Adding batteries

Question

Well my WF-9855 converter is behaving just like everyone says, no bulk charge available regardless of SOC. And as usual it's gotta be the garbage factory wiring, it's 20+ ft. to tongue mounted Interstate (two 6V 206Ahr total) batteries using undersized cables that of course require a lot of work just to find never mind replace! Can I install two Trojan T-105's with 1/0 welding cable to the converters present location, a run of about 6'. Wanna leave the front mounted Interstates in the circuit, I can manually charge them occasionally directly from the posts to bring them to 100% charge. The Trojen batteries setup will allow the WF-9855 to run its 3 stage charge cycle. Will this cause trouble for the converter? I look at the 2nd battery bank as a solar setup, the Trojans should dictate SOC perameters to converter (max 14.2V for 4 hrs) and the Interstates up front would benefit from the proper charge cycle. The Trojens are rated at 225 Ahr. so there is a 19 Ahr difference in the battery banks, is this a problem? Two more Inerstates be a better choice?
The simple fix is to relocate the front mounted batteries closer to the converter with proper cabling but if I can double my Ahr capacity with a 2nd battery bank I would seriously consider it. Their separate distances from converter is potentially the problem as I see it. Any thoughts?

timtation · Answer

Pics or diagrams worth 1000 words. Is a selector switch a good idea here? Bank 1 or Bank 2 or both or off would be the normal switch. i.e. http://tinyurl.com/moww9w8
Not sure if my confusion is due to the wording without pics or just foggy cells

westend · Answer

Anyway you slice it, the WFCO converter will not produce 14.8V (Trojan's charging specification). It's doubtful that a relocation of batteries and a larger cable will get the WFCO to produce a true bulk charge cycle. I don't own one but am referring to the posts on this Forum and others, about the charging aspects of the WFCO converters.

An easier solution may be to replace the converter with one that does a true bulk cycle at 14.8V. Progressive Dynamics makes one, as does Iota.

mbopp · Answer

Yup, I installed an IOTA-55 deck mount converter in the pass-through. 14.8V and a short run to the batteries. I disconnected the AC input to the WFCO.

ktmrfs · Answer

westend wrote:Anyway you slice it, the WFCO converter will not produce 14.8V (Trojan's charging specification). It's doubtful that a relocation of batteries and a larger cable will get the WFCO to produce a true bulk charge cycle. I don't own one but am referring to the posts on this Forum and others, about the charging aspects of the WFCO converters.An easier solution may be to replace the converter with one that does a true bulk cycle at 14.8V. Progressive Dynamics makes one, as does Iota.I replace the WFCO with a PD drop in.  after that I took the wfco unit, using two feet of #4 to a gang of 4 t-125's discharged to 50 percent to see what the WFCO would do.  still wouldn't go into bulk mode.  threw it in the garbage.I also have a PD 65A unit in the pass through with 4/0 to the batteries.  now I have over 100A available if needed.

passme · Answer

The WF-9855 is the problem no doubt but I'm reading that the factory wiring is also notoriously under sized, my converter to batteries distance is around 20+ft. so to narrow it down I need to meter the converter output voltage, if it's 14+V it's a wiring issue. Starting to take a look at these other converter brands...

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Adding batteries

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