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Old 03-03-2022, 09:30 AM   #1
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Trombetta and Victron

Hello all, good to be here.
I've decided to upgrade the house batteries to Lithium. I have upgraded converter to accommodate lithium charge profile. Now for the alternator to accommodate the lithium, I've decided on a Victron Orion- TR Smart Non-Isolated DC-DC Charger. My question is can I wire the charger in where the Trombetta USED to be. In other words, I will DISCONNECT the Trombetta and using the same circuit, wire in the DC-DC Charger with activation through ignition switch ( engine running, alternator active) ?
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Old 03-03-2022, 10:47 AM   #2
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Yes that should work. But realize that since a DC to DC charger is a one way device (like a diode), the coach batteries won't charge the chassis batteries and the Aux Start switch that ties the coach battery to the chassis battery to help start the chassis engine won't work. A manual bypass switch can resolve both of these problems.

How big are your new lithium batteries. If 200 Ah or less you may get by with doing nothing. Measure the alternator current when the new lithium batteries are well discharged with the chassis engine near idle. That should be the maximum load and at idle is the most harmful to the alternator for high current. If it is 60 Ah or less, you probably don't need the DC to DC charger to limit current. Although the DC to DC charger will boost the charging voltage as the batteries get full and quickly charge them up 100%.

Also shoot the alternator case temperature with an IR gun under the foregoing conditions. You should keep the case below 200 F.

David
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Old 03-03-2022, 01:26 PM   #3
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Hi David, interesting, so your saying the aux start switch or "boost"momentary rocker switch mounted on the dash won't help start my engine when my start battery is "dead"?
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Old 03-03-2022, 02:33 PM   #4
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Come to think about it, I do have 400 watts of solar on the roof and a generator to charge the Lithium house battery. I already upgraded my converter to accommodate a Lithium charging profile. Why not just remove the house battery from the alternator?
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Old 03-03-2022, 03:21 PM   #5
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Answer to #3: Like I said, the DC to DC charger only lets current go one way, so if you hook it up to take current from the chassis battery and send it to the coach battery, it won't go the other way, just like a big diode was there. A heavy current bypass switch solves this problem.

Answer to #4: Yes, you could permanently disconnect the house battery, ie remove the Trombetta relay and do not replace it. Then you will be relying on the other charging sources for the house which is fine. I think I would still install a bypass switch so you could start and charge the chassis battery if necessary.

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Old 03-03-2022, 08:03 PM   #6
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I have four 100amp lithium batteries. I watched my Victron when charging them off of the alternator and it was well within the alternator’s tolerance on my stock 2018 f53 Ford V10.
Might try and see before you spend any time and money on that work around.
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Old 03-04-2022, 04:56 AM   #7
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I have four 100amp lithium batteries. I watched my Victron when charging them off of the alternator and it was well within the alternator’s tolerance on my stock 2018 f53 Ford V10.
Might try and see before you spend any time and money on that work around.
What was the amperage reading and what was the battery's state of charge when you measured it?

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Old 03-04-2022, 12:00 PM   #8
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What was the amperage reading and what was the battery's state of charge when you measured it?

David
Here are three screen shots I took. One shows the SOC before I started the generator. Another one shows 50amp going into the batteries on the generator, and the last one shows the combined 140 amps of current going into the batteries when the generator was on AND I started the engine.
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Old 03-04-2022, 01:58 PM   #9
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So, 90 amps from the alternator when the batteries were at 57% SOC. Are you sure that is low enough, so it won't damage your alternator long term even though your alternator may be rated at 200+ amps.

The reason I ask this is that others have reported damage at about that current rate. Also Mercedes recommends keeping external current draw down to 40 amps long term on their Sprinter chassis.

Further, when I was a boater and had a high output alternator with an external regulator, the alternator temperature probe would cut the current in half if the alternator case temp got above 200F. So you might want to check your alternator's case temp with an IR gun in similar conditions to above. Anything above 200 would be concerning.

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Old 03-04-2022, 08:33 PM   #10
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As I mentioned I sent all the specs over the Battle Born and talked with their lead technician over the phone and he said according to what I have he sees no reason to employ any other of their products.
I’m gonna defer to him since I think they know more about the battery profiles than I do. He mentioned that their battery management system may be the reason I won’t have issue with their batteries, while others do, (I told him about all of the stories floating around out there about overtaxing alternators).
I do appreciate your input and I’m going to check the temperature out of curiosity to see what it gets to. These are my alternator, specs which is running in total watts far less than the power draw with using the generator and the engine running at the same time.
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