| Author |
Message |
Robert Munrow
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 26, 2004 - 3:28 pm: | |
Need Help. I want to charge house batteries and start batteries from bus alternater while driving. I've been told a lot of stories but need the sure way. I have an eagle 10 with a 6v92 and as far as I can tell through my research my alt. will put out up to 300 amps. My charger from my inverter will put out 130 amps. If I hook both up will I burn out alternater or inverter or both. I've been told I need an isolater, but 300 amps is very pricy. Can someone help. I thought about a manual switch using the heavy wire that went to my heater/ac blower between the boogies originally, but really feel I need an automatic system thanks bob robertmunrow@aol.com |
gabby
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 26, 2004 - 5:42 pm: | |
I bought a 200 amp continuos duty 12 volt relay from granger. I turn it on by a switch in the coach. You can put it any where thats convient for you. I hooked the start bats to one side and the house bats to the other with 4/0 cable. I have used this system on two coaches and have had no problem. Just make sure that you shut the relay down when you stop or connect the 12 volts by way of the ignition switch. That way when the coach is off the bats are disconnected. |
Frank Allen
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 26, 2004 - 7:04 pm: | |
i agree with gabby, a relay i did the same thing and its worked great for me, works great
Frank Allen
4106 |
bandleader39
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 26, 2004 - 8:28 pm: | |
I've only got 4 - 12 volt house batteries, but a friend gave me a car alternator and found a place to mount it on my MC-7 w/DD 8V71 and run it off the engine with a belt. I have a single wire running to the batts w/single wire regulator. I have a switch to turn it on, and shut it off when I'm running Gen Set. Works for me.
Norm Edlebeck |
neomax
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 26, 2004 - 10:04 pm: | |
The relay/solenoid is the way to go for a seamless operation. 2 ways to power it. U can make it automatic with the engine running if u activate it from the R terminal of the alternator or u can make it a switchable operation w/a switch at the dash. The switchable method gives u the option of charging or keeping your engine batts topped by the inverter charger when plugged to shore.
The 12v model 50DN alternator does max at 305 amps, while the 24v model peaks at around 220amps. |
Tom Caffrey (Pvcces)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 27, 2004 - 12:52 am: | |
Robert, one caution about planning on use of the relay terminal. It will only be about half your system's voltage.
There are fully automatic heavy duty relays available, like the Pathmaker, that will turn the relay on anytime either bank is charging and turn it off when charging is discontinued and battery voltage falls to around 26 volts.
The Pathmaker includes a circuit that will allow you use house batteries for boosting the starting batteries, IIRC.
That will give you a fully automatic system, and yes, it will tie both charging systems together if they are both charging at the same time. This won't hurt anything if the two battery banks are the same nominal voltage, unless your battery capacity is too low for the charge rate.
Ideally, you should not recharge flooded deep cycle batteries at more than 1/5 of their capacity per hour. For 300 amps, your battery bank ought to be 1500 amp hours, which is pretty unlikely if you have a 24 volt system.
Having your charging systems monitor battery temperature will reduce the risk of overheating them, and you can set up modern inverters and voltage regulators to do this.
For what it's worth.
Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576
Suncatcher |
Chris Christensen (Chris4905)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 27, 2004 - 4:35 pm: | |
I did the same as gabby, put on a 200 amp continuous duty relay to connect both sets of batts. Very important, the relay MUST be CONTINUOUS duty or it will burn up in a short time.
I powered the relay with a dash switch, but incorporated that switch into my start switch. A DPDT/ 3 positon switch. The switch has On/Run/Start(momentary).
I turn on the key switch (a separtate sw.) for power to the start system and push the "Start"(momentary)to start the coach. It switches back to the Run positon and the coach is started but solenoid not activated.
If I want to charge the second set of batts I push the switch to the On positon and it activates the solenoid and both sets of batts are being charged while coach is running.
When I turn off the key switch to stop the coach, it removes power from the "Run" postion of start/charge switch and turns of the solenoid, thereby separating the batteries. No forgetting to turn of the switch.
Has worked great for about the past 3 years.
Chris Christensen
1974 GMC 4905
Eagle, ID. |
Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, December 02, 2004 - 10:08 pm: | |
Hello Robert.
If you are set to use the one alternator, then carry on.
Another alternative, which is invisible and automatic, is to use two alternators, one for running the existing coach systems through the start battery related circuits, and the other is dedicated to supplying house power and battery charging.
Without stock heat and AC blowers in the system anymore, a smaller automotive type alternator will take care of the coach lights and start batteries, and the big 300 amp alternator may be directed to maintain the house batteries, using a more sophisticated staged regulator to take care of those house batteries.
Price it both ways, you might be surprised which is cheaper!
happy coaching!
buswarrior |
|