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09-20-2017, 08:48 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Bend, OR
Posts: 149
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Generator Newbie-How long to charge?
OK, so I get that there are a lot of factors involved, but how long do YOU run your generator during the day to recharge?
I have a Ryobi 2300/1800w generator charging two 6v GC batteries via the onboard converter. Let's say I wake up to my batteries showing 12.2 (60% charge state.) I have no clue what to expect. 2 hours? All day??
Is there a way to know if I've achieved float mode?
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09-21-2017, 10:16 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: x
Posts: 12,423
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you must have a multimeter if you are able to talk about 12.2 volts, so take one day and first thing in the morning measure your batteries (without converter charging) start your generator noting the equipment running and when they reach 100% not the time required. You have answered your question and learned something about your rig under a specific condition. let the forum know what you come up with
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09-21-2017, 11:45 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Bend, OR
Posts: 149
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So...if I run my generator until my batteries read at least 12.6 then I'm "fully charged"?
I thought I had to charge until it's achieved float mode or it will drain down much quicker.
Sorry if this isn't making sense. Like I said, newbie here.
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09-21-2017, 01:10 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 417
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If you have a wfco converter, do yourself a favor and get a decent automatic battery charger that you can hook directly to the batteries. You'll be able to maintain the batteries with less generator run-time.
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09-21-2017, 02:27 PM
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#5
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 33,607
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I never had any issues recharging my batteries, with the trailer's WFCO and my Honda 2000i, for the 10 years I camped with it.
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Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
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and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
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09-21-2017, 02:37 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 321
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Quick and dirty: find the "battery state of charge by voltage" chart.
Say it reads 12.10 resting, or about 50%. If you have a 100ah battery you need to put 50amps back into the battery. If your converter/charger outputs 25amps, figure two hours. Just adjust the variables to your battery. Easy peasy.
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09-21-2017, 03:25 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Warsaw,NC
Posts: 7,184
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I think y'all need to read the 12 volt side of life part 1. There is no way you can charge a battery that is at 50% to 100% in two hours
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09-21-2017, 03:42 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 103
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I put an amp probe on my 120v connection to the generator. I then shut off the battery disconnect. If the amp probe reading stays the same then the battery is charge. If the reading decrease your converter is still charging the battery.
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2016 Coachmen Apex 288BHS
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09-21-2017, 03:51 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: California
Posts: 7,616
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Quote:
Originally Posted by latner
If you have a wfco converter, do yourself a favor and get a decent automatic battery charger that you can hook directly to the batteries. You'll be able to maintain the batteries with less generator run-time.
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Better yet, dump the WFCO converter and replace it with a better converter and skip buying a battery charger that won't have near the charging capacity of a good converter.
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09-21-2017, 03:52 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 321
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spock123
I think y'all need to read the 12 volt side of life part 1. There is no way you can charge a battery that is at 50% to 100% in two hours
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Sure you can, with the right charger. The charge time is solely dependent on the charger and the type of battery. There is some internal resistance but the math is simple. In my example above, a 10amp charger will take 2.5 times as long. I have a pretty good 40amp bulk charger that can mostly charge batteries in two hours.
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09-21-2017, 03:57 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: x
Posts: 12,423
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The OP is not looking to change out his charing system just to figure about how long it will take to charge his batteries. there have been some good examples given.
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Retired Navy
Jake my sidekick (yellow Lab) 10/04 - 05/20
2017 RAM 2500 CC 4X4 Cummins Diesel
2016 Flagstaff 26 FKWS
AF&AM & El Korah Shrine of Idaho
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09-21-2017, 04:09 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Englewood FL
Posts: 2,797
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Lets say that 2 GC 6 volt batteries will give you 200 AH total capacity. Unfortunately you cannot see what your charge current is, nor the actual SOC of the batteries. You are kind of blind and, in addition, we don't know what kind of converter you have so we don't know what the charge amperage is.
Let's take a flyer and assume that you can get 20 amps from the converter at a 50% SOC. That means that you have used 100 AH and, simplistically, it would take 5 hours (actually it would take much longer since it tapers down as the SOC goes up.)
I would never go to the trouble of starting a generator and not let it run at least 2 hours, in the case above maybe 3. You can't get to 100 SOC with a generator because it will take days...not hours.
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2015 335DS
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09-21-2017, 09:00 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mountain Foothills of Southern Alberta
Posts: 1,980
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spock123
I think y'all need to read the 12 volt side of life part 1. There is no way you can charge a battery that is at 50% to 100% in two hours
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Exactly right. You may get to about 70% SOC in two hours, but the last 30% will take many more hours.
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2007 Surveyor SV230 - 200 Watts Solar/MPPT Controller - 220 AH Battery Bank (Two-GC2) - 600 watt PSW Inverter - (2) 2000 watt Inverter Generators - LED Lighting
2009 F150 - 5.4 Litre with Tow Package
Boon Docking 99% of the time.
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09-22-2017, 01:22 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 1,502
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Question can't be answered. Its like asking how much food should I eat so I can feel full?
Too many variables. One of the most important variables is the location of the converter with respect to the battery bank(s). If not within 3 feet and run with thin wire, it is possible that it make take up to a week to fully recharge a battery. If you have a decent converter (Progressive Dyanamics) mounted within several feet of battery and wired for <3% voltage loss, then most folks can get a battery up to 90% within 2-3 hours. The remaining 10% can take much longer.
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09-22-2017, 07:30 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Warsaw,NC
Posts: 7,184
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Google the 12 volt side of life, part 1 & 2. It's good stuff to know. The new batteries that are on the market now takes a faster charge plus they can be run down to 0% but I can buy 8 Trojans for what one cost. If money is not a problem buy the new batteries, from what I hear they can take a faster charge
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09-22-2017, 09:56 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Bend, OR
Posts: 149
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can someone suggest which "good quality charger" to buy rather than going through my wfco converter, which is at least 20ft. From the batteries?
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09-22-2017, 10:39 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Warsaw,NC
Posts: 7,184
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I have a PD in my Camper 70amp. I would think you should move your charger closer to the batteries or if you can't do that then a heavier gauge wire or cable to the batteries
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09-22-2017, 10:53 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 439
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Sounds like you should get solar .lol.
I have no idea how long two GC batteries should take but my single battery doesnt take more then 2 hours .
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09-22-2017, 11:39 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Bend, OR
Posts: 149
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skyliner
Question can't be answered. Its like asking how much food should I eat so I can feel full
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I agree there are a lot of variables in both scenarios. A low charge state (a really hungry person), how many and what size batteries (adult or child), how big are the pizza slices (small wiring, distance from converter). But if you asked 100 people how much pizza they can eat I'm guessing MOST people would say 2 or 3 slices.
That's what I had no idea what to expect. In general, can I expect once slice or the whole pie?
Of course I will try out my system, but I don't want to be the guy who runs a generator eight hours a day and lugs along five gallons of gas when two hours/gallons would have been plenty.
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09-22-2017, 12:03 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Chicago, Rochester now GA/SC at Lake Hartwell
Posts: 197
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A welder could prob'ly charge your bank in 30 mins...
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