โJun-22-2020 06:16 PM
โDec-19-2020 02:26 PM
โDec-17-2020 09:46 PM
โDec-17-2020 12:13 PM
โDec-17-2020 10:25 AM
โJun-27-2020 01:23 PM
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Charging CONCORDE LIFELINE at their max rate makes their cost worthwhile. Five hours versus ten. Then stare at the several thousand dollars for the generator. Myself, I stare at the thirty two dollars for fuel each time I need to drive to the gas station. Plus time plus hassle
This isn't a set piece evaluation. You need to do your own audit. Yes, half an acre of solar panels is neat until a tropical storm brings a week of dense clouds or golf ball size hail greets glass.
BFL13 wrote:
Good research on that talking to Rolls. Helps clarify things.
BFL13 wrote:
Another point on deep cycling AGMs is what member LY has reported with his. He finds it gets "tired" after some shallow cycles, and a good deep cycle smartens it right up. He see this when it starts his van better--he uses his a both starting and house batt.
BFL13 wrote:
In my case, I don't go below 75% just to do a deep cycle. I do 50-90s while camping off grid with no solar, so I recharge starting in the Bulk stage. I leave the campground in the morning with the batts low and do the recharge to true full at home later that day.
BFL13 wrote:
When off grid for a few weeks on solar, it is all shallow cycling if the sunshine holds. So now you have to create a deep cycle if it can't wait till you get home.
BFL13 wrote:
Thanks again for getting that clarification from Rolls.
โJun-26-2020 09:20 AM
โJun-26-2020 09:15 AM
โJun-26-2020 09:06 AM
โJun-26-2020 08:48 AM
BFL13 wrote:
"all your learning" seems to have missed this--see 5.2.2
https://www.trojanbattery.com/pdf/TrojanBattery_UsersGuide.pdf
Our man Mex the battery guru, says this applies to all AGMs, not just Trojans. Lifelines are even more so where they can accept more than 20% in Bulk and ISTR have a "minimum charging rate" too.
Note your solar controller shows amps with loads and while camping you still have loads. You are trying to see only 1 amp for 200AH of batts, so your "parasitic loads" will be close to that. Hard to run the Rv and disconnect the batts entirely while they are being charged! Easy at home.
Rolls likes a 25% charging rate for Bulk but says you can use a lower rate but it will take longer. Wade down half way to the AGM instructions--very interesting!
https://rollsbattery.com/public/docs/user_manual/Rolls_Battery_Manual.pdf
โJun-25-2020 07:01 PM
โJun-25-2020 06:09 PM
โJun-25-2020 05:22 PM
BFL13 wrote:
Errin says he has a 35 if you call him.
I ran a couple of 100AH AGMs that said 27 amps charging limit. I used my 55 amper which was 1 amp over (1/2 amp per battery) I don't think the batteries noticed the extra amp! ๐
The real trick is to charge them at 14.4ish all the way till amps taper to 0.5a/100AH, so 1 amp doing both together. That means you need an ammeter. I used my Trimetric for that.
After the amps get down to that, then reasonably soon afterwards, drop to the spec float voltage adjusted for temperature.
BFL13 wrote:
1. They require a 20% charging rate when you can arrange that at least every few cycles. They have a max charging limit of about 30%.
BFL13 wrote:
2. You can only get them to accept 20% when they are under about 75% SOC or above that SOC they will go straight to the Absorption Stage with tapering amps with those amps being under the 20% desired.
BFL13 wrote:
You need at least a 40 amp converter for when there is no sunshine, and the solar will only meet the 20% spec on a sunny mid-day period for a short time before amps drop as the sun gets
BFL13 wrote:
You need to get the batts down under 75% to meet the 20%, and to get any time in Bulk at 20% you need the batts even lower in SOC at the start of the recharge.
BFL13 wrote:
I had this problem, and when leaving the campground for home with the batts nicely down below 75%, the drive home with alternator charging plus solar got them above 75%. So at home I did the recharge on shore power, but was not meeting the AGM 20% spec, only the 0.5a/100AH spec. What to do?
Before leaving the campground I disconnected solar and alternator charging so the batts stayed low. That means you need a way to do that. Solar is easy since you should already have a switch method between array and controller so you can disconnect the array before disconnecting the battery and VV as required by some controllers--Morningstars eg.
BFL13 wrote:
Alternator charging disconnect depends on the rig. Pull the 7-pin or put in a switch on the line to the house batts if a MH.
BFL13 wrote:
Now what about the other problem of going over 30% when on solar and converter and they are adding their amps? First, the battery has its own acceptance rate limiting where it will accept more amps at a lower SOC and at a higher voltage. Your voltage needs to be 14.4ish to meet the AGM spec, so that is fixed--set that for the controller and your adjustable converter you are getting. They will add their amps having the same set voltage.
BFL13 wrote:
If your converter will do at least the 20%, just use that and shut off the solar until amps taper well down, then shut off the converter.
BFL13 wrote:
And you do need the ammeter to see when you are down to 0.5a/100AH, but usually only at home, since you won't run the gen that long while camping--maybe doing 50-90s-- or on solar you will be doing more like 75-95s and never get them that full either. A Trimetric or similar monitor with shunt will do the ammeter job. (not the solar display which also shows the amps to loads--a monitor shows only battery)
BFL13 wrote:
BTW that is how solar kills batteries! Doing shallow cycles that never quite get the batts full, so they sulphate sooner than they would normally. You have to break that pattern and do a proper deep cycle to true full every so often, even if it is a PITA to organize.
wa8yxm wrote:
The problem with the 6300 is three fold two of them are
Very slow charger
Does not know when to stop
The result is if the batteries need charging takes a long time
And if they don't it boils them dry
dad4papa2 wrote:
When my 6300 was in my MH it was terrible at boiling the batteries dry. I had to watch them all the time and even lost a set do to my egnorance on the first set of new batterries I put in. got about 8 months out of them and they were gone.
dad4papa2 wrote:
I purchased the Xantrex about 12 years ago and it has performed totally over my expectations!! I would buy another one if they still make them!!
โJun-25-2020 06:19 AM
โJun-24-2020 04:55 PM