Shore power boost charger

[Crazypill]

When you first plug into shore power, the charge controller wants to pull a ton of power and put it into the batteries for 45 minutes or so. Is there a way to disable this? Thought I'd ask the wizards. I want to be able to run my A/C from generator right after plugging in without tripping the generator's circuit breaker.

 

[rubicon327]

One solution is to put the converter/charger on its own breaker and just flip the breaker off when you don’t want it charging the batteries.

 

[Crazypill]

Would flipping off the master battery disconnect accomplish the same thing?

 

[alanerickson]

Looking at the electrical diagram it looks like throwing the battery disconnect would almost take care of things.

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f9/electrical-wiring-diagrams-19980.html

 

[Crazypill]

thanks guys I'll give it a test run tomorrow

 

[CharlesinGA]

disconnecting the battery would leave the charger to run all 12v that is in use, fridge control circuit, lights, a few other things, probably less than a heavy battery charge. Be sure and switch the fridge to gas, that alone might do the trick.

Problem with switching the battery off is remembering to switch it back on so it will get charged.

Charles

 

[Crazypill]

disconnecting the battery would leave the charger to run all 12v that is in use, fridge control circuit, lights, a few other things, probably less than a heavy battery charge. Be sure and switch the fridge to gas, that alone might do the trick.

Problem with switching the battery off is remembering to switch it back on so it will get charged.

Charles

I've got 440ah of lithium, a compressor fridge and still would only be running the shore generator during peak daytime heat for A/C. Should be good.

I think from what I'm seeing on the diagram the solar charger would still be connected to battery even with the master disconnect toggled, but I'm no expert so please correct my assumption if incorrect.

 

[John in Santa Cruz]

i too have about 420AH of lithium, and the PD4655Li power converter. That converter draws about 700 watts off the line until the batts are almost FULLY charged. I could definitely see this cutting into your generators ability to run a ~1800 watt A/C.

Now, I also have enough solar that I almost never need the converter to charge the battery, so in fact my converter's circuit breaker is nearly always off. BUT, if I recall, Escape put the fridge's 120V on the same breaker as the converter, when I replaced the converter, I moved the fridge to its own breaker which doesn't even get used since I now have a 12VDC compressor fridge.

 

[tacchino]

Hot water heater will pull a lot at first plug in as well, if you have it on.

I also put the charger on a breaker and leave it off almost always, I prefer the charge settings available on the solar controller to the PD lithium converter / charger

 

[Crazypill]

Works exactly as we wanted it to. Thanks all. I will look at putting a breaker on the charger circuit too.