WFCO Converter/Charger won't go to Float

[howardwheeler]

My son's 2017 Cougar fifth wheel is headed out on a long trip, so we went through it getting everything ready. First problem was fried batteries, two six volt golf cart batteries. He hadn't watched the water, and they were ruined. We've replaced them, but in checking to make sure they weren't being overcharged, I have noticed the WFCO converter is just staying at 13.6 volts and never goes into 13.2 float even though the batteries are charged. I even left it charging overnight with all 12v loads off and measured them this morning and it was still at 13.6v. So two questions: First, from what I've read this "stuck on absorption" is common on these WFCOs, as they app so assuming it's operating properly even though it's a three stage charger, how bad is it for the batteries to have a long stay at 13.6 v charging? Second, I'm used to my much higher grade Xantrex Freedom SW2012 Inverter/Charger which always takes my battery bank down to float. We aren't going to get something like that, because he has no need for an inverter, but if we come to the conclusion that we need a better charger/converter, which ones would you recommend? At $250 a pop i don't want him to have to soon replace these new batteries.

[wa8yxm]

I agree 13.6 is the proper float for most Lead Acid types
I also agree that the Progressive Dynamics Wizard controlled converters.. Are much better.

They are also Made in the USA (Marshall, Michigan) I have been to the factory.

[wopachop]

I would turn off the charger man. Must be hot as hell out in florida right now. Constant float on a fully charged battery in hot weather aint helping anything.

[Huntindog]

Timeking wrote:
After 72 hrs with no use of TT, still at 13.6, never went to float.

And it never will. BTDT and bought the T shirt. Including my set of ruined 6 volt batteries.
I then got a Boondocker converter from Best Converters. It performed perfectly.

As you now know,13.6 especially in the summer will boil the batteries dry pretty fast. That was the reason I dumped my WFCO. It also never went into bulk.... I really didn't care about that as it won't ruin batteries as fast as the constant 13.6 will.

[Timeking]

After 72 hrs with no use of TT, still at 13.6, never went to float.

[wopachop]

Kinda sounds like both trailers are parked at home with easy access. Could always fully charge the batteries and then take them off the charger. Check them monthly and charge when needed.

My trailer is on shore power. I take the batteries out during summer heat and store in the cooler garage. No reason to be giving them 13v while theyre just sitting there doing nothing. From what ive read in the trojan manual the best method for long term life is letting them self discharge in a cool dry place. Charge and equalize as needed.

For a backup i sometimes install and older 12v battery that came with the trailer. That way if the power goes out while im out of town the fridge can switch over to propane.

When a camping trip comes i put the healthy 6v's back in. With all the loading of bikes and fuel and food, putting 2 batteries on the tongue takes 5 mins and a very minor part of getting ready.

[Timeking]

Here is what WFCO says (and like howardwheeler above, no 13.2):

"First, if your battery burned up just supplying 13.6 vdc to it, there was a problem with it such as a bad cell. A good battery should not have an issue with a constant 13.6 volts being supplied to it.

With regard to the Float mode, if the load current being supplied from the converter is 5 Amps or less for 44 hours, then the converter will drop the output voltage to 13.2 vdc. Once in Float mode, any rise in output current draw above the 5 Amp level will cause the converter to go back to Absorption mode (13.6 vdc.). To go back into float mode again, the process would start over.

Thanks and regards -

Ted Krueger"

[Timeking]

Parasitic draw on my 2018 Rockwood 2606WS TT is 0.33 amps, which is apparently sufficient to keep the WFCO at 13.6V. Yes, I could turn off CO and propane detectors ... risking not turning them back on. Bad idea that.

So the question is "does any converter drop to 13.2 over a 0.33A parasitic draw"? I'm thinking not.

Although posts above say 13.6 not a problem, but 13.6 did burn up a battery when I didn't check the water level for 3 months. At 13.6 I can see slow out-gassing going on in all the cells. It would be nice if there was a button I could press and the voltage would drop to 13.2, overriding all this 'automatic' techno babble that doesn't actually work on modern RVs.

[howardwheeler]

With your batteries hooked up to your trailer, does the progressive dynamics drop into float or just stay at 13.6 or whatever the absorption rate is? I know the WFCO will eventually after five days of absolutely no load eventually drop to 13.2 or so, but it never does on the trailer because there's always some parasitic loads going on.

[RoyB]

howardwheeler wrote:
Your experience is mine, and I remember having a Progressive Dynamics converter in one of my travel trailers. I think that might be what I ought to do. So your PD converter did drop into float?

That is what worked well for me to keep my three 12VDC BATTERIES charged. My setup has lasted up to 2016 where I have not used my POPUP much now due to family issues.

Recently I have updated my Battery Bank to two groups of two 6VDC batteries in series and will be using a 59-inch TORKLIFT Battery Box with slide off lid across the tongue of my POPUP. It fits perfect inside the welded on battery rails and extends out on both side of the tongue area.



Have been using the same Progressive Dynamics Charger on the work bench to keep the new batteries charged and it works well... The TORKLIFT box came with a 10WATT Solar Panel on one end and I am planning to order a second 10WATT Solar panel for the other end. This will be a solar panel for each two group 6V Batteries. This is for trickle charging of the two groups of 6V batteries during the high sun days...

Hoping to get back into my off-road camping trips again mainly here in Virginia and along the VA/WVA wooded state line borders.

Since my OFF-ROAD POPUP trailer has been sitting outside I notice I now have water damage to one corner that will have to be addressed... The trailer was sitting at an angle and runoff of the roof on the dropped side apparently got inside the wall... No damage done to the outside just inside wall damage and the rear panel separated at the BUTYL seam Don't think this is going to be a difficult fix... This is in the wrap around seating area so should be an easy access from the inside..



Roy Ken

[howardwheeler]

Your experience is mine, and I remember having a Progressive Dynamics converter in one of my travel trailers. I think that might be what I ought to do. So your PD converter did drop into float?

[RoyB]

I replaced my 2008 STarcraft RT14 Power COnverter just after I purchased the Off-road camper in 2009. I went from the ELIXIR 35 model to a WFCO WF8900 series Power Inverter. Love the layout along with the five large 120VAC Circuit Breaker slots along with eleven 12VDC Plug-in fuse distribution points including two REVERSE POLARITY fuse positions.

The WFCO came with a WF8945 Power COnverter which i never could get to work right for my installed additional batteries... It seems to always stay in it's 13.6VDC mode and when it finally boiled out water in in one of my Batteries I figured it was time to replace the bottom shelf WF8945 for something else that would worm.

I went with the Progressive Dynamics PD9260C Charger unit and it started doing what I was wanting to see right out of the box... I initially was going to put this unit in place of the removed WF8945 unit but after looking at thing s I decided to just unplug the WF-8945 Charger unit and mount the PD-9260C further down the DC wiring closer to the battery bank. With the WF8945 being brand new and all I hated to just rip it out and throw away. Now i can switch it back On at a flip of the circuit breaker switch if ever needed in an emergency. It will provide 13.6VDC @ 45 amps capacity.

The PD9260C was the right choice for my battery bank and does a good 50% to 90% smart mode charge in a three hour charge period and will do a full 100% charge in a 12-14 hour Charge Period.







Roy Ken

[howardwheeler]

I'm usually in hot weather and have temperature compensated charging so my float is down around 13.2. It has been for 11 years on my 500ah battery bank during the summer. But its good to know 13.6 won't fry the batteries. Even the WFCO manual states float at 13.2, though it never gets there. I looked at the link for the Iota 4 stage (includes equalization), and I just might advise switching after the trip. This current converter just doesn't seem "smart enough" to me.

[time2roll]

13.6 is fine in hot weather as long as you keep water in the batteries.
WFCO I believe takes 2 to 5 days of non use to drop to float. OK and many never boost charge(14.4v) or drop to float(13.2v) when expected. Basically WFCO is considered to be junk.

Consider a replacement at some point.
http://www.bestconverter.com/BD-1245-MBA-45-Amp-4-Stage-Main-Board-Replacement

[Ed_Gee]

13.6 volts IS a float voltage for lead acid batteries. 13.2 volts is a wee tad low for proper float. Don't know where you got your information but it is incorrect. Your charger is not going into Absorb phase because the new batteries are already fully charged..... Google, " lead acid battery float voltage" if you don't believe me.