William,
Caution about using more than one smart charger on an AGM battery. During the bulk charging phase, sure - go ahead and whack that battery with everything you've got! But when the battery is in it's finish charging stages, you only want one smart charger doing the work.
The whole point of a smart charger is to respond precisely to the needs of the battery. Two chargers are like two parents scolding one kid; overload. It may be that DualPro has super-smart chargers that automatically assign a single boss from amongst the bevy of smart chargers hooked to any single battery. Then that boss would shut everyone else off, and take over the finishing charging voltage profile personally.
More likely though, an AGM being ganged up on by multiple chargers will terminally vent.
The finishing charge profile is voltage curve specific and likely pulse duration and frequency specific. This fools the lead plate chemistry into charging, but cuts off the charge before oxygen and hydrogen bubbles form on the anode and cathode plates. This fooling happens many times per second.
Add another charger, and it is likely too many times per second. Bubbles form, batteries vent. With FLAs, just add water. With SLAs, just buy new batteries.
Been there,
Mark Stafford
--- In electricboats@yahoogroups.com, william munger <wmunger@...> wrote:
>
> Thanks for the input. Yes DualPro says it is fine to use more then one
> charger output into one battery, so it could act as a 40amp charger for
> a single battery or 2 20amp chargers for 2 batteries. I had purchased
> the DualPro a couple years ago based on what I read in this group.
>
> I think I have decided to go this route:
> Deka 4D AGM (8A4DLTP) batteries (129lbs, 12V, c/20=198, $400 each) X 4
> for c/20=792, 516lbs, $1600
>
> According to a battery calculator that uses Peukerts, that would last me
> at least 1 day of none stop 20amp drain.
> The Engel SR70 Built-in Refrigerator I am looking at says it draws 0.5
> - 2.7Amps
> I plan to to use LED lights everywhere I can and the navigation stuff
> should not take too much.
> I want to be able to use a microwave (dc or ac with inverter) which is a
> big draw but only for 10 mins or so.
> Computers will be a big drain also but not sure how much I would
> actually use them when away from a dock.
>
> My next question is about battery management/monitoring systems.
> I am looking at the Blue Seas VSM 422. It monitors AC, DC, Tanks, and
> Bilge all in one. The issue I have is it can only monitor two
> batteries. Is it reasonable to monitor just 2 of the 4 batteries to get
> an idea of what all 4 are doing? Do you guys have any suggestions on
> maybe looking at another system to monitor 4 - 12 volt batteries for
> temp, amp-hr remaining, volts, current amp draw etc? I have seen the
> pak-tracker mentioned a few times, is that a charging/management system
> or just a monitoring system?
>
> William
>
> links:
> http://www.civicsolar.com/node/19313
>
>
> > William:
> > At lot of people use 6 volt in series and parallel configurations.
> > But, I never like the idea because of the additional connections
> > required which makes for more potential failure points. But, that's
> > just my personal feelings on it.
> > As far as battery choice my life has gotten easier since I started
> > using AGM and Gels on board. No longer have to carry or find
> > distilled water when on a cruise for the batteries. No more acid
> > burned holes in my clothes either. AGMsare a little more expensive
> > but, they allow for more boat time and less maintanence. I like that.
> > If you go with flooded lead acid you will need to install them in a
> > sealed battery box too.
> > The Dual Pro charger is a nice unit. But, since it is four smart
> > chargers I don't know about paralleling two outputs. You might want to
> > check with the Dual Pro people just to make sure there is no
> > interaction with the charging electronics. But, if they say it's ok
> > I'd stick with the Dual Pro and 12 volt batteries just to make things
> > easier. Anyway that's my two cents.
> > Capt. Mike
> > http://biankablog.blogspot.com
> >
> > *From:* william <wmunger@...>
> > *To:* electricboats@yahoogroups.com
> > *Sent:* Friday, April 6, 2012 5:21 PM
> > *Subject:* [Electric Boats] sailboat house battery bank questions
> >
> > Hello all,
> >
> > I am in the research stage of a complete dc / ac rewire of my 1978 33'
> > hunter.
> >
> > On the subject of House battery bank my thoughts are this
> >
> > Plan A:
> > using 4 6volt batteries to wire up as 2 12volt banks.
> >
> > Looking at either:
> > Deka 8AGC2 AGM, 6volt, 200AHr, C/100 220AHr, 68lbs, $225each
> > or
> > Trogen T-105 lead acid, 6volt, 225AHr, 62lbs, $140each
> >
> > I think I would rather have AGM because of these being located under a
> > berth, am I being too cautious on hydrogen gas and spillage? The Price
> > difference is large but I think it may be worth not having to deal
> > with venting and spillage concerns.
> >
> > I plan to have 12V lights, navigation, radios, computers, lcd/tv,
> > pressure water pump, black water pump, refrigerator, microwave, and
> > maybe AC. (I know 12v AC sounds pie in the sky)
> >
> > One of my issues is this, I have a DualPro 4 bank charger (4x15amp).
> > As far as I can tell I can not use 1 charger bank for each battery
> > because the charger is designed for 12V batteries. I think I can use 2
> > legs of the charger to charge 2 6V batteries that are wired up to be
> > 12volts. Am I correct in this or would it be better to sell the
> > DualPro and get 4 chargers designed for 6 volt batteries?
> >
> > Plan B:
> > using 2 big 12volt batteries such as:
> > Deka 8D AGM 12volt, 245AHr, 158lbs, $400each
> > Then I could use my current DualPro set up with 2 legs going to each
> > battery giving 30amps of charging to each 8D.
> >
> > Plan B may be headache but I dread the thought of fighting to get two
> > 160lb batteries in place inside the boat. Also, if I go with the 6volt
> > plan I could expand my "tank" by replacing the smaller Deka 8AGC2 with
> > these larger ones:
> > US AGM L16 6volt, 390AHr, 123lbs, $500each (same footprint just taller).
> > Which would almost double my available storage.
> >
> > Any one with real world advice on any of this?
> >
> > Links:
> > http://www.civicsolar.com/product/mk-deka-batteries-8agc2
> > http://www.civicsolar.com/product/trojan-battery-company-420-0094
> > http://www.atbatt.com/product/24128.asp
> > http://www.civicsolar.com/product/mk-deka-batteries-8a8dltp
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
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