the DCC30S is a fairly simple device if you look at each input separately
anything can be connected to the PV input, as long as it meets the voltage/current requirements
this input is routed to the house battery if it needs charging using the selected charge profile
otherwise it goes to the alternator input (if the voltage is <13.2V indicating the engine is off - assuming not a smart alternator & using the IGN sense wire) and this is a fixed LA profile that we don't have access to
when you start your engine the alternator voltage is now >13.2V and it routes current from here to charge the house battery if required, it also stops any charging of the engine battery
Correct about the logic of how that 30amps is split among PV and alternator inputs. When one of those two lacks energization, the other is cleared to allow up to 30 amps. When both have energization each is limited to 15 amps.You seem very clear on the specs of these Renogy devices. That's great because trying to get info out of Renogy is a waste of time.
So the DCC30S will pull the entire 30A from one source or the other in the absence of 2 sources to split the load between. That makes sense and is a question out of the way.
It's starting to make sense to use the PV terminal for the charger so that the starter battery will be trickled when I'm parked with shore power. And then of course that leaves the Alt terminal free for the alternator. But some sweet day I will want to use solar and this question is going to come up again. What would you think at that point? Charger and panels both to the PV terminal?
You keep going back to the charger stages. It's quite clear now that I can use the Gopower in fixed voltage mode continuously. My battery mfg stipulates 14.6V but I'm thinking maybe I should just set the charger to say 14V and let the Renogy boost from there. Make sense to you? Anyway, there are no charging stages in my plan. Also no intention of connecting the Gopower to the starter battery.
So thanks a lot. You've really helped me through this ordeal. I'll sleep on it for a week or so and if nothing comes along to change the calculations I'll get the 55A model and run it though the PV terminal.
right, one energization appliance type at one time on the PV inputs. If you wish to run both, again, as you state @mkaye , you put the solar on the DCC30S's PV terminals so its MPPT controller can regulate and optimize the power coming off the solar panel, and your Gopower charger would get hooked to the house battery's terminals.once you add solar you will connect them to the PV terminal
charging from a converter (with an LFP profile) will go directly to the battery
you would never connect a 12V charger & solar to the PV terminals
I don't know much about my chassis battery. Typical lead acid of an uncertain age and condition. And yes, I like the idea of the PV trickling it whether it's actual PV input or the charger on that terminal.Correct about the logic of how that 30amps is split among PV and alternator inputs. When one of those two lacks energization, the other is cleared to allow up to 30 amps. When both have energization each is limited to 15 amps.
"It's starting to make sense to use the PV terminal for the charger so that the starter battery will be trickled when I'm parked with shore power."
Right--unless you are taping your starter battery while the vehicle is at rest, and something more than trickle charging it is indicated--not that I recommend this approach.
I presume you to have a lead acid battery under the hood. At what voltage does its manufacturer consider it fully charged---as much as voltage readings are limited in their ability to conclude a battery's true state of charge (SOC) as they're effected by temperature, and load on the battery, etc., and while those who really want to know SOC purchase shunts to get such readings.
@stinky : "when you say no intention of Connecting the Gopower to the starter battery" I am interpreting this to mean no intention to directly and physically hook the Gopower up to the starter battery's physical terminals....but, you are fine and dandy that the Gopower may trickle charge the starter battery indirectly, vis a vis the DCC30S' algorithm for doing so once the house battery is fully charged.
""you put the solar on the DCC30S's PV terminals so its MPPT controller can regulate and optimize the power coming off the solar panel, and your Gopower charger would get hooked to the house battery's terminals."" I expect you mean to connect to the house battery through the DCC30. The Gopower does not have a lithium profile.right, one energization appliance type at one time on the PV inputs. If you wish to run both, again, as you state @mkaye , you put the solar on the DCC30S's PV terminals so its MPPT controller can regulate and optimize the power coming off the solar panel, and your Gopower charger would get hooked to the house battery's terminals.
Do keep in mind @stinky that under this configuration though that you'll be trickle charging your starter battery if the DCC30S detects the house battery at full charge (thanks to solar and your Gopower) and that trickle charging energy will come only from the solar panel, as it is what's on the PV terminals of the DCC30S.
Slightly differently @stinky. The Gopower in this configuration plays no direct role in tricking charging the starter battery. It only speeds up the likelihood for the solar panel do so (when the weather is nice) by getting the house battery to full charge faster.
Subtle difference.
@stinky, writing this as I'm thinking, I'm inclined to compare and contrast the pros and cons of--once you have a solar panel, hooking your shore charger up to either the house battery directly, or the starter battery inputs of the DCC30S directly.Okay, so at some point I'm back to plan A. The charger goes to the ALT+ terminal once I have panels. But that would be 2 inputs to that terminal and effectively connects the charger directly to the starter battery as well. w/o the Renogy in between that would mean the charger supplying 55A to the starter battery. I'm not sure that is a good idea either. So I circle back to what I was thinking originally. 3 power sources. PV on the one terminal by itself. Alternator and charger on the ALT+ terminal and a switch to disconnect the starter battery/alternator when I'm on shore power. I can see that under that scheme the PV won't be tickling (sic) the starter battery but life's a bitch. It may be a bit of a makeshift solution but 'either or' switching would solve any potential problem. No?
"So 55A of that to either battery, regardless of chemistry probably isn't a good idea. Right?"-It's really not an option to supply any charging current to either battery except through the DCC30. (except of course the usual direct alternator-starter battery relationship) The Gopower converter doesn't under any setting mode have a lithium profile. And at this point I'm thinking to use in brute force dumb 14V constant fixed voltage output. So 55A of that to either battery, regardless of chemistry probably isn't a good idea. Right?
-I maybe using the language a little loosely but to me the alternator and starter battery are one and the same. So connecting the converter to the ALT+ input terminal of the DCC30 would be again supplying a constant 55A/14V to the starter battery. Am I missing something? The vehicle has no isolator besides the DCC30.
-I had been thinking to use the ALT+ input of the DCC30 for the charger but I can see the trickle charge advantage of using the PV+ input. It looks to me like whichever terminal I choose I will be wise not to allow 2 current sources to feed either input terminal of the DCC30 simultaneously. So once again back to plan A = some manual disconnect. Let's suppose I use the PV input. Then I need to disconnect the charger when the panels are supplying power and disconnect the panels when the charger is supplying. I imagine there would be several ways to accomplish this but simply put I would think a DC 100A SPDT switch would be simple and safe.
-God I love this. It's so exciting to be in over my head and looking for a way out.
no arguments with your logic. I guess I may have been seeing this setup through the lens of my own experience, and how I, personally desire trickle charging of my starter battery given the infrequency with which I've been driving during COVID.it seems like a manual work around to the simple fact that the converter doesn't have an LFP profile
the 'right' thing to do is purchase the correct converter w/LFP profile
it connects directly to the battery
DCC30S has alternator connected to ALT+ - now you get some charging while driving
nothing connected to PV+ until you get solar
now IF you want to charge your engine battery from your converter prior to getting some solar, then, yes, set the converter to fixed output of 14.6V and connect to the PV+ and now you have LFP charging & possibly engine battery charging (when requirements are met)
when solar arrives, it connects to PV+ & converter (LFP profile) goes back directly to the battery
no switches, nothing to remember, it just works
but most people have no requirement to keep their engine battery topped up from the house section?
why the concern?
@stinky: no good on the relay you linked. It's rate at 14volts while a solar panel like my 100W and many others one can easily produce higher voltages.-One thing is I just like Gopower. Great product and customer service. I actually called Gopower once while rolling down the road. It's called confidence.
-I did go first looking for chargers with lithium profiles but they are unknowns to me, get spotty reviews on Amazon, and don't respond well to questions. Last thing anyone needs is a device that craps out when you're out there somewhere and a company that doesn't respond. Then the light came on about the DCC30 having a lithium profile and I changed approach.
-The other thing is I like manual solutions. Auto anything makes me nervous. In this case what I like about going through the DCC30 with some manual switching is that I will be able to control the SoC of the batteries. I intend to watch my monitor and disconnect at 80% as much as circumstances allow. And then reconnect at 20%. Maybe there's devices out there that will do that for me automatically but... some cats just hang that way. If the distances around North America weren't what they are I would walk or bike. Manual control.
-Not sure where you got the idea that I hope to charge the starter battery from the house. Or that I'm concerned at all about the SoC of the starter battery. My assumption is that it will get its daily boost from the alternator. If the PV wants to tickle that's okay too but I don't see it as a big bonus. I park indoors 10 months of the year so when it's not on the road it won't be getting PV anyway. More and more sounds like and SPDT on the PV side will work for me.
-Did you or anyone see my question about this product?: https://www.amazon.ca/Ehdis®-JD2912-1Z-12VDC-Vehicle-Automotive-Switch/dp/B01IX7NV0C/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=changeover+relay&qid=1614691745&s=automotive&sr=1-4
I don't know enough to be sure but it looks like a safe way to switch power. ? Being into manual control my first inclination is to make a big old bare copper blade switch. But these little switches look like elegant and cheap solutions.
-Thanks for the heads up. I intend to keep my PV to nominal 12V if that makes any difference to your assessment of the relay. Really don't anything about solar. I've read mention of voltages drifting around. With temperature? I had thought to have 4 x 100W panels arranged with 2 sets in series and them then in parallel so 24V. But then I watched a Will P video wherein he mentioned the voltage limitation of the DCC30. In the end I decided it will be safer just to put everything in parallel and stay in the shallow end.@stinky: no good on the relay you linked. It's rate at 14volts while a solar panel like my 100W and many others one can easily produce higher voltages.
I thought you, preferring the manual way of life, might prefer something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Nilight-1-2-Both-Off-Disconnect-Waterproof-90108A/dp/B0896ZTZLH/ref=sr_1_5?crid=Z2ZWGLXARDWV&dchild=1&keywords=a/b+battery+switch&qid=1614721573&sprefix=battery+a+or+b++sw,aps,188&sr=8-5
Never use this switch on the "1&2" setting....maybe you can find a switch like this that is off, "1", or "2", without "1&2"