Battery bank/Converter Upgrade

[BKing49]

Just bought a used 2015 Cougar 5th wheel. Going through it now to see what all needs attention / fixing / maintenance. I have a question about upgrading the battery bank and installing a standalone Progressive Dynamics 9260 Intelli-power converter/charger. I'm not sure what to do with the existing battery/charging circuit coming from the existing WFCO 55Amp converter/charger to the batteries. This circuit must be two-way in that it delivers a charge to the batteries
and it provides 12Vdc from the batteries back to the 12Vdc fuse panel in the existing WFCO converter when shore power or a generator is not connected. This is correct, right?

So when the new Intelli-power converter is installed remotely at the batteries, can both the existing and new converter/chargers be connected to the batteries at the same time? One would be delivering 13.6Vdc (single stage charging) and the other delivering various voltages from float to Bulk (4 stages of charging)? Obviously the new Intelli-power converter/charger would need to have a new 120Vac with duplex receptacle ran or extended to the battery compartment from an existing circuit or breaker so that it can be plugged in and functional when shore power or generator is connected.

Also, the existing charging circuit from the existing WFCO converter charger uses maybe 10 gauge cables. Would these need to be increased in gauge? Distance from the existing WFCO distribution panel to the forward compartment where the new batteries will be installed is about 12-13 feet. Actual wire length would be longer, say less than 20 feet.

Thanks for you help.

[theoldwizard1]

If you are thinking of installing an inverter NOW would be the time to do it ! And what you want is a combination inverter/charger/transfer switch. Several manufacturers make them, but I like Samlex. They are easy to install because all connections are made at one point and have the similar "intelligent" charging of the Progressive Dynamics. (What they called "grid power" is your shore power connection.)





Once this is done, disconnect the WFCO converter and hook the DC distribution panel directly to the batteries, bia a fuse of course.

[pianotuna]

BKing49,

I would put a 120 volt switch before the WFCO. Leave it off most of the time.

[BKing49]

I see, thanks.

[ScottG]

BKing49 wrote:
Not sure about disconnecting the 120V at the WFCO Control/Distribution Panel. 120Vac (from shore / generator power) is needed for all the circuit breakers and individual 120Vac circuits in the trailer. How does that work without the 120Vac?

But the real question of whether two chargers can be connected to a bank supplying different voltages is ok, Thanks.

Don't disconnect ALL the 120, just the two wires going to the WFCO - or even just the hot wire. You could even put it on a seperate breaker or switch so it could be easily added back in.

[BKing49]

Not sure about disconnecting the 120V at the WFCO Control/Distribution Panel. 120Vac (from shore / generator power) is needed for all the circuit breakers and individual 120Vac circuits in the trailer. How does that work without the 120Vac?

But the real question of whether two chargers can be connected to a bank supplying different voltages is ok, Thanks.

[MrWizard]

can you charge with both ? yes

I would unplug/disconnect the 120v from the wfco, keep it as 'backup'

since the PD converter will be near the batteries, there is NO need to change the wiring between the wfco and the batteries
the DC load for lights , fridge ..etc.. is not changing, and is minor , and really not a problem