PD9260, how does it work?

[brulaz]

Anybody looked closely at this charger to see how it determines the battery status?

For the first time I've forced it into "bulk" mode (fixed 14.4V) with the pendant (more like "absorb" if you ask me). Will it stay there until the current drops to ???? Or ...

The manual is pretty vague.

[brulaz]

RJsfishin wrote:
I don't know why your worry'n about it. When the PD get to float voltage, the batteries will be fully charged. The green lite tells you that,....that's if you don't have an amp/volt meter combo in the system. A PD is plug it and forget it, there in nothing that will take care of your batteries any better.

Think my Rogue MPPT does a better job, as I can adjust the charging parameters to match my batteries, in particular the temp compensated absorb voltage, the current at which to terminate the absorb phase, and the float & equalization voltages. But it needs sun to work.

The PD is just ok, as it's non-adjustable, non-temp-compensated. Don't think it can do forced equalization. Don't recall how it terminates absorb, but when I forced 14.4V, it just terminated after a fixed ~4hrs. And needs 120VAC.

But if it works for you, that's fine.

I admit, I am spoiled by the Rogue.

[RJsfishin]

I don't know why your worry'n about it. When the PD get to float voltage, the batteries will be fully charged. The green lite tells you that,....that's if you don't have an amp/volt meter combo in the system. A PD is plug it and forget it, there in nothing that will take care of your batteries any better.

[tpi]

road-runner wrote:
This was hashed out 10 years ago (!) in this thread:
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/15613458/gotomsg/16592287.cfm#16592287
See the 2nd and 6th post on page 8 for 3 different interpretations of how it works. The detail I don't see is what the voltage level is for it to make the decision whether to go into normal or boost mode when AC power is applied.

Wayne's post towards the end of the thread seems right to me.

A couple other thoughts:

A generator start will almost always force 14.4 for me-due to the lowered voltage of the batteries replacing the starter current draw. No problem-if I'm starting generator it is to get batteries charged quickly or just running a few minutes to take a lunch break, etc.

When plugging in converter I will get 14.4, 13.6 or 13.2 depending on circumstances other than the exact state of charge of batteries. Briefly it will give the 13.2 float if the solar panels are currently floating battery at the time. 13.6 often if there has been a brief load prior to plugging in, or 14.4 if there has been greater load prior to plugging in. Using the wizard I can "upshift" through the stages to the appropriate stage (for the battery state of charge and temperature) and the PD will not downshift back to the higher voltages. Of course if the batteries are truly low you can manually hold the higher voltages longer using the wizard if necessary. Such as an extra 4 hrs. at 14.4 volts. Or force the 13.6 in cold temperatures.

It's really quite useful and and somewhat idiot (me sometimes) proof as it won't hang onto the higher voltages indefinitely. Best with a voltmeter in the system so you know what it's doing-and make changes if necessary.

[brulaz]

And yes, the PD9260 does sit at 14.4V for about 4 hrs after forcing it with the pendant. Then drops to "normal"mode at 13.6V.

[brulaz]

BFL13 wrote:
The solar controller does not tell you the charge current. It tells you the current being supplied through the controller to the RV, some of which is going towards battery charging.
...

Yep. But after boondocking without shore power, when I first connect to 120VAC, I isolate the batts and solar charger and PD9260 from the rest of the RV (using the old WFCO converter to provide 12V to the trailer). And then charge up the batts in isolation, and possibly equalize them.

Don't have a Trimetric. But this would certainly be a good time for one. Or I guess measuring the Sp. Gr. would also work.

Think I'll just wait for some sunshine and let the Rogue do it's thing. After all, we are on our way to Florida. The sun's gotta come out sometime.

[BFL13]

The solar controller does not tell you the charge current. It tells you the current being supplied through the controller to the RV, some of which is going towards battery charging.

To know what is just going to battery charging you need an ammeter on the battery, such as the Trimetric Monitor or other models.

With that, you can then subtract the Trimetric amps from the solar amps to see how many amps are going to other things in the RV.

[brulaz]

Hey, many thanks for that lengthy link.

So PD9260 should sit at 14.4V for 4 hrs after forcing it with the pendant.
That's coming up pretty soon now, so I can verify it.

Problem is, that tells me nothing about whether the batts are fully charged or not. Sure wish there was enough sun for my Rogue MPPT solar controller to do its thing. I've set the Absorb to 14.8V until the charge current drops to 1 amp (220Ah battery bank). Then I know the batts are charged.

[road-runner]

This was hashed out 10 years ago (!) in this thread:
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/15613458/gotomsg/16592287.cfm#16592287
See the 2nd and 6th post on page 8 for 3 different interpretations of how it works. The detail I don't see is what the voltage level is for it to make the decision whether to go into normal or boost mode when AC power is applied.