Generator recharges batteries

[Passme]

Hi everyone, I use my Honda 3000is to recharge batteries but for how long do I run geny? I have 2 6V batteries with 206 Ahr total. I've learned that batteries max charge amps should be 25% of Ahr rating so my WF-9855 converter is a good fit, puts out 55 amps. So if my batteries are say 50% discharged would 2 hrs generator run recharge my batteries enough to use? This assumes no significant 12V draw on the converter so it's delivering 50+ amps to battery bank. Trying to weigh the costs of continued generator use compared to the solar investment. Perhaps a combo of both would do the trick. I know it takes hours to reach 100% charge but aiming for that 80%+ range, reuse lightly then recharge. Repeat. Any thoughts? Thanks for the feedback.

[Fisherguy]

Passme wrote:
I have this meter but not sure how to hook it up other than to check the +/- leads coming from the trailer and read the amps in them?

This post tells me you have lots to learn.

If you have a WFCO converter do some searches on here and you'll learn it's basically a POC, as others have said they don't go into bulk mode at all. I had the same problem and ended up installing a PD9280 right at the front of the trailer leaving the WFCO where it is under the fridge as part of the power distribution panel. The WFCO now doesn't work at all BTW. See here:
WFCO vs PD 9280

Best thing you could do IMO would be to put a Trimeteric 2025 into your trailer so you know exactly what's going on with your batteries.

I hope you're not one of those people who fires up your generator "for breakfast" at 7am? Doesn't anyone (else) use percolators anymore and just do their toast on the stove?

<>
With my solar panels installed a couple years ago I rarely need to run the generator at all anymore, maybe if we get a straight week of rain or something. Best mod I've done to the trailer but the PD9280 is there if I need it, powered by my nice QUIET Honda generator.

[Passme]

Thanks everyone, your right Bismark man, let's give it some time and see.

[BizmarksMom]

I have found solar to be entirely adequate for my needs. I don't watch tv, or use the microwave. I make my coffee with an aeropress, heating water on the stove. At night, I charge my phone and tablet, listen to music, and read.

My advice would be to head out a few times and see what your needs really are.

[Sandia_Man]

Usually 2 hours would be enough with most smart converters, but as mentioned above, the WFCO has been documented time and again on this forum for not going into bulk charging mode. Most times it provides 13.x volts which would indeed take some time to get anywhere near fully charged. The 55amp WFCO will rarely deliver full rated amperage, and if it does so it will taper very quickly leading once again to long charging times. A simple plug in meter for one of your DC power sockets will tell you the phase your WFCO is currently outputting.

For the ideal experience when RVing off the power grid, a combination of solar, inverter generator, and a smart charging converter are all key parts of the plan. Power saving devices are important as well, we replaced all of our incandescent bulbs with LEDs and all of our audio/video equipment are energy smart requiring minimal wattage for their usage. On most days, weather permitting, genny usage for charging batteries is rare, our genny is relegated to powering high current draw items for short durations.

[wsc7050]

I can't speak to generator time, but after 3 months of full timing, can offer my experience with solar. I have 2 6v interstate batteries. To charge them I have 1 100 watt roof mounted panel, and a 100 watt portable panel. I use a victron mppt charge controller which has worked very well.
I originally planned on getting 2 Honda 2000' for charging and to run the air conditioner. My wife convinced me to wait on generators to see if we would need them. So far the panels and batteries have been very adequate. I have been glad I went with one portable panel as there have been some cold times where the heater blower has required more than my less than perfectly aimed rooftop panel could provide. Having the ability to aim a panel for efficiency combined with the rooftop panel has allowed us to power everything that we use. That is pretty much heater, lights, stereo, and charging cells and laptops. We don't really use the microwave or run a tv, so our demands are somewhat low. My wife suggested we watch the weather and when it was hot enough to need the ac, we would find somewhere to plug in. This actually has worked very well. We have plugged in for heat for two weeks out of the last 3 months. We will be traveling for sometime more and feel like we might want to be able to run the ac when we are boon-docking, and if that is the case will buy generators then. Until then I will enjoy the simplicity and quiet of the solar set up.
Hope this helps.

[RoyB]

Passme wrote:
RoyB is kinda telling my story, my generator will be used every morning for breakfast, charging tablets etc. so by letting it run for 2-3 hrs I can then rely on batteries till bedtime. My WF-9855 is a 3 stage charger, 14.4 bulk, 13.6 Abs.,and 13.2 Float. No equalize unfortunately. How do I measure the amps going into the batteries? At their posts? Could I install an amp meter into the distribution panel to monitor SOC? Appreciate the comments folks.

Check out one of these BAYITE BYT-VAM-033 Hall Effect Current meter from AMAZON

BAYITE CURRENT METER

The Hall Effect Transformer will allow up to a 2AWG cable to pass through it for sample so no wires connected to the DC current wires...
the meter display is pretty small to my surprise but it works great...

This is +/- 100AMP DC AMPS monitor... It will show you whether you are putting DC current into the battery or pulling DC amps from it...

Price is great from AMAZON...

Another note: It is a well known thing that the WFCO Converters/Chargers may not go into any of its smart mode DC VOLTAGES... May only work at the 13.6VDC mode only... You need to put a DC Meter on your battery terminals and see what DC VOLTAGES the WFCO charger is doing when you think it is in smart mode charging... Without the smart mode DC VOLTAGES your charging time will be many many hours to get from the 50% to 90% charge states. Actually days to get to the 100% charge state. If a battery takes more than three hours of 13.6VDC it may start boiling out battery fluids over time... Not good...

Roy Ken

[Passme]

RoyB is kinda telling my story, my generator will be used every morning for breakfast, charging tablets etc. so by letting it run for 2-3 hrs I can then rely on batteries till bedtime. My WF-9855 is a 3 stage charger, 14.4 bulk, 13.6 Abs.,and 13.2 Float. No equalize unfortunately. How do I measure the amps going into the batteries? At their posts? Could I install an amp meter into the distribution panel to monitor SOC? Appreciate the comments folks.

[time2roll]

Measure voltage direct on the battery terminals.
You are probably not going to read amps unless you have a DC clamp-on ammeter.

[Passme]

I have this meter but not sure how to hook it up other than to check the +/- leads coming from the trailer and read the amps in them?

[RoyB]

I run my on-board PD9260C from my 2KW generator to recharge my 50% depleted 255AH 12V battery bank and it takes around three hours of generator run time using the smart mode DC Voltages coming from the PD9260C converter/charger unit...

Usually where we camp OFF-GRID I am allowed to run my generator starting at 8AM each morning. Works out good for us as we can make our fresh coffee for the day and do a few other high wattage items during our breakfast time generator run time.

We pull alot of DC AMPS from our battery bank during the 6PM to 11PM evening time in our camper supporting our camping style and if I don't start out with a good 90% charge state my battery performance each day we will fall short on the batteries.

Been doing this Camping routine since 2009 mostly camping off-grid running off of the batteries.

My 255AH Battery started to lose performance at the end of last years camping season and I am now in the process of building up a new battery bank... Getting 7-8 years out of my GP24 12V Interstate batteries was a surprise for me... They just won't hold a charge very long now and one of them starts getting very warm when using them... I just pulled the plug on them at the of last years camping season...

Probably will be going for two groups of two 6V GC2 batteries in series for the new battery bank...

Roy Ken

[mbopp]

Yeah you're assuming the WFCO will go into boost mode but it probably won't.
I have an IOTA-55 for charging and shut the WFCO off. Two hours a day with my Honda 2000 keeps me and my batteries happy. Even an hour a day will get me through.

[time2roll]

9855 WFCO? Probably 12 to 24 hours unless your 9855 actually goes to boost mode and you see 14.4 volts. If you do see boost watch for 14.2+ volts on the battery and then run one more hour to get about 90 to 95 percent.

Most likely you will get 13.6 volts and amps will begin tapering off within 10 minutes for a trickle charge.

[Lwiddis]

Oh boy. Two hours of generator noise. My batteries are full before noon most days....noiselessly. In fact it's almost 6 pm and solar is still working lightly...noiselessly.

[KD4UPL]

"would 2 hours charge enough to use?"
The short answer is yes, 2 hours would be a significant charge at that rate to that size bank and you could certainly continue using the batteries.
However, I suspect something more like 3 or 4 hours would be a better charge. The 50 amps will tapper as the batteries recharge.
Do you have an amp meter? I'd run the generator until the batteries are taking only 10% of their capacity (20.6 amps).