Trojan T105 Batteries - Need a charger

The Progressive Dynamics PD9260C-14.8V 60 AMP model does this...

This is a converter/charger unit that will go along with your 120VAC/12VDC Distribution Panel and is a "real" multi-voltage SMART MODE charger that works... Contact Randy at BEST CONVERTERS... The higher DC current Capacity of the PD9260C-14.8 Converter/charger will be there when you add a second group of two 6VDC GC2 batteries later on... There is no benefit of using a separate Battery charger for your new GC2 batteries. Charge them using 12V as if the two 6VDC in series are one larger 12VDC battery. Let the on-board COnverter/Charger unit do it for you...

If you have the WFCO 8900 series Power Distribution center this PD9260C-14.8V model should fit in the bottom compartment with minimum modifications or you can mount it stand alone closer to the battery bank inside your trailer compartments... You will NOTneed to replace the Distribution Panels (Breakers and FUses)

A typical 12VDC batteries wants to demand 17-20AMPS DC Current when hit with the smart mode BOOST 14.4-14-8 DC Voltages... Two 6VDC batteries in series would be considered a single 12VDC battery is this case...

Most folks have been using 14.4VDC charging mode for the two GC2 6VDC batteries in series and it just takes a little more time to reach the 90% or 100% charge states...

Just my thoughts here... I am just now changing over as well to the GC2 6V batteries and will be using my existing PD9260C-14.4VDC mode smart mode charger for my setup.

The battery experts on here will probably have a better explaination for you...

Roy Ken

We use a Black & Decker 40 amp portable smart charger we purchased several years ago for occasionally equalizing our pair of 6 volt GC2 batteries. This particular model is no longer produced by B&D, Schumacher among other brands offer comparable units although I can't speak to their durability.

We use our onboard Iota IQ4 converter to handle our battery bank's charging requirements and only use our B&D portable for charging routines outlined above. It would serve better to invest in a high quality smart converter, batteries just last so much longer when properly maintained.

For best results replace your existing converter with 55 to 70 amp PD or IOTA converter.
Upgrade the wire if needed.

If you get much sun... 100 to 400 watts solar would fit nicely.
A good solar controller is very programmable to meet the specs required.

I agree on the Progressive Dynamics units. I have my 5er plugged in most of the year now. My old unit would have boiled the batteries into a melt down. With the PD I check the water every 2-3 months and top them off. Batts are 4 yrs old now and good as new.

RoyB wrote:
The Progressive Dynamics PD9260C-14.8V 60 AMP model does this...

This is a converter/charger unit that will go along with your 120VAC/12VDC Distribution Panel and is a "real" multi-voltage SMART MODE charger that works... Contact Randy at BEST CONVERTERS... The higher DC current Capacity of the PD9260C-14.8 Converter/charger will be there when you add a second group of two 6VDC GC2 batteries later on... There is no benefit of using a separate Battery charger for your new GC2 batteries. Charge them using 12V as if the two 6VDC in series are one larger 12VDC battery. Let the on-board COnverter/Charger unit do it for you...

If you have the WFCO 8900 series Power Distribution center this PD9260C-14.8V model should fit in the bottom compartment with minimum modifications or you can mount it stand alone closer to the battery bank inside your trailer compartments... You will NOTneed to replace the Distribution Panels (Breakers and FUses)

A typical 12VDC batteries wants to demand 17-20AMPS DC Current when hit with the smart mode BOOST 14.4-14-8 DC Voltages... Two 6VDC batteries in series would be considered a single 12VDC battery is this case...

Most folks have been using 14.4VDC charging mode for the two GC2 6VDC batteries in series and it just takes a little more time to reach the 90% or 100% charge states...

Just my thoughts here... I am just now changing over as well to the GC2 6V batteries and will be using my existing PD9260C-14.4VDC mode smart mode charger for my setup.

The battery experts on here will probably have a better explaination for you...

Roy Ken

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This is all great stuff. Thank you so much.

Hm... I do have two 100W Renogy panels on my roof with the Tracer 2210RN charge controller, but it is NOT doing the job (I think). So, it sounds like I might be able to upgrade my solar charge controller and solve the problem that way too. Honestly, i was thinking about the external charger to band-aid my solar defficiency.

The tracer 2210RN proclaims to charge to 14.8V, but I am not getting that (I think). Frankly, I am not impressed. Limtied ability to control much. It is a very low end controller. What solar charge controllers would you recommend to replace this to charge effectively my Trojan T105's.

I believe my previous 12v deep cycles were damaged by the solar charge controller, but i can't prove that.

Kylepettit wrote:
This is all great stuff. Thank you so much.

Hm... I do have two 100W Renogy panels on my roof with the Tracer 2210RN charge controller, but it is NOT doing the job (I think). So, it sounds like I might be able to upgrade my solar charge controller and solve the problem that way too. Honestly, i was thinking about the external charger to band-aid my solar defficiency.

The tracer 2210RN proclaims to charge to 14.8V, but I am not getting that (I think). Frankly, I am not impressed. Limtied ability to control much. It is a very low end controller. What solar charge controllers would you recommend to replace this to charge effectively my Trojan T105's.

I believe my previous 12v deep cycles were damaged by the solar charge controller, but i can't prove that.

Need to make sure the solar controller is as close as possible to the batteries and ideally you should have about 1/0 wire from the controller to the batteries and at least #4 wire from the panels to the controller. This will minimize your voltage drop. You should try and plan on about 2% loss max.

allen8106, thank you! So, my 5th wheel was pre-wired with #8 (maybe #6, I need to double check) from the roof to the battery compartment. I suppose I could re-rewire. The 2 panels are in series. I am pretty sure between the 2 panels on the roof it has leads coming out from the MC4 connectors to the junction box with 12AWG (renogy specs confirm that). That run is about 2ft or so. From the junction box down to the charge controller, its #8. And charge controller to the batteries #8 too. I can change out the wires from the controller to batteries easily. Is wire size a huge issue? I suspect the length of wire from the roof to the charge controller is around 12ft.

I live in UT, and so I get a good amount of sun, especially during the summer. Every other home around here has solar panels too (small exeragation...)

Kylepettit wrote:
This is all great stuff. Thank you so much.

Hm... I do have two 100W Renogy panels on my roof with the Tracer 2210RN charge controller, but it is NOT doing the job (I think).

Seems nice but you probably need to baby sit the thing through a charge cycle to verify it is working as designed.

Wire size is not the issue here as the controller makes it to float.

Otherwise I recommend Morningstar SunSaver MPPT for your 200w in series.

http://www.morningstarcorp.com/products/sunsaver-mppt/

So, I am getting ready to use it soon, so I have them charging now. I charged them earlier this week. Before I put the charger on, and around 8am I measured at the batteries 12.74 V. Is that a full charge? I don't think so. Correct?