Output Victron Batterie Chargers

Ako

Does anyone know the true charging Amps of the Victron 16 amp and 25 amp IP43 Batterie chargers , there is no mention of it in the Manual or Data sheet other than the stated models output of 16 and 25 amps .

Marc Kurth

Do you feel that the ratings are not correct?

Ako

Marc Kurth said:

Do you feel that the ratings are not correct?

I don't know mark that's why i posted here . The reply from the email address Victron give for technical enquiries and sales was a waste of time .

" Many thanks for your request and interesse in our products!

For quotes on pricing, system support, repairs and technical questions in general we would like to advise you to contact your local distributer or authorized dealer. "

I have had experience of the local dealer and i know that they will tell you whatever they need to in order to sell something .

The reason for needing the information is because i needed to know if they advertise their products output by either the arithmetical amperes or the efficient amperes method , reading below you will appreciate there is a big difference . I have Ferve 16 amp charger and a second 20 amp one a the moment and its output of the Ferve is around 23 amps and the other around 29 amps as both companies advertise their products using the legal EU method .

" The value of the charge current must be expressed in arithmetical amperes. This is the only

value officially accepted under the EN 60335-2-29 European regulations.

Nevertheless, many battery charger manufacturers express the charge current of their

products in efficient amperes, thus not complying with these European regulations. The

reason is that 1 arithmetic ampere is equal to 1.4142 effective amperes. So a battery charger

of 8 effective amperes must actually be considered as one of 5.66 amperes. Therefore, to

avoid deception, it is necessary to know whether the battery charger manufacturer uses

arithmetic or effective amperes when stating the charge current. "

Marc Kurth

Apparently, I have never come across that. I have several brands of battery chargers that I use daily in my battery shop and they all seem to perform as labeled when I measure the battery charging current with a clamp-on ammeter. Input/output efficiency and power factor correction are a different discussion.

Ako

Marc Kurth said:

Apparently, I have never come across that. I have several brands of battery chargers that I use daily in my battery shop and they all seem to perform as labeled when I measure the battery charging current with a clamp-on ammeter. Input/output efficiency and power factor correction are a different discussion.

Apparently they arrive at the figure by using the true time it would take to fully charge a totally empty batterie taking into account the fact that a batterie would present a resistance as the voltage and current rises . A 100 amp/hr battery hooked up to a 10 amp/hr charger would take 1.412 hours , divide that time by 100 and the 10 amp/hr charger becomes much less .

I have a friend with a larger quoted output than mine but the true output of mine is far higher than his .

I live in Spain so subject to EU laws and regulations so im not sure how Victron get around them but an equivalent charger measured the legal way would give a far higher output so would be far better value for money and it makes it harder for European manufacture's to compete as the playing field is not level and i doubt many prospective buyers would know the difference so would assume they were comparing like for like when looking at costs .

At the time i bought my first charger it was chosen because of its reputation for quality , had i known then about the difference in stated outputs and that mine used the legal method then i would have bought the next model down , its sold and marketed as a 16 amp charger but its output  is 23 amps . It has just packed in after 18 years faithful service so i wont be complaining .