Best battery charger options

[SoonerWing03]

I’m running (2) 6v 215AH gc2’s wired in series for a 12 volt system. I am trying to figure out the best/quickest way to charge them with a generator. We will have limited times where we can use the generator to charge the batteries due to campground restrictions and the fact that I would rather us be out seeing things than sitting around camp waiting for batteries to charge. However, we will be traveling a fair amount between campsites so the TV should help with charging some as well. Every couple of days we should be hooked up to power as well but I would like to be able to do a trip like this without being dependent on campsite provided electricity. I know that we aren’t going to be able to run much just on battery power and I honestly don’t know how much they are going to want to run stuff... but I am about to find out. Lol.

Anyhow, my question is: What battery chargers should I consider for this application?

This is probably a dumb question but what is the difference between using a battery charger and switching out my WFCO converter in favor of a PD4655L MBA Wildcat? Does the Wildcat have a built in battery chargers?

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I have to dial the voltage way way back on the Megawatts to get them to not knock the generator offline. The Harbor Freight 800 watt generator will power just a tad over 40 amps. The generator stops dead at 44-amps.

Trying to micro-manage slide rule compute amperage to wattage is a sure loser

[BFL13]

You must know a 1000w gen cannot run a 55 amp charger that is not PF corrected. You also know your beloved PDs are 0.7PF and that the running VA of the 1000w inverter/gen is 900VA.

Meanwhile on a Kill-A-Watt with a 0.7 PF 55 amp converter putting out 56.8 amps with battery at 13.7v, or 778w, we see:

124.7v, 11.06a, 980w, and 1383VA.

So please stop posting that you can get 1383VA from a 900VA supply.

Meanwhile, your 9180 amper needs more than a 0.7PF 75 amper doing 75 amps with battery at 14.08. That was pulling 1693VA, so your 1000w gen running that 80 amper at over 1700 was indeed quite remarkable! BUT--look more closely, and just maybe----

You said the batteries were "dead" so let's say 10.5v and jumped to 11.5v with the charger doing 80 amps? So 920w output. Say 85% efficient, or 1082w input. and 0.7PF makes that 1546VA.

To make that work, the "dead" batteries must not have been accepting 80 amps, but some much lower number of amps. You can do the math for what must have been the output watts and then see if you can get the input VA anywhere near 1000. It is true that really dead batteries can only accept a few amps at first, then the amps slowly rise as the battery recovers.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I think there are far too many individuals who chime in and say "It charged my batteries"

When they should be saying "It said my batteries were charged"

At sane amperage input, a flooded battery is not charged unless it is bubbling slightly. The exception is a calcium calcium sealed battery which is not a deep cycle battery.

Remember the theme of this thread. You can connect a battery to a power post and charge at 13.9 volts for several weeks and it will be close to being fully charged. Those who protest should have chosen to be a lawyer.

This is cold hard reality when cycling a battery and finding a charger that exceeds 13.6 volts would be an even bigger miracle. My time proven rule of charging at 14.7 volts until every cell is bubbling has been valid for 75 years before I started testing batteries. And many years after I stopped.

[wa8yxm]

Some of this depends on your generator and other needs

THe PDxx55 is a good choce for small generators (1000 watt and below) and for GC-2 Flooded wet. A pair of GC-2 can take up to around 65 amps tops.. A Honda EU-1000i MAY be able to feed a PD-9260 but not anything much bigger (And yes folks I know the numbers do not match up.. the PD is not 100% efficient).

A EU-2000i would have no problems with the 9260

A TRUE 1000 watt (Generac 1000) has delivered to my PD-9180+wiz with dead batteries... Took all it was worth but it hung in there. Not sure if every copy of it would do it or not. Mine did.

[Sam_Spade]

SoundGuy wrote:
Too little information -

Too much information.
K.I.S.S.

Did you even address the question that he asked ??

[MEXICOWANDERER]

With AGM slight overcharge is preferable to undercharge.

[theoldwizard1]

ktmrfs wrote:
how fast you can charge is highly dependent on the generator and battery type. Most 2000W generators can run a 60A converter a few a 75A ...

Progressive Dynamics or Iota are FAR FAR FAR better than a WFCO.

Progressive Dynamics makes converters from 45A up to 80A. It won't "bulk charge" as fast as a 100A power supply, but the "smart charging" will make sure you don't over charge.

[theoldwizard1]

SoonerWing03 wrote:
I’m running (2) 6v 215AH gc2’s wired in series for a 12 volt system. I am trying to figure out the best/quickest way to charge them with a generator.
.
.
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However, we will be traveling a fair amount between campsites so the TV should help with charging some as well.

You won't like my answer, but the truth is you will need at least 3 battery chargers NOT including the charger in your converter.

First, for fast, but not necessarily complete/perfect charging get a "generic" 12VDC power supply capable of more than 100A. Make sure it can be adjusted to at least 14.5V. You must run it off of a timer because if accidentally left on too long, it will ruin your battery.

Second, to charge your house bank will driving, get a DC-DC charger, like a CTEK D250S or similar. After a short bulk charge with the first charger, this will finish the job.

Third, get a multi-stage charger for use when you are on shore power (or at home). This will take several hours but it will make sure the battery is properly charged before your next trip.

SoonerWing03 wrote:
As long as I can run a few lights and the AC if needed then I think we will be good.

You are NOT going to be running an AC for more than a few minutes with only two GC2 batteries. Even four GC2 batteries will not get you up to 1 hour of run time.

[2oldman]

SoonerWing03 wrote:
As long as I can run a few lights and the AC if needed then I think we will be good. My wife is pretty nervous about the whole idea of boondocking so I really want this "test run" to go as smoothly as possible.

Running ac (or a/c if you mean air) doesn't happen on batteries, and even with a generator it's rare to see anyone doing that. Everyone asks about it, but few do it.

Boondocking is better if you can emulate the comforts of home, if that's what wifey is after. Solar panels, lots of batteries, nice big inverter, big holding tanks, carry lots of water, and a quiet inverter generator or two. Oh, and TV service and internet. That's how I roll.

[philh]

That's the converter I installed. Charges up two GC2 fairly quickly. I'm pleased with the purchase.

[time2roll]

SoonerWing03 wrote:
Generally speaking, is there an all around good "smart" charger that I could use both when boondocking with an inverter generator and at home when connected to shore power between trips?

Yes. I recommend you replace the converter.

http://www.bestconverter.com/PD-9260C-148-60-Amp-RV-ConverterCharger

[SoonerWing03]

Probably going with the 3KW generator so that I have the ability to run the AC if need be. Not sure if 2 of the 2KW in parallel will get the job done. Would probably prefer to do that if possible for versatility.

[ktmrfs]

how fast you can charge is highly dependent on the generator and battery type. Most 2000W generators can run a 60A converter a few a 75A with nothing else on before they overload.

If you have a 3KW generator you could run a 100A converter.

Next check what the battery can take. I have 4 GC-2's and run a PD75A and PF 55 in parallel at times and start an intial charge at 120A or so. Basically the same as 60A on a pair.

Progressive dynamics or Iota are FAR FAR FAR better than a WFCO. The WFCO will likely never give you more than about 15-20 A charging current regarless.
And it won't get you a full charge at home.

And in any case you can get the batteries up to about 80%SOC pretty quick. The last 20% will take hours regarless of converter so when the batteries hit 80% cut the generator. For the last 20% solar is a good choice, or full charge at home.

[SoonerWing03]

Flooded GC2's. As long as I can run a few lights and the AC if needed then I think we will be good. I say I think because this will be our first real boondocking trip. Maybe just going with a generator for this trip is my best bet and then I can see how much we wish we could use X, Y, and Z and for how long. I don't really want to be sitting in the camper much anyhow.

Generally speaking, is there an all around good "smart" charger that I could use both when boondocking with an inverter generator and at home when connected to shore power between trips?

I really like the idea of boondocking as it opens so many other camping possibilities that I think that we would greatly enjoy. I love tent camping because you can really get in there with nature but I don't love waking up in a tent when it's 25 degrees outside or going to bed in a tent when it's 90 degrees. So if I can find that happy median then that would be ideal for me. My wife is pretty nervous about the whole idea of boondocking so I really want this "test run" to go as smoothly as possible. If my batteries croak on this trip it will not look good for future boondocking trips.