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diy solar

Charging 1 LFP + 1 Optima with charger and alternator

Hello

Went yesterday to Victron to buy Orion

I explained them it was to load and a Optima and a LFP

Ive been told the orion cannot charge 2 different batteries

I'm lost again
 
This is why you should have at least a block diagram of your installation - so you don't get confused. You can refer to the one I included at the start of this thread. It shows how to properly use the Orion DC-to-DC charger. In that drawing 'starter' means the 'starter and the alternator output', which are normally wired together at the engine. The alternator directly charges the starter batteries. And the Orion is used to charge the LFP, and only the LFP.
 
Hello
Went yesterday to Victron to buy Orion

I explained them it was to load and a Optima and a LFP

Ive been told the orion cannot charge 2 different batteries

I'm lost again
Not lost, perhaps somewhat confused.

In a hybrid system; the alternator charges the starter battery (AGM/FLA) as usual; the Smart DC/DC converter charges the house (LFP) battery using the combination of the alternator/starter battery. The benefit is that the alternator is protected from the amp gobbling LFP by the starter battery acting as a buffer.

The alternator maintains the starter battery; the alternator/starter battery combination maintains the house battery. The Smart DC/DC converter can sense when the alternator is not supplying power (engine off) and cease supplying current to the house battery so as to not deplete the starter battery.

Refering to the diagram below. As an alternative S1 can also enable/disable the Smart DC/DC converter.

1631206275151.png
 
Sorry, a bit late to the party.

The 45Amp alternator is fine. The optima will not take very much current, as it is Lead and will never be discharged deeply. You might be getting close to the rated output, but the big issue is overheating the alternator. A 45A alternator has the same heat dissipation as a small case 70A. So while you need to de-rate the 70A, you need to de-rate the 45A much less.

The charger (Orion if that is what you choose) only needs to support Lifepo4. It will not be charging the optima battery. Connect everything such that the alternator only charges the Optima. Then connect the Orion, fed by the optima to charge the Lifepo4. The charger will have a way to detect that the engine is running, and will only charge when it is. But it will be wired to charge from the optima battery.

You might be able to use the Lifepo4 to start the engine in a pinch, as the Daly disconnect is much higher than 250A. But, you risk damaging it. A better idea (what I do on my boat) is to parallel the batteries with the switch, then wait. The Lifepo4 will charge the optima. It should only take a few minutes to get enough charge that you can switch back to just the optima, and start that way without using the Lifepo4 to start.

100W of solar is pretty small. I have close to 800W for a 300Ah battery, and it isn't enough to fully charge it in a day. But, I get 3 days out of 300Ah so it works.
 
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