Generator Newbie-How long to charge?

[jimmoore13]

Originally Posted by jimmoore13

<<snip>
My solar experience.
This is boilerplate...a response to another thread. <<snip>>

I was going to edit my "solar" post, but too much time has passed. I'm sorry the links were broken!

Solar kit: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Charge Controller...included in kit: https://smile.amazon.com/Regulator-C...rge+Controller

400 Watt Inverter: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I mounted my charge controller outside in this box: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
With this vent: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This was an effort to not clutter the inside of the PUP and minimize penetrations in the tub.

Other accessories were just high quality wire, fuses and fuse holders, some wire guides to hold the wire in place.

One change I'd make is to buy a 10-3 extension cord and use it from the panel to the charge controller instead of the kit-supplied wire. The stiff wire supplied isn't as easy to coil and stow on a PUP. When the roof is closed, there are about 4 feet of wire to cope with on the outside of the camper between the roof and tub. No big deal.

[babock]

Originally Posted by jimmoore13

One change I'd make is to buy a 10-3 extension cord and use it from the panel to the charge controller instead of the kit-supplied wire.

Buy wire like this:
Marine Wire AWG Gauge Size Flat Duplex 2 Conductor Boat Cable Genuinedealz.com

[jimmoore13]

Originally Posted by babock

Buy wire like this:
Marine Wire AWG Gauge Size Flat Duplex 2 Conductor Boat Cable Genuinedealz.com

Great recommendation.
Is the jacket suitable for continuous sun exposure? All solar applications leave at least a small amount of cable exposed to the sun...some of it on the roof. In my case, with a PUP, I have cable running outside from the panel on the roof to the bottom of the tub. That cable is anchored with screw-in cable ties (with silicone in the holes before driving the screws). The section that spans the "tent" (about 4' to 5' long) must coil outside when the camper is closed. The marine wire looks VERY pliable--assuming the jacket is as pliable as the wire.

The wire supplied with my kit was #12 (just one panel), and it was "stranded," but it was only 3 strands, so it's stiff and unruly. Plus each wire is separate, so I had to tape them together with electrical tape. I should have pitched that wire and gone with something better. The marine wire looks great, and it may well do what a 10-3 yellow-jacket extension cord would have done.

Thanks for the tip.

[Lawrosa]

I have to say I just came back from boondocking.. Weekend trip only..

Batts fully charged when I left off solar..

Im a heavy use guy. Had two tv's running, used toaster oven, coffee maker etc..

First night no big deal as solar got back most of the power I lost..

Woke up sat to 12.3 volts batts. I have 3 - 75 ah batts in parrellel.

So I used maybe 100 AH.

Was hot sat so I ran gen to run a/c and charge batts. Ran 3 hours.

wfco did not and would not go in bulk mode. I even tried to trick it and put a load on inverter. Gen on then flip converter charging breaker. Nope.. 13.6 charging.. ( No 14.4.. Never seen it).

When trying to trick it it seems like it may be going into bulk mode but the wfco kicks on and off every 10-15 seconds. I think its going off on amp overload with that 900 watt draw on inverter..

Says the bulk mode should kick on when it sees 13.2 volts at wfco terminals. Problem as soon as you hit the breaker it jumps to 13.4 volts.. Seems like it will never see said 13.2 volts..


With that said with 3 hour gen run time batts looked charges @ 12.8 volts after I turned everything off. I thought I may have overcharged...

Anyway next morning batts were 11.8 volts... I dont know what happened as we hardly used much stuff as the day before after I turned off gen and put solar away..

Disappointing..

Im trying to run tests now to see how to get this f ing thing in bulk mode..

So disappointing in this new campers converter..

But they say online this thing cranks in the amps others cant at 16.6 volts..

I dont have an amp probe...

[latner]

Originally Posted by Lawrosa

I have to say I just came back from boondocking.. Weekend trip only..

Batts fully charged when I left off solar..

Im a heavy use guy. Had two tv's running, used toaster oven, coffee maker etc..

First night no big deal as solar got back most of the power I lost..

Woke up sat to 12.3 volts batts. I have 3 - 75 ah batts in parrellel.

So I used maybe 100 AH.

Was hot sat so I ran gen to run a/c and charge batts. Ran 3 hours.

wfco did not and would not go in bulk mode. I even tried to trick it and put a load on inverter. Gen on then flip converter charging breaker. Nope.. 13.6 charging.. ( No 14.4.. Never seen it).

When trying to trick it it seems like it may be going into bulk mode but the wfco kicks on and off every 10-15 seconds. I think its going off on amp overload with that 900 watt draw on inverter..

Says the bulk mode should kick on when it sees 13.2 volts at wfco terminals. Problem as soon as you hit the breaker it jumps to 13.4 volts.. Seems like it will never see said 13.2 volts..


With that said with 3 hour gen run time batts looked charges @ 12.8 volts after I turned everything off. I thought I may have overcharged...

Anyway next morning batts were 11.8 volts... I dont know what happened as we hardly used much stuff as the day before after I turned off gen and put solar away..

Disappointing..

Im trying to run tests now to see how to get this f ing thing in bulk mode..

So disappointing in this new campers converter..

But they say online this thing cranks in the amps others cant at 16.6 volts..

I dont have an amp probe...

I've never seen anything above 13.6 from my wfco. That's why, instead of upgrading the converter and wiring, I'll continue to use my Diehard battery charger where I can get 15.5v for equalization when I need to.

[Lawrosa]

I've never seen anything above 13.6 from my wfco. That's why, instead of upgrading the converter and wiring, I'll continue to use my Diehard battery charger where I can get 15.5v for equalization when I need to.

I may have to look into that route.. I started a new thread on my tests.. I ran down batts low by accident today running my test..

Well see here..

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ml#post1631559

[latner]

Originally Posted by Lawrosa

I may have to look into that route.. I started a new thread on my tests.. I ran down batts low by accident today running my test..

Well see here..

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ml#post1631559

responded on your other thread also

[pgandw]

The WFCO in my A-frame would never shift down to trickle mode (13.2V), even after 2 weeks at 13.7V. I never caught it in bulk mode (14.4V), either. Gave up and replaced the WFCO 8735 with a PD 4135 (almost drop-in replacement converter and panel). Also replaced dual Group 24 batteries with Interstate GC-2 6V golf cart batteries from Costco. And installed a digital voltmeter beside the stereo to monitor what was happening.

Love the difference. The PD converter shifts modes readily according to what the batteries will take. The PD will maintain 14.4V or so until 80-90%, then shifts to 13.7V. After a couple of days plugged in, the PD shifts to trickle mode (13.2V).

In bulk mode, if down around 50%, the batteries will charge at about 20 amps to start. It quickly tapers to about 12-15 amps. Once in normal mode, charging current is about 7 amps, tapering as the batteries get fully charged.

Reality is that lead acid batteries can be taken from 50% to about 80% in 2 hours if the charger will hold bulk mode (14.4V) for the 2 hours. Another 4 hours minimum is needed to get them to 100%. It doesn't matter what charger you use, unless you can manually raise the voltage after 2 hours to 14+ and keep it there. But when you use that many volts on a nearly full battery, you are going to start boiling the batteries. And if the batteries are in reasonable shape, they won't charge much faster regardless - the extra energy goes into boiling the electrolyte water and/or converting water into hydrogen and oxygen at a much faster rate.

Bottom line - 1) replace the WFCO with a PD. 2) Ensure #6 or better cables from converter to batteries (wire available from Home Depot). 3) Assuming no solar, run the generator 2-3 hours per day and live with the results.

Hope this helps.

Fred W
2014 Rockwood A122 A-frame