Should I Change My WFCO Converter?
Opinions have often been expressed, both on this and other RV forums, that most stock RV converters are inadequate to properly charge and maintain batteries and are often of poor quality. It is frequ...
Forum Discussion
Indeed, and this is why I prefer to think, and explain things, in terms of cc and cv. It's preferable to understand what is actually going on, rather than thinking a "smart" charger is somehow doing something any regular psu cannot; short of going in and out float, automatically... something only one of my 3 so-called smart chargers has ever done, btw, and thus they still needed to be turned off manually.
I think the problem with most portables, (the vec1093 excluded) is they tend to do a poor job at regulating their "abs/cv" voltage output, thus creating a situation where they cannot reach a point where the current tapers low enough to go into float; as a result of their rather high voltage output. This is what was tripping me up from the beginning. My Peak 40 said it was putting out 14.8-9v, but was actually putting out over 15.2 volts, at the batts, after volt loss! So I could never get the current down to less than about 8a per 430Ah, unless I charged for hours and hours, at which point, most, if not all of the current was just turning into heat anyway... so it became a completely frivolous pursuit. This is why (manual) voltage control is so important as the batteries get to near full.
The OP has no solar, so he needs to either do say 50-80/90's, followed by a good top charge; and possibly an EQ, every week or so, to reduce gen run times, OR he needs to do 85-100's daily, (or as often as needed), to keep the batts topped up, and again, to minimize gen run time.
Solar IS the game changer. The cost of one of those xantrex 60a truecharge2 chargers will more than pay for a 280w 12v solar set-up. And the cost of a 75a powermax adjustable bpcm will easily pay for a 140w 12v set-up. The OP could easily start out small and expand from there, if his needs dictate it.
Personally, I think the 40a megawatt is a little on the low side, amp wise, for a 230Ah bank, but until the OP determines his needs better, and develops a better (hands-on) understanding of battery maintenance, it is a good economical choice. It certainly will not go to waste, regardless of future purchases, seeing as it is rather versatile.
On that note, wouldn't the megawatt work well in parallel with a solar controller?
I think the problem with most portables, (the vec1093 excluded) is they tend to do a poor job at regulating their "abs/cv" voltage output, thus creating a situation where they cannot reach a point where the current tapers low enough to go into float; as a result of their rather high voltage output. This is what was tripping me up from the beginning. My Peak 40 said it was putting out 14.8-9v, but was actually putting out over 15.2 volts, at the batts, after volt loss! So I could never get the current down to less than about 8a per 430Ah, unless I charged for hours and hours, at which point, most, if not all of the current was just turning into heat anyway... so it became a completely frivolous pursuit. This is why (manual) voltage control is so important as the batteries get to near full.
The OP has no solar, so he needs to either do say 50-80/90's, followed by a good top charge; and possibly an EQ, every week or so, to reduce gen run times, OR he needs to do 85-100's daily, (or as often as needed), to keep the batts topped up, and again, to minimize gen run time.
Solar IS the game changer. The cost of one of those xantrex 60a truecharge2 chargers will more than pay for a 280w 12v solar set-up. And the cost of a 75a powermax adjustable bpcm will easily pay for a 140w 12v set-up. The OP could easily start out small and expand from there, if his needs dictate it.
Personally, I think the 40a megawatt is a little on the low side, amp wise, for a 230Ah bank, but until the OP determines his needs better, and develops a better (hands-on) understanding of battery maintenance, it is a good economical choice. It certainly will not go to waste, regardless of future purchases, seeing as it is rather versatile.
On that note, wouldn't the megawatt work well in parallel with a solar controller?
