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mabaert avatar image
mabaert asked

Orion 12/12 converter charging

This is the situation: I have a 300A lifepo4house battery in my van. No solar (maybe later on), and I want to charge the house battery through my alternator using the Orion 12/12 30A converter. Not as easy and userfriendly as the smart-version, but it should work.
now I have two options:

- setting the adjustable voltage to 13,6V and connect the Orion via the remote on the starting system. So the Orion will always charge when the engine is on.
-setting the voltage to around 14.3V and install a manual switch. So that I get to choose to charge only on long drives and turn it off when the battery is full.

I’m leaning to option 2. I know that in theory a lifepo4 is better left at 60 to 80% for longer lifespan. Most of the time it will be. But we plan to travel a year with the following scheme: drive, park somewhere for several days/week, drive a loooong stretch, park again...because we have no solar it would allow me to charge the battery full in between parking spots and then use it without worry.

Are there any thoughts on my thinking proces?


thanks!

Orion DC-DC Converters not smart
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2 Answers
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marvs answered ·

Either way will work just fine. You’re simply choosing if you want to control when to charge the battery. I assume that you want to decide this with a switch so that you can leave the battery closer to 60-80% SOC when you arrive at a destination where you will be parked for a long time. Regardless, you still want to check the SOC if you’re parked for a ‘long time’. In the end, using the switch gives you the most flexibility.

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mabaert answered ·

Well, I got it to work and I must say, it works great. I control it via a button so I can turn it on/off when needed.

But yesterday something happened: the engine was on, and the Orion too, battery was charging. I then turned the deadman switch (which controls the housebattery and all added electronics). I switched it on again while the engine was still running and then the ground wire going to the input of the Orion started melting. I noticed it in time, cut off a part of it and restarted it, seems okay now.
can someone explain the reasoning behind it? Something to do with the Engine running and then suddenly turning on the deadman switch on again, resulting in a surge of current?

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