Best way to charge batteries when Boondocking?

rjxj wrote:
There is no knob. It's a pot that uses an eye glass screwdriver to tweak it. Nothing wrong with that for me but from seeing the abilities of some people that I have met on the road I wouldn't recommend it.

Mex said "knob easy to buy", probably means replacing the pot with another one that accepts real knob. People asking about the path of electricity are not likely to to this.

I have Meanwell AC-DC charger at home, for occasional care of car battery. It's a Megawatt knock off - or the other way around. God knows who is stealing from who in China, watching them here in HongCouver BC I would say - they are stealing from each other all the time. Mean-Mega is a nice, reliable, accurate semi-product. Replace the pot, attach 120V cord from some old lamp, attach crocodile cables, wire it to 12 VDC meter. Or hard-wire it permanently in trailer. It works well, yes.

I know this is off topic, but I am sure glad that Mex is feeling well enough to post his usual eye-opening stuff!

There is no knob. It's a pot that uses an eye glass screwdriver to tweak it. Nothing wrong with that for me but from seeing the abilities of some people that I have met on the road I wouldn't recommend it. That's why $125.00 will put an upgraded converter in that will at least take you from 13.6 to 14.4 without messing with it. I do have a mega, a meanwell, a 50 amp Quick Charge and an upgraded converter but it's easy to have the DW flip the switch on the wall, I cant get her to mess with any wires or pots or plugs and cords. Lines of demarcation.

My "El Cheapo" golf cart batteries lasted 12 years as well.
Never fully recharged when camping (I run generator every 3 days or never) while in last few years when we stop using big coach, they get charge about once a year.
I think worrying about absorption and float while camping is big overkill.
Even if that will extend battery life by 10 or even 20%, the generator fuel will cost more than new batteries.

BillyW wrote:

Maybe I just never drain them deep enough ...

Ah, this is a cheating :)
Though I'm doing the same. Small loads relatively to bank size. With shallow cycle a small solar alone can do, no need in WFCO and generator.

BUT... I hear Mex laughing his ars off, running A/C in 90F nights with 100% humidity. What "small loads"...

Almot wrote:

BillyW wrote:
my cheap WFCO 35 amp converter charges my batteries just fine despite the cable runs, and my meager 150 watt solar setup keeps 'em topped off

Missing Absorption stage can't be fine, IMO. Any solar will handle Float if there are no major loads, but it takes a good size panel to bring it to Absorb and keep it there for some time.

Maybe I just never drain them deep enough or long enough for it to be an issue. But my two 6v batteries have lasted no less than 8 years. The solar does manage to push them into absorption routinely. I will be replacing these 12 year old T105s this summer. Maybe.. :)

Hi Mex,

I was in solar Nirvana for many years until I went full time. I so wish I had spent the money on more solar instead of the generator. I've used the genny less than 50 hours this year.

I am a charter member of Mr. Wizards "power hog" club. I carry 400 feet of cord and often use 100.

Mex, hanging around when generator is running is one thing. Going checking voltage and current every 20-30 minutes and twisting the knob on manual charger to higher-lower is another.

"Don't Give A ****" battery - sure, in the next life :). So far I've been able to avoid generator altogether. Solar is big enough and controller is smart enough to do knob-twisting trick without my presence. A/C is a byatch, if it comes to this, I will probably go on grid.

GEN-
ER-
RA-
TOR

I would NEVER abandon a running generator for love nor money. Instruments tell you WHEN to shut the generator off.Trends & Tendencies. If your batteries are charged at +4.18 amperes, then they are charged at +4.18 amperes, the next time and the next and the next.

Definition: WRONG ABSORBSION STAGE / Smart Charger

Charge batteries at high rate with existing charger. When it misfires and starts telling lies, shut it down and enable the Megawatt. Then glance at the ammeter occasionally. (You needn't strap it to your forehead).

This is so easy to do it is pathetic. I guarantee this protocol is easier to do when a long boondocking trip is involved, over discovering sulfated batteries and doing an equalization.

When I boondocked for months at a time, I looked at the amp hour negative reading and twisted a timer dial then went outside and goofed off. When I heard the generator unload when the charger shut off, I hit the stop button.

But I N-E-V-E-R left the generator unattended. I will not leave the Kubota running and leave the property. If I am THAT lackadaisical I snuggle up to a power pedestal. Then I have 24-hour power and who cares if it takes 30 hours to recharge the batteries. But I sure as hell am not going to run a generator thirty hours. It's really stupid when a Whizzer charger goes to float when it should have stayed on absorbsion charge.

The battery is the boss. Not me. Mistreat your DW, she takes you to court and you get your shorts ripped off your body. Mistreat your batteries, and an upcoming vacation will likely be ruined as well as your bank account.

I wanna "Don't Give A ****" battery. Slap it around (like a pit bull) and it gets happier.

BillyW wrote:
my cheap WFCO 35 amp converter charges my batteries just fine despite the cable runs, and my meager 150 watt solar setup keeps 'em topped off

Missing Absorption stage can't be fine, IMO. Any solar will handle Float if there are no major loads, but it takes a good size panel to bring it to Absorb and keep it there for some time.

Q. to senor Mex:
Converter like WFCO with Megawatt set to 14.8 would still be a manual process requiring your presence (and a good meter). You look at the meter, wait until it hits 14.8, wind up kitchen timer to 30-50 minutes, wait until it rings, then down-adjust Mega to 13.6 - and then can go fishing, sleeping and so on. Reminds me some Chinese single-stage solar controllers that you have to re-adjust few times a day because they can't do it on its own. Why those engineers even bother making 3-stage chargers and auto-adjustable solar controllers? ;)