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cdcorpe's avatar
cdcorpe
Explorer
Sep 07, 2014

Charger for Interstate 232 amp hrs.

I have a new rv with 2, 6 volt Interstate Batteries & I have a 55 amp wfco Converter ( I also have 200 watts of solar, but when you camp where the sun does not shine , it doesent do much good) The charging specs for the Interstate's are Bulk 14.46, Absortion 15.3, Float 13.4 & Equilize at 15.6. What charger can I replace my wfco to meet these specs. Thanks for any help.
  • I also have 2 GC2-HX Interstate 232AH batteries that are charged with my Progressive Dynamics PD9260C. This the first replacement set for a set of Interstate U2200 that lasted 6 years. No problems with the combination. JM2¢...
  • You cannot meet those specs with any RV converter, since they only go to 14.4ish.

    I solved that by using a VEC1093DBD. On shore power you can use the converter to get them mostly charged and then use the VEC on Equalize setting to take them into the 15s (does 15.7 temp compensated. This routine has been perfect for my 6s (GC2 XHDs) which still go to baseline SG after three years (four seasons)

    Off grid on generator charging just use the VEC unless the WFCO will do 14.4, in which case you can use both together to add their amps.
  • That pair of GC 220's will eat 80 amps without burping so don't worry about going too big. Instead worry about going too small and having a converter stupid enough to outsmart itself.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Xantres suggests charging no more than 30% of the C/20 rate.

    So for 230 amp hour batteries that is 69 amps. A 70 amp converter would be the max.> Damon gave me an 80 but there is the chassis battery on line as well.
  • The spendy Xantrex TrueCharge2 Charger with the even more spendy remote panel says it will do a bulk charge up to 15.5v. However, the online manual and data sheet for the remote does not say how to configure it to do so.
  • Anthrax knows less about batteries than I do about inverters and that's really saying something.

    Every single last one of these companies that recommend the C20 or C30 rate will answer a question of "How about factoring in EXPENSIVE and RESTRICTED generator run-time, with a "huh?"

    I have fast charged so many hundreds of group 27 105 amp hours batteries at a 42 ampere starting rate it isn't funny.

    But given a public power source, those batteries are charged at 5 amperes.

    Present a battery with a fixed voltage. It will consume up to a potential of the fixed voltage point.

    Trace Engineering had the brains. When Anthrax bought them out, all the brains bailed out out high speed. You have to remember, Trace was founded by rebels from Fart Intheface who got fed up with top management idiocy. Outback got some of Trace's talent, so did Magnum. Anthrax marches to the tune of exclusive Chinese engineering philosophy and parts.

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