Boondocker converters vs.Progressive converters?

time2roll wrote:

rrupert wrote:
Adding to the conversation, I have two 6 volt GC2 batteries. What kind of twist do those put into the charging?

GC2 really appreciate 14.4 to 14.8 volts charging for long life and good service.

AKA Progressive Dynamic or Boondocker

Many WFCO's and up 0-stage every day i.e. wheel chocks.

rrupert wrote:
Adding to the conversation, I have two 6 volt GC2 batteries. What kind of twist do those put into the charging?

GC2 really appreciate 14.4 to 14.8 volts charging for long life and good service.

Adding to the conversation, I have two 6 volt GC2 batteries. What kind of twist do those put into the charging?

rrupert wrote:

time2roll wrote:
Yes that would be a single stage converter. Low for charging and a bit high for float charge in warm weather.

So you are saying my WFCO is not three stage regardless of what the manual says?

He is saying effectively, you have a single stage.

It is a three-stage, where it will go into boost only if it "sees" under 13.2v on start-up. That is /was in the manual about the 13.2v "trigger". Can't say about the 13.2, but you need to be not using the trailer at the time or it will stay at 13.6.

rrupert wrote:
So you are saying my WFCO is not three stage regardless of what the manual says?

Even with a totally discharged 12v battery, WFCO didn't go into boost mode. Putting in (2) 6v batteries, it was an easy decision to upgrade the charger.

time2roll wrote:
Yes that would be a single stage converter. Low for charging and a bit high for float charge in warm weather.

So you are saying my WFCO is not three stage regardless of what the manual says?

Yes that would be a single stage converter. Low for charging and a bit high for float charge in warm weather.

Your batteries will die an early death from never seeing 14.x voltage during a recharge. You need to reach "gassing voltage" (14.2ish) with flooded batts to get the bubbles that mix the electrolyte properly. AGMs require at least 14.4v to recharge.

How early a death? Depends. Does that matter with the cost of new batteries and your budget? Depends. If things are going ok as is for you, you don't need to do anything special.

When you first turn on the charger, the battery voltage "spikes" from 12.x to 13.x. The more Resistance the charger "sees" the higher the spike's voltage will be. Low battery has lower R, and the wires to the battery from charger have R that is added to what the charger sees. Fatter, shorter wire has lower R than longer thinner wire.

Very important is that the charging amps as a percentage of the bank AH size (the charging rate) affects the degree of spiking. Lower charging rate, less spike. If you put a 55 amp charger on a pair of batts at 50% SOC, the spike will be over 13.2 volts. Same 55 on four batts, it could work.

The WFCO needs to see less than 13.2v on start up as the spike, or it will not go into boost. To get it to see less than 13.2v, you must:

- have a low charging rate
- low battery in SOC
- short, fat wiring to the battery.

BUT- to get the low charging rate needed, you will have low charging rate, and a very long generator run time. Too long.

So if you want to see "boost" and want shorter gen time, you can't get there with a WFCO!

The PD will at least get you the 14.4 by hitting the Charge Wizard. Gen time depends on getting enough of an amps size charger for the size of the bank in AH. Now all you need is a big enough gen to run that size charger. And a place to carry that big of a gen.

time2roll wrote:

rrupert wrote:
The WFCO 8955 is a three-stage converter and appears to be operating okay now but I am always keeping an eye on it.

Have you ever seen boost mode 14.4 volts?
After 3 days of minimal use do you actually see storage mode 13.2 volts?

These are the functions that often just don't work.

I have never seen the 14.4, but I have never let the batteries get down below 12.2 volts. The constant voltage is 13.7 while sitting on charge with just the LP/CO detector drawing any current.