First I want to thank Roy, Mex, Piano and others for posting good electrical info on here. I have now installed a PD4655 converter, 4 new 6 volts, 6 gauge wire from converter to batteries and battery wiring is balanced. Over the weekend I ran the batteries down to 12.1 and put it on charge at about 6:00 pm. It went into boost mode and I was reading 14.2 at the converter. I was reading 13.3 at the battery bank. I checked the converter as directed by PD tech and it has the ability to put out 14.42. I placed a temporary 4 gauge cable straight from the battery to the converter and it reduced the voltage drop from .9 to .5 When I checked it at the converter last night at 11:00 pm it was 14.25. When I got up it was in normal mode with a fast flash and 13.6 Before starting the charge the SG was 1.230 and it is now almost 1.250 So I have moved the SG less than 1/2 way and its been 16 hours. I know it wont put the SG at 1.275 in 4 hours but something is wrong. The only thing I can think is that the charger needs to be VERY close to the batteries or I need 2 chargers? It also has good shore power with full voltage. I plan on running a generator this winter so I need to get the fast charge time.Thanks for any ideas.

rjxj wrote:First I want to thank Roy, Mex, Piano and others for posting good electrical info on here. I have now installed a PD4655 converter, 4 new 6 volts, 6 gauge wire from converter to batteries and battery wiring is balanced. Over the weekend I ran the batteries down to 12.1 and put it on charge at about 6:00 pm. It went into boost mode and I was reading 14.2 at the converter. I was reading 13.3 at the battery bank. I checked the converter as directed by PD tech and it has the ability to put out 14.42. I placed a temporary 4 gauge cable straight from the battery to the converter and it reduced the voltage drop from .9 to .5 When I checked it at the converter last night at 11:00 pm it was 14.25. When I got up it was in normal mode with a fast flash and 13.6 Before starting the charge the SG was 1.230 and it is now almost 1.250 So I have moved the SG less than 1/2 way and its been 16 hours. I know it wont put the SG at 1.275 in 4 hours but something is wrong. The only thing I can think is that the charger needs to be VERY close to the batteries or I need 2 chargers? It also has good shore power with full voltage. I plan on running a generator this winter so I need to get the fast charge time.Thanks for any ideas.How far is it from battery to converter? 6AWG isn't very fat for anything over two feet.Your SG looks like the 6s have been sitting below full for a while. You can't get the SG up doing 50-90s. After a 50-90 the SG will still be low. It will take more time at 14.4 to get the SG up--use the manual boost to keep the voltage up till it gets done.55amps on a 440 AH bank, to do a 50-90, will take about 5 hours. Then the 90-100 will take ? another 10? hours

The original wiring is about 30 feet of 6 gauge. I have installed a 4 gauge wire straight from the battery to the converter during this charge/test and the length is about 15 feet

I would give it 24 hours.The last part goes slow.

Get that charge controller as close to the batteries as you can get with the four gauge wire. you will still need a manual charger to get the voltage at the batteries up to 16.0 Voltsto equalize charge the batteries.

rjxj wrote:The original wiring is about 30 feet of 6 gauge. I have installed a 4 gauge wire straight from the battery to the converter during this charge/test and the length is about 15 feet15 feet is too far for 4 AWG to keep the PD near 55amps. Better than 6 AWG though! You can improve things by leaving that 15 ft of #4 on the pos path and using the frame for the neg path (as now?) by running another 15 ft of #4 to parallel that first wire. That will much reduce the total R of the pos path and the frame already has decent low R. You can also run more wire to parallel the frame path on the neg side to improve the R on that. However the payback isn't as great as doubling the pos path, since the frame already has low R. The R that counts is the total R of the pos and neg paths, so improving just the pos or neg path is a help. If you reduce the R on both even better but they don't have to be even R. It is the total that matters.

Long charge time | Good Sam Community

39 Replies

BFL13
Explorer II
Jun 18, 2014
rjxj wrote:
mena661 wrote:
I have the VEC1093 also and still on the original fan. It's a WAY better charger than any of the crappy converters. I'm kind of concerned that your SG hasn't risen past 1.250. IMO, you have some sulfation that you'll have to deal with after you get them charged up. Unfortunately, there's no charger you can get quickly (unless you over night something). I do recommend the VEC1093. The equalize function should get you back into the 1.275 or better range.

These are new batteries from samuels club a couple weeks ago. GC2's

When you buy new batts they have been on the shelf for a while and will have some stratification and show lower SG than they should as new.

First thing you do is "top charge" them to 15v or so until the SG stops rising, then stop the charge. (The VEC1093DBD does this automatically at 15.7v so you don't have to baby sit the thing for when to shut it off) Next day, take the SG and that is your "baseline SG" you want to see on future recharges to 100%
azrving
Explorer
Jun 18, 2014
mena661 wrote:
I have the VEC1093 also and still on the original fan. It's a WAY better charger than any of the crappy converters. I'm kind of concerned that your SG hasn't risen past 1.250. IMO, you have some sulfation that you'll have to deal with after you get them charged up. Unfortunately, there's no charger you can get quickly (unless you over night something). I do recommend the VEC1093. The equalize function should get you back into the 1.275 or better range.

These are new batteries from samuels club a couple weeks ago. GC2's
azrving
Explorer
Jun 18, 2014
I had run the batteries down to 12.1 I figured it was the bottom and never go below that. We had camped for 3 days and nights and used everything we wanted. We were on my brother in laws property and couldn't get the beast near the power pole to plug in. I just ordered a Honda 3000i. When we leave next winter I would think that I'd be running the gen each day and then at some point maybe after 2 weeks or so run it all day to bring the SG up but maybe it would be more like a couple of days. I like running the furnace because the Buddy heater messes up our sinus. I looked into the Cat Platinum but he said its a while before he will be building more of them. I consider the wave because of no battery use but I'm concerned about the fumes from it too. It aint easy RV'ing. I remember waking up on a deflated air mattress in a damp tent and it seemed easy. I know, it would kill me now.
mena661
Explorer
Jun 18, 2014
I have the VEC1093 also and still on the original fan. It's a WAY better charger than any of the crappy converters. I'm kind of concerned that your SG hasn't risen past 1.250. IMO, you have some sulfation that you'll have to deal with after you get them charged up. Unfortunately, there's no charger you can get quickly (unless you over night something). I do recommend the VEC1093. The equalize function should get you back into the 1.275 or better range.
azrving
Explorer
Jun 18, 2014
BFL13 wrote:
Don't worry about the VEC1093DBD's fan. Mine was noisy. I opened it up and all it was, the fan was ticking on something where it was all in there in its little space. No effect on charger performance at all.

In the event, I took the fan out and re-mounted it externally using the same vent louvre it was behind but now is in front of. No noise. Same performance.

Those Schu's have weird charging profiles. Just get the 1093 and you will have the best there is. Many forum members have them and will swear by them.

Ok Thanks. I would guess that its a good charger at that price and dont mind having an all around charger on hand. The schuumachers dont last real long. I have delt with fans before on play stations and computers. It is sort of a maintenance issue because of all the hair and dust that gets in them so its probably normal for the bd in that respect.
BFL13
Explorer II
Jun 18, 2014
Don't worry about the VEC1093DBD's fan. Mine was noisy. I opened it up and all it was, the fan was ticking on something where it was all in there in its little space. No effect on charger performance at all.

In the event, I took the fan out and re-mounted it externally using the same vent louvre it was behind but now is in front of. No noise. Same performance.

Those Schu's have weird charging profiles. Just get the 1093 and you will have the best there is. Many forum members have them and will swear by them.
azrving
Explorer
Jun 18, 2014
westend wrote:
Whoa there, podner.:B

Before you make any big changes, you should know that your new 6V's are not going to be in a fully active state so the SG will be less for the first few cycles. You also started at a very significant discharge level. With 400+ amp hours available you may never see that DOD again.

Yes, 6 AWG is too small for the lengths involved. If you have enough #2 to wire from the converter to the battery, that would be a good choice. I think, with a wire upgrade, you could make this all work, no need for auxiliary chargers and such. Of course, a lot is dependent on your use.

I'm letting it charge for now and will probably be able to shorten up and install the 2 gauge tomorrow. Then I can discharge them again (not as deep) and see how it does.
time2roll
Nomad
Jun 18, 2014
Victron 60a is just $516, or go 100a for $1,087 ;)

http://www.jamestowndistributors
westend
Explorer
Jun 18, 2014
Whoa there, podner.:B

Before you make any big changes, you should know that your new 6V's are not going to be in a fully active state so the SG will be less for the first few cycles. You also started at a very significant discharge level. With 400+ amp hours available you may never see that DOD again.

Yes, 6 AWG is too small for the lengths involved. If you have enough #2 to wire from the converter to the battery, that would be a good choice. I think, with a wire upgrade, you could make this all work, no need for auxiliary chargers and such. Of course, a lot is dependent on your use.
azrving
Explorer
Jun 17, 2014
CA Traveler wrote:
but the seller said it would work even after explaining that I want to boondock and run only a generator and recharge as fast as possible.
Madding isn't it? You use to be able to go to a store and get good advice but it's rare today. :(

This is like the rig salesman - "And here you have this great battery and tank monitor (idiot light) to..."

It's all about selling and rarely about knowledge. :S

Today I went to a RV Truck Center to have them get a new Atwood stove top - I had the model number. He was 100% clueless about what I wanted and wanted to call Monaco... Probably if I wanted a Volvo truck part he could have helped...

Yes it is maddening. Well....I'm past the wfco and this pd4655 seems like a good house converter but what now. I looked at the Black and Decker and it has some bad reviews about fans going bad. I hate to spend $150.00 on it and have problems. A schumacher 50 amp is about $70.00
Like I tell my wife, that's why you see all those RV's lined up in the parks. My brother in law says he cant understand how people can stay in those places, I tell him I can understand it but he hasn't been out doing it yet.
$550.00 for a Xantrex 60 amp Trucharge 2

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Long charge time

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