Another question on Converter sizes
There is another active thread regarding converter sizes, but I get lost in the wealth of detail offered here. I have a simple question: I have a PD 9200 , 45 amp converter, two Trojan T105 batteries ...
Forum Discussion
OK in that case what is needed is to measure voltage at the terminals of the charger and compare it to the voltage at the batteries. There should -never- be a one volt difference at maximum charge amperage potential. The charger sees the higher voltage and reacts to it. Neat huh? One error causes a worse error.
This is the reason that cable size is so touchy. Even .2 volt makes less of, but still an error. Massive cables and mirror bright connectors are in order. Even with a pendant. Of course this is difference is especially critical when charge time is limited by generator use.
Hate to harp but without a handheld voltmeter and hydrometer verification, setting up a "pendant" smart charger system is 100% guesswork and assumption. Flying in a fog bank minus radar. For a total charger to battery amperage round trip of say twenty feet and charger size of 45 amps I would select 1 gauge cable.
Where a lot of folks are missing the boat with sizing of a converter is not deducting for hotel loads. A 45 ampere converter becomes a weenie if hotel loads are bleeding off 15 amperes. This is why a shunt an ammeter measuring nothing but the quantity of amps entering the battery is so important. 6 cells of golf car battery at 50% state of charge is going to take a l o n g time to charge at 30 amps. Jeezo at 14.4 volts it's too long, st 14.8 time needed will still drive a person nuts if a generator is in use. Remember the limited amperage.
When my Kubota is hammering two hours is maddening. Three hours is intolerable. I can add the Trace for 120 amps or the Lombardini for an additional 385 amps. Only a massive 32" Horton fan keeps it from turning into an oven in there.
If I was dealing with a brainless smart charger I would definitely run tattle tale wires (tiny) to a 5 digit volt gauge the told me what the charger terminals are at. Then compare the two voltages. Tattle tale versus smart charger reading at the battery terminal and separate panel meter for the charger output right at the charger teminals. Verification at the charger and another right at the battery posts. A 5 digit panel volt meter has a 3 volt full scale wire connection option that can display volt drop to 3.3333 resolution.
I dipped all of my 330 MCM battery terminal post into a lead solder pot to solder them. Meaning the tin coating was covered with a thick coating of lead which is acid proof. But not galena proof. A gob of anti corrosion compound seals them away from from oxygen.
Configured correctly a charging system should start out and remain trouble free for years and years.
This is the reason that cable size is so touchy. Even .2 volt makes less of, but still an error. Massive cables and mirror bright connectors are in order. Even with a pendant. Of course this is difference is especially critical when charge time is limited by generator use.
Hate to harp but without a handheld voltmeter and hydrometer verification, setting up a "pendant" smart charger system is 100% guesswork and assumption. Flying in a fog bank minus radar. For a total charger to battery amperage round trip of say twenty feet and charger size of 45 amps I would select 1 gauge cable.
Where a lot of folks are missing the boat with sizing of a converter is not deducting for hotel loads. A 45 ampere converter becomes a weenie if hotel loads are bleeding off 15 amperes. This is why a shunt an ammeter measuring nothing but the quantity of amps entering the battery is so important. 6 cells of golf car battery at 50% state of charge is going to take a l o n g time to charge at 30 amps. Jeezo at 14.4 volts it's too long, st 14.8 time needed will still drive a person nuts if a generator is in use. Remember the limited amperage.
When my Kubota is hammering two hours is maddening. Three hours is intolerable. I can add the Trace for 120 amps or the Lombardini for an additional 385 amps. Only a massive 32" Horton fan keeps it from turning into an oven in there.
If I was dealing with a brainless smart charger I would definitely run tattle tale wires (tiny) to a 5 digit volt gauge the told me what the charger terminals are at. Then compare the two voltages. Tattle tale versus smart charger reading at the battery terminal and separate panel meter for the charger output right at the charger teminals. Verification at the charger and another right at the battery posts. A 5 digit panel volt meter has a 3 volt full scale wire connection option that can display volt drop to 3.3333 resolution.
I dipped all of my 330 MCM battery terminal post into a lead solder pot to solder them. Meaning the tin coating was covered with a thick coating of lead which is acid proof. But not galena proof. A gob of anti corrosion compound seals them away from from oxygen.
Configured correctly a charging system should start out and remain trouble free for years and years.
