Charging circuit – batteries – inverter

[hippieforever3]

I've had the 4 12 volt batteries individually checked and they are in
reasonable health.
The generator is putting out enough AC to be able to run all three AC
units.

However when I try to charge the batteries only with the generator, I
can barely get the batteries charged to 11.5 maybe sometimes with a
tailwind,12volts. Never the same 12.5-13+ I can get running off the
alternator. Just for fun I've charged the batteries off a jump from
the toad and I can get 12+ in 15 minutes or less.

Does the stock charger limit at 12 volts?
Is the output voltage adjustable? How?
Does anyone have a schematic of the stock charger? I can probably
modify it, if I can get a schematic.
If not, has anyone replaced the stock charger with some after market
smart charger? Recommendation? Has anyone put a bank of 6 volt golf
cart batteries in the compartment?

I'm planning on adding some solar panels. Has anyone installed a
smart charger – inverter – solar panel controller that they are
REALLY happy with?

I'm assuming those two large aluminum boxes in the port-side
compartment are the charger and inverter with circa 1980s electronics
and that the two (in my case unmarked poorly electrical taped) leads
out are the house 12 volt and 120 volt circuits ... Correct?

I just can't get any reasonable performance out of my existing
system. I drop a volt an hour with minimal house lights.

Help I need suggestions.

Movin on,
GPSGary – Morro Bay State Park
1984 FC 35

[Pete Masterson]

On Nov 9, 2008, at 12:56 PM, hippieforever3 wrote:

> <snip>
> If not, has anyone replaced the stock charger with some after market
> smart charger? Recommendation? Has anyone put a bank of 6 volt golf
> cart batteries in the compartment?
>

The 80s BBs originally had state-of-the-art battery chargers, but the
state-of-the-art has progressed far beyond them these days. The
modern battery charger is called a "three stage" charger. Take a look
at those by Iota -- I've heard good things about them. (On my coach,
a three-stage charger is built into my inverter.)

> I'm planning on adding some solar panels. Has anyone installed a
> smart charger – inverter – solar panel controller that they are
> REALLY happy with?

I have a Link 2000 R controller (installed by the previous owner)
that seems to do a good job. It controls the chargers (in the
inverters) and regulates the alternator on the engine. (I don't have
solar panels.) My only complaint is that it's difficult to interface
with, the display is often cryptic (especially when an error code
shows), and the manual is way long and hard to parse. Once set up,
however, it almost never requires any further fiddling, so my
complaint is solved by sitting with the manual in hand and poking at
the buttons until all the variables are set as I desired. Then I can
put the manual away and not touch it again for months and months.

The solar panel idea is one that attracted me, at first. The sad fact
is that a BB generally uses so much power, that solar panels are
either prohibitively expensive (to have enough surface area to get
sufficient power to make a difference), or only suitable to keep
batteries trickle charged during storage. After looking into it, I
elected to spend elsewhere.


>
> I'm assuming those two large aluminum boxes in the port-side
> compartment are the charger and inverter with circa 1980s electronics
> and that the two (in my case unmarked poorly electrical taped) leads
> out are the house 12 volt and 120 volt circuits ... Correct?

Can't say. My inverter/chargers are in a box above the batteries at
the rear of my coach.

>
> I just can't get any reasonable performance out of my existing
> system. I drop a volt an hour with minimal house lights.
>

Makes me wonder if your batteries are sub-par. That's pretty fast
draw down for lights only.

Pete Masterson
'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
aeonix1@...
On the road at Lockhart, TX