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How do I wire in my Ac to DC charger?

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  • How do I wire in my Ac to DC charger?

    Hi.
    I've got my panels, battery, charge controller. 1000w inverter, and I also have a Powermax 110V to 12V DC Power Supply Converter Charger (55amp). I feel I understand the wiring for the other devices but not so sure about the Converter/Charger?

    Questions I have are:
    How do I wire this into the system? What fuses/breakers and where for this device and what do I connect it to? directly to the battery?

    Also while this device is charging the battery, would the battery need to be disconnected from the system or can it be wired into the system so that I simply just plug the Powermax into my home power when I need a supplemental charge (preferred)?

  • #2
    I dont know the details of the Powermax, but most chargers are wired direct to the batteries with a fuse or circuit breaker. Indeed, when plugged into "shore power" (your homel it will keep the batteries topped up when other 12v appliances are operating from the battery.

    9 kW solar, 42kWh LFP storage. EV owner since 2012

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    • #3
      Thank you Ampster. would I be correct to assume that you mean put a fuse/circuit breaker on the positive line connecting the charger to the battery?

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      • #4
        Overcurrent protection would be needed on 55 amp positive line unless it is very short wire run...120 vac is most likely already protected at dist. panel.
        Last edited by neweclipse; 05-18-2019, 12:27 PM.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by neweclipse View Post
          Overcurrent protection would be needed on 55 amp positive line unless it is very short wire run...120 vac is most likely already protected at dist. panel.
          Yes, the over current protection should be on the positive. The fuse/circuit breaker should be matched to the wire size. Hopefully, if wire is provided with the Powermax, it is sized correctly for the 55 Amp output of the Powermax.
          Last edited by Ampster; 05-18-2019, 01:03 PM.
          9 kW solar, 42kWh LFP storage. EV owner since 2012

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          • #6
            Then again, PowerMax may be internally fused??? Hard to guess...

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            • #7
              Originally posted by neweclipse View Post
              Then again, PowerMax may be internally fused??? Hard to guess...
              Internal fuse of an inverter, does not protect the battery cable leading to it. Internal fuse is for internal catastrophic failure or incorrect polarity connections.
              Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | 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

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              • #8
                what type of RV do you have? did it originally or still already have a converter? here's a video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFadchb65Xo

                Typically, the converter receives the 120v shore power, and feeds the DC output to the RV's breaker AND fuse panel. Done.
                If the Converter also has a battery charger, which I assume you are saying it does, one of the breaker outputs should be feeding it.

                Your solar simply goes directly to the battery bank, via the charge controller's outputs.

                When you are on Solar only(battery power), the solar is charging the battery bank, if the sun is out.
                If you also turn ON your inverter, it will then provide 120v power output from the batteries - either thru direct outlets on the inverter itself, or to a subpanel of breakers that you wire it to, giving power thru some circuits within your RV. The inverter won't be wired to power large draw appliances, like air conditioning, of course, which is why it should only be wired to a subpanel.
                When you are on Shore Power(or generator, etc), the Converter is taking the 120v power and feeding 12v to both the onboard 12v systems, and to the Battery Charger(batteries), and to the subpanel and all your breakers/circuits.


                Now, if your Inverter has a built-in Battery Charger, you won't really need the Converter, and the wiring scheme is a bit different. Most larger RVs, especially diesel pushers, have 'whole house' inverters, wired like this, that take away the need for a converter.
                Last edited by NCmountainsOffgrid; 05-18-2019, 08:20 PM.

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                • #9
                  This system is not for a pre-existing RV. I am building it to power my small cargo trailer conversion. It's a 5x8 enclosed cargo trailer with the bed/sleep area in the front 3/4 and a galley in the back 1/4 of the trailer. Sort of similar to many teardrop trailers.

                  I wanted to build in the option to charge the batteries back up to full with AC power as a last case option if we are out on a trip and if it's been dark and overcast. I just wanted to make sure that I connect the Powermax 110 Volt to 12 Volt DC Power Supply Converter Charger for Rv Pm3-55 properly and with the right fusing.

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                  • #10
                    So, now you have everything...fuse it for the wire size and on the positive wire...that wasn't so hard.

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                    • #11
                      Just to be clear, I wire the converter charger to directly to the battery with a fuse on the positive wire? Would it be any different to wire it directly to the pos and neg bus bars?

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by sallen35 View Post
                        Just to be clear, I wire the converter charger to directly to the battery with a fuse on the positive wire? Would it be any different to wire it directly to the pos and neg bus bars?
                        From a safety standpoint the wire size from the bus bars to the battery should be the at least the same as from inverter to bus bars. Electrically it would be the same current path.
                        Last edited by Ampster; 05-19-2019, 08:00 PM.
                        9 kW solar, 42kWh LFP storage. EV owner since 2012

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