If you haven't seen https://www.youtube.com/c/OffGridGarageAustralia/featured he has done lots of real testing on this. His conclusion for him with his victron charge controller was to set absorption voltage of 3.45 per cell for 1hr, tail current of 0.5% and 3.35V for float.
Charging lf280k
https://dokuwiki.pejaime.com/doku.php?id=burim:jk-bms
| Parameter | Everyday value (long cell life) | Weekly / monthly “top‑balance” |
|---|---|---|
| Bulk = Absorption voltage | 55.2 V (3.45 V / cell) | up to 56.8 V (3.55 V / cell) for 1–2 h once every 1–4 weeks to let the BMS finish balancing |
| Float voltage | 54.0 – 54.4 V (3.375 – 3.40 V / cell) | same as Bulk if you prefer a “no‑float” strategy |
| Re‑bulk / Restart | 53 V | n/a |
| Tail‑current (Charged‑current) | 4 % C ≈ 11 – 14 A for one 280 Ah string | same |
| Absorption time | 30 min for a single 280 Ah string (add ~10 min per additional 100 Ah) | 1 – 2 h (only during the top‑balance) |
| Maximum charge current | 0.2 – 0.3 C → 56 – 84 A per 280 Ah string (respect BMS CCL) | |
| Low‑voltage shut‑down | 46 – 48 V (2.88 – 3.00 V / cell) | 40 V hard‑stop (BMS) |
| Dynamic cut‑off | 47 V (helps avoid nuisance trips under high surge) | |
| Sustain voltage (ESS) | 50 – 51 V | |
| Equalization | Disabled (LiFePO₄ does not need it) |
- Settings ➜ DVCC
If your BMS already broadcasts a Charge‑Voltage‑Limit (CVL), set the DVCC ceiling slightly above that so the BMS remains in control.
- Inverter/Charger parameters (VE‑Configure → Charger tab)
- ESS assistant (if used)
Tip: After entering the values, watch *Battery ➜ Charge voltage* in Remote Console.
If it never exceeds 55.2 V during normal solar charging, you are treating the LF280Ks very gently.
Enjoy those monster 280 Ah cells!
Below is the entire exchange (user questions and assistant replies) rendered in DokuWiki markup so you can paste it straight into your wiki.
While fully charging a LiFePO₄ battery like the EVE LF280K daily isn't inherently harmful, it's not the optimal practice for maximizing lifespan. For best performance and longevity, it's recommended to keep the charge level between 20 % and 90 % most of the time, with occasional full charges (to 100 %) for cell balancing.
Q: *How often to fully charge to 100 %?*
| Your use pattern | BMS type | Suggested “top‑up” to 100 % | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily cycling (solar self‑consumption, EV, etc.) | *Passive* balancer ≤ 100 mA | Every 25–40 cycles (≈ 4–6 weeks) | Passive shunts need hours at the very top to bleed a few Ah and allow the slowest cell to catch up. |
| *Active* balancer ≥ 0.5–1 A | Every 2–3 months (or when ΔV > 10 mV at 80 % SOC) | Active balancers move energy continually, so cells seldom drift far. | |
| Lightly‑used backup pack (few cycles / year) | Any | Twice a year | Self‑discharge, not cycling, is the main imbalance driver here. |
| Brand‑new pack or after firmware changes | Any | One deliberate full charge | Gives the BMS an accurate SOC reference and starts all cells in sync. |
*Assumes healthy EVE LF280K cells at 15 – 30 °C. Tighten the interval if your pack runs hotter; loosen it in cool climates.*
Why not top‑balance every day?
Signs you should run a full charge earlier
Bottom line: For a pack cycled every day, a monthly top‑balance is a good compromise. With amp‑level active balancers you can stretch to quarterly; standby packs only need a semi‑annual top‑up.
*How to limit in Victron Venus OS so that it charges only to 90 %?*
Venus OS (v3.50+) cannot enforce a “Max SOC” directly—only voltage & current. Therefore you have two mainstream approaches:
| Method | What you cap | Works with | Effort | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. Lower the charge‑voltage ceiling | Cell voltage (≈ 3.35‑3.40 V / cell) | Any Victron charger, MPPT, Multi/Quattro | Very easy | Gives ~88‑92 % SOC. |
| B. Scripted SOC control via MQTT/Modbus/dbus | Real‑time SOC | GX device running Venus OS | Medium | Stops exactly at 90 % and restarts at e.g. 80 %. |
^ System voltage ^ Set‑point for ≈ 90 % SOC ^ | 12 V (4 S) | **13.5 V** | | 24 V (8 S) | **27.0 V** | | 48 V (16 S) | **54.0 V** |
1. Enable **MQTT** on Venus ( *Settings → Services → MQTT → On* ). 2. On a Pi, Home‑Assistant, or the GX itself install **Node‑RED** (or use Python). 3. Flow logic:
```text
• Subscribe: N/<portalID>/battery/+/Soc
• If SOC ≥ 90 %
→ publish 0 V to /Settings/SystemSetup/MaxChargeVoltage (turns charging off)
• If SOC ≤ 80 %
→ publish normal CVL (e.g. 54.0 V) to same path (re‑enables charging)
```
`/Settings/SystemSetup/MaxChargeVoltage` is what the GUI toggles when you tick “Limit managed charge voltage,” so changing it over MQTT takes immediate effect.
4. Keep the charger’s own voltage limits at your normal balancing value (≈ 56 V); the script decides when to apply them.
Until Victron offers a built‑in “Max SOC” slider, the simplest routine is:
This automatically keeps your EVE LF280K pack in the 20 – 90 % sweet‑spot for long life.