Adjustable Voltage Boondocker Converter Question

[jrnymn7]

Do Randy's new adjustable boondocker converters have the initial 15 minute boost feature?

thanxx!

[jrnymn7]

so, higher voltage pm's still put out their rated current limit, yes?

and only at eq voltages, they do not, yes? ... which is a moot issue, yes?

and therefore, saying you can't expect full current limit output is a crock of you know what, yes?

and expecting folks to pay shipping when randy screws up is unacceptable, yes?

and accepting randy's bs excuses is also unacceptable, yes?

shall i go on?

did anyone here complain about not getting full rated amps while eq'ing?

did anyone here say the mis-labelling issue is from errin's end?

did anyone here know they would be on the hook for additional shipping if they received the wrong product?

... i think i've made my point.

[joelabq]

Errin sent me two converters free of charge. The first one I screwed up on (I didn't state I had the adjustable one), I told him that and he still sent me a second. Errin has been very responsive since he became away of my issues. If I look back on several years of purchases, I've had no better support from anyone on any item.

Add that to the fact that I don't know of any other adjustable voltage 100AMP charger, add in a manufacturer warranty on such a thing, and I think it's a winning combination.

I have verified 96 amp output at 14.7 volts with my victron. The adjustable unit is high voltage, and I have verified up to 15.6 volts on my unit. Both of the unit I have had were able to do this.

Likewise, I have ignored the warnings previously mentioned here about Hot restarts. I am not in the mood during a camping trip to forget this rule, and sometimes I may be using it as a power supply with surges from my Inverter. This unit has performed flawlessly so far.

When I have recommended this product to others, I have also been careful about what to recommend. Adjusting and fiddling with voltages is not for everyone, even if it's the closest one-size-fits-all solution to the myriad of battery choices and combinations.

Joel

[BFL13]

jrnymn7 wrote:

powerguy wrote:
I've read these post and finally have to comment. I am errin ceo of powermax. Powermax did what know one else would do for you guys and built a custom unit. PD iota parallax and wfco didn't give you guys the time of day. Do we have it perfect no but at least we are trying. When we adjust these units with much higher voltages the amps will drop I hope you guys all know this. You guys are taking shots at us when you don't even understand the products your buying. No where in any literature does it say a pmbc comes with a meter or dial. A pmbc is made for bmw. If you just keep saying bad stuff about our product don't buy it. We have 40000 happy customers. If your reading this thread to try to determine what to buy these guys are pointing you in the wrong direction. Call me I'll explain to you what their not. If you are going to continue to just rip our product just don't buy it. To this day I have never got one of these units back. It's easy to come on here and complain and keep the product. It must be doing something right. My personal email and number are at the bottom call me if you want the truth. BTW randy is a great guy and if talked to with respect would help anyone with any issue

hmmm, so the pm4b's are a custom model? they run at 14.6 bulk, and 13.6vabs... not high voltage at all, when compared to other brand converters. and there is nothing in any of your outdated, inconsistent, inaccurate, literature that says the unit's current limit will decrease significantly (from 60a to 45a) at bulk voltage. so, now you're just insulting my intelligence... and you've now lost me as a customer, as well.

how many of those 40,000 even know what their converter is putting out? my guess is, most of them didn't even know where it was located before having to replace it. i talk to rv'ers all the time, and so far, almost every one of them knows squat about battery charging... how convenient.

all i know is i paid for 60a, and ended up with 45... and now i'm expected to pay shipping a third time??? because that's your policy????????????

i think i best leave it at that.

No the PM4bs are not a custom model, they are just Randy's version of the regular model (with 14.6v instead of 14.4v).

What he is trying to say, is that the non-adjustable units are the regular thing and he knows they drop their voltage once they hit the 14.4 or 14.6 or 14.8 depending on the model, and he knows some of us don't like that.

So, back when I was getting my prototype a couple years ago I was saying I wanted my charger to stay at the 14.8 once it got there for say, 4 hours before it dropped. So one thing led to another and he came up with the adjustable model that puts the voltage adjustment external instead of internal like the regular ones have it, and added the little voltmeter, etc. You have to order that special. THAT is the one he meant was made just for us picky forum guys.

Then after more badgering from us 🙂 Randy started making his version of the adjustable one.( His goes to 15.5v not 16.5)

On the "Errin" adjustable ones such as the 100 amper, it has a watt limit, so if you crank up the voltage above 15.5 (goes to 16.5), it can't do 100 amps anymore. It will do about 80 amps at 16 volts or some such.

That would be quite an equalization doing 80 amps at 16v 🙂 , so IMO this is a non-problem. My prototype only goes to 15.6v and I have seen 103 amps, no tapering, at 15.2v ok. 🙂

Meanwhile, ISTR way back your choices were:

- call Errin and get the whole 75 vs 45 thing solved and why wasn't the 75 a 60 anyway? thing, or

- open it up to be modified using the internal pot, which might make returning it out of the question.

The choice was made to do the mod.

I can understand about the shipping. When my Paramode broke the warranty deal was for me to pay to ship it to them for maybe $50 and if they agreed it was a warranty problem--my risk whether they would or not--they would pay me (how?)the shipping. I had been in it to crank up its internal pot, so I figured they would say that spoiled the warranty, so I wrote it off.

[jrnymn7]

powerguy wrote:
I would check your facts again. All the converter guys work at or very near those voltages. Again if your going to comment know your facts.

i believe i just said that...

"hmmm, so the pm4b's are a custom model? they run at 14.6 bulk, and 13.6vabs... not high voltage at all, when compared to other brand converters."

[MEXICOWANDERER]

This BATTERY DESIGN ENGINEER says you are incorrect power guy. I designed them tested them and trouble shot flooded LA batteries. You folks on the charger industry talk to APPLOCATION ENGINEERS at OEM. Not the guys who do the chemistry and alloy work. I sent a pair of incredibly polite emails to Randy and he never bothered even to acknowledge them. You chose to argue with jouneyman while ignoring my question. You and many others in the RV converter manufacturing business need professional assistance if you are EVER going to produce a charger unit that does not chronically undercharge deep cycle batteries.

[powerguy]

I would check your facts again. All the converter guys work at or very near those voltages. Again if your going to comment know your facts.

[jrnymn7]

powerguy wrote:
I've read these post and finally have to comment. I am errin ceo of powermax. Powermax did what know one else would do for you guys and built a custom unit. PD iota parallax and wfco didn't give you guys the time of day. Do we have it perfect no but at least we are trying. When we adjust these units with much higher voltages the amps will drop I hope you guys all know this. You guys are taking shots at us when you don't even understand the products your buying. No where in any literature does it say a pmbc comes with a meter or dial. A pmbc is made for bmw. If you just keep saying bad stuff about our product don't buy it. We have 40000 happy customers. If your reading this thread to try to determine what to buy these guys are pointing you in the wrong direction. Call me I'll explain to you what their not. If you are going to continue to just rip our product just don't buy it. To this day I have never got one of these units back. It's easy to come on here and complain and keep the product. It must be doing something right. My personal email and number are at the bottom call me if you want the truth. BTW randy is a great guy and if talked to with respect would help anyone with any issue

hmmm, so the pm4b's are a custom model? they run at 14.6 bulk, and 13.6vabs... not high voltage at all, when compared to other brand converters. and there is nothing in any of your outdated, inconsistent, inaccurate, literature that says the unit's current limit will decrease significantly (from 60a to 45a) at bulk voltage. so, now you're just insulting my intelligence... and you've now lost me as a customer, as well.

how many of those 40,000 even know what their converter is putting out? my guess is, most of them didn't even know where it was located before having to replace it. i talk to rv'ers all the time, and so far, almost every one of them knows squat about battery charging... how convenient.

all i know is i paid for 60a, and ended up with 45... and now i'm expected to pay shipping a third time??? because that's your policy????????????

i think i best leave it at that.

[BFL13]

Yes!!

Errin is probably on the warpath! 🙂

[joelabq]

Errin has already fixed him up. My uncle called and even got an adjustable upgrade.

Again, great customer service!

Joel

[joelabq]

I gave him the contact info and will be contacting Errin. I am thinking there was a mistake somewhere on these and are mislabeled somewhere. I am sure Errin will be able to get to the bottom of it.

Joel

[BFL13]

joelabq wrote:
Admittedly, I don't even know if there is a problem? I was just making note that this 100 appears to be identical top the one I'm sending back to Errin.

I can have him call, but I'm not sure this one won't produce the indicated amps.

Joel

If there is no such thing as an 8.5 inch 100, Errin will not need it tested for amps output.

Apparently there is a 100amper that does have only three fuses, which is confusing to me, but that still leaves the length. Your new 100 has four as do mine from a couple years ago. Must be a new model with three.

Anyway, do have him call as there may be more to it if it is another wrong sticker issue this time from a different supplier. It is important to return the old one if there will be a swap so they can poke over the old one.

[joelabq]

Admittedly, I don't even know if there is a problem? I was just making note that this 100 appears to be identical top the one I'm sending back to Errin.

I can have him call, but I'm not sure this one won't produce the indicated amps.

Joel

[BFL13]

joelabq wrote:
This pics are from my uncle's pmbc100, which is what's on the label.

The pictures have all the measurements if that is what your asking?

Joel

OK, the idea is for your uncle to call Errin directly and get it all sorted out.

[BFL13]

joelabq wrote:
This pics are from my uncle's pmbc100, which is what's on the label.

The pictures have all the measurements if that is what your asking?

Joel

Thanks. Ok, so your uncle's unit is 8.5 inches while my 100 is 10.5 inches. It says 14.6v on it, but the latest PMBCs are 14.8v ISTR.

I think it must be a PM3 style PMBC but it should still be 10.5 inches to be a 100. I will try to find out about that.