Proper charge/use cycle

You crank the generator when the high amp items are used... MicroWave, coffee maker, hair dryer, doubt you will run an electric heater.
I end up using the generator for 1.5 hours in the evening starting when the DW needs the Micro and usually one hour in the morning when the coffee maker is started.

To answer some questions, I am trying to figure out a charge use cycle while boondocking (generator only)

The batteries are "no maintenance sealed batteries' so cannot do anything other than put a multimeter on them.

Hi,

The top gauge shows the battery voltage very accurately. Because it is indicating a 75 amp charge rate, this means that your battery was pretty low when it was plugged in.

I would start the generator when the battery is around 12.2 volts, if it is daytime. Then run it until you are around 30 amps or less charge rate.

If you plug in, then the charge rate will start out pretty high. It will take a few hours to fall below 20 amps, and perhaps overnight to fully charge the batteries.

You would be much better off installing a pair of solar panels. You can buy a 140 watt for around $229 at this place. SunElec.com

These will keep the battery full - even if you are camping a week at a time. When you are using solar, then running the generator early in the morning is a great idea. Start it when generator hours allow, or around 8-9 am, and run it about an hour. This will give the battery a 'bulk charge' at a high amp rate, then the solar can finish the charging.

If the battery is over 12.5 volts, early in the morning, then you likely will fully charge by solar alone. I have a E-Meter, and it accurately monitors and records the amperage going in and out of the battery bank. I can tell how many amp hours that I took out of the battery, and run the generator only when I need to. So if I am more than -120 amp hours, then I will run the generator in the morning for a hour or so to get it back to -120 AH. From there, the solar system on my motorhome (415 rated watts) will finish charging it silently!

Fred.

Or turkey basters ;)

To be more specific, is the question how much you can discharge the batteries before you have to recharge them (start generator) or when turn on the charger when you have hook ups?
Advanced inverter/chargers sense charging diagram automatically and will come to maintaining stage and the best you can do is leave it on permanently.
When it comes to deep discharge the voltmeter is not precise as it will change the readings depends on the load.
I have load tester that allows me to test the battery stage and I have seen youtube video about new technology gadget where pocket-sized instrument runs series of test to tell you battery state. I am skeptic about new gizmos, but it looks good on the picture.
Precise instrument would be one of those

But than who wants to mess with acid?

The Xantrex gauge is accurate IF you have it set up properly for the type of batteries that you use. My Xantrex has different settings for Wet cell, Gel cell, and AGM type batteries.
If you have wet cell batteries, be sure to check them regularly for the water level or they will self destruct in a short time.

Display #1 (Xantrex) is more accurate.

What you can tell from the display in the photo:

Batteries are deeply discharged-- charge rate is 75 amps. So, it is in bulk mode. Assuming it is properly programmed with voltage at only 13.5 instead of 14 or slightly more(proper voltage in bulk mode), that 75 amps is not enough to get voltage to full bulk setting.

What batteries do you have (size in amp-hrs and technology) and have you programmed your inverter/charger (using that remove panel)?

I generally charge when my batteries hit 12v and no lower.

By the way I have the same Xantrex monitor/controller and mine generally shows the charge to be about .5v higher than it actually is. I have two other analog battery gauges plus testing with a multimeter made the discrepancy clear.

I would go by this one as it has the 1/2 battery level light on... time to charge.



It looks like the Fair light is on here??? Low/Fair/Good/Charged