Tell me about shore power and converter chargers.

[Boatbuilder79]

I have a single 100 ah flooded lead acid house battery. It powers a fridge, water pump, lights, fan inverter and tool battery chargers.

it is fed by a yandina combiner and solar.

I want to add shore power.

What shore power converter contraption do you recommend?

 

[Boatbuilder79]

I was thinking of something like this

WFCO 45 Amp RV Deck Mount Power Converter Charger-WF-9845 - The Home Depot

The WF-9800 Series converter/chargers are versatile, advanced power source solutions. Clean, reliable DC power is ideal for powering electronics and appliances. The 9800 Series is designed to provide clean power with or without a battery. Quiet operation is assured as the cooling fan runs only...

www.homedepot.com

is there a better solution?

 

[RDinNHand AZ]

I also use WFCO
Try: 30 amp should be enough. BTW grounding a shore power connection is not intuitive so one of these does it properly. Follow the directions.

 

[plh]

I have one of these: Progressive Dynamics PD9130V Inteli-Power 9100 Series Converter/Charger. Various sources to buy them, in my effort to not pimp any particular seller you should be able to google it and find your best price option.

 

[john61ct]

The proper term is charger

maybe AC or mains charger to distinguish from DC-DC.

The term "converter" in this sense is unique to the USA RV industry, and used to mean devices that were inferior wrt properly maintaining a deep cycling House bank.

However modern "converters" are now just as good as the smart chargers used on boats, just not as robust against salt spray conditions.

For future flexibility in changing battery types in future, you want to be able to adjust the charge profile

ideally user custom setpoints.

Sterling Power ProCharge Ultra and ProMariner Pronautic P series are my top choices.

Anything over 20A will be fine for FLA or GEL.

Higher is better for AGM.

 

[Alloy]

The proper term is charger

maybe AC or mains charger to distinguish from DC-DC.

The term "converter" in this sense is unique to the USA RV industry, and used to mean devices that were inferior wrt properly maintaining a deep cycling House bank.

However modern "converters" are now just as good as the smart chargers used on boats, just not as robust against salt spray conditions.

For future flexibility in changing battery types in future, you want to be able to adjust the charge profile

ideally user custom setpoints.

Sterling Power ProCharge Ultra and ProMariner ronautic P Pseries are my top choices.

Anything over 20A will be fine for FLA or GEL.

Higher is better for AGM.

I like to refer to the WFCO (does not bulk charge), Progressive Dynamics & IOTA units as "power supplies" . The primary purpose is to provide DC power (with our without a battery) in a range that is acceptable to the appliances. These unit do not have a battery temp sensor so the voltage remains in a range that is best for the appliance but not the best for the battery(s). In temps below 40F or above 95F the battery(s) will be under/over charged using a power supply.

 

[Alloy]

I was thinking of something like this

WFCO 45 Amp RV Deck Mount Power Converter Charger-WF-9845 - The Home Depot

The WF-9800 Series converter/chargers are versatile, advanced power source solutions. Clean, reliable DC power is ideal for powering electronics and appliances. The 9800 Series is designed to provide clean power with or without a battery. Quiet operation is assured as the cooling fan runs only...

www.homedepot.com

is there a better solution?

I tell everyone.....WFCO will ruin FLA and AGM batteries

2 options Progressive Dynamics and IOTA

 

[Herbie]

Another vote for IOTA. I have a DLS-45 and the AGM IQ-4 module running as both charger and "shore-power DC converter" and I've been very happy for several years. I made the investment after previous charger led to premature failure of a couple of AGMs. Getting long, happy life out of house battery now.

 

[4000lbsOfGoat]

I have a Noco Genius 10x2 charger in my trailer. It has selectable charging profiles for FLA\AGM\Lithium so you can continue to use it if you ever decide to upgrade\change your battery chemisty. My particular unit will charge 2 separate batteries but they make a single battery unit as well (as well as smaller and larger units). I've had good luck with it so far.

 

[Alloy]

I have a Noco Genius 10x2 charger in my trailer. It has selectable charging profiles for FLA\AGM\Lithium so you can continue to use it if you ever decide to upgrade\change your battery chemisty. My particular unit will charge 2 separate batteries but they make a single battery unit as well (as well as smaller and larger units). I've had good luck with it so far.

Does the Noco Genius supply power if it's not connected to a battery?

 

[OllieChristopher]

Does the Noco Genius supply power if it's not connected to a battery?

I'm pretty sure it is only a charging device plugged into shore power for maintaining your battery. It is not meant as a 12 volt power supply.

 

[OllieChristopher]

I just read its ’specs.
Apparently it can if put into force mode.
Otherwise like many batterychargers it wont turn on its output unless it senses the battery voltage. Force mode turns on the charger even if it detects 0V on its charging leads.

Just don't attempt to do what I did when I was a young and dumb. I had a KZ 750 I tried to run on a jump charger. It was popping and missing and I could not figure out why. My dad came out and said why don't I put the dead battery in and try. So battery went in and I was able to jump start it. It ran smooth.

Moral of the story is not to use a charger as a power source to run your engine. LOL

 

[john61ct]

I like to refer to the WFCO (does not bulk charge), Progressive Dynamics & IOTA units as "power supplies"

Both of those do make units that work very well as chargers.

But yes both automatic temp compensation and user-custom setpoint adjustability are better to have.

Some just use their Victron MPPT as DC-DC chargers, can feed off any old PSU including ex-telecom 48V with universal AC inputs

top notch Sorenson or TDK Lambda etc off ebay pennies in the dollar.

Then just switch to panel inputs when off grid.

 

[Roaddude]

I have a single 100 ah flooded lead acid house battery. It powers a fridge, water pump, lights, fan inverter and tool battery chargers.

it is fed by a yandina combiner and solar.

I want to add shore power.

What shore power converter contraption do you recommend?

If wanting to simply add shore power to charge your single house battery while parked, you can't go wrong with a NOCO Genius GEN1; a single bank, 12v, 10-Amp fully-automatic smart marine charger and battery maintainer.

It does not produce power on it's own, is not a jump starter, but takes your AC shore power and smart charges your battery (or batteries if you get a GEN2 or GEN3 etc) while hooked to shore power. NOCO has other products that do provide a charge of their own that are often confused with these.

I've had the NOCO Gen2 Mini, similar to image below, for almost four years for the dual 50ah Odysseys (2 bank in NOCO terms) in my trailer and love it.

I'm rarely hooked into shore power, though when I am, this NOCO handles the job expertly and efficiently; it equalizes the charge between batts, desulfates, and maintains without overcharging, etc. It is also waterproof.


..


NOCO has newer versions of the Genius GEN series; more compact, faster charging from shore power, that handle lithium batts as well, if thinking of an upgrade to lithium at some point.

If so, you may be interested in the NOCO GenPro 10x1:



.

 

[Boatbuilder79]

How does the noco charger work with if you have a load on the battery?

I have an Alpicool fridge that I would like to leave hooked up.