BFL13 wrote:
Sounds like you need to equalize the heck out of those batteries and start over. Meanwhile
The PM 75 amper will take the batteries up to 14.6v then the converter drops to 13.6v and stays there while amps taper. With 75 amps on a 430AH bank, that is a 17% charging rate, so expect your SOC when reaching 14.6 to be about 78% Now you have to get from 78-100 with a Vabs of 13.6. This will take a very long time (two days? I don't know when it drops to 13.2, but not for a while.
Even then you will not be getting the batts to 100% since that takes a Vabs of more like 15v, which converters don't do. So you really need two chargers. One that can get the batts to 15+ volts and also your converter to supply 12v (13.6) on shore power. I use a VEC1093DBD for charging to 100% and then doing an overcharge/equalize before leaving the batts on the converter for their Float.
BTW having the batts under the bed is ok if they are in properly sealed battery boxes vented to the outside. A lot of those boxes have their lids not down tight because the battery cables are not placed properly.
i built the battery compartment and it is well sealed and well ventilated... so no issues there.
getting the batteries to 15+ volts would require a high frequency pulse charger, correct? i tend to stay away from the higher voltages for fear of boiling the batteries; which tends to occur, i have found. i am familiar with reconditioning, but it sounds like you're saying to do a reconditioning charge every time i charge? this seems to go against what most would recommend? moreover, it doesn't require a 15v charge to bring my batteries up to a long sustained 12.78 volts; which is well above the usual 12.65 volts considered by most to be a full charge.
other than my fridge controls and battery meter, i don't run any 12v devices, so i don't require a converter... only a charger. i run only 120v off my inverter. so, according to what you're recommending, i would only need a float charger in addition to the 15+ volt charger. but i boondock 99% of the time, so continual float charging is not an option for me. thus the issue i have with maintaining my bank at an acceptable soc. for this reason i think solar power is the way i'll have to go.
as for taking 2 days to get from 78% to 100%, the people selling these chargers certainly don't give one that impression... in fact many say charging will happen faster. i'm not saying you're wrong, just pointing out the often misleading nature of marketing and sales. but again, charging for extended periods of time is simply not an option for full time boondockers.
