Adjustable Voltage Boondocker Converter Question

I can't remember if the PM3-75 you got has the 15 min thing or not. I know it was hoped it did not.

Also I thought you were going to sort out that whole 45 amp thing with Errin a long time ago. That was a weird one.

My PM3-100 does not have the 15 minute thing, but it did go into boost if it saw less than 13.2 on start-up per WFCO drill. Now I jacked up the internal pot from 13.6 to 14.8, I assume that affected all its voltage stages, but I have not had things where it would go into boost or float. It just gets the batts to 14.8 and stays there till I am at 90% and I shut it off, which is what I want.

It would make things a lot easier if they had given the PM3s with the 15 minute thing (if there is such a thing, think so- not sure) a new model name so you could specify that in your order to anyone who still has them.

Yeah, I'll check it out tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion.

Soon I'll be modifying the pm3-75, and switching it out for the pm4b-45. I imagine the pm3 will act much the same as the pm4b.

Well that is easy to find out! :)

BFL,

Yeah, it's a toss up... waste 15 minutes, or mess with the pot... hmmm.

Of course, part of that 15 minutes could include the time to warm up the gennie, seeing as the converter would not be pulling any significant draw while disconnected from the bank. Definitely something to consider.

Although, the question that comes to mind is whether or not the converter would go thru its normal 15 minute routine when there's no load present?

Mex,

I have no need for such a set up. Everything is run off the inverter... including the 12v kitchen sink pump, which is wired into a 120-12v wall wart, which is plugged into a switched receptacle.

The only things running directly off 12v are things that need to run 24 hours a day... like fridge controls, heat pump and fan, etc... so that the inverter does not have to remain on all the time.

If I do, on a very rare occasion, find myself hooked up to shore power, those particular 12v things could also be wired in to wall warts, and run off 120v.

jrnymn7 wrote:
BFL,

I only use the converter as a charger... no 12v distribution. Anything needing 12v, (fridge controls, hydronic heat pump, for example), are run directly off the bank itself.

Are you suggesting I disconnect the bank from the charger for the initial 15 minutes, and then switch back on once voltage drops back down to my Abs setting?

If that will work and no converter, but that wastes 15 min of gen time. Maybe split bank for 16 minutes then reconnect full bank?

A 22 dollar cheapowatt can feed 30 amps if you wish making everything else autonomous.

BFL,

I only use the converter as a charger... no 12v distribution. Anything needing 12v, (fridge controls, hydronic heat pump, for example), are run directly off the bank itself.

Are you suggesting I disconnect the bank from the charger for the initial 15 minutes, and then switch back on once voltage drops back down to my Abs setting?

I think it would be easier at this point to just use the battery disconnect switch before starting the recharge so the 15 minutes of 16 plus would not hurt anything.

Run the rig on its regular converter for the 12v while the batts are disconnected

I would gladly go with a suitable plug n play unit, if such a thing actually existed. I guess the closest thing would be one of those converters with the button for boosting abs voltage... but even that requires one's involvement. It seems Solar controllers are far more 'battery friendly' than any converter on the market.