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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Recharging Solar Battery Bank Question
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hallamore
Member
# Posted: 6 Nov 2010 09:16am
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Another question regarding my battery bank. I purchased an inverter that is not a charger. I was wondering if I could use my honda 2000 EUis generator and either plug in a dc charge cable and attach it directly to the post of the battery bank in order to recharge the bank (bank consists of 8 golf cart 6 volt batteries wired for 12 volt) or use the AC plug to use a battery recharger at 2A, 10A or 50A and attach the clamps to the posts???

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 6 Nov 2010 10:23am
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The Honda DC output is not very high. You'd have to run it a long time with 8 6 volt golf cart batteries to charge. (8 batteries, 4 series sets in parallel IIRC)

Better would be a charger like the Iota You have 225 amp hours x 4 = 900 total.

900 / 8 = 112 amps maximum rate
I usually work with a max rate of C/10 (easier in the head math)
900 / 10 = 90 amps

Get the IQ smart option.


Or best would be something like one of the Xantrex chargers that has the equalization option. (sorry no link and I'm off the the mountains now)

bobrok
Member
# Posted: 6 Nov 2010 11:06am
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I'm no exert on this but I have read that you do not couple a generator DC output directly to a battery bank without using a charge controller. Could damage the batteries or worse. I have a EU2000I and I think it may address this right in the manual. Have to check.
OTOH if you use a battery charger they have a built in charge controller I believe.

larryh
Member
# Posted: 6 Nov 2010 01:34pm
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I have a honda E2000 and use it charge my batteries with the cable that Honda sells for that purpose. It did a good job and reasonably fast. I am pretty sure the internal charger has a cut off when the desired voltage is reached. If not its when the battery reaches a point of full charge on your readout.

fasenuff
Member
# Posted: 6 Nov 2010 05:47pm
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Quote

OTOH if you use a battery charger they have a built in charge controller I believe


Not all battery chargers have decent charge controllers. I have a 10 amp Black & Decker that wasted 2 batteries because it was a continuous charge and not a controlled charge. Cost me almost $200 to learn to be more attentive.

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