Charging a Battery Bank

Joel_T wrote:

BFL13 wrote:
Fast charging is important if you have limited generator time like with campground rules on that. If you can get it done in the time allowed using a lower amp size of charger, fine. Getting it down to the least minutes and seconds is not always the priority.

There are lots of ways to do this whole thing, depending on your budget and camping style.

Yes, a good way is to tap into the inverter up front and share its short fat wires.

How to tell if it will do constant amps? (current limited) Ask their tech support, ask on here.

I'm a bit confused again (or still :B ) The Powermax-PMBC-55ADJ also says it's a 3 stage automatic. Automatic what...can't find any manual. I thought when I adjusted volts to whatever it stayed there.

Yes boatandrv ad is wrong about that. The ADJ version is not three-stage. Some have that 15 minute thing though, which means it drops a volt after 15 minutes from whatever it was at when it started. (As requested by the BMW showroom guys who buy these things--- perhaps it acts like a car's alternator doing that drop?)

Not all ADJ have that 15 min thing. Try it out first with the knob all the way up and see if it goes to 16.5 or just to 15.5. No need to take it apart to snip R1 if it doesn't do the 15 min thing.

Regular three stage PMs have the 15 min thing in another way, to ensure they go to boost voltage every time--an excellent feature. If the batteries are already charged up a good ways, then after 15 minutes it goes to 13.6. If not, then it stays at 14.x till later on.

They also have a car showroom one that is single stage 13.x and a three stage one ISTR. Someday they will all sort out their websites between PM itself and the various dealers like Randy and boatandrv. someday! :(

To repeat on that 15 min thing:

EG, if you start with the knob all the way to highest it will kick off at 16.5 then stay at that 15 min then drop to 15.5. Or if it was 14.5 to 13.5 etc. So if you want to keep at 14.8, you set the knob to your "after the 15 minutes" 13.8 mark, it will start at 14.8 then after 15 min it drops to 13.8 so you have to be there to crank the knob to 14.8 where it will stay.

If that is all too much, just snip R1 (wire on top--R1 is set in vertical )and it will max at 15.5 and no 15 min thing.

I left the 15 min thing on mine because I want the 16.5, which I can't get on any other charger I have (15.7 on the Vector) I use the 16 to zap my T-1275s once in a while. To go longer at 16.2 for that, just unplug the ADJ after it drops to 15.2, wait a minute to bleed off the caps, then plug it back in for another 15 minutes worth of 16.2. Anyway, works for me. IMO it is no worse than equalizing normally where you have to be there to monitor your progress.