Will this work and do I need a fuse? Mean Well power supply

I've been using the Meanwell rsp-500-15 for 2 years now as my exclusive plug in charging source, and my scorn for automatic charging sources has only grown in intensity since.

While it is rated for 500 watts, it regularly surpasses 600 watts when the battery is depleted enough.

I employ 45 amp anderson powerpoles to disconnect it from DC when not in use.
When I unplug the 120vdc but it is still connected to DC, there is a click as the overvoltage protection kicks in.

Or if I lower voltage faster than surface charge depletes I will hear the same click.

The rsp-750-15 and -1000-15 have features that the rsp-500-15 does not. The desire for 1000 or 1500 watts suggests to me this will be used not just for top charging but for bulk charging and the OP asked about 50 to 80% charging.

When Maxed out, my rsp-500-15 makes a lot of heat. The very high rpm 40mm fan is very loud. I added more fans and heatsinking to keep this fan from coming on at lower amperage outputs, and to extend its life. I would recommend additional airflow aimed over meanwell casing, for use when maxed out charging depleted batteries.

Perhaps add some of these to meanwell casing for additional heat dissipation:
https://www.amazon.com/ENZOTECH-Memory-Ramsink-BMR-C1-Heatsink/dp/B002BWXW6E/ref=pd_sim_sbs_147_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=W5X67K562YY2AT558V1Q

My voltage range on the rsp-500-15, with a 10 turn 1000 ohm bourns potentiometer, is 13.12v to 19.23v.

While I intended to use a wind up timer, I have never bothered installing one. But if I did, I'd want a 6 hour timer, as 4 hours would have the unit shut off early as my AGM battery takes no less than 3.5 hours for amps to taper to 0.5% of capacity once absorption voltage has been reached( usually 25 to 35 minutes at 40 amps), and with many partial state of charge cycles accumulated, can take much longer for amps to taper to 0.5% of capacity at absorption voltage.

I read the OP's post thoroughly.
Because of the layout out his text, the inclusion in plan of a 4 hour windup (infinite resolution) timer and other intrinsic factors particular to his post...

I feel the poster knows exactly what he is doing and why he is doing it :)

This is all too obviously a charge augmentation in support of meaning auxiliary to an existing onboard charger.

Now to answering his questions:

350 watt power supplies have a circuit board ten ampere fuse. I have not dissected the 1500 model but there must be a circuit board fuse or the power supply cannot meet either UL or CSA safety specifications. This is a Taiwan unit from one of the largest power supply manufacturers in the world. The inclusion of a circuit board 20 - 30 amp soldered cartridge fuse therefore must be considered a "given" not a guess.

If that soldered fuse should go open circuit, there is a problem with the circuit inside the cabinet. Replacement of the fuse is minor compared to repairing the cause of fuse failure. OK? These fuses are vastly over capacity of the unit in question.

Therefore it must be concluded that any safety device used in the circuit would be from the batteries to the unit -because- of failure or fault in battery to power supply input compromising. A short - a connection pulled loose.

Aside from this perspective must be maintained. Are there circuit breakers protecting the circuit from the battery to the onboard converter and distribution DC fuse panel? Arguing for the power supply circuit to be fused must automatically include argument that the OEM battery to converter supply be similarly protected -both circuits- at the battery end. It would be irrational to argue for one and not the other.

I measured a spurious .001 ampere draw between battery and unpowered power supply. This may or may not have an origin of bleed in the unit's capacitors. The effect if not worth chasing down IMO. The 100 volt PIV rating of the schottky rectifiers precludes current reversal.

Racer 4, presents a clear indication he knows what he wants and he is pursuing a path in which he feels comfortable.

The timer proves he acknowledges the minutes or hours to be assigned is to be considered. it is obvious he realizes voltage values as presented by the manufacturer. If he chooses 14.8 volts then by trial he can discover the time parameter versus starting battery voltage how much to wind the Intermatic. I fail to acknowledge that someone with the intent of assembling such a system cannot comprehend time calculations versus observed starting battery voltage. For a vast majority of RV'ers time spent at Vmax becomes almost laughably easy intuitive.

Check when the battery cells start to bubble then terminate the charge. Note the time spent charging versus the starting voltage. Is this overwhelmingly complex? if yes, then the use of a 3-stage converter is mandated. Some folks are crippled in some areas of mechanical aptitude.

It is the crucial time spent at IDEAL Vmax that conventional converters have no way to deal with. They compensate by demanding inappropriately long term charging spent at lower voltages. Inappropriate because it is similar to watching a draft horse pack a lunch box. Generators and generator run time are both expensive and for many including me - I don't want to endure unneeded and excessive noise and fumes. Then there is the matter of the grinning cashier at the gasoline station.

Occasional top charging can be increased in amounts per kWh drawn by letting the electrolyte bubble slightly longer every tenth charge. If two hours seems to be ideal for regular charging starting at a certain voltage then top charge by adding 15 minutes to the two hours.

Proponents of totally automatic charging are fully entitled to have the right to charge the way they wish. But they do not have the right to declare operator controlled sophisticated"custom" charging as being deleterious, hazardous, or invalid. The louder they yell the more they discredit themselves.

I have spent far too much time with batteries to have the wool pulled over my eyes.

BUT BUT CAVEAT BUT BUT READ THIS...

Batteries can not be equalized by cranking up voltage to 16.0 volts. AMPERAGE LIMITATION and THROTTLING is an absolute must or batteries will be damaged. Use paralleled 12 volt 50 or 100 watt light bulbs to throttle amperage to 5% of rated ampere hour capacity. This does mean the direct disconnection of the main charge lead line from power supply to batteries during the equalization event. And the disconnection of batteries to hotel loads for overvoltage protection.

I feel I must address the situation where a bi-directional charge relay will allow inappropriate flow of high voltage to the chassis battery. I am familiar with the Blue Seas and the Sure Power charge dividers. Both units, have a terminal to chassis negative that must be in-circuit for the device to work. The chassis negative circuit employs an 80 milliamp flow to enable the device. A small switch can be used to interrupt the charge divider operation during equalization.

And finally, a fully recharged battery is a longest lived device. undercharging a flooded battery is electro-chemical arteriosclerosis. People who total 5% of the kWh transactions of a serious off grid boondocker are poor choices to hear opinions about battery lifespan versus charge protocols. Hydrometer and total kWh transaction accumulations are the sole valid points to consider.

I wish Racer4 good fortune and will dispose myself to his questions.

Charger augmentation is not for everyone. It may or may not be appropriate for even 7% of RV users. But if it is warranted, then nothing else but charge augmentation on the face of the earth can do it's job and the penalties at least to me are unbearable. Forcing myself to be stupid is not one of my strong points.

.

I would suggest you would be better off using a proper intelligent charger rather than a straight power supply.

Something else to think about?

Is the output of the Mean Well reverse feed protected, by a diode, mosfet or solenoid? I mean, if the ac input is off, is the DC output isolated from the batteries, or is the circuitry still being powered up, by the batteries?

With two 2000s in parallel you could also run the Iota and get maybe 155 amps to do a faster 50-80. One 2000 won't run the 100 amper.

You really ought to have a Trimetric monitor in the mix. That would mean changing your wiring plan so that the shunt is just outside the battery compartment. The neg wires from both the Iota (if not using the frame) and MeanWell would go to the 500a shunt and then a fat wire goes from the shunt to the battery neg post.

The existing battery to frame "ground" would also now go from the frame to the shunt first, and not to the battery, so that might mean another hole in the battery box? No big deal if so.

Using the Industry Standard DC VOLTAGES for charging the deep cycle batteries is discussed here with this Progressive Dynamics point paper... Using a higher DC Voltage will charge faster but you run into the batteries being boiled out of fluids to quick...

This is what PROGRESSIVE Dynamics states in their operating manual on how long it takes to charge a battery using the DC VOLTAGEs listed below:

"Progressive Dynamics ran this test on the amount of time it took a PD9155 (55-amp) converter/charger set to three different output voltages to recharge a 125 AH (Amp Hour) battery after it was fully discharged to 10.5-volts.

14.4-VOLTS (Boost Mode) – Returned the battery to 90% of full charge in approximately 3-hours. The battery reached full charge in approximately 11 hours.

13.6-VOLTS (Normal Mode) – Required 40-hours to return the battery to 90% of full charge and 78-hours to reach full charge.

13.2-VOLTS (Storage Mode) – Required 60-hours to return the battery to 90% of full charge and 100-hours to reach full charge."

This is based on having 17-20AMPS DC current available for each battery in your battery bank... NOTE That Progressive Dynamics doesn't even list using DC Charge Voltages around the 12.0VC range as this would take alot more than 100 hours to achieve a 90% or 100% charge state.

However you come up with these voltages is on you. I like using the smart mode converter/chargers my self...

The beauty of the different settings on the Meanwell Suppies is you can produce exactly what works best for the Trojan Batteries which a bit higher that the standard converter/chargers produce..

In other words it will take around three hours using 14.4VDC with a capacity of 17-20AMPS DC Current per 12VDC battery in your battery bank to recharge your 50% to 90% charge state banks. Four 12VDC batteries in your battery bank will want to demand around 80AMPS DC Current for about 15 minutes or so which will then start tapering back to around 5-6AMPS DC current starting with 14.4VDC for one hour and then dropping back to 13.6VDC for an additional two hours for a total of around three hours time. This is what we usually see with our battery bank camping off-grid at any rate running our 2KW generator powering up the on-board smart mode PD9260C converter/charger unit starting the re-charge when the battery bank is showing around 12.0VDC charge state.

MEX on here is our Meanwell Supplies expert...

Roy Ken

"must drink more coffee before getting on forum" :)

racer4 wrote:

MrWizard wrote:
I would be a little concerned about 15v
12v is not high enough for charging
And 15v is a bit high, for anything more than few minutes kick in the pants aka equalize
It's not adjustable it is selectable, meaning you can't get a voltage between the selections

Maybe Mexicowanderer will see this and give his opinion
He's are battery expert,

OP here.

My apologies, I typed the wrong model number. I edited the Mean Well model number from RSP-1500-25 to RSP-1500-15 (typo), but the link to the specs is the same.

My understanding is this unit has a potentiometer to adjust the voltage in the range of 13.5V - 16.5V. That's on the 6th line of the specifications. Did I misunderstand? Were you getting 12V and 15V from the first line of the specs?

I am planning to adjust it to 14.8V. Trojan specs Bulk Charge 14.8V, Absorption 14.1-14.7V.

Thanks
Chris

my mistake, i was looking at the model number line
not the line down in the specs

i thought it was voltage selectable for a whole bunch of different voltages

"must drink more coffee before getting on forum"

wa8yxm wrote:
I did not find specs on the "Power Supply" but I rather like 3-stage converters. I don't like "power Supply" for battery charging.

As to the fuse.... if the unit does not have an internal fuse YES you need a fuse. fuse is a must.. I mean how else is a 35 dollar Transistor supposed to blow in order to protect a 35 cent fuse.. Only in the 100 amp range it's more like 300 dollar transistor and 30 dollar fuse. :)

The specs are at the link I included.

Here is the link again: Mean Well RSP-1500-15 specs It opens a PDF file.

The specs say it has "Overload Protection, 105 ~135% rated output power, Protection type : Constant current limiting unit will shut down o/p voltage after 5sec. Re-power on to recover".

I don't know if that is sufficient protection or is a fuse still needed.