Hi everyone, I use my Honda 3000is to recharge batteries but for how long do I run geny? I have 2 6V batteries with 206 Ahr total. I've learned that batteries max charge amps should be 25% of Ahr rating so my WF-9855 converter is a good fit, puts out 55 amps. So if my batteries are say 50% discharged would 2 hrs generator run recharge my batteries enough to use? This assumes no significant 12V draw on the converter so it's delivering 50+ amps to battery bank. Trying to weigh the costs of continued generator use compared to the solar investment. Perhaps a combo of both would do the trick. I know it takes hours to reach 100% charge but aiming for that 80%+ range, reuse lightly then recharge. Repeat. Any thoughts? Thanks for the feedback.

"would 2 hours charge enough to use?"The short answer is yes, 2 hours would be a significant charge at that rate to that size bank and you could certainly continue using the batteries.However, I suspect something more like 3 or 4 hours would be a better charge. The 50 amps will tapper as the batteries recharge. Do you have an amp meter? I'd run the generator until the batteries are taking only 10% of their capacity (20.6 amps).

Oh boy. Two hours of generator noise. My batteries are full before noon most days....noiselessly. In fact it's almost 6 pm and solar is still working lightly...noiselessly.

9855 WFCO? Probably 12 to 24 hours unless your 9855 actually goes to boost mode and you see 14.4 volts. If you do see boost watch for 14.2+ volts on the battery and then run one more hour to get about 90 to 95 percent.Most likely you will get 13.6 volts and amps will begin tapering off within 10 minutes for a trickle charge.

Yeah you're assuming the WFCO will go into boost mode but it probably won't.I have an IOTA-55 for charging and shut the WFCO off. Two hours a day with my Honda 2000 keeps me and my batteries happy. Even an hour a day will get me through.

I run my on-board PD9260C from my 2KW generator to recharge my 50% depleted 255AH 12V battery bank and it takes around three hours of generator run time using the smart mode DC Voltages coming from the PD9260C converter/charger unit...Usually where we camp OFF-GRID I am allowed to run my generator starting at 8AM each morning. Works out good for us as we can make our fresh coffee for the day and do a few other high wattage items during our breakfast time generator run time.We pull alot of DC AMPS from our battery bank during the 6PM to 11PM evening time in our camper supporting our camping style and if I don't start out with a good 90% charge state my battery performance each day we will fall short on the batteries. Been doing this Camping routine since 2009 mostly camping off-grid running off of the batteries.My 255AH Battery started to lose performance at the end of last years camping season and I am now in the process of building up a new battery bank... Getting 7-8 years out of my GP24 12V Interstate batteries was a surprise for me... They just won't hold a charge very long now and one of them starts getting very warm when using them... I just pulled the plug on them at the of last years camping season...Probably will be going for two groups of two 6V GC2 batteries in series for the new battery bank... Roy Ken

Generator recharges batteries | Good Sam Community

14 Replies

mbopp
Explorer
Apr 27, 2017
Yeah you're assuming the WFCO will go into boost mode but it probably won't.
I have an IOTA-55 for charging and shut the WFCO off. Two hours a day with my Honda 2000 keeps me and my batteries happy. Even an hour a day will get me through.
time2roll
Nomad
Apr 27, 2017
9855 WFCO? Probably 12 to 24 hours unless your 9855 actually goes to boost mode and you see 14.4 volts. If you do see boost watch for 14.2+ volts on the battery and then run one more hour to get about 90 to 95 percent.

Most likely you will get 13.6 volts and amps will begin tapering off within 10 minutes for a trickle charge.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Apr 27, 2017
Oh boy. Two hours of generator noise. My batteries are full before noon most days....noiselessly. In fact it's almost 6 pm and solar is still working lightly...noiselessly.
KD4UPL
Explorer II
Apr 27, 2017
"would 2 hours charge enough to use?"
The short answer is yes, 2 hours would be a significant charge at that rate to that size bank and you could certainly continue using the batteries.
However, I suspect something more like 3 or 4 hours would be a better charge. The 50 amps will tapper as the batteries recharge.
Do you have an amp meter? I'd run the generator until the batteries are taking only 10% of their capacity (20.6 amps).

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Generator recharges batteries

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