Honda EU1000 & Trucharge 40

[waterdog]

Should be fine...

There's some heat in the process so flat out at 120V it actually draws up to 6.4A per Xantrex above.   If the Honda doesn't hold its voltage on a load then Xantrex says max is 1080W before the charger kicks out from the voltage sag.  That makes it a lot closer to marginal than we could imagine. 

I have no doubt that 95% of the time I would have no issue.   I'm wondering about the case on the margin when I most need the generator and I've done something stupid with the batteries, will it run? 

Stu, do you know of a way to limit output on the charger (thereby reducing input) ala what you've done with your alternator?   

[Craig Illman]

Steve - My Xantrex XC-30 has a battery temp sensor. If the Truecharge has a similar option available, you should be able to do exactly the same as Stu did with the external regulator to limit the output and therefore the 120V draw.

Craig

[Stu Jackson]

Seems that if you can start your engine with your "reserve" bank, and with your alternator output wired directly to your house bank, the alternator should take the brunt of the first stage of charging, even with your "wimpy" original OEM internally regulated alternator.  Charge with the engine for a bit, turn it off, then you can kick in the generator.  Based on the acceptance of our two day on-the-hook experience, you should expect the charger to want to pump its 40 amps in the bulk phase with our 360 ah house bank (see the Alternator Heat thread again).  The "need" that the house bank has, its acceptance, is the controlling factor, not only what the size of the charger may be.  Even after one night on-the-hook, the starting current required from the charging system for a bank that is only down 20% (400 ah, down 80 ah from a night on the hook with the fridge running) is still a startup 50 A based on the battery's acceptance.

Craig's idea is a good one, check the charger's operation against what the manual (oh, no! read the manual?) says to see if it mimics the regulator operation by dropping back to 50% output on the charger.

Added later: I checked the TrueCharge 20/40 manual.  The battery temperature sensor only modifies the output voltage based on temprature and does NOT cut back on the amperage.

While we're on cruising, have you seen this?  http://www.baja-haha.com/Guide/index.html

www.Latitude30.com is a good source of information.  You, of course, have to come through here (San Francisco) and we'd be pleased to show you around.  Just what we need, yet another C34 floatin' around on our waters!

[waterdog]

I confess.  I went to another forum.  I found an owner who had a TC20 and EU1000.   Upgraded to a TC40 and then promptly found he had to upgrade to an EU2000.  I need to find out exactly what happened.  I will report. 

Nothing wrong with being from Missouri.  It may have saved me from a mistake.

I think I'm going to go exclusively with big and solar and forget the gas generator.

Stu, did you really call my alternator "wimpy"?   I thought you were coming with me and I was going to drop you back home.  Where is Jon anyway?  He is supposed to come with us.   

But it won't be just another C34 in the bay.   She'll look much sleeker than the others.  Remember she'll be loaded down with cruising crap and show 2" less freeboard.

The goal will be connect with Baja Haha in October.  So we're doing our laundry and Sunday dinner at your place through the month of September.

   

[Stu Jackson]

No need to confess, been known to happen from time to time.  You DO get hit with a wet noodle for not providing the danged LINK!

Sounds like the whole package is too close to call in spite of the engineering calculations.  Solar: you will be soooooooo glad you did it that way, and saved the gas and 2 cycle oil for the dinghy.

I may have to come with you to show you how to get into San Francisco Bay.  The Spanish missed it for many years.

A sleek C34 on the Bay is always welcomed.  I have been known to look too "cruisy" to actually race our pleasure barge against real racers who sit miles above their waterlines - I can relate.

Should be fun doing laundry together in September, which is the nicest part of the year here.

[waterdog]

... and 2 cycle oil for the dinghy...

No way man.  4 stroke.  Air cooled.   Though I do have an old British Seagull with 10:1 mix.   Last time I ran it there was flotilla with protest signs following the rainbow slick on the water and the cloud of blue in the air.   

[Stu Jackson]

Ah shucks, they probably thought that was just your Cuban cigar.

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

If you had a eu1000 and it couldn't handle the initial load of the charger, couldn't you use the 12 volt output of the generator temporarly to get the batteries partially charged, then switch to the truecharge 20/40?

[Ron Hill]

Steve : Only an imprudent person lets his batteries discharge more than necessary!  I never let mine go below a usage of 75 amp hours.  The less you let the batteries discharge before recharging, the more cycles you'll get out of them. 
I may be stingy (called Capt AmpMister by my crew), but overnight I seldom go below 40 amp hours.  That's with the fridge 24/7 and normal cabin/anchor lights with some TV.  I do have a couple of solar panels that will kick in in the morning.  I will crank up the Honda 1000 if we are going to stay in that anchorage for a second night. 
Take care of your batteries and they will take care of you!!  A thought

[waterdog]

So do you only work your batteries between 80% and full charge, Ron?  You have a ~ 400 Ah bank don't you?   

I've always understood that imprudent was drawing below 50% charge and typical practical operating range for cruisers was 50% to 80% charge while bringing it up to full charge as often as practical.  Most people end up trading off some battery life for an acceptable amount of time charging. 

What is your charge acceptance rate on the last 20%?   (How many Amps can you put back into your bank near the end?)

I know in this thread I've asked questions on the performance of the EU1000 at extremes of TC40 operating range.   That's not because I anticipate using it that way often, but because I wanted to know if it could get me out of trouble if I had a problem. 

I've pretty much decided not to bother with the Honda and go with a large solar array ~400 Watts.   If I were just cruising around the PNW, I think I would skip the solar panels and go with the EU1000.