Recommend me a smart charger

[nickd]

I'm looking for a smart charger for 2 6V golf cart batteries (220 ah). <br><br>Just need something simple and reliable that will allow me to safely plug in to 110V AC power and charge the batteries while still using various 12V devices (fan, light, etc.)<br><br>Any suggestions?

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

I am using this, and it works pretty good.&nbsp; I just charged my 2 GC batteries, it took about 4 hours from around 50% to full:<br>http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-VEC1093DBD-Battery-Charger/dp/B000EJQJ1G/<br><br>I plan to upgrade to this though for not much more in price (with IQ4 option):<br>http://www.solar-electric.com/ioten55amp12.html?gclid=CKr77ZvQ_rcCFUei4AodKyQA_g<br><br>I like the idea of having something more permanently placed and not as bulky as the B&amp;D charger.

 

[spd2918]

I have always trusted Battery Tender brand with my small, sensitive motorcycle batteries.&nbsp; It charges hard then falls back into a trickle mode all automatically.

 

[wrcsixeight]

Providing dc power to vehicle loads while charging batteries is better accomplished with a RV converter, like the Iota, rather than a battery charger like the B&amp;D.<br><br>The B&amp;D and others will get confused when you turn items on or off, the converters will not.<br><br>I have a schumacher which on the 12 amp setting can handle cycling loads like a mattress heating pad or compressor fridge, but on the 2 or 25 amp setting will shut itself off the first time any device cycles on or off.<br><br>YOu must provide your own cables to the batteries with a Converter, and fatter and shorter is better.<br><br>While you might not require one capable of providing 55 or 60 amps into the batteries, the battery dictates what it can accept at the voltages provided by the converter, do not worry about overpowering the battery bank.<br><br> &nbsp;It is likely higher amp models will run the fan at slower speeds(quieter) when providing power overnight, and if you only have an hour or 2 to plug in, a 60 amp charger will charge a lot more than a 20 amp converter in that time.<br><br>I'll be getting a Iota DLS-55 or progressive Dynamics 9260c before next winter as the Schumacher's fan is loud, and frankly I am surprised it still works after 6 years of being occassionally used as a converter

 

[bee]

I use an iota with the iq4 module. The IQ4 module turns it into a smart charger so you just plug it in and forget about it. &nbsp;You can buy the module separate or they come built in. &nbsp;The 3 brands for best bang for the buck are iota, progressive dynamics and powermax. &nbsp; Powermax is new to the market I believe, and being pushed pretty heavily at bestconverter.com<br><br>I use the 30amp version as that is pretty ideal charge rate for two 6v flooded golf cart batteries. You can read the battery fact page in the sticky of this section if you want to know why. &nbsp;&nbsp;When maxed out at 30 amps the fan is still quite quiet. &nbsp;At 50% discharge my batteries draw about 45 amps from the vehicle alternator.<br><br>So I guess what I am saying is expect a 50 amp charger to charge them pretty much as fast as possible, a 30 amp charger will have the batteries last a little longer and is going to be cheaper since its smaller. &nbsp;Like wrxceight said if lets say you throw a 100amp charger on the batteries they will still only accept around 45-50 amps the batteries will for the most part self regulate.<br><br>I am talking about flooded batteries, things are different with agm.

 

[cygvan]

i highly recommend one of these in the IQ4 flavor as others have mentioned.<br><br><span style="color: #99cc00;"><strong><a href="http://www.solar-electric.com/bach1.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #99cc00;">http://www.solar-electric.com/bach1.html</span></a></strong></span><br><br><br>i use this model with the IQ4 module...<br><br><span style="color: #99cc00;"><strong><a href="http://www.solar-electric.com/dls-45.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: #99cc00;">http://www.solar-electric.com/dls-45.html</span></a></strong></span><br><br>the reason i chose the 45 amp model was because at its highest use, it only draws 11 amps from your AC source. so, in my opinion, it makes it less likely that you will overload a standard 15 amp residential power source. of course, it helps to know what else is on that circuit.&nbsp; it takes that 11 amps and turns it into 45 amps (hence the model rating), of DC power for charging or use.<br><br>with the IQ4 module attached at the factory it will smart charge any battery.&nbsp; been using mine since about october 2011 and it works without issue.<br><br>highly recommend.<br><br>

 

[wrcsixeight]

cygvan,<br><br>How did you get that 11 amp figure?<br><br>Just curious as I've been looking at the PD 9260c, &nbsp;a 60 amp &nbsp;converter charger, and it claims maximum input is 1000 watts, which is 9.52 amps at 105vac and 7.7 amps at 130 VAC. The input range being from 105 to 130 VAC.<br><br>Some with small generators size their converter to not max out the generator. &nbsp;I hadn't given much thought to maxing out a household circuit

 

[cygvan]

its listed on both the arizona wind sun website (.pdf's are avail) and iotas website.<br><br>here is iotas website with specs...&nbsp; <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.iotaengineering.com/dls45.htm" target="_blank">http://www.iotaengineering.com/dls45.htm</a><br><br>the 45 and 55 (and lower) amperage models can be run off of a standard 15 amp household outlet. the 55 amp draws 13.4 amps but i wanted more headroom than the 55 amp provided (for my other AC needs) while i do plug into a dedicated 20 amp outlet, i decided to cap the vans usage at 15 amps with a breaker located inside the van. in case my host is not home and i trip something. plus, while i have all of my wiring sized to handle the loads, even the 50' cord from the outlet, i thought it prudent not to push it.<br><br>the 75 amp model requires a 20 amp outlet and actually has a 20 amp plug on it. one blade turned sideways.<br><br>every now and then i plug the charger into my killawatt just for shoots and giggles and i havent seen it approach 11 amps yet. even during a bulk charge. this might be due to the fact that it senses other 12v loads and adjusts accordingly. so, if i have 5 amps of load on the 12v side, the charger will only put out 40 amps which in turn would draw less than the rated 11 amps.<br><br>i suppose that not all of the w=a*v math doesnt add up due to efficiencies and what not. the iota only claims to be &gt;80% efficient.

 

[cygvan]

note***<br><br>i looked into the 90 amp charger. iotas website indicates that it comes with a nema 5-15 plug and requires a 30 amp breaker...its shown on one of the drawings but i think that is a typo or cut/paste issue.<br><br>arizona wind suns website makes a note that it comes with a 20 amp plug like the 75 amp model. and requires a 30 amp breaker.<br><br>

 

[wrcsixeight]

Thanks for the info. &nbsp;I might consider dropping down to a lower rated converter. <br><br>&nbsp; I have seen my 2 12 volt &nbsp;flooded Crown deep cycles ask for 100+ amps from the alternator when depleted, and they do really seem to enjoy these shorter lived quenching blasts of amperage when I can provide them. Which is a main reason why i was thinking about the 55 or 60 amp converters. &nbsp;Well that and fan noise. &nbsp;My Schumacher's small loud fan speeds up and slows down when loaded and unloaded with cycling loads which i find way more annoying than a steady speed which I can tune out better.<br><br>&nbsp;My available circuit now handles a 12 amp table saw and a 8 amp shop vac at the same time, over a 100 foot 12 agw extension cord, but will trip if I bog down the saw by pushing too hard on thicker lumber. &nbsp;Luckily the circuit breaker panel is outside the residence.

 

[cygvan]

no prob...<br><br>what size are those crowns? when i build my off grid cabin i may go with wets instead of agm.&nbsp; ill take a trip to az wind sun as they have great prices on crowns...if you dont need them shipped lol.<br><br>i think they may like that burst you mentioned because it desulfates them?<br><br>i currently use a 50' 12g extension cord that claims to be rated to 30 amps but im not believeing it. its deteriorating after 6 months anyway. looks like its 15 years old.<br><br>ill probably make a custom cord from 10/3 SOOW (rather than 12/3 SJOOW that i have inside the van) and add the waterproof connectors like i did with my dogbone.<br><br><br><br>

 

[nickd]

Thanks for all the great input guys! I'm about to pull the trigger on an IOTA 45 with the IQ4.

 

[wrcsixeight]

My Crowns are the 115 a/h rated group 27's, this is my second set. &nbsp;I prematurely killed the first set by letting them get too low on water. &nbsp;I left them for a month uncycled without lowering my &nbsp;solar acceptance and float voltages. &nbsp;This set I'm now using also saw some mistreatment &nbsp;and premature capacity lost due to overcharging, but are still powering all my needs, at least for 4 months either side of the summer solstice.<br><br>I think it is the combination of quenching them with large amperages &nbsp;in the morning and physical agitation of the electrolyte from driving, which seems to make them happier than if the solar alone returns them to full charge, slower. &nbsp;I know that every source says slower recharging is better for the battery, but that just is not my experience in this lifestyle. &nbsp;Any time a battery is discharged it is sulfated. &nbsp;It is when they sit discharged too deeply and too long that the sulfates on the plate harden, requiring more drastic measures to break them up, or break them off and allow them to settle on the bottom of a flooded cell. &nbsp;Perhaps the 50+ amps per battery for a few minutes in the morning just shocks the sulfate back into solution. &nbsp;50+ amps per battery is pretty rare, requiring the engine/ alternator cold and near 3000 rpm. &nbsp;More usual is 30 to 40 per battery until 14.5v is reached, but at cold idle 52 to 62 amps is all they get, hot idle 32 amps is all they get. &nbsp;100+ amps will cause my single v belt to squeal in protest.<br><br>I'm actually thinking about reducing my overall capacity on the next pair of batteries as it is rare for me to use all I have, and I live in a sunny climate. &nbsp;Really concentrating on weight reduction<br><br>I got most all my solar equipment shipped from AZ wind and sun, but the unisolar 68 watter came from Amazon. &nbsp;They certainly have good prices on the Iota's. &nbsp;I might get the 45 too.