| Author |
Message |
Brian Brown (Fishbowlbrian)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 5:07 pm: | |
Hey All:
Sorry to keep burning up the Boards here with my naiveté, BUT…
I’m still surveying my new coach’s electrical system. Like with most homebuilt things, there’s some good, bad, and ugly in there. No worse than my old Winnebago, IMHO. In some ways it’s a lot better.
Here’s the page showing my electrical system in detail. [There’s some big graphics in there, so dial-uppers please be patient.]
While I could probably leave it as-is for my upcoming Summer traveling, I would like to do something about the house electrical system. Presently, there’s only provisions for genset/ PP charging via two 30A converters. Back in ’85, when this thing was constructed, converters were probably all the rage. But, I’m reading that a converter isn’t the best charger for batts. Also, there’s presently no provisions for DC charging of the house batts… this was a “park model” bus, sad to say. It never went anywhere, and was plugged up and sitting its entire converted life. Sigh.
Unfortunately, an RV-grade inverter that can solve all my woes and handle AC loads, transfer switching, and three-stage charging is out of my budget right now.
Since I’ll probably need to run the genset during the hot days anyway to run the roof-top airs, having AC and DC on-tap should be pretty easy with the “noisemaker” in operation. DC loads can come off the batt or through the converters (if I keep ‘em). I’ll likely purchase a cheapo inverter to take care of the intermittent AC loads (microwave, coffee pot, etc) when the noisemaker is off.
Here’s a rundown of what I’ve got so far:
- Leece- Neville 130A alternator (12v) in place of old Delco generator (see pic)
- new-in-box Xantrex multi-stage regulator for P-type (is the above a P-type??)
- (2) 30A converters
I still need to buy the house batts (the old set was toast). If I can get by w/o a big inverter for awhile, they could be just about anything... deep cycle trolling motor junk all the way on up to Gels or AGMs, I guess.
My needs:
- house-side charging, 3 stage preferably
- intermittent, limited AC use with cheapo inverter(s)
These are my choices, for house charging while driving, AFAIK:
1) use the coach alt. with a manual, old-RV-style solenoid house/coach switch (with or without the Xantrex regulator)
2) new P-type alt for the house side, using the Xantrex regulator (some parasitic power loss on engine, I guess)
3) diodes, and combiners, and isolators (oh my!)
And charging while parked:
1) monitored charging via the converters
2) automatic trickle charger (Napa, Carquest, etc., > 1.5A)
3) pony up some bucks for a three-stage AC charger
My typical RV usage patterns for the near future will consist of two or three days on the road, self-contained, then parked-and-plugged-in for a week or so.
I’d like to keep the solution(s) in the sub-$300 range for now. At least until I can somehow turn that old Fishbowl into some cash! LOL
Anyone have any experiences, advice, or hard-earned knowledge in the above areas, or have an idea altogether different?
Thanks!
Brian Brown
PD4106-1175 |
Sojourner (Jjimage)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 7:01 pm: | |
Good clear photos.
About 30A converters, do you have large vents opening for inlet and outlet cooling?
About Leece-Neville alternator's fan blade, are they "straight" or "angle" type?
Straight type can run CW or CCW. Which I think you have.
Angle type cool best when turns with outer diameter fin are trailing. To pull heat out.
Another word it will charge either direction but correct way cool better. Diodes will last longer.
FWIW
Sojourn for Christ, Jerry |
CoryDaneRTS
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 7:02 pm: | |
I think you need to list what you eventually want to do with your electrical system.
Yes, the old converter units are not real good for the battery.
If you have a hankering for a nice sine/wave/4 stage batt charger, you might start a saving plan and live with the converters.
The old rule was to keep a load on the battery with the converters on. if the battery never met full charge, they would not be damaged.
Another thought-
you could run inverters off the battery and run the converters from shore. you won't hurt the inverters and if you are mod-sine wave, you will know what will and will not run from it.
when you are ready,then lets talk inverters with a nice 4 stage charger- they do real gooooooood!
cd |
joe padberg (Joemc7ab)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 7:09 pm: | |
If you have a 3/4 HP or 1 HP electric motor in your Junkbox, brian consider going with 2 similar externally regulated altenators, mount one on the engine, and the other coupled to the electric motor and use your three stage regulator switched between the two.
I dont think it will break your budget. Joe. |
Brian Brown (Fishbowlbrian)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 8:52 pm: | |
Sojourner: I'll check those things on my alt. Thanks.
CD: yup, a good RV-grade inverter is definitely in my future plans. I'll start saving now. Thanks for the tips.
JP: Wow, I like your thinking with a motor-driven alt. Any idea how much amperage I should look for in a one-wire? Thanks!
BB |
Lin
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 9:49 pm: | |
It's a while since I installed the stuff I have, but I think that the Magnetech 3-stage charger was less than $200 and so was the separate transfer switch. The cheap inverter was probably more, but I think they are cheaper now though. |
joe padberg (Joemc7ab)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 11:06 pm: | |
Your multi stage regulator does not lend itself to be used with the one wire altenator, you should use an altenator that has an external regulator e.g. older style Chrysler or Ford. readily available at any wreckingyard at nominal cost. Joe. |
joe padberg (Joemc7ab)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 - 11:14 pm: | |
Size wise, I am assuming you are starting with a modest housebank, so the standard size 60 to 90 A.should work well. Joe. |
Brian Brown (Fishbowlbrian)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 24, 2005 - 3:01 am: | |
JP: Oops, shows how much I know about alts. I thought "one-wire" WAS a P-type. Looks like P-type is aka "externally-regulated". So, "One-wire" must have a regulator in it. Hmm... Time to hit the books!
Thanks,
BB |
Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 24, 2005 - 7:31 pm: | |
GREAT pictures and text. I need to learn how to do that! Fine job and thank you. I assume the gen set compartment has a large vent on the door which is not shown? Carry on. |
Tom Caffrey (Pvcces)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 06, 2005 - 10:43 pm: | |
Brian, while you're at it, why don't you look on eBay and see how little you can get a black Heart inverter for. I think that you might be able to get a 2kva unit for the same kind of money you're looking to spend on a charger alone.
If you got one, you would get a three stage charger, transfer switch and inverter all in one whack. If you went this route and learned to use it, you would be able to sell it for a good part of what you paid for it when you went to upgrade.
Even without a monitor, the Heart should do a pretty good job of keeping your batteries up. Rig up an ammeter, and you'll have a pretty good idea when to shut your generator off.
One upgrade that you will soon figure out is that you will need a battery monitor in order to live on batteries. The voltmeter in your picture will leave you pretty much blind as to what's going on.
The big deal then would be figuring which maker you were going to go with, as many are not fully compatible with other brands.
For what it's worth.
Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576
Suncatcher |
Brian Brown (Fishbowlbrian)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 2:43 am: | |
Tom, thanks for the helpful advice. The ePlace would be a great way to get a cheap(er) inverter unit.
I'll probably have to live with a real basic elec. setup this year. Maybe just a (somewhat) disposable deep cycle (a single sub-$100 8D maybe). At least we're not planning on being away from the PP for very long... just in transit. I've got a LOT to learn on batt./ power management.
BB |
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