Deep Cycle Battery Charging From Alternator
Hello, May I ask for advice regarding charging deep cycle batteries from the alternator? I have read older threads, and understand opinions vary. The previous two 100Ah deep cycle AGM coach bat...
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Intermittent, The RV is used as a daily driver and for long distance trips, boondocking mostly. The coach battery is located under the rear floor, about 20' from the alternator. Not sure of the connecting wire size, which runs through an isolator and 50A breaker.
Those batteries were perpetually undercharged. There are too many clues for this to not be fact.
All batteries are sensitive to abuse.
First would be full one gauge AWG wire throughout the charging system. Eighty amp breakers to all batteries. A small generator and fixed voltage charger set for 14.4 volts that can run for 4 hours on a tank of fuel and deliver 40 amps.
My setup is larger. 4 L-16 batteries. A 400 amp 28 volt Niehoff Batteries 4/0 gauge to the L-16's and a 40 DC amp 120 volt 28 volt charger.
When your AGM batteries are finished charging they will automatically accept ONE HALF AMP EACH or one full amp both batteries. This is accurate and reliable indicator showing your batteries are full. If you shut down the charging before the amperage drops to one amp you are undercharging the batteries and the short lifespan screams proof of this. By getting a tiny generator and power supply then letting it run out of has finish charging every day you'll greatly improve battery life. That and spend the money for the wiring upgrade. What I just wrote is not guesswork :)
Those batteries were perpetually undercharged. There are too many clues for this to not be fact.
All batteries are sensitive to abuse.
First would be full one gauge AWG wire throughout the charging system. Eighty amp breakers to all batteries. A small generator and fixed voltage charger set for 14.4 volts that can run for 4 hours on a tank of fuel and deliver 40 amps.
My setup is larger. 4 L-16 batteries. A 400 amp 28 volt Niehoff Batteries 4/0 gauge to the L-16's and a 40 DC amp 120 volt 28 volt charger.
When your AGM batteries are finished charging they will automatically accept ONE HALF AMP EACH or one full amp both batteries. This is accurate and reliable indicator showing your batteries are full. If you shut down the charging before the amperage drops to one amp you are undercharging the batteries and the short lifespan screams proof of this. By getting a tiny generator and power supply then letting it run out of has finish charging every day you'll greatly improve battery life. That and spend the money for the wiring upgrade. What I just wrote is not guesswork :)
