generator charging circuit

[JusDreaming]

I need advice on how to build a charging circuit on our generator. I had a bridge retifier on it to convert ac to dc but the voltage is to high for charging, (battery blew it's caps off this morning)!!!!!!!!! It is on it's own battery for a back up if I drain the house/start batteries, I have the gen. to run the charger and get everything going again.
One thought was to run a trickle charger into it anytime the generator is running. But it charging itself seems to be a better choice I think

[Sunspot Baby]

Denny, I assume you are referring to the dedicated start battery for the genset. If so, I have mine isolated from all other batteries so that if everything else goes dead, I still have a fresh start battery on the genset and can get everything charged up again. I have that dedicated start battery on an eco charger to keep it topped up when other batteries are charging whether with engines, genset, or shore power. It has worked very well for my.

George

[JusDreaming]

George can you explain eco charger! Is it basiccally the same as a trickle charger?

[btrayfors]

Denny,

No, it's not a trickle charger.

An EchoCharge is a specialized device (currently built by Xantrex) which is used to keep a starting battery topped off. It works by sensing a charge on the house batteries. Whenever the voltage goes above about 12.8VDC, it bleeds off some of the charging current from the house batteries (up to 15A maximum) and uses that to charge the starting battery. It will not overcharge the battery and can be left online all the time. I've had one installed for several years and love it.

Here's a brief description: EchoCharge

They cost about $100, and are well worth it.

By the way, they work with ANY charging source: generator, shore-powered battery charger, engine alternator, solar panels, wind generator, etc. All they care about is sensing a charge on the house batteries. When the house battery voltage drops below about 12.8, they disconnect until the next time a charging voltage is put on the house batteries.

Bill

[jdoe71]

I have an Echo-charger and it works great, problem is that it is non-adjustable for battery types. I am charging an AGM starting battery and a flooded lead acid battery bank, the profiles are close but not exact. Plus I think it just relies on internal battery resistance to reduce the charge rate, it is billed as a charge follower by Xantrex. So far I haven't killed anything and all the batteries test fine.

I believe that Balmar's Digital Duo charge does the same function but it is more advanced, you can set the battery type you are charging and get a specific charge profile. But as with more advanced, it is more $$ too.