Subject: Re: [TR] An electrical query

From: John Innis <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2016 09:15:59 -0500

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You are spot on about the 12v output form your generator not being intended
to charge a lead acid battery.  Just hook your trickle charger up to your
230v generator output, and you will be all set.  Solar cells will work,
slowly.  to charge a 100amp battery from a 60w solar cell is going to
require a long period of very direct sunlight.

On Fri, Sep 2, 2016 at 7:50 AM, John Macartney <[email-masked]
> wrote:

> Hi, Listers
>
> There are lots of you out there with far more electrical know-how than me
> and I'd really appreciate your input - even though my question has nothing
> whatsoever to do with Triumphs, apart from getting in the name on this
> post.
>
> Liz and I often use our trailer home in the UK at locations where there is
> no mains electrical supply and so are totally dependent on the 115amp
> leisure battery in our caravan. As Liz has a medical condition which
> requires daily use of a mains operated nebuliser for prolonged periods, I
> recently bought an 800w inverter generator that cranks out 230v and also
> has
> a separate 12v plug and lead with crocodile clips for 'battery charging'.
> Nebulising probs are thankfully now  a thing of the past but the thing is,
> even after running the genny for about 6 hours, my leisure battery was less
> than half charged from the 12v outlet, wouldn't take any more and
> stubbornly
> stayed stuck at 12.33 volts. Fully charged, the reading should be around
> 14.4v. I've since decided the 12v supply isn't really suited to battery
> charging and is more for running a 12v TV or other trailer home accessory.
>
> As we enjoy going to 'more remote' locations than popular ones where 230v
> mains supplies are the norm, I'm still faced with a battery charging
> problem. It occurs to me that a way round this is to put my little but very
> trusty mains battery trickle charger (runs at about 4 amps) on the 230v
> outlet and see if this will work? However, I'm just a bit cautious this
> route might have some kind of corrupting influence inside either the
> generator circuitry or the charger - or both. Anyone BTDT and can advise? I
> carefully considered folding solar panels as an alternative re-charge
> source
> but good ones in the UK cost about $600 and that likely payback is longer
> than I can financially accommodate.
>
> All replies (off list) will be greatly welcomed.
>
> Cheers, Jonmac
>
>
> ---
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>
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>
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> options/triumphs/[email-masked]
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= Never offend people with style when you   =
= can offend with substance --- Sam Brown  =
=================================

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<div dir=3D"ltr">You are spot on about the 12v output form your generator n=
ot being intended to charge a lead acid battery.=C2=A0 Just hook your trick=
le charger up to your 230v generator output, and you will be all set.=C2=A0=
 Solar cells will work, slowly.=C2=A0 to charge a 100amp battery from a 60w=
 solar cell is going to require a long period of very direct sunlight.<br><=
/div><div class=3D"gmail_extra"><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Fri, Sep =
2, 2016 at 7:50 AM, John Macartney <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:=
[email-masked]" target=3D"_blank">[email-masked]=
k</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margi=
n:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Hi, Listers<br>
<br>
There are lots of you out there with far more electrical know-how than me<b=
r>
and I&#39;d really appreciate your input - even though my question has noth=
ing<br>
whatsoever to do with Triumphs, apart from getting in the name on this post=
.<br>
<br>
Liz and I often use our trailer home in the UK at locations where there is<=
br>
no mains electrical supply and so are totally dependent on the 115amp<br>
leisure battery in our caravan. As Liz has a medical condition which<br>
requires daily use of a mains operated nebuliser for prolonged periods, I<b=
r>
recently bought an 800w inverter generator that cranks out 230v and also ha=
s<br>
a separate 12v plug and lead with crocodile clips for &#39;battery charging=
&#39;.<br>
Nebulising probs are thankfully now=C2=A0 a thing of the past but the thing=
 is,<br>
even after running the genny for about 6 hours, my leisure battery was less=
<br>
than half charged from the 12v outlet, wouldn&#39;t take any more and stubb=
ornly<br>
stayed stuck at 12.33 volts. Fully charged, the reading should be around<br=
14.4v. I&#39;ve since decided the 12v supply isn&#39;t really suited to bat=
tery<br>
charging and is more for running a 12v TV or other trailer home accessory.<=
br>
<br>
As we enjoy going to &#39;more remote&#39; locations than popular ones wher=
e 230v<br>
mains supplies are the norm, I&#39;m still faced with a battery charging<br=
problem. It occurs to me that a way round this is to put my little but very=
<br>
trusty mains battery trickle charger (runs at about 4 amps) on the 230v<br>
outlet and see if this will work? However, I&#39;m just a bit cautious this=
<br>
route might have some kind of corrupting influence inside either the<br>
generator circuitry or the charger - or both. Anyone BTDT and can advise? I=
<br>
carefully considered folding solar panels as an alternative re-charge sourc=
e<br>
but good ones in the UK cost about $600 and that likely payback is longer<b=
r>
than I can financially accommodate.<br>
<br>
All replies (off list) will be greatly welcomed.<br>
<br>
Cheers, Jonmac<br>
<br>
<br>
---<br>
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.<br>
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m.net/mailman/<wbr>options/triumphs/jdinnis@<wbr>gmail.com</a><br>
</blockquote></div><br><br clear=3D"all"><br>-- <br><div class=3D"gmail_sig=
nature" data-smartmail=3D"gmail_signature">=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D<br>=
=3D Never offend people with style when you=C2=A0=C2=A0 =3D<br>=3D can offe=
nd with substance --- Sam Brown=C2=A0 =3D<br>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
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</div>

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From: Jeff Scarbrough <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2016 10:37:52 -0400

John,

I'm not so sure about the battery reading, assuming it's a regular
lead-acid battery, a reading of about 12.5 V or so (while off the
charger) seems perfectly normal to me.  When charging, you expect the
charger to show around 13.5 to 14.5 when loaded (or regulated), so I
wonder why you perceive a problem?  Is the battery life too short?  Or
is it a different kind of battery?

And as I look at Amazon, I see a 100W solar panel for about $140, and
a charge regulator for less than $150.  So I wonder what you're
getting for $600?  Are the electrons carefully selected by
specialists, and individually hand-gilded before use?

Jeff Scarbrough
Corrosion Acres, Ga.

On Fri, Sep 2, 2016 at 8:50 AM, John Macartney
<[email-masked]> wrote:
> whatsoever to do with Triumphs, apart from getting in the name on this post.
>
> recently bought an 800w inverter generator that cranks out 230v and also has
> than half charged from the 12v outlet, wouldn't take any more and stubbornly
> carefully considered folding solar panels as an alternative re-charge source
> Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/triumphs/[email-masked]