so some built-in settings, Victron battery chargers protect from overcharging even when plugged in continuously. As you likely know, trickle chargers can harm a battery in the long term because they don't know when to back off when the battery has reached a certain state of charge. icmontana.com/blogs/technical-articles/some-battery-chargers-were-born-to-rule
There are better models for that that could be more permanently mounted with active cooling
how set this model of charger to charge 78Ah 12V AGM for passenger car
Hi there, the NORMAL mode is recommended for AGM batteries. Also, based on your battery's amp hour capacity, the recommended model is the Blue Smart
IP65 15 amp. See here: www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Folder-A5-Blue-Smart-IP65-Charger-120V_EN_web.pdf
@@intelligentcontrolsAccording to the link, a 10A is recommended as well for 30-100Ah batteries. So why do you recommend a 15A charger instead of a 10A charger? Also, could you please recommend an optimal charger for a 12V EFB start/stop 60Ah, 520A battery? Also, which mode should I use for the first charge, if the battery is about 2 years old and in normal condition? (4A+normal or 15V+Normal)?
Hi@@alex.maxwell Sorry for the late reply! So all of these chargers can be limited on their output current, so in that sense, the 15 A charger is a pretty good choice for anyone who’s going to be charging different batteries at different times. There is now a 25A version, and we are very aware that that’s a bit too big in some cases. Victron makes a lot of different sizes: 1, 5, 8, 10, 15, and now 25. Also, the C rating of the battery would be helpful in this more so than the AH rating. For a fairly small 60ah high current starter battery like this, the main question is if this is all you are going to use it for and if your main application is charging quickly or if the battery is sitting for a while. If it’s sitting on the charger, a smaller charger will get the job done, as well as a large one. If you want to charge it as quickly as possible, then we are looking at the C rating to figure out the maximum charge current and how big we can go without damaging the battery.
Asking the UA-cam comments you probably do not know how to do this I’d recommend following the manufacturers instructions it’s quite dangerous to be trying to set profiles with zero clue as it can go wrong
really need help. I'm searching the internet, but I can't find clear answers anywhere.
1.) I need a charger that I can use without removing the battery from the car. Can I use it this way by connecting it to specific terminals in the car?
2.) How does the PowerSupply mode work? Can I use this mode for constant voltage charging of the battery?
For example, I set the voltage to 14V and the current to 5A. What will happen if the current exceeds 5A, will the charger lower the voltage?"
Hi there. Yes, you can definitely use a BlueSmart IP65 charger while the battery is in the vehicle. The clamps accessory works excellently to attach directly to the battery studs. The M6/M8 Eyelets accessory is also a great way to more permanently mount a charging point so you can use the quick connect any time you’d like to hook up the charger to the +/- of the system.
The Power supply mode provides a constant voltage with amperage up to the maximum amperage you have chosen (usually either full amperage, or half). You could, in theory, use that mode to charge a battery, but you’d not benefit from any of the sophisticated charge curves the unit is capable of. So while you could do so, I would highly encourage using the charger functionality as it is designed to charge a battery and then safely keep it at a full charge. All parameters are adjustable within the Victron Connect app on a smartphone, which allows for detailed control.
If you haven’t yet downloaded Victron Connect on a smartphone or laptop, I suggest doing so. There is a “demo” section where you can open up a demo of the software for nearly any Bluetooth capable Victron device that can be controlled via smartphone to see what the settings are/what they can be.
More tests?maybe on really dead batteries?wish good luck anyway👍
Hey, yeah, one of the reasons why this charger rocks is its ability to charge a fully dead/fully discharged battery. Most chargers will not even recognize a battery in that state. That's a feature shared by all Victron battery chargers, even the MultiPlus inverter/charger. On the IP65 and other chargers, it's called the 'Recovery' function. It starts putting out a very low current and then once the battery voltage has risen sufficiently, starts charging normally.
0.00 amps in bulk mode
Phone says 13.6 15A..
Gets hot..... 0.00
1 button fir 2 banks of options and goes absolutely crazy trying to cycle manually.. and refused to bluetooth about 30 times.. (kept getting stuck at 20%)
ABSOLUTE TRASH OUT THE BOX!.
@nobiden3134 , that sounds super frustrating. Get in touch over email and we can probably help you figure out what's going on (question@icmontana.com).
Victron have very very stringent quality control with their distributors and manufacturing partners. The only time it does this is if you connect it with inappropriate battery and it triggers every internal protection available.
@UKsystems it turns out my $250 KLEIN Ampmeter only reads AC amperage (no doide in clamp) which the $300 Fluke 274 has...... and I dont🤬
One remaining question.. battleborn says the GC3 ($3,000) battery charges so fast it will burn up your alternator.. yet it takes 18 hours with the ip165 charger. Hits 14.4V and within 1 hour falls to 13.1V. the 13.6V 270ah GC3.. thats 40% life💩
Hell of an investment huhh?
Have the libm225 that shuts off immediately and turns on on its own (key off)💩
Suppose I need the $350 victron 50amp DC to DC charger now... ?
And yes 1 button for 2 banks of options is extremely ghetto.
I have a rc car multi charger with 5 buttons and a digital screen.... don't geek out like this VICTRON
@@nobiden3134 victron ones are recommended you may be more suited to a Victor buck boost the specific back set up but the program ability is definitely going to be a good thing and should help with issues