Achieving full charge with solar system
Here is a question for the learned solar system folks.. I have a Tracer 40 am MPPT charge controller and a Xantrex 20a smart charger. Currently, the Xantrex is across the batteries. I do have maste...
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4 Golf Cart batteries will have an AH rating of anywhere from 420 to 480 AH. A 20 A charger will take a long time to recharge from 50%
Here is a paragraph shamelessly copied from the Trojan web site:
"A properly sized charger takes into account battery capacity and the time interval between charges. In applications where cycling is infrequent, such as weekend RV users, or infrequent or seasonal trolling motor usage, a charger with an output current rating between 10 and 13% of the battery's rated 20-hour capacity will suffice. In applications where battery recharge must be accomplished within 8 to 10 hours, a three stage, automatic charger, rated at 20% of the battery capacity, may be required."
(Highlight is mine)
According to the above you should be charging with at least a 45 Amp charger.
My Xantrex Prosine 2.0 (2 KW pure sinewave inverter with a 100A charger) is set to charge at to 96 Amps (20% of AH rating).
My 420 AH of solar (charges at a max of just over 20A) needs a boost every 4 or 5 days so that is when I run the Xantrex charger either overnight or a at least few hours in the morning before the sun gets over the hill. This allows the solar to get the batteries up to or very near 100%. I was seriously undercharging my previous set of group 24 batteries by not getting the Xantrex on often enough.
(Response to an often asked question: I run on solar when possible to reduce electricity costs which are very high in Mexico.)
If any of the real experts (from whom I have learned a lot I think) wish to contradict or correct me I'm always ready to learn!)
Here is a paragraph shamelessly copied from the Trojan web site:
"A properly sized charger takes into account battery capacity and the time interval between charges. In applications where cycling is infrequent, such as weekend RV users, or infrequent or seasonal trolling motor usage, a charger with an output current rating between 10 and 13% of the battery's rated 20-hour capacity will suffice. In applications where battery recharge must be accomplished within 8 to 10 hours, a three stage, automatic charger, rated at 20% of the battery capacity, may be required."
(Highlight is mine)
According to the above you should be charging with at least a 45 Amp charger.
My Xantrex Prosine 2.0 (2 KW pure sinewave inverter with a 100A charger) is set to charge at to 96 Amps (20% of AH rating).
My 420 AH of solar (charges at a max of just over 20A) needs a boost every 4 or 5 days so that is when I run the Xantrex charger either overnight or a at least few hours in the morning before the sun gets over the hill. This allows the solar to get the batteries up to or very near 100%. I was seriously undercharging my previous set of group 24 batteries by not getting the Xantrex on often enough.
(Response to an often asked question: I run on solar when possible to reduce electricity costs which are very high in Mexico.)
If any of the real experts (from whom I have learned a lot I think) wish to contradict or correct me I'm always ready to learn!)
