charging 4 Six Volts

[gsh]

Hey there,

Have read lots on here and have found great info in regards to batteries, but nothing linked to charging 4 6 volt batteries at a time with one charger... is it possible? if it is will it be very slow?


Any info would be great thanks

[bigcitypopo]

I installed a 75amp boondocker and replaced my WFCO 55amp converter... Huge difference. My batteries are much happier.. After I unplug and let rest.. I have a 13.0v charge across all of my batts. 4 grp 24 12v... The desulfate and charge profile is everything.. When these bite the dust I'll be switching to 4-6v. My next add is solar.

[wa8yxm]

One thing to remember...

It does not matter if you have 1 Marine/Deep cycle 12 volt
or half a dozen of them in parallel
Or a pair of six volt in series
Or half a dozen of them in series/parallel
Or all of the above

YOU HAVE ONE 12 VOLT BATTERY BANK

so you charge all of them the same way..With a 12 volt charger

The only caravets are:

1:Size of charger... A pair of six volt can accept 60-70 amps so with two pair (or more) you can put in a very large charger

By the same, a pair of Group 29 can suck around 30 amps each (60 per pair) so if you had half a dozen.. thats 180 amps max charge rate


And if you have a whole bunch of batteryes,, Then you run into a minimum charge rate...But with just two pair.... You are looking at around 1 amp minimum.

[valhalla360]

Generally pretty easy but a few clarificaitons:
- You can hook up multiple chargers and generally should be not harm. But if they are set to different charge voltages, once the battery voltage reaches the level of the lower charger, the second charger won't add anything.
- You can't just add more amps and expect the battery bank to accept them. If we start at say 50%, initially, you can add a lot of amps and the batteries will take them (but there are still limits). Once you get up around 80%, the batteries lose the ability to accept as much charge and the closer you get to 100% the less charge they can take. If you are plugged into shorepower, taking them up to 100% is best but if you are dry camping plan on about 30% of the rated capacity (50%-80%) as the most efficent use. Do try to get them up to 100% periodically and try not to let them go below 50% as that damages the batteries.

[time2roll]

Would be interested in some voltage readings. 😉

[BFL13]

Go-Power was slow changing their owner's manual after changing from Iota to PowerMax, so some of the info relates to the GPC (Iota) not the GPC-Max.

The GPC-Max is a straight PowerMax, not a Boondocker version, so AFAIK it would have 14.4v instead of Randy's 14.6, but otherwise the same charging profile. Randy has a 60 instead of the 55 as another Boondocker difference.

[time2roll]

The GP 55 box and name imply PowerMax but the IOTA is very similar.
The voltages on GP 55 more closely resemble IOTA charge profile.
Would be interesting to see inside...

(off topic) the GP inverters resemble Cotek. Either way I like my GoPower inverters and would love to hear how well the converter works.

[BFL13]

For info, the GPC-Max converter is a re-branded PowerMax.
Go-Power (Carmanah) previously used Iota converters, but switched to PowerMax a couple years ago.

I don't know who supplies the Go-Power Inverters.

[time2roll]

Good to go with GPC 55 and Honda 2000.

[gsh]

Alright, ... just got back from the trailer. I recently had a new converter installed for warranty purposes. Behind my fuse box is a GPC 55 max smart battery charger (55 amps)

2 old man, To answer your question, I guess the genset would be powering the converter... I have my shore plug plugged into the genset. I wasn't really thinking straight. If I was using an auxiliary charger, I could just unplug my shore plug and that would kill all power to the converter. But from what I have seen on the forum, even having power to the converter while charging the batteries from an auxiliary charger will do no harm.

I guess I just want to have my batteries back up as much as possible whenever possible.

The biggest draw will be the furnace over night as we have to keep our 16month old... and the wife warm during the night. During the day we have the honda 2000 to power the micro wave, and any other accesories.

[time2roll]

May as well get them wired right.

[time2roll]

gsh wrote:
Sorry, What I mean is, I was told that if you batteries, ( either 6 volt or 12) are connected to your trailer, and being charged from the converter you shouldn't connect a charger that is connected to your generator and then to your batteries. I heard this can cause damage.. my thought was to be able to disconnect them from the trailer temporarily while charging them with an auxiliary charger.

You have been given incorrect information. Multiple charging sources are not an issue for the batteries, charging systems, wiring, or operating 12v items at the same time. All 12v items are compatible at voltages from 10.5 to 15 volts.

[2oldman]

gsh wrote:
Sorry, What I mean is, I was told that if you batteries, ( either 6 volt or 12) are connected to your trailer, and being charged from the converter you shouldn't connect a charger that is connected to your generator and then to your batteries. I heard this can cause damage..

I'll bite.. what's powering the converter in this scenario?

Generally speaking, you can believe about 10% of what you hear about electrical, even from an RV tech. And if you know what that 10% is, you don't need any advice from others.

[azrving]

Post the converter model. Not only an amp issue but you are going to want a converter or charger that can also do 14.4 or more volts and you may want to equalize at over 15 volts at times.

[gsh]

Sorry, What I mean is, I was told that if you batteries, ( either 6 volt or 12) are connected to your trailer, and being charged from the converter you shouldn't connect a charger that is connected to your generator and then to your batteries. I heard this can cause damage.. my thought was to be able to disconnect them from the trailer temporarily while charging them with an auxiliary charger.

I have a honda 2000,

And the converter, Im not sure off the top of my head