Converter and Charger at the same time
I did a rather un-scientific test to compare my WFCO converter to a battery charger. I ran the slides in and out a few times and ran 2 fans and all the lights for a while (about a 25 amp draw). After ...
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The WFCO charging at 13.6 and the VEC charging at 14.8 will not add their amps very long. As soon as the battery voltage is above 13.6 the WFCO can't do anything (no voltage spread between it and the battery) It won't do much before then either since the spread is so small.
That leaves the VEC to do it all. BTW excellent battery charger--use that and to heck with the WFCO.
The WFCO did not go into bulk because when on it did not see 13.2 or less. The resting voltage of a 50% battery is about 12.1 (varies by brand) BUT as soon as you apply a charger, there is a voltage spike into the 13s. What the WFCO wants to see is the spike not going over 13.2. If it stays below 13.2, then the battery is about half full.
BUT that also depends on the amps of the WFCO and the AH capacity of the battery how big a spike you will get. Small battery, high amps, big spike. So still no Bulk--battery too small.
If you had a PD that you could force to 14.4 then you could run it and the VEC to add their amps till the battery reaches 14.4 and the PD drops out and the VEC keeps going. By then amps will be tapering so no big deal. Sometimes you have to get the VEC running and then turn on the converter. Depends. No problem just find out how your converter and VEC like to do things.
So what to do with the WFCO? Use it to run the rig 12v while you charge the batts with the VEC with the batts disconnected from the rig (battery disconnect switch open) That is, put the shore power cable into the gen and also plug in the VEC. Open the disconnect Now the VEC can put all 40 amps in while the rig is not drawing some amps at the same time, reducing net amps in, and so increasing gen time.
That leaves the VEC to do it all. BTW excellent battery charger--use that and to heck with the WFCO.
The WFCO did not go into bulk because when on it did not see 13.2 or less. The resting voltage of a 50% battery is about 12.1 (varies by brand) BUT as soon as you apply a charger, there is a voltage spike into the 13s. What the WFCO wants to see is the spike not going over 13.2. If it stays below 13.2, then the battery is about half full.
BUT that also depends on the amps of the WFCO and the AH capacity of the battery how big a spike you will get. Small battery, high amps, big spike. So still no Bulk--battery too small.
If you had a PD that you could force to 14.4 then you could run it and the VEC to add their amps till the battery reaches 14.4 and the PD drops out and the VEC keeps going. By then amps will be tapering so no big deal. Sometimes you have to get the VEC running and then turn on the converter. Depends. No problem just find out how your converter and VEC like to do things.
So what to do with the WFCO? Use it to run the rig 12v while you charge the batts with the VEC with the batts disconnected from the rig (battery disconnect switch open) That is, put the shore power cable into the gen and also plug in the VEC. Open the disconnect Now the VEC can put all 40 amps in while the rig is not drawing some amps at the same time, reducing net amps in, and so increasing gen time.
