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Suggest a battery charger to permanently install in camper?


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#11 steve whiteside

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Posted 27 September 2022 - 02:11 PM

Kind of an aside but if I were building this camper from scratch I would delete the 3 way and put in a compressor run "Fridge freeze".  Mine pulls 40watts when the compressor is running , is a top loader but puts out a huge amount of cold and can freeze the whole compartment in a handful of hours.  My 3 way running on propane here in the desert will freeze in the freezer section but struggles to make the main compartment 30-40degrees lower than ambient.  It takes forever to get cold in the main compartment.  Like 2 days sitting in my garage prior to a trip to get the main compartment cold.  The ambient for me is often in the mid nineties.  

 

The front loader is much more convenient that the top loader but that takes a back seat (for me) WRT making things cold or really cold.  

 

Just my opinion.  Also thanks for all of the replies to this thread, it is helpful.  

 

 

steve


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#12 steve whiteside

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Posted 28 September 2022 - 02:02 PM

So I waited for the heat of the day and pulled th fridge fuse.  10watts.  Craig was right and Vic was too.  :-)

 

When I turn everything off (that I can) but the fridge I pulling 30watts.  So, Ive got 20watts going somewhere.  Maybe the solar controller or other electronics buried in the system.  

 

Regardless, Im still not happy with the amount of electrical power I have in a 24 hours period and I want to add to that with a generator. You guys gave me some good choices, thanks.

 

steve


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#13 steve whiteside

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Posted 19 October 2022 - 07:02 PM

If your Iota is the standard 30 Amp with IQ4 for lead acid, it should charge  in bulk phase up to what would be the 80% charge mark for lead acid before dropping to the absorb phase at reduced current.  It would remain there for several hours to finish off the lead acid battery and drop into the float phase.  These are not ideal for LiFePO4 batteries.

 

Instead of adding a NOCO external charger, consider replacing the existing Iota with a IOTA having a LiFePo4  IQ4 smart controller or one of the other RV battery chargers that supports LiFePO4.

 

This is nothing against the NOCO. I have their 16, 7.2, 3.5, and 1.1 chargers for different applications. I like them,  but recommend simplifying your charging system rather than making it more complicated. 

 

With 400 watts of solar, you should have no problem keeping your batteries charged.

 

Paul

So I wold install one of these?  

 

https://www.amazon.c...r/dp/B07FK4HFZN

 

 

and one of these:

 

https://www.amazon.c...B0030G7YXC&th=1

 

 

steve


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#14 PaulT

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Posted 19 October 2022 - 11:03 PM

That should work fine. I have the DLS-30 with the IQ4-LIFEPO with two Battleborn GC2 100 aH batteries. The 30, 45, and 55 amp units all have a 30 amp maximum single cycle inrush current so you should be good. 

 

Paul


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#15 steve whiteside

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Posted 19 October 2022 - 11:21 PM

Thanks for the reply.  Not sure what is meant by inrush current but if I got the 45a or the 55a will I be getting more power pushed to my 2 ea 100ahr batteries?  Mostly I want to run off of the solar but everyone in a while I want to rapidly jam more power into the batteries via a generator.  If it would work I think i would rather go for the 55amp.

 

steve


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#16 PaulT

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Posted 20 October 2022 - 08:29 AM

Steve,

My power system is essentially what you're planning except that I have the factory 30 amp unit. If it ain't broke...

I no longer draw power from the truck electrical system. If I need to do so, I have a small DC-DC charger in my ham radio gear that I can use.

 

I would probably choose either the 45 or 55 amp unit if I were starting from scratch.

 

Inrush current is the current initially consumed by the charging unit when power is first applied. It is required to fill capacitors, inductors, etc. when starting up. The 30, 45, & 50 pull the same current on first power.

 

Paul


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#17 steve whiteside

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Posted 20 October 2022 - 01:01 PM

Steve,

My power system is essentially what you're planning except that I have the factory 30 amp unit. If it ain't broke...

I no longer draw power from the truck electrical system. If I need to do so, I have a small DC-DC charger in my ham radio gear that I can use.

 

I would probably choose either the 45 or 55 amp unit if I were starting from scratch.

 

Inrush current is the current initially consumed by the charging unit when power is first applied. It is required to fill capacitors, inductors, etc. when starting up. The 30, 45, & 50 pull the same current on first power.

 

Paul

Got it!  thanks for your help on this.  I reached out to Stan at FWC to see if he can tell me where my OEM IOTA is installed.


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#18 ntsqd

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Posted 26 October 2022 - 01:37 PM

If you've still got a power draw I would one by one continue to pull fuses until you can ID what circuit is consuming the power.


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Thom

Where does that road go?




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