Ample Power Voltage Regulators

rusty · February 17, 2016, 04:11:05 AM

Thank You Kevin. Yes I am running a wire from the sense terminal to the batteries. Do you think there is a connection on the battery bank that will be better? Does the whole battery bank see the same voltage at the same time? I am trying to figure out where is the best place on the battery bank to connect the sense wire.

Wayne

rusty · February 17, 2016, 04:17:02 AM

I was replying as Clifford was. I am only charging my house batteries. Clifford With two systems being charged and only one sense The bank without the sense will keep charging until the sense batteries reach their limit. If the greater bank has the sense then the lesser bank will get over charged.

Wayne

luvrbus · February 17, 2016, 04:57:32 AM

Wayne are using 2 alternators ? I have your emblem packed up ready to send I am sending you the metal Jake Brake emblem also if you don't want it you can pass it on

rusty · February 17, 2016, 06:42:55 AM

Yes I am using the d50 for the house batteries (so I can run an AC ) and a smaller one for the coach batteries. Thank You for the emblems. Now all I need is an ABS emblem.

Wayne

azdieselman · February 17, 2016, 02:45:07 PM

Wayne, Unless there is serious voltage drop between batteries, I would just connect it where it's most convenient.

Test the voltage at the batts and see what you have. If they're flooded batts, I'd be happy just under 14V, No need to cook them.

Kevin

Dave5Cs · February 17, 2016, 04:08:17 PM

Clifford if you have an original Bus batt converter still in the loop and altenator charging and the inverter/charger in the same loop you will over charge them. That's what happened on mine until I found what PO did and took out the converter and it only charges the starts like it always did.
Dave

solardude · February 20, 2016, 04:04:11 AM

As this post is a few days old already the info is probably not too useful, but I'll post anyhow just in case.

Reading the post, if I understand correctly, the desire is to use the primemover alternator to charge the house battery?

I also wanted to do this, without installing secondary alternators, the solution I found was https://www.victronenergy.com/battery-isolators-and-combiners/cyrix-battery-combiners there are several sizes to choose from, but the point is that it will connect the starter battery and house bank when the voltage reaches the desired voltage and then connect the two banks and disconnect automatically when the voltage drops.

SolarDude

Oonrahnjay · February 20, 2016, 06:08:06 AM

Quote from: solardude on February 20, 2016, 04:04:11 AM
As this post is a few days old already the info is probably not too useful, but I'll post anyhow just in case.

Reading the post, if I understand correctly, the desire is to use the primemover alternator to charge the house battery?

I also wanted to do this, without installing secondary alternators, the solution I found was https://www.victronenergy.com/battery-isolators-and-combiners/cyrix-battery-combiners there are several sizes to choose from, but the point is that it will connect the starter battery and house bank when the voltage reaches the desired voltage and then connect the two banks and disconnect automatically when the voltage drops.

SolarDude

I'm not electronically literate enough (one of my most fundamental understatements, ever) to understand what's going on here -- and some of the components and circuits appear to apply to Lithium batteries, which are probably beyond the pale of most bus converters at this stage of technology, but I think I like what I see. There is one circuit that shows a momentary "connect-the-'house'-and-'start'-battery" switch to allow current from both battery banks to flow to the starter.

Of course, a big plus is the capability to automatically separate the house from start bank; when the house batteries are drawn down when the engine is off, the start batts remain fully charged and ready to power the starter. Is the reverse true? -- that when you're plugged into shore-power or running the generator, does the interlink charge both the house and start batteries?

I'm going to investigate this further. (I also like the Victron inverters and the features and functions that they offer.)

luvrbus · February 20, 2016, 06:32:34 AM

www.texasindustrialelectric.com has a lot of battery equipment I am just trying to figure out what I need.Victron I have had no luck with their products I had their inverters in my boat

Oonrahnjay · February 20, 2016, 06:41:08 AM

Quote from: luvrbus on February 20, 2016, 06:32:34 AM
www.texasindustrialelectric.com has a lot of battery equipment I am just trying to figure out what I need.Victron I have had no luck with their products I had their inverters in my boat

Why is that, Clifford? I was just getting ready to pull out my moneygun and fire off a few rounds at Victron -- don't wanna do that if it's not going to work well. Cherie and Chris ("Technomads") really like their Victron inverter.

Oonrahnjay · February 20, 2016, 06:53:43 AM

Quote from: luvrbus on February 20, 2016, 06:32:34 AM
www.texasindustrialelectric.com has a lot of battery equipment I am just trying to figure out what I need.Victron I have had no luck with their products I had their inverters in my boat

Thanks for that link, Clifford. I like how their website is laid out. Now to figger out how all that stuff works!!

luvrbus · February 20, 2016, 07:40:22 AM

Quote from: Oonrahnjay on February 20, 2016, 06:41:08 AM
Why is that, Clifford? I was just getting ready to pull out my moneygun and fire off a few rounds at Victron -- don't wanna do that if it's not going to work well. Cherie and Chris ("Technomads") really like their Victron inverter.

It could have been the marine environment on the Victrons and mounted in the engine room all I know I got tired of paying Mark @West Coast Marine to work on them.I replaced both with Magnums but mounted outside the engine room it was part of the sale the buyer didn't want the Victrons

solardude · February 20, 2016, 08:34:12 PM

I am completely bias, but I really like the Victron stuff. I too have had them in boats, the trick is to not tell anyone it is for a boat, and certainly I never take anything that I don't have to, to a "marine repair" guy.. I noticed right away that owning a yacht is like having "SUCKER" written on my forehead. I don't know why, but I try to always either do the work myself, or find another boat guy to help out... and last resort go to the so-called "marine guy" which will always overcharge overstate and over complicate any transactions... that has been my experience almost 1:1.

Now Victron is expensive, but if you buy it through solar dealers you will almost always get a better deal. I buy my viltron stuff through "the power store" in Texas. Jon is a great guy. They don't sell a ton of viltron stuff, but their prices are the best in the states.

To answer Oonrahnjay question about if the relay is bi-directional. It is. If the voltage drops on either side that is receiving voltage above a certain rating, the relay will kick in to charge. I don't know what that spec is, but I would think if you wanted you could call victron to ask. I don't know if overcharging would be a concern, as most regulators keep the voltage below 14.7 * 2 volts and most batteries equalize at above 15Vdc.

Again, I am biased as I'm heavily invested.

Solardude.