Xantrex Truecharge 40

stooper2
stooper2 Solar Expert Posts: 41 ✭✭
Hello again,

Curious if anyone out there is familiar with the Truecharge 40 from Xantrex?

I was wondering if it was possible to charge 10 group 31 12 volt batteries with this unt?

On one bank there would be 3 batteries, the second bank would have the same but the third bank would have 4 batteries.

I wasn't sure if there was a Xantrex discussion forum like Outback so I thought I would try here first.

Thanks a bunch.

Comments

  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Xantrex Truecharge 40
    stooper2 wrote: »
    On one bank there would be 3 batteries, the second bank would have the same but the third bank would have 4 batteries.

    Well, you can never EVER connect the 4 battery bank to any other of your 3 battery banks.

    some of your questions and statements lead me to believe that either you are not communicating clearly, or some keys on your keyboard are transposed. Please be careful - battery banks contain a LOT of stored power, and if mis-connected, the fire department will be busy keeping your neighbors house from burning down. The thread about Batteries http://forum.solar-electric.com/showthread.php?t=2787 was worrisome to myself.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • stooper2
    stooper2 Solar Expert Posts: 41 ✭✭
    Re: Xantrex Truecharge 40

    Mike,

    This question has nothing to do with my other battery post.
    Also, my keys are not "transposed" - let's just say that I asked the question before I thought it out properly. Sorry if I worried you.

    Now, getting back to the Xantrex Truecharge 40 post.

    I will try and explain myself to be a little more clear.

    Let's say (hypothetically) I have 10 "group 31" deep cycle 12 volt batteries which are approx. 106ah per battery.

    From what I read about the Truecharg 40, I can charge up to 3 different banks of batteries (all in parallel @ 12 volts) per bank.

    The question I had was, can 2 of the 3 banks charge 3 batteries each and the 4th charge 4 batteries?

    Remember, all the banks are @ 12 volts.
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Xantrex Truecharge 40

    if there is automatic switching between the banks as each has become charged then i don't see any reason why the bank with 4 batteries couldn't be charged too. though it technically will be 24ah over their specified range, i think it would be close enough to work properly.
    to be sure i would advise you to ask xantrex before spending money on the charger and if you go with it then i recommend buying the bts to track temps with.
  • stooper2
    stooper2 Solar Expert Posts: 41 ✭✭
    Re: Xantrex Truecharge 40

    Thanks for the reply Niel.
  • crewzer
    crewzer Registered Users, Solar Expert Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Xantrex Truecharge 40

    Xantrex’ TrueCharge battery chargers were originally manufactured by Statpower. They were intended for marine applications, hence the input isolation transformers and the multiple outputs found on the 20 A and 40 A models.

    The three outputs on the 20 A and 40 A models are diode-isolated parallel outputs from the same single regulator. Within reason, they’ll satisfactorily charge different size battery banks as long as the banks are the same battery type (i.e., all flooded-cell or all AGM). The original design intent was to charge multiple banks on a boat; for example, an engine starter bank and a couple of house banks.

    I used to own a TC20+. I found it to be an excellent temperature-compensated multi-stage charger. However, it was fairly inefficient and it ran rather hot. The TC20+ is convection cooled, so I had to install it vertically to promote adequate convection cooling. The TC40+ includes a cooling fan, but I suspect it’ll still run warm, especially at full output (40 A) to >1,000 Ah of batteries for many hours. It too may benefit from a vertical installation.

    Here’s a link to the user manual: http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/462/docserve.aspx

    HTH,
    Jim / crewzer
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Xantrex Truecharge 40

    with them all paralleled and diode isolated then that changes the whole thing and you would only be able to do so with that many batteries if you manually switched banks for charging.
  • stooper2
    stooper2 Solar Expert Posts: 41 ✭✭
    Re: Xantrex Truecharge 40

    Thanks for the help everyone.

    I emailed Xantrex about this and this is their reply.



    Regarding charging your Group 31 batteries (total -10), Its ok to have different AH capacity connected to each battery bank as long as we have the same battery type on it. The charging control for the Truecharge is Electronically controlled and its able to sense how much power each bank needs to charge it up.


    Just thought I would post it.

    Again, Thanks.
  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Xantrex Truecharge 40

    Stooper 2.

    I had the same question of Xantrex. Here is their response.

    "Tony,
    The banks do not need to be the same size, but they should be the same battery type. It will charge all (3) banks at the same voltage, but direct the current at different levels according to the need of the batteries. So theoretically, if you had one bank that was rarely discharged, it could tend to be overcharged by being held at a bulk/absorb voltage too long. The XC series has the ability to charge (3) seperate banks of different battery types, and it has the ability to have each bank at a different stage (bulk/absorb/float):
    http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/180/p/1/pt/7/product.asp"

    I also have a TC 40 and a TC 20. I would like to get rid of the tc40 and get a 20 because of generator issues. If you are interested, e-mail me. I would let it go reasonably. (I am 2 hours west of T-Bay)
    Tony
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Xantrex Truecharge 40

    wow, conflict. i still say that you'll need the switch because you would have a total battery capacity of 106x10=1060ah total. 40a/1000ah=3.77% and generally we don't recommend below a 5% rate. it could charge them, but at a slower rate and thus taking much more time to reach full charge. this will be ok if no loads are also being applied while charging that would take away from the charge current. 2 seperate banks of 5 in parallel would be better. this would double the charge rate seen by each bank making it over 7%.
  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Xantrex Truecharge 40

    I run a TC-20 to top up my main bank. I run it on a honda eu 1000 and it performs perfectly. I bought the tc 40 with the intention of using it instead and topping up a bit faster, and then using the 20 on another remote bank. The problem is the tc 40 won't run on the eu 1000, it needs ~1500 watts to run. It is then too big to run on my other battery bank.

    Crewser is right that they both run a bit hot. An advantage of the 20 is that since it doesn't have a fan it is quiet. I found that when I ran the 40 on a bigger generator, I found the fan cycling to be a bit of an irritant.

    None the less, I think they are both great charges and they run well on small generators.

    Icarus