upgrading power converter
My power converter has apparently bit the dust, lights flickering for past couple of years now no charge to batteries... Anyhoo, we do a lot of dry camping, where we need to daily boost the batteries...
Forum Discussion
Not clear we are talking about the same thing on those PDs. Several graphs have been shown on here of how they taper. They do 14.4 ok, but not at full rated amps due to some design thing. AFAIK the only example where it didn't taper right off was when the PD was modified.
People still like them because its not that bad in terms of extra generator time doing a 50-90. Also, most folks don't plot graphs! :)
EDIT---yes voltage rises. (called battery charging :) ) the converter is "current limited" so it can't go higher so its amps stays constant at the rated value. (except PDs don't) Converter voltage stays just ahead of battery voltage until converter voltage reaches "threshold" and then the converter swaps over to Stage 2 , "Absorption Stage"
The voltage it stays at during Absorption (Vabs) varies among different brands of converters and chargers. Some stay at the threshold of say 14.4 or 14.8 while others drop to 14.2 or 13.6 for a more "gentle" absorption stage. I prefer where it stays at the high voltage 14.8 until the battery is fully charged before it drops to Float voltage in the 13s.
People still like them because its not that bad in terms of extra generator time doing a 50-90. Also, most folks don't plot graphs! :)
EDIT---yes voltage rises. (called battery charging :) ) the converter is "current limited" so it can't go higher so its amps stays constant at the rated value. (except PDs don't) Converter voltage stays just ahead of battery voltage until converter voltage reaches "threshold" and then the converter swaps over to Stage 2 , "Absorption Stage"
The voltage it stays at during Absorption (Vabs) varies among different brands of converters and chargers. Some stay at the threshold of say 14.4 or 14.8 while others drop to 14.2 or 13.6 for a more "gentle" absorption stage. I prefer where it stays at the high voltage 14.8 until the battery is fully charged before it drops to Float voltage in the 13s.
