Honda 1000 will it charge my batts

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
A too much capacity generator is a lot easier to deal with than one that almost but not quite carries a load.

That's where a high amperage capacity adjustable output power supply - that is powered by an otherwise excellent, but almost but not quite generator - can come in handy for charging batteries.

Just turn the power supply's output up to as close as possible to the desired battery charging voltage, but stop the voltage at the value just below where the generator's maximum current protection circuit breaker trips. This will slow up the charging process a bit from what a larger generator could do, but allow the almost but not quite generator to be used to it's fullest capacity for charging any size RV battery bank at any beginning state of charge.

I've neever tried it ... but it should work.

I kindof simulate the same procedure with a 650 watt generator: I don't power an adjustable output power supply with it for battery charging, but I do use it to simultaneously power two small single voltage chargers for charging our RV batteries. The two small chargers load the generator pretty heavily but don't quite trip it's circuit breaker. However, the combined charging current going into the batteries is more than what the current would be with either charger by itself. I believe this procedure closely resemblies what would happen during battery charging using a small generator feeding a too-large power supply where you adjust it's output voltage to a value that doesn't quite kill the generator during charging.

One oz of what?

larry barnhart wrote:
Non ethanol gas and 1 oz per gallon keeps the Honda ready if needed. 2000 would be much better.

chevman

I feel our Honda 1000 is no way near good enough but it does what we need. We have only needed it 3 times so using a 15amp manual battery charger hooked to the pigtail in the front of the alpenlite and using the 1000 to power the B charger it did work very well. 2000 watt inverter and 4 12 volt group 27 batteries and 100 watts of solar worked just fine the 3 times we needed to boon dock. Non ethanol gas and 1 oz per gallon keeps the Honda ready if needed. 2000 would be much better.

chevman

chilly81 wrote:

BFL13 wrote:

chilly81 wrote:

Depending on your battery size, you probably can not charge the battery at more than 40 amps for more than a few minutes.

You don't say the SOC of the bank when starting the 40a charge.

You're right about that - I've never been below 60% and am almost always > 80% (will probably change once it starts getting cold).

Is that all test data on your graph, or is that curve a published curve? Very helpful.

Actuals using 35a Vector portable chargers (two for the 70, 35 +20 for the 55)

these are programmed to trip at 14v so the amps taper but the voltage keeps rising to 14.6v with that 14v trip point, the SOC will be a little lower than with a charger you set to reach 14.6 and then it holds, but not much different.

Here is a comparison of the Vector profile with a PowerMax modified set to reach and stay at 14.6 to see the difference in outcome. Vector trips at 68% vs 72% but still gets there.

Limited initial power input is a design criteria of the BORG charger. I leave battery disconnected charge one Mega then switch in the 2nd. Solid state relay engages then the hotel fuse does not blow. Pre-charging the caps definitely helps.

BFL13 wrote:

chilly81 wrote:

Depending on your battery size, you probably can not charge the battery at more than 40 amps for more than a few minutes.

You don't say the SOC of the bank when starting the 40a charge.

You're right about that - I've never been below 60% and am almost always > 80% (will probably change once it starts getting cold).

Is that all test data on your graph, or is that curve a published curve? Very helpful.

Throw in elevation, and gas cut with 10% ethanol, and 40 amps is pushing it very hard... at 7000 ft elevation and ethanol gas, a 30 amp PSU set at 14.8V makes my Eu1000i grunt pretty darn hard. Up at Breckenridge, CO at 9500 feet, I had to drop my charge voltage back for like the first 10 or 15 minutes before bumping it back up to 14.8V bulk charge rate. Too much for the little Honda Eu1000i at that elevation, right from the start on a group 24 DC that was 75 AH rated.

While I can not be sure without testing and I do not want a WFCO to test.

I believe the Honda 1000 or Yahama 1000 should run a 50 amp converter with one possible exception.

IF the batteries are at like 10% state of charge.

I am told the 1,000 can run a 60 amp Progressive Dynamics

I have run an 80 amp Progressive Dynamics off a genuine 1,000 watt generator (not a HOnda, the 1,000 is peak,, on the one I used the 1,000 was sustained)

chilly81 wrote:

Golden_HVAC wrote:

Depending on your battery size, you probably can not charge the battery at more than 40 amps for more than a few minutes.

Fred's point is valid. I have 230Ah from 2 GC batteries with a 40A charger. I have a EU1000 and barely spikes over 30A for a few minutes.

So it really depends on what battery bank you have as to how much they will take. If you have a giant bank, then the 1000i won't supply 50A (remember, it's not 12v, it's probably more in the 14.5 range, depending on your charger.

If you consider continuous rating (800W, not 1000W) and converter efficiencies etc... I wouldn't expect much over 600W going INTO your batteries. The problem will be that if you have a big bank and your charger wants to run wide open, it will overload and shut down the eu1000i. There's likely no way to throttle the charger to only use 40A or something.

You don't say the SOC of the bank when starting the 40a charge.

A 220AH bank at 50% will accept 40a constant for approx. 110 minutes before amps start to taper at about 80% SOC. It then takes another hour to get to 90% SOC

If you are only getting a few minutes at 30a from your 40a charger, then the bank must be over 80% full already, or else the charger has a problem.

Golden_HVAC wrote:

Depending on your battery size, you probably can not charge the battery at more than 40 amps for more than a few minutes.

Fred's point is valid. I have 230Ah from 2 GC batteries with a 40A charger. I have a EU1000 and barely spikes over 30A for a few minutes.

So it really depends on what battery bank you have as to how much they will take. If you have a giant bank, then the 1000i won't supply 50A (remember, it's not 12v, it's probably more in the 14.5 range, depending on your charger.

If you consider continuous rating (800W, not 1000W) and converter efficiencies etc... I wouldn't expect much over 600W going INTO your batteries. The problem will be that if you have a big bank and your charger wants to run wide open, it will overload and shut down the eu1000i. There's likely no way to throttle the charger to only use 40A or something.