Shore power not charging batterys

[pondfish]

Hi all my consumer unit is not charging my 3 batterys has anybody got recommendations or links for a new one if I cant find out why its not working,
My 240 plugs work, also my water heater works,
But charging side don't,
It's for an Antares 9
they charge ok from the engine,

 

[Mr Googler]

Bit extreme needing a new panel!

fuse in the charging unit gone? Any lights on the unit? Pop out fuse or trip in consumer unit blown/faulty...etc

 

[Lon nan Gruagach]

Charging from the engine will be low voltage from the alternator (unless you are really weird and run an inverter to run the battery charger...)
So, you have a dead 240V battery charger or its 240V supply or its cables to the battery system.
Start at the charger, do its lights light up?
If so, measure its output (at the charger) both when it has power and when it does not.
If you see 0V there, the wiring to the batteries is faulty.
If you only see the same voltage there whether it is powered or not then its output fuse is broke or it is broke.

 

[pondfish]

Thanks guys I will have a look for an internal fuse on the weekend I flicked the trip switches no change,
Its an alpha one unit anybody know this unit,

 

[Richard10002]

Charging from the engine will be low voltage from the alternator (unless you are really weird and run an inverter to run the battery charger...)

Not so weird these days, it would seem.

I’m considering a bank of LiFePo4 battery cells and there are some issues with charging directly from an alternator. Mainly related to the fact that Alternators reach an absorption voltage, but don’t go into float. The absorption voltage being too high for lithium’s.

As a consequence, my mind wandered and came up with the idea of running the charger from the inverter when the engine is running.

Go figure!!!

 

[matt_lake]

Not so weird these days, it would seem.

I’m considering a bank of LiFePo4 battery cells and there are some issues with charging directly from an alternator. Mainly related to the fact that Alternators reach an absorption voltage, but don’t go into float. The absorption voltage being too high for lithium’s.

As a consequence, my mind wandered and came up with the idea of running the charger from the inverter when the engine is running.

Go figure!!!

You might be better off looking at the Mastervolt Alpha Pro alternator and charge regulator. That will give you a 3 step charge when the engine is running.

 

[Lon nan Gruagach]

Not so weird these days, it would seem.

I’m considering a bank of LiFePo4 battery cells and there are some issues with charging directly from an alternator. Mainly related to the fact that Alternators reach an absorption voltage, but don’t go into float. The absorption voltage being too high for lithium’s.

As a consequence, my mind wandered and came up with the idea of running the charger from the inverter when the engine is running.

Go figure!!!

Yeah,if you cant get a low voltage powered LiFePo4 battery charger.
I would never dream of using LI(anything) without full charge,discharge dedicated circuit including temperature sensing. When they go, they really go! Not to mention that excessive discharge will dodo them in the blink of an eye.

 

[Richard10002]

Yeah,if you cant get a low voltage powered LiFePo4 battery charger.
I would never dream of using LI(anything) without full charge,discharge dedicated circuit including temperature sensing. When they go, they really go! Not to mention that excessive discharge will dodo them in the blink of an eye.

Yes! It’s a big topic, so not for this thread. I was merely struck by the comment that charging batteries via the inverter is weird, (and it is!), but no longer as weird as it has been to date

 

[pondfish]

Guys I think you have hijacked this thread with your own issues I'm the one looking for help and info

 

[Richard10002]

Agreed! Sorry! I did say in #8 that it's a big topic and not for this thread.

I merely saw a statement which would probably attract no contradiction in previous, or even recent, times, but which is probably no longer the case.

 

[Richard10002]

As a layman, I would tend to get my volt meter and start at the beginning of the chain to see where the power gets to.

Open up the consumer unit and see if there is power at the connections that ultimately feed the charger. Check at the socket the charger is plugged into. Check the wires where they enter the charger. Check the wires where they come out of the charger, then at any connections between the charger and batteries, (fuses, switches, whatever). If your batteries aren’t receiving power from the charger, you will find power at one of these points, and none at the next point. The problem is almost certain to be between these two points.

Could be a loose/broken connection somewhere, failed breaker in the consumer unit, fuse blown, possibly inside the charger, and so on.

 

[pondfish]

Thanks for that,
I was wondering if there is a known fault with the Alpha one consumer unit people have found.

 

[Mr Googler]

I googled alpha one....couldn’t find anything. Is that the make or model? First step....is it lit up!

 

[pondfish]

There is another name on it called ALL IN ONE if that helps

 

[Momac]

What leads you think the consumer unit is faulty and not a fault or blown fuse for the battery charger?

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

Just to avoid confusion I think his battery charger and consumer unit is a combined unit. Not two separate items. Come across them before, think they may be French but cannot remember details.
fault finding rules as previously stated apply. Start at one end and see where you lose the power or where you find it, depending on which end you start at!
Maybe something like this.
https://www.dolphin-charger.com/products/all-in-one-series

 

[septiclecky]

Get your test meter out then starting at the shoreside plug test for voltage and move along the circuit until you find that you don't get 240v

 

[pondfish]

Just to avoid confusion I think his battery charger and consumer unit is a combined unit. Not two separate items. Come across them before, think they may be French but cannot remember details.
fault finding rules as previously stated apply. Start at one end and see where you lose the power or where you find it, depending on which end you start at!
Maybe something like this.
https://www.dolphin-charger.com/products/all-in-one-series

Yes you are right it's an all in one consumer unit with built in charger,
I found a 5amp fuse blown so I replaced that powered up with genny because we have no shore power it was running for 10 mins and then there was a loud cracking noise and sparks from the unit so i'm looking to replace the all in one unit but cant find any have anybody got any links please.

 

[ithet]

I have an 10A 'Power First All-in-one' made by Reya. It never seems to put out much in volts or amps (between 12.8v - 13.v) but does seem to keep batteries up when we are on shorepower. For a current model look up "Dolphin All-in-one", make sure you are sitting down when you check the prices! Probably better to fit separate shorepower unit (garage consumer unit) and decent charger.

 

[pondfish]

I have an 10A 'Power First All-in-one' made by Reya. It never seems to put out much in volts or amps (between 12.8v - 13.v) but does seem to keep batteries up when we are on shorepower. For a current model look up "Dolphin All-in-one", make sure you are sitting down when you check the prices! Probably better to fit separate shorepower unit (garage consumer unit) and decent charger.

Thanks for that
I didn't sit down I fell down when I seen the price lol
It looks like I will have to go down the two unit set up but space is short in same location.