04-10-2021, 05:44 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Brand: Still Looking
Model: Sunstar 29VE Winnebago
State: Texas
Posts: 5,584
THOR #13058
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DavidEM
This thread brings to mind the usefulness of solar panels for topping off your batteries. Using the above chart to set your AGS to start and stop your generator probably means you are cycling your batteries between <50% and maybe 75% SOC.
If so, then it would based on user defined preferred settings or an override of what Onan Engineers have designed the defaults to do. i.e. If settings for when AGS starts and stops the Genset are set to AUTO, it will NEVER go under 50% (1bar on EC30 Controller) or always run to full charge (3 bars on EC30 Controller). The type of battery is a factor in the actual voltage reading, but you could use 12.1 - 13.7 as referential Auto Genset range. You can user defined set it to be as low as 10.5vdc or as high as 14.5vdc Auto setting also ensure it is at the Start voltage for 15 seconds before actually starting, Range is 5 - 60 secs if user wish to change. I simply go with what Onan Engineering suggests
That is not good for your batteries unless you fully charge them every day. Lead acid batteries that stay partially charged for several days let lead sulphate settle out on the bottom of the battery. This makes it hard to resolubilize and get it back to normal when you finally try to recharge it full. This means you lose capacity.
Agreed, but see above on how AGS set. FWIW I am going to AGM soon, trying to get my existing working batteries as close to 3 years as possible. The flood acid works fine for me, but simply not clean enough for me.
Solar panels are one of the best ways to top off your batteries. They charge at a relatively low rate, all day and can top off your batteries which will put the sulphate back into solution before it forms a hard layer on the bottom
The progressive dynamics power converter / charger is another and it actually controls the rate of charge to the batteries. It is very advanced and knows when to boost the charge 14.4 v, go to normal mode 13.6 v or Storage mode 13.2v With our existing batteries we can easily make it overnight or during a quiet time without the use of generator. Our AGS will start our Onan at 7:00 AM in the morning and run until full charge is obtained. On average it is 2 or 3 hours for us. If the AGS is set for Quiet time, our genset will come on no matter what 2 hours before the user defined Quiet time is to start (in our case Quiet time starts at 10:00 PM), the genset will in turn on at 8:00 PM sharp and run to ensure that at 10:00PM it is at Full Charge
Say you have a 200 Ah battery bank which is typical. If you only charge to 75% with the generator/converter then you are always leaving 50 Ah uncharged. 200 watts of solar panels on a sunny day can recharge them fully. If you camp in somewhat shady conditions or in a more cloudy area you probably need more solar panels to do this.
We only have 135ah bank right now , but will be at 210ah when we get the new AGMs. I also love to park under trees I actually avoid RV parks or sites that do not have the natural shade surrounding or beauty of trees. I just washed my roof this morning; as we keep it stored uncovered under a Cedar Elm tree. I wash & wax the roof twice a year. Takes me about 2 hours each time. Few pictures attached for more context.
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I agree in principal, but believe there are some qualifiers or context, see above.
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2019 Sunstar 29ve; Toad Lincoln Navigator; RVi Brake 3 & Command Center; Roadmaster Nighthawk Tow bar & Baseplate; Sumo Springs; Safe T Plus; Onan EC-30 AGS; Vmax 250ah AGM; T-Mobile Internet; H/W Heater / Chassis Disconnect Switches; Southwire Surge Guard 44270 & 34951 w/Monitor 40301; Jet Flo Macerator; Alpine SPE500 Speakers; Visio M21D-H8R
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