Will I really need a DC to DC charger?

[jongood]

Post 18

 

[RogerIvy]

I did not state 1000 amps I quoted 93 amps!

Actually you did, this is what you wrote:

"We have 700 watts of solar a Victron 12/2000/80 inverter charger and 2 x 100 amp Transporter batteries. The other day I left the hab aircon on and ran the batteries down to 15% later went for something to eat the charge rate from the alternator peaked at 1123 amps we do not have a B2B"


Must have been a typo

 

[Pausim]

I did not state 1000 amps I quoted 93 amps!

This is what you said at #18

the charge rate from the alternator peaked at 1123 amps we do not have a B2B

Edit. I must learn to type quicker, beaten to it.

 

[Bessy765]

Sorry my mistake senior momen

 

[MisterB]

Steve, can I ask what settings you were advised to charge your Lithiums on please? Some say LA, whilst others say Gel.
My 60A B2B has a Lithium setting, so 100% charge would be achieved periodically.

Cheers,

Jock.

I was advised to use the LA settings on my Nordelectra 237, which I'm sure is different than yours, but I've also read recently that while it will charge it up ok to within 98% of capacity, which is actually the case and I'm happy with that, if the lithium gets too low and it then gets connected via EHU, it can damage the N237 because it's working that hard to fill up the lithium. Applejack suggest making a mod to the N237 to prevent that at a cost of £140.

I think others have removed the relay themselves to prevent it and installed a separate charger, but I would probably have mine converted at Applejack as I wouldn't know what to do!

I also intend on definitely fitting a 60A B2B when we get back, hopefully before the Halloween Rally, but if I do then my thoughts are that after driving an hour or two between park ups as we usually do and then go on site, which isn't often, and use EHU then it shouldn't take much charging ..... so is the Applejack modification really necessary if all it's for is to protect against something that shouldn't happen ...?

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[JockandRita]

I was advised to use the LA settings on my Nordelectra 237, which I'm sure is different than yours, but I've also read recently that while it will charge it up ok to within 98% of capacity, which is actually the case and I'm happy with that, if the lithium gets too low and it then gets connected via EHU, it can damage the N237 because it's working that hard to fill up the lithium. Applejack suggest making a mod to the N237 to prevent that at a cost of £140.

I think others have removed the relay themselves to prevent it and installed a separate charger, but I would probably have mine converted at Applejack as I wouldn't know what to do!

I also intend on definitely fitting a 60A B2B when we get back, hopefully before the Halloween Rally, but if I do then my thoughts are that after driving an hour or two between park ups as we usually do and then go on site, which isn't often, and use EHU then it shouldn't take much charging ..... so is the Applejack modification really necessary if all it's for is to protect against something that shouldn't happen ...?

Dave, if and when I do go ahead with Lithium, I was thinking of maybe isolating the CBE mains charger, to see how I'd get on with just solar and the B2B.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[MisterB]

Dave, if and when I do go ahead with Lithium, I was thinking of maybe isolating the CBE mains charger, to see how I'd get on with just solar and the B2B.

Cheers,

Jock.

That sort of ties in with my thinking, but so long as I'm not making the existing on board charger work too hard, then I'm not sure I need to disconnect it or even have it modified. It charges perfectly well up to 98% or so via EHU, which for me has been shown to be enough and occasionally it gets to100% with solar. You have a large B2B so if you're moving around, even an hour's driving will bang in more power than you will prob use during one day off EHU.
The only thing we now use gas for is the fridge, so we use around 60/70Ah per day brewing up and cooking, but we don't try to limit use, we just use it when we want and use whatever we want.
If I went through the process again, I would buy a 400Ah battery, with your beast you could carry something that big without worrying about the weight. It's the cost though that could be worrying .... and could you justify it and unless you're running a compressor fridge and everything else then the smaller 304Ah coupled to your ability to pump in a lot of power quickly should be enough when travelling. It's when off grid that the additional 100Ah might make a difference especially when very little power being produced by the solar.
If you disconnect your charger though, would it stop you charging up when on EHU? Is that something that would have any impact!
As you know, I am no expert or massively knowledgeable motorhomer, but I know what has worked and hasn't worked for me so far in my limited journey/experience!

 

[JockandRita]

If you disconnect your charger though, would it stop you charging up when on EHU? Is that something that would have any impact!

Yes Dave, but it would just be a flick of a switch to turn it back on, so would possibly only be used in winter on the odd occasion we are ever on EHU, ie, where little solar power is being produced. If it was found to be unsuitable, or not able to cope, I'd just replace it with a Lithium compatible mains charger.

If I went through the process again, I would buy a 400Ah battery, with your beast you could carry something that big without worrying about the weight.

I think I prefer my current setup Dave, ie, 2 x battery banks which can be isolated from each other at the flick of a switch, and would therefore prefer 2 x 150A or 2 x 200A Lithiums. If one battery goes belly up for some reason, I've still got half my initial capacity to keep me going.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[jongood]

Yes Dave, but it would just be a flick of a switch to turn it back on, so would possibly only be used in winter on the odd occasion we are ever on EHU, ie, where little solar power is being produced. If it was found to be unsuitable, or not able to cope, I'd just replace it with a Lithium compatible mains charger.


I think I prefer my current setup Dave, ie, 2 x battery banks which can be isolated from each other at the flick of a switch, and would therefore prefer 2 x 150A or 2 x 200A Lithiums. If one battery goes belly up for some reason, I've still got half my initial capacity to keep me going.

Cheers,

Jock.

Ok my setup is different to other on here because I have 2 alternators at different voltages but the hybrid is working pretty well for me. I hardly ever use the new main charger I bought.

 

[Revolvor]

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