Another question on Converter sizes

[rtate]

There is another active thread regarding converter sizes, but I get lost in the wealth of detail offered here. I have a simple question: I have a PD 9200 , 45 amp converter, two Trojan T105 batteries and a Honda 2000w generator.

With my setup, should I see a 14.4v boost charge if my batteries were discharged down to 11.5 volts while charging with the generator?

How about charging with shore power?

[time2roll]

Measured at the converter yes voltage should steadily climb to 14.4 volts. Under initial full output the PD9245 could be closer to 13.4 or even less. Voltage tends to sag a bit on the PD. You will never see full amp rating at 14.4 volts. Battery voltage on the terminals will be somewhat lower due to the voltage drop in the wire connection. As the amps taper into the 3rd and 4th hour the battery terminal voltage should be rising steadily to 14.4 volts.

To my knowledge based upon reading many posts... only the IOTA will produce full amp rating and full voltage rating at the same time.

[Bobbo]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
This is losing contact with reality as far as GENERATOR run time. With shore power, who cares?

If I walk out to my toad and start it the much touted BOOST (or is it BOOOST?) voltage appears. Regulator alternator charging voltage. Does the charging system on the car sag to "regular" charging voltage of 13.6? Hell no.

Tens of thousands of RV batteries are destroyed every year because boondockers believe that converter manufacturers specify is gospel

What's gospel about their mantra is that they cannot be sued for purposely overcharging a battery.

This reminds me of California's banning of battery CHARGERS in favor of socialist inspired government mandate to undercharge batteries and a (what?) thirty or forty times charger failure rate (landfill) as being environmentally preferable. Oooooo a timer on the charger who wudda thought of that.

The only way to achieve rational battery life when BOONDOCKING is to know for sure the battery state-of-charge.

A 20-amps per 100 amp hour bank, solar system with a good grade of solar controller seems to be the only antidote to the fallacy of smart chargers via generator WHEN BOONDOCKING.

Mex, it is MY thread that is about charging with a generator, and I really appreciate your input. Between you and BFL13, I think I finally understand the answer. On mine, upping my charger from 45 amp to 55 amp might (maybe) shave about 20 minutes off of my 4 hour charge time.

This thread, the OP is just wondering why he is not seeing the 14.4v at the battery when he STARTS charging.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

This is losing contact with reality as far as GENERATOR run time. With shore power, who cares?

If I walk out to my toad and start it the much touted BOOST (or is it BOOOST?) voltage appears. Regulator alternator charging voltage. Does the charging system on the car sag to "regular" charging voltage of 13.6? Hell no.

Tens of thousands of RV batteries are destroyed every year because boondockers believe that converter manufacturers specify is gospel

What's gospel about their mantra is that they cannot be sued for purposely overcharging a battery.

This reminds me of California's banning of battery CHARGERS in favor of socialist inspired government mandate to undercharge batteries and a (what?) thirty or forty times charger failure rate (landfill) as being environmentally preferable. Oooooo a timer on the charger who wudda thought of that.

The only way to achieve rational battery life when BOONDOCKING is to know for sure the battery state-of-charge.

A 20-amps per 100 amp hour bank, solar system with a good grade of solar controller seems to be the only antidote to the fallacy of smart chargers via generator WHEN BOONDOCKING.

[ksg5000]

rtate wrote:
I dont recall seeing my voltage over 13.6 volts. I have a charge pendant on order so Ii will be able to force it into boost mode.

That's likely because it only goes into boost mode for short period after many hour. Progressive Website will have the specs to determine how long b4 it automatically goes into boost mode.

[Bobbo]

Tom_M wrote:
Your converter will apply 14.4 volts during boost, but your battery will pull that voltage down. As the battery charges the voltage will gradually ramp up. It should at some point reach 14.4 volts and continue charging until 90% charge has been reached.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^.

It took me a while to figure this out. I have a solar controller with a panel on the wall. The panel gives the amount of charge at the battery. When I had a 50% SOC battery, and plugged in, my PD4645V converter/charger was SUPPOSED to go into 14.4v boost mode. My monitor showed about 13.5v or 13.6v. Over a period of about 4 hours +/-, the voltage would creep up to 14.4v, slowly. Finally, I got a DVM out and checked the voltage at the converter/charger. It was 14.4v there all the time. It was only at the batteries that I was seeing less. The converter/charger was doing its thing, and the batteries pulled the charge down, until they finally get enough charge.

Let me give you an analogy. You have tires that need 80psi, but you only have 40psi in them. You get out your trusty air compressor with 125psi of pressure in the tank. You start airing up your tires. Your tire pressure doesn't jump to 125psi as soon as you connect the air hose. The tire pressure slowly rises from the 40psi to whatever you allow in over time.

The exact same thing is happening to your battery. You have 11.5v in the battery and hook up a 14.4v charger. The battery's charge, over time, rises from the 11.5v to 14.4v, slowly.

[Tom_M1]

Your converter will apply 14.4 volts during boost, but your battery will pull that voltage down. As the battery charges the voltage will gradually ramp up. It should at some point reach 14.4 volts and continue charging until 90% charge has been reached.

[rtate]

I actually have a series 9200 converter. not a 9100. I should receive the new pendent tomorrow so I will be able to see what the converter is doing. Dont remember exactly where I have the volage meter tied in .I think it is very near or right at the battery. Wireing might be the problem as you suggested.

[DrewE]

rtate wrote:
I dont recall seeing my voltage over 13.6 volts. I have a charge pendant on order so Ii will be able to force it into boost mode.

Is that measured at the batteries? If so, it may be well worth your time to check the connections between the converter and the batteries (and maybe upgrade the wire size). A not great connection can cause a noticeable voltage drop at high currents.

The PD converters do have a tendency to not quite give full voltage at high charge currents; they are a little power limited. Indeed, the specifications list the "full load output voltage" simply as >12.6V. (I would guess that is the worst-case with the minimum specified line input voltage of 105V, and they may be able to do a little better with a better supply.) As the current tapers down, the voltage rises up to the setpoint voltage.

If you actually have a PD 9100 series converter without the (optional for that model) charge wizard, the output voltage setpoint will be fixed at 13.6V all the time.

[rtate]

I dont recall seeing my voltage over 13.6 volts. I have a charge pendant on order so Ii will be able to force it into boost mode.

[Tom_M1]

There's no difference whether using generator or show power. Your converter will start in boost mode at 14.4 volts

[Sam_Spade]

Yes and yes.....I would hope so.
But it depends entirely on the design of the PD 9200 and whether it is working right or not.
I'm sure that someone else knows more about that converter; hopefully they can give you a short answer.

P.S. Sometimes it takes a few minutes for the converter to "decide" that the higher rate is really needed.