OPTIMA Batteries SEMA 2015 Build

[UJOINT]

We had to make a few parts since some of the product used wasn't normal for us, here's the battery hold down we made to go on our rear skid system.

[86Scotty]

V10 or diesel, or did I miss that?

Nice nonetheless!

[E350]

Chris: Could you comment on:

1. Zip Locker vs ARB?

2. Optima house side battery bank/charging system or provide a link to Optima's discussion of it. I have had success with Optima Blue Tops over the years but as a starting battery not as a house battery bank but I have recently been toying with the idea of a quick charge not true deep cycle battery bank for the house battery which is exactly what you built.

[UJOINT]

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

V10 or diesel, or did I miss that?

Nice nonetheless!

2014 so its a V10.

[UJOINT]

Originally Posted by E350

Chris: Could you comment on:

1. Zip Locker vs ARB?

2. Optima house side battery bank/charging system or provide a link to Optima's discussion of it. I have had success with Optima Blue Tops over the years but as a starting battery not as a house battery bank but I have recently been toying with the idea of a quick charge not true deep cycle battery bank for the house battery which is exactly what you built.

Zip is Randys R&P version of ARB. We've only installed a few so no long term pro's or con's so far.

We didn't get into the discussion of why or what the batteries will be used for. Build was too fast so I said "tell me what and how many batteries you want on the skid"

[Scalf77]

Originally Posted by E350

Chris: Could you comment on:
Optima house side battery bank/charging system or provide a link to Optima's discussion of it. I have had success with Optima Blue Tops over the years but as a starting battery not as a house battery bank but I have recently been toying with the idea of a quick charge not true deep cycle battery bank for the house battery which is exactly what you built.

E350 , I am not a Optima expert, but I believe the Bluetops's come in both Marine Deep Cycle (Light Gray) and Starting batteries (Dark Gray). I believe the one's pictured are light gray or Deep Cycle.

-greg

[E350]

Scalf77: Thanks you are right. I am up to my forearms in 21+ year-old standup jet ski engine bays for the time being so I have not had time to compose a comparison chart of recharge requirements and discharge/recharge rates for less deep cycle, less heavy batteries suitable for house-side battery use. But the Optima's are intriguing, not the least of which is that Optima apparently publishes the exact information we would need to design such a system for our rigs:

http://d26maze4pb6to3.cloudfront.net/op ... _Sheet.pdf

Alternator: 13.3 to 15.0 volts
Battery Charger (Constant Voltage): 13.8 to 15.0 volts; 10 amps maximum; 6-12 hours approximate
Float Charge: 13.2 to 13.8 volts; 1 amp maximum; (indefinite time at lower voltages)
Rapid Recharge: Maximum voltage 15.6 volts. No current limit as long as battery
(Constant voltage charger) temperature remains below 125°F (51.7°C). Charge until
current drops below 1 amp.
All limits must be strictly adhered to.

Blue Top - Dark Gray body 34M
"High power, sealed lead acid, marine starting battery" "These batteries are designed for engine starting applications. They are not recommended or warranted for use in deep cycle applications."
Recharge Time: (example assuming 100% discharge – 10.5 volts)
Current Approximate time to 90% charge
100 amps 35 minutes
50 amps 75 minutes
25 amps 140 minutes
10 amps 6-12 hours approximate

Blue Top - Light Gray body D27M
"High power, dual purpose engine start and deep cycle, sealed lead acid battery"
Recharge Time: (example assuming 100% discharge – 10.5 volts)
Current Approximate time to 90% charge
100 amps 45 minutes
50 amps 98 minutes
25 amps 185 minutes
10 amps 6-12 hours approximate

"Not fully charging a battery can result in poor performance and a reduction in capacity."

Looking at this. How anybody could ever think that solar panels could ever bring a battery bank up from full discharge at 10.5v to full charge of 12.8 is beyond me. My guess is that people think that their batteries are fully charged because their solar charge controller has gone to "float" mode, when in fact they are chronically undercharging their batteries. On the other hand, running alternating current either via shore power or an Auragen or other genset or an inverter to a 100 amp constant current battery charger could get your battery from full discharge to full recharge in 45 mins per D27M battery.

Finally, Chris' 4x4 build is outstanding - as usual. What makes this thread interesting is my hope that Optima will bring us their expertise by entering into the Sportsmobile house-side battery world.

[daveb]

Originally Posted by E350

"Not fully charging a battery can result in poor performance and a reduction in capacity."

Looking at this. How anybody could ever think that solar panels could ever bring a battery bank up from full discharge at 10.5v to full charge of 12.8 is beyond me. My guess is that people think that their batteries are fully charged because their solar charge controller has gone to "float" mode, when in fact they are chronically undercharging their batteries. On the other hand, running alternating current either via shore power or an Auragen or other genset or an inverter to a 100 amp constant current battery charger could get your battery from full discharge to full recharge in 45 mins per D27 battery.

Well I don't want to throw Chris's thread off but yeah a deeply discharged battery does take a long time to bring back. Your not factoring in that we don't take our batteries down past 50% or 12.2 volts. Also the charge tapers off as the battery comes back to life. Trying to bring back a large dead battery with a one stage trickle charger would not work well at all. Same with a small solar system. As for the controller, if working correctly it would run through the charging stages and not go into the float mode until the battery is up. The size of the array would be the determining factor on how fast it would get to the float stage. Being we have limited space for panels your average charge current seems to be between 6-15 amps. That's reasonable to top off a battery.

When the dealership killed my 4D battery a few years ago, it took a couple a days with my shore charger to breath life back into the battery.
What kills a lot of batteries is leaving the battery sit at low voltages for lengthy periods of time, dropping batteries to a dead state on a constant basis, and over charging with higher voltages and temperatures than what the manufacture suggests.

[Scalf77]

I apologize for starting a hi Jack of Chris's thread, we should move this battery talk into E350's existing battery discussion in electrical.

-greg

[E350]

I agree. I only posted in this thread because I hoped Optima would get the message that some of us over here are interested in how they are powering the house-side of their beautiful new SEMA 2015 van.