Mean Well power supply for my usage

jrnymn7 wrote:

Snowman9000 wrote:
So, this is the bottom line... is a 33-36A Mega Watt going to put more watts into the batteries than a larger 14.4-14.6v converter in the first two hours of a genset charge?

Of course, you meant Ah's not watts, correct?

First, I would stop thinking in terms of a set in stone 2 hour interval; although I do realize that's just a time frame you're shooting for. But what is important is getting those batts charged as quickly as is reasonably possible. And that may only take a half hour in boost and an hour in abs.

Second, that all depends on the Ah capacity of your batts, the charge rate in relation to those batts' capacity, the depth of discharge, and the range of charge you wish to perform, 50-80%? 70-90%?

Assuming you have 200Ah capacity, and they are at 50% soc (-100Ah), either 40 amp unit, if set at 14.6v, would do a 50-80% (60Ah's replaced) charge in 90 minutes. Nothing would change. This is the cc/boost mode portion of the charge cycle.

But the BIG difference would come in when that converter drops to 13.6v, while the mega watt remains at 14.6v, during the cv/abs mode. The converter's amps would drop drastically to about 16 amps, and taper from there, while the super duper mega watt would keep humming along at 40a for a little while longer, and then it's amps would begin to taper from 40a. This is significant when it comes to charge times, especially on an even larger bank.

The next 80-90% would take about 90 minutes with the converter, while the mega watt would only take about 40 minutes. So a 50-90% would take 3 hours with the stock converter, but only 2hrs 10 min. with the mega watt.

Moreover, at some point you WILL have to top charge those batteries, and the converter will be of absolutely no use at this point, whereas the mega watt will have the higher and adjustable voltage required to do so. (Equalizing may require the even higher voltage of the mean well).

Hope this helps

This matches my observations. With the 30 amp Mega Watt, and me needing 45 to 50 amp hours back into my battery... 2 hours at 15.0V or until the battery will no longer take 10 amps charging, and I am done with the Mega Watt, time to shut 'er off. With 210 ah capacity, you may need to shut down at 15 amps, or 13 amps, or 12 amps... take a SG reading an hour after charging with no electrical usage to see where you are at with a hydrometer.

you start eyeballing and considering shutting things down when you get to a charge rate in amps of about 7% of amp hour capacity, or at least I do.