Hey everyone. I am looking to add big battery capacity to my RV and the question of a charger upgrade has me a bit "perplexed". If you installed something like a Progressive Dynamics 9200, did you buy a unit that slides in and replaces your existing charger module or did you get the one that plugs directly into 120V with a traditional cord? I have been looking around and it seems PD doesn't make the 100A units in the form factor that slides into the OEM location. If you installed a 100A 9200, did you just ditch the built in unit from the bottom of your power center, replace with the 9200 and run a new cord to a 120 outlet? Or do you re-use the 120V feed to the OEM unit by putting a female socket on the cables? For the curious amongst you, I plan to run a new set of 4 gauge wires directly to the new 6V batteries (in series for 12V) as well.Jose

Slides into what? where? What "OEM location?" What rig do you have?

I connected onto the ac circuit that fed the old converter, and brought it to a new wall receptical near the new 9200 stand alone converterBut every question you ask is your choice. But if they don't make a 100 amp to go in the power center, then you don't have a choice there.The only thing for sure is that you feed ac volts to the new stand alone, and heavy enuff cables to the batteries

Jose,I believe the 9200 PD charger won't fit your OEM distribution center. A good ploy is to leave the existing one in place and locate a new charger as close to the batteries as possible. You can fish the 120V wire needed to power the new charger, some choosing to place either/or a receptacle and switch in the mix. Some folks have used both their chargers at the same time and that would be efficient if using a generator if both chargers get along with each other and the battery SOC.

Big battery? Like 4+ of those GC2?Otherwise I think 9280 is as big as it gets. 55 or 60 amps is fine with just two batteries.

100a charger needs a big generator-more than a Honda 2000. Also, except for the PowerMax 100a units the others are not power-factor corrected, so they need a bigger 120v circuit--20a CB and 12 wire. The OEM will have a 15a CB and 14 wire.You can't just run an extension 120v to your new converter location if the converter is not PF corrected and it is over 60amps (DC) (Needs the 12 wire.)I have a 100a PowerMax deck mounted up by the batteries (but it is PF corrected so only a 15a CB needed) and it takes my Honda 3000 to run it. Procedure is to fire up the Honda first with Eco off, plug in the 100 amper, wait a minute, then turn Eco on. Otherwise, the cold Honda will conk out as soon as the 100 amper is turned on.

Charger Upgrade Question | Good Sam Community

GordonThree
Explorer
Feb 27, 2015
This website might help you... 4 ga wire for a 30 amp circuit sounds excessive.

http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

Consider watts first to determine amps in planning wire gauge size.

A 100 amp DC charger is 100 amp * 14.4 volts = 1440 watts. Lets round that up to 1500 for some fudge factor. 1500 watts / 120 volts = 12.5 ... round that up to 15 again for fudge factor and there you have it... so 14 gauge wire should be sufficient for the charger, and a 15 amp circuit breaker in your distribution box.

Another example: If your battery bank is going to power a 2000 watt inverter (4000 watt surge), the math would look like this: 4000w / 12v = 333 amps. Looking at the chart in the website above, that is 4/0 cabling. You'll also want a 300-400 amp class-t or better fuse on that cabling.
BFL13
Explorer II
Feb 27, 2015
Don't forget the power factor. The PD9280 spec calls for a 20a CB and 12 wire because the unit has a PF of 0.7 that adds a bunch to the "watts" (VA actually) drawn from the generator or other power source.

PF corrected converters start at the 75amp size so they can still run from 15a circuits

Use the "divide by 10" rule for the DC amps draw of an inverter. An inverter running a "1000w" appliance will draw about 100a DC.

(Except with microwaves. A PSW inverter will draw that but a MSW will draw fewer DC amps to run the same MW because it also isn't running that MW at its full power due to the MSW)
RJsfishin
Explorer
Feb 27, 2015
DaHose wrote:
Hmmmmmmm ...... sounds like running some fresh 4/3 romex from the 30 amp plug to the new charger and then some 4GA wire to the batteries is what needs to happen.

My genny is a 4K Onan, so load shouldn't be an issue. Although, running the charger and the A/C at full bore might be an issue or trip breakers. Maybe a 60 amp

Jose

4/3 romex ?? Where did that come from ?? Maybe you meant 14/2 w/G But I would use 12/2.
And I think I would take it off the ac distribution panel, not the 30 amp plug ! Actually, the 15 amp 14ga circuit feeding the old converter would run a 9260
time2roll
Nomad
Feb 27, 2015
12/2 romex off the breaker panel is best.
DaHose
Explorer
Feb 27, 2015
I looked at the specs. on the 9200 and it listed upwards of 80 surge amps on what looked like the 120 side, so I looked at the wiring charts and got that wire spec. If I were to come off the plug, I would add a dedicated breaker.

Yeah RJ, I meant 14/2 w grnd. (14/3). Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure I have a spool of 12/3 in the shed. If the 15A that feeds the existing converter would be appropriate for a 9200, I could just use the 12/3 and not use the spare lead.

Jose
Bobbo
Explorer II
Feb 27, 2015
I used the PD4655 which was a 55 amp drop in replacement for the Magnajunk 7345 that came in the RV rather than a 9100/9200. I did upgrade my wires to the batteries to 4g from the 8g that the OEM used.

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