Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

[sam am I]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

Brilliantly spoken, as before. Just thoroughing out idea's man, he asked for idea's... didn't mean to tread on your space here

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

Orrrrrrrrrrr...

You could just let the alternator do what it does when the current limit is hit.
The normal ~14 volt output will just drop to match the paralleled batteries near 12 volts and deliver it's 65 max amps until the battery voltage comes up the 14 volt level. Constant Current mode. (Voltage Varies)

After that we are enter Constant Voltage mode (Current Varies) at ~14 volts as the current reduces as the batteries charge.

KISS! Keep It Super Simple

 

[sam am I]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

Orrrrrrrrrrr...

You could just let the alternator do what it does when the current limit is hit.
The normal ~14 volt output will just drop to match the paralleled batteries near 12 volts and deliver it's 65 max amps until the battery voltage comes up the 14 volt level. Constant Current mode. (Voltage Varies)

After that we are enter Constant Voltage mode (Current Varies) at ~14 volts as the current reduces as the batteries charge.

KISS! Keep It Super Simple

Will that regulator fold back into protection mode? hmmmmmm, but, if it does have current limiting, that is certainly do'able. It will cetainly limit primary battery current to 65 by dropping the charge voltage. How do we know? Some alt's come with strict warnings of not firing them up on dead(dis-charged batts or POOF goes the reg!

OP says "but have read that the alternator will not be able to charge this bank of 2 parallel batteries."

 

[sam am I]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

http://www.sterling-power-usa.com/library/ProSplitR manual and instructions.pdf

That'll sequence batts in automagically, it's not nuclear either........

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

The common ACR systems will not add the second battery until the primary battery has been above 13 volts for 90 seconds.

A KISS Battery Sequencer at its finest!

 

[sam am I]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

Ohhhhhhh, now we're talking!!! I like this too.......This will do the trick also, not quite as "smart" but, 90 sec should do it? Sometimes dumb is smarter, I concur.

We have just one smaaaaaaaaaall problem though still............we covered the inrush issue/protected the alt by sequencing in ONE batt at a time., after being above 13VDC + 90 secs or automatically as well at sensed set point of about 13.3VDC..... can give double, triple, ? the run times by simply adding additional batts. but ONLY when the alt/system is up and running, what happens when the engine shuts off? OP wants to make ice without the engine running, right?

All the batts are/go to iso'd mode from each other with engine off and the inverter is back to the capacity of just one (which ever it's hooked to) batt.

Solution? Wire relay/s such that the normally closed (i.e. 100 amp continuous duty contactor SPST NC type) terminals are from positive to positive post of just the inverters batts.

Wire the coil of the relay up to the ignition "on" position.

When to key goes on, the relay/s opens and the sterling or ACR runs per designed/as we require.......when key is shut off, all systems go down, relays all closed and set/keep inverter batts in parallel thus, keeping the double/tripe capacity we require.


View attachment Draft3.pdf

A plot of inrush/charge currents as seen by alt. verses time (all values, times, magnitudes, slopes, charge rates, etc, etc shown are just for demonstration purposes only, your results can vary......geeeesh Louise) .......Engine starts at 1 sec mark, batts 2 switches in at 2 sec and batt 3 switches in at 3 secs

View attachment MySw..pdf

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

http://www.sterling-power-usa.com/library/ProSplitR manual and instructions.pdf

That'll sequence batts in automagically, it's not nuclear either........

It is basically just an ACR. All it does is combine batteries for charging. Does nothing to combine batteries later for when a load is put on them when the engine is off.

An ACR is just an electronic switch that turns on when either side goes above a set voltage(usually 13.5V). It also prevent a connection when either side is too low(below 10V) to prevent an alternator from charging a very dead or damaged battery.

Bottom line, the OP is trying to do something that takes way more power than he really envisioned. Unless he wants to run his engine constantly and/or get multiple banks of batteries(Thousand dollars worth) he can't do what he wants to do.

 

[sam am I]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

It is basically just an ACR. All it does is combine batteries for charging. Does nothing to combine batteries later for when a load is put on them when the engine is off.

Read up please "All the batts are/go to iso'd mode from each other with engine off and the inverter is back to the capacity of just one (which ever it's hooked to) batt.

Solution? Wire relay/s such that the normally closed (i.e. 100 amp continuous duty contactor SPST NC type) terminals are from positive to positive post of just the inverters batts. "

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

Read up please "All the batts are/go to iso'd mode from each other with engine off

Yes, that is what an ACR does. Since a fully charged battery is only 12.6V, the ACR opens.

Why use relays...just keep the inverter batteries hooked up in parallel....All 5 of them that cost over $1000 from your example.

The nuclear reactor is a way better method.

 

[sam am I]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

Yes, that is what an ACR does. Since a fully charged battery is only 12.6V, the ACR opens.

and when the engine shuts off, the relay/s keep them in parallel.......please see schematic

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

and when the engine shuts off, the relay/s keep them in parallel.......please see schematic

So when the engine is on, they are in parallel and when the engine is off they are in parallel. Why would you use relays. You do understand that the ACRs combine them within a few seconds right?

 

[sam am I]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

"Why use relays...just keep the inverter batteries hooked up in parallel....All 5 of them that cost over $1000 from your example".. inrush, please read OP original post

 

[sam am I]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

So when the engine is on, they are in parallel and when the engine is off they are in parallel. Why would you use relays. You do understand that the ACRs combine them within a few seconds right?

Not according to the manu spec's, can be secs, mins, hours, depends on the batt conditions ........please read that as well

 

[sam am I]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

Done here.......

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

So, all he needs is a $1000 worth of batteries, a $200 worth of relays, and your ACR which may be another $400 and then he will be set?

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

So when the engine is on, they are in parallel and when the engine is off they are in parallel. Why would you use relays. You do understand that the ACRs combine them within a few seconds right?

When the engine is OFF, they are paralleled By the Ignition controlled Contactor/Relay.
When the engine is ON, they become paralleled by the ACR, but NOT BEFORE the first battery reaches 13 volts on its terminals.
If the batteries are nearly full, this could happen in well under a minute.
If the batteries are very low it might not happen for half an hour.

... but might have to scrap the whole thing if it's too much of a hassle, ...

What you said in Post #1... KISS!

You will spend more in the attempt to make ice for another hour, than you will in 10 years of just buying bagged ice.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

When the engine is OFF, they are paralleled By the Ignition controlled Contactor/Relay.
When the engine is ON, they become paralleled by the ACR, but NOT BEFORE the first battery reaches 13 volts on its terminals.
If the batteries are nearly full, this could happen in well under a minute.
If the batteries are very low it might not happen for half an hour.



What you said in Post #1... KISS!

You will spend more in the attempt to make ice for another hour, than you will in 10 years of just buying bagged ice.

The OP indicated he is out for 7 - 10 days so buying ice is not an option.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

Anyone notice the OP has responded only once early in this now two-page thread? He's probably wondering what the heck did I start????????????????????????? Good thing he didn't ask the "what's the best oil" question! A portable generator that can be run whenever needed solves the problem for a lot less money. If out for 7 - 10 days at a time it would seem prudent to have one anyway -- whether one has an ice maker or not. Small Honda generators can be had for $599 - $999 and they are very quiet.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

Anyone notice the OP has responded only once early in this now two-page thread?

Go to your settings and set it to 100 posts per page. Then it's only a one page thread

A portable generator that can be run whenever needed solves the problem for a lot less money.

See post #8

 

[bassman284]

Re: Adding a Third Battery for Ice Maker ?

Anyone notice the OP has responded only once early in this now two-page thread? He's probably wondering what the heck did I start????????????????????????? Good thing he didn't ask the "what's the best oil" question! A portable generator that can be run whenever needed solves the problem for a lot less money. If out for 7 - 10 days at a time it would seem prudent to have one anyway -- whether one has an ice maker or not. Small Honda generators can be had for $599 - $999 and they are very quiet.

Yeah, he seemed dissatisfied with the quality of the responses.