Can someone tell me why the recommendation for a Prosine 2.0 inverter/charger is a battery bank of at least 400 amps and why a smaller 200+ amp bank would not work as well? I've checked the manual over at the Xantrex site, twice, and I can't find any reference to this.
Thanks
* This post was
edited 06/13/08 05:16pm by Bookspook *
I have only 150 AH in my battery bank, the Prosine 2.0 CAN draw over 200A, so if I had a maximum load on the batteries they would be below the 50% level in about 20 minutes. I don't do max loads for long, and have no problem with the setup. Now, when I get around to it I'll make room for 4xT105 6V, till then - no problem.
Dave W. AKA "Toyman"
KE5GOH - On 146.52
RV's ? What RV's ???
Apache Pop-up
Classic GMC Motorhome
07 Leisure Travel Sprinter
Do Boats Count ?
Two reasons.. One you only get about 1/2 of the battery's capacity, with a 200 amps of battery that only gives you about 1,000 watts of usable power, or 30 minutes at full out, Double that = double that,, in reality the numbers are even worse because when you start sucking the power that fast the batteries die extra fast
The 2nd reason is that when the inverter first kicks in it likes to suck some SERIOUS current, around well over the 200 amp running max Now this only lasts for the blink of an eye but again,you need enough battery to deliver that "Surge"
That said. It will work on a single pair of U-220's (that's 232 amp hours) but that is the bare minimum
Here is another way of thinking of it
The batteries are like the engine in your motor home
How powerful is a 2.8 liter 4-cylinder engine? How about an 8.1 L V-8
You want the V-8
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business John is Near Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
The key word there is "recommendation". You'd actually have less than AH rating to the 50% level because the discharge rate is faster than the 20 hr rating by a good deal.
So---a 400 AH bank will yield more than twice the 200 AH bank in high wattage use.
At some point most users would be disappointed by having to recharge their banks on a short-use (perhaps hourly) basis. Might as well run directly off a gen instead.
If your use is 10 minutes/day of microwave use and a couple of other minutes of heavy use then 2 batteries may suffice for you. Otherwise the doubling of the bank size to 400ah makes it much easier to protect the bank from dipping below that 50% level.
I think the recommendation is eminently practical but does not apply to people with really minimal ah drawdowns.
Dan
02 Freightliner Sprinter 2500 long tall home brew conversion
So, what ya'll are saying is, if you have a heavy load like using the microwave it will draw the batteries down fast? Does it draw them down faster than a smaller inverter would or just that you have the capacity to do so? In other words, if I don't run any high load items, will it work like it's supposed to?
I don't mind using the generator for the microwave or coffee pot...I'm mainly wanting it for TV, sat receiver, DVDs, crock pot, and computers. I realize that the Prosine 2.0 is overkill, but it seems to be the cheapest and easiest way to go. By the time you put in a converter with 3 stage charger, surge protector, display monitor, sub panels, etc.......and then pay someone to install all of this, it mounts up.
It seemed more economical, in the long run, to do a whole house install of the Prosine 2.0, myself, even if it was bigger than what I needed. I guess the question now is.....given the limited usage that I would have, would the system operate efficiently and like it was supposed to? Would there be problems, like not charging the batteries properly, etc.
I'm trying to keep it at 2 batteries because I have a 27 ft. class C with a superslide, so weight and places to put the batteries are a problem.
Any thoughts?
2oldman...the manual over at the Xantrex site doesn't have a pg 109. The pgs. are 3-4, 3-5, 3-6, etc.
* This post was
edited 06/13/08 07:10pm by Bookspook *
I installed a ProSine 2.0 in my coach because I got it very cheap. It works with two U2200 Interstate batteries. I am aware that the setup won't work for long period. But I can watch TV for three or four hours or use the microwave for 10 minutes or so. Then my 80w solar panel will usually recharge the batteries the next day.
George
George & Karen W
2004 Allegro 30DA
2000 Jimmy toad
FMCA F334632
When batteries are being heavily discharged the voltage drops. It will bounce back when the discharge stops, but with a small bank and lot of draw you won't be able to get to 50% discharge before the inverter kicks out because of low battery voltage.
A microwave is going to draw the batteries down fast. You will have a lot more run time with smaller loads.
If you have a 350 watt load it doesn't matter if you have the Prosine or a 350 watt inverter, the run time is going to be very close. The only difference would be the conversion efficiency of the inverters, that would probably be a matter of minutes run time.
How tight are the batteries in the compartment? Will larger ones fit, even taller?
Make sure the charger is set as low as it will go, too fast a charge isn't good for the batteries.
Bookspook wrote: 1.if I don't run any high load items, will it work like it's supposed to?
2. it seems to be the cheapest and easiest way to go. By the time you put in a converter with 3 stage charger, surge protector, display monitor, sub panels, etc.......and then pay someone to install all of this, it mounts up.
3. in the long run, to do a whole house install of the Prosine 2.0, myself, even if it was bigger than what I needed. I
Would there be problems, like not charging the batteries properly, etc.
4. 2oldman...the manual over at the Xantrex site doesn't have a pg 109. The pgs. are 3-4, 3-5, 3-6, etc.
1. Yes. A lower ah battery bank will struggle to maintain voltage on a high draw, and won't be able to surge like it's supposed to.
2. All that, and a surge/sag protector. The Pro has excellent power minder features you can take advantage of with a WH install
3. yes, especially if you get tired of firing up the generator to run the MW. And, the MW will work properly on psw. As for charging, you simply adjust the parameters of the charging section to match your battery bank.
4. Yeah, figured that, so that's why I included the title of the section. Perhaps you could search that title.
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