Parallax 555 for charging batteries?

AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OR IS IT MILLIONS...

Of big rigs have operated BILLIONS of MILES, many of them are never shut off except to change oil and they ALL (this means every one) have an alternator voltage regular set point of near 14.0 volts. This I considered to be too high so I set them back two tenths of a volt to 13.8.

With OLD tar-top 5% antimony batteries.

Yes, IF THE SPECIFIC GRAVITY IS MAINTAINED to original equipment specification, 13.4 to 13.5 volts may be enough for optimum float.

But 13.8 volts WILL NOT BOIL A BATTERY DRY unless ambient temperatures soar above 90 degrees AND STAY THERE for six months or a year. Yeah. Day and night.

The specific gravity is GOD. It and no place and no one else determines whether a battery is charged or not.

It sure is NICE here, checking batteries on FLOAT for six months and finding ALL OF THE CELLS low on specific gravity. "But but but but, I was TOLD to NEVER set the float voltage up" I've heard this so many times I want to explode.

There is an EXACT POINT which believe me is DIFFERENT for each BRAND of battery, TYPE of battery and AGE of battery that maintains specific gravity at maximum while transacting a bare MINIMUM of kWh charging current.

If you desire to be knowledgeable about YOUR battery bank (never mind someone else) find out the EXACT point in which your batteries are maintained at that magic point. This setting is for YOU and not your neighbor's son-in-law's RV).

It would be nice to see a bunch of posts from folks willing to do this SIMPLE adjustment and see the results of the amount of CURRENT needed to maintain the batteries at full specific gravity and not 10 milliamps more or 10 milliamps less.

To declare anything different would be as frustrating as dealing with the statement,,,

ONE POLITICIAN FITS ALL

I added the PD9260C to my WFCO WF8945 Converter setup that I never could make it go into smart mode charging..

I did this more for a backup since the WF8945 was working and I really wanted the PD9260C as close to the battery bank as i could get.

Since both converters are wired in parallel I just control which one is being used by turning off the circuit breaker controlling each one. The PD9260C smart mode converter is great for adding in parallel with something else with its DUAL DC CONNECTOR arrangement that PD uses on most of their converters.


I can get along just fine using the WF8945 converter since I am aware of its short comings.

When camping off the power grid or in somewhat longer storage time I will use the PD9260C unit.

This is my OFF-ROAD POPUP setup showing both locations of my two converters.


Very happy with my two converters setup and fits well with my type of camping which is mostly off the power grid.

Roy ken

I replaced my Magnetek 7345, same as Parallax 7345, with the PD9260. The 9260 fit in the same space. I don't know if the Parallax 555 is the same size or not. It is only necessary to replace the lower part, the converter, not the power distribution panel.

Since the Parallax 555 is a 55 amp converter the wiring should be adequate, but since it only charges at 13.8v, the battery will not accept a high charging current so they may have used smaller wire. I replaced my #8 wire with #4.

Best Converter, www.bestconverter.com, is a good source for information but you will pay more than at eBay.

Leave that whole unit alone, and add the stand alone (PD9260 ebay) shown below. Just plug in the ac cord, and connect the pos and neg to the battery, or to where the existing one is connected, and you good to go. If no place to plug it in, disconnect the ac input from the existing one and install an ac receptical on it
If no room for the new converter, you in trouble (:.

Thats what I was afraid of. My old trailer had what looked like a seperate unit for charging the battery ( an Iota) but this looks like an all in one converter/charger/fuse panel/cicuit breaker.... Would I have to replace the whole thing? And what would be some good choices? Nothing too fancy (after all it is 13 years old) but I would really like the smart charger....

Thanks

On Edit- I wrote it so I'll leave it, but what I wrote is wrong (senior moment)
The 555 is a modern unit, but it is just a single stage unit- not "smart". It will work fine with no battery, but will not recharge very quickly.

The 555 is a ferro-resonant converter, unlike the more standard old style linear converters. It used to be the state of the art, but now they make really good hot, noisy boat anchors.
Seriously, they are fine, and nearly bullet proof, but they have a number of oddities- they *must* have a battery in the circuit (or a really big capacitor), they must have 60 cycle power (not good on gensets). I gave away the last one I had.

People will tell you the Parallax is the cheapest piece of junk on the market. My old trailer had a cheap Parallax and it never let me down in 9 years. The TT stayed plugged in 24/7 at home and never cooked the batteries. I sold the TT to a friend and it still works fine.

On the other hand, I don't recommend it if you have a choice as there are much better chargers in the 3 stage variety.

I googled "Parallax 555" and found out that it is a 55 Amp 13.8 volt converter.

At 13.8 volts it will cook your batteries.

The best way to "maintain your batteries with this setup" is to replace it with a good 3 stage converter.

Check the voltage,......if it stays at 13.6, then it is a slow charger, and a battery cooker.
If you see 14+ volts, or 13.1-2 volts, then it mite be a smart multi stage