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Old 02-27-2015, 06:43 PM   #1
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wfco converter battery charge amps out

Does anyone know the amount of amps going to batteries for recharge.

tks -ken
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Old 02-27-2015, 07:31 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by kvermeulen View Post
Does anyone know the amount of amps going to batteries for recharge.

tks -ken
Sorry, this wud be from the shore power connection to the wfco and then on to the battery.

tks - ken
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Old 02-27-2015, 07:47 PM   #3
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The Escape's spec's states a 55 amp converter and it's 30 amp going to the converter?
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Old 02-27-2015, 08:28 PM   #4
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I have done a bit of research (testing) with the WFCO controller. Here are my findings.

I ran these tests using a Trimetric RV 2035 battery monitor, the test was with the shore power plugged in, the battery at 60% and a charge time of 24 hours. Just off the charger I had a voltage of 13.63, one hour later it was 12.93 volts and the next morning it had dropped to 12.68. All these number would be as expected.

The most interesting results came the next day when I switched the charging over to my Blue Sky solar controller. In a quick summary I was able to fill the batteries to Interstate recommended capacity of 232 Ah with the Blue Sky, by seeing how much the Blue Sky added to the batteries I was able to conclude that the WFCO charged the batteries to 204.3 Ah.

Search for the full thread using "Is Your Battery Really Charged?".

Here are several links that discuss the dismal results that others have found:

WFCO Charge Rates

WFCO Experiences

More WFCO Testing
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Old 02-27-2015, 10:53 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
The Escape's spec's states a 55 amp converter...
Which means 55 amps of DC current (at roughly 12V) is available, so if nothing else is running (lights, etc) up to 55 amps could be charging the converter. That would only happen in the initial high-current stage of charging a discharged battery, and will certainly slow down as more voltage is needed to push current through the more charged battery. It's possible that the converter is not able to produce 55 amps at the higher voltage, and the battery may put up too much resistance (due to internal resistance) to charge at 55 amps while fully charged without exceeding the highest charging voltage that the any charger puts out - especially the WFCO (from a quick skim of the linked reports).

Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
...and it's 30 amp going to the converter?
The trailer has a maximum capacity of 30 amps of 120V AC power. Since the converter won't need more than about 6 amps of 120V power to produce 55 amps of 12V, the 30-amp @ 120V limit won't be an issue for battery charging.
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Old 02-28-2015, 02:14 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by fudge_brownie View Post
I have done a bit of research (testing) with the WFCO controller. Here are my findings.

I ran these tests using a Trimetric RV 2035 battery monitor, the test was with the shore power plugged in, the battery at 60% and a charge time of 24 hours. Just off the charger I had a voltage of 13.63, one hour later it was 12.93 volts and the next morning it had dropped to 12.68. All these number would be as expected.

The most interesting results came the next day when I switched the charging over to my Blue Sky solar controller. In a quick summary I was able to fill the batteries to Interstate recommended capacity of 232 Ah with the Blue Sky, by seeing how much the Blue Sky added to the batteries I was able to conclude that the WFCO charged the batteries to 204.3 Ah.

Search for the full thread using "Is Your Battery Really Charged?".

Here are several links that discuss the dismal results that others have found:

WFCO Charge Rates

WFCO Experiences

More WFCO Testing
Thanks very good info. Did eti install your blue sky controller.

thanks ken
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Old 02-28-2015, 02:15 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
Which means 55 amps of DC current (at roughly 12V) is available, so if nothing else is running (lights, etc) up to 55 amps could be charging the converter. That would only happen in the initial high-current stage of charging a discharged battery, and will certainly slow down as more voltage is needed to push current through the more charged battery. It's possible that the converter is not able to produce 55 amps at the higher voltage, and the battery may put up too much resistance (due to internal resistance) to charge at 55 amps while fully charged without exceeding the highest charging voltage that the any charger puts out - especially the WFCO (from a quick skim of the linked reports).


The trailer has a maximum capacity of 30 amps of 120V AC power. Since the converter won't need more than about 6 amps of 120V power to produce 55 amps of 12V, the 30-amp @ 120V limit won't be an issue for battery charging.
Thanks brian.

ken
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Old 02-28-2015, 02:56 PM   #8
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I installed the Blue Sky 30 solar controller. It is one of three controllers that I found that can charge Interstate batteries up to the 232 Ah. It does take all day and needs a full summer sun using a 120 watt panel.
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Old 02-28-2015, 03:55 PM   #9
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I installed the Blue Sky 30 solar controller. It is one of three controllers that I found that can charge Interstate batteries up to the 232 Ah. It does take all day and needs a full summer sun using a 120 watt panel.
Paul, regarding the cutout size, how much modification do you have to do to swap out the Go Solar Controller with the Blue Sky?
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Old 02-28-2015, 09:12 PM   #10
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The Blue Sky was an original install, it did not replace a Go Power controller. Also, I choose to install the unit inside the curbside dinette. I had the Trimetric battery monitor surface mounted by Escape where it was eye level so did not need to read the display of the Blue Sky. I will say the Blue Sky display is a pretty good one and there is nothing wrong with using it as a standalone battery monitor and skip the Trimetric, the draw back of any solar controller is it should be mounted within three feet of the battery. That means bending over or on the 19 mounting it low on the driver side dinette so you can view it when opening the outside door.

The Blue Sky takes an opening of 4.63" W x 3.61" H, unfortunately Go Power provides a printed template to make the cut for the opening, there are no dimensions. I measured the printed template and had 6 1/16" W x 3 13/16" H, so too big an opening. However, Blue Sky sells a mounting box for their unit to cover an existing large cut out and then surface mount the Sun Charger 30. It would cover the opening properly.
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Old 02-28-2015, 09:15 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by fudge_brownie View Post
The Blue Sky was an original install, it did not replace a Go Power controller. Also, I choose to install the unit inside the curbside dinette. I had the Trimetric battery monitor surface mounted by Escape where it was eye level so did not need to read the display of the Blue Sky. I will say the Blue Sky display is a pretty good one and there is nothing wrong with using it as a standalone battery monitor and skip the Trimetric, the draw back of any solar controller is it should be mounted within three feet of the battery. That means bending over or on the 19 mounting it low on the driver side dinette so you can view it when opening the outside door.

The Blue Sky takes an opening of 4.63" W x 3.61" H, unfortunately Go Power provides a printed template to make the cut for the opening, there are no dimensions. I measured the printed template and had 6 1/16" W x 3 13/16" H, so too big an opening. However, Blue Sky sells a mounting box for their unit to cover an existing large cut out and then surface mount the Sun Charger 30. It would cover the opening properly.
Ah, now I remember seeing your earlier post and this photo. Thanks for the info.
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