Redarc BCDC Sizing

[Snowhunter]

Hello All

My Ram 1500 is a true dual purpose vehicle: Daily work truck 7 mths a year and my adventure vehicle weekends and winters. I'm just beginning to build it out after one year as a work truck. That year taught me some of my daily needs and I have some ideas on what I want/need for my adventure trips. Initially my adventures are limited to 2-3 day driving trips leading to fishing, camping, hiking and photography opportunities. Most of my adventures are currently limited to the Adirondacks and the northeast. I'm hoping for some longer trips into Canada and to explore winter/ice roads in Ontario, Quebec and more.

My current adventure needs are pretty simple: a refrigerator, an inverter for charging batteries, phones, laptops, etc. and an aux battery jump system just in case. My work needs are pretty similar with the biggest difference being that I rarely drive more than 30 to 40 minutes to a job (on-stie RV repair) and the warmth/heat of summer.

I have decided on Redarc components. Reasons include compact size, quality and reliability (I'm concerned about long trips into north Canada with no services or communication). I'll be rigging up a BCDCxxxx unit with a SBI12 isolator for jump starting duty. I'm looking at 1500w inverters and down the road I will be looking to add solar backup (not a priority as I expect the short, dark, cloudy, snowy days of winter to limit it's effectiveness). Initially I'll be running 3 50ah LifePO4 batteries in parallel (I've chosen this size because of where I can fit them under the seat back of the crew cab).

So here is my question: What size BCDCxxxx should I use? Conventional wisdom says that the 25 amp model will be fine but I'm concerned about it providing enough of a charge during my limited summer driving from job to job. I'm thinking that the BCDC1240/1250 would charge faster providing more charge during those short drives. Will the higher amperage be too much for 150ah of batteries? Will the higher amperage damage anything? Shorten the life of anything? I'm looking at a first world problem here as my main concern is running the refrigerator 24/7 all summer long to keep my drinks and lunch cold during the day. Beyond that I'm sure that it would all be fine for the rare times that I charge batteries during the work day and/or run corded power tools.

Thanks for any advice/suggestions!!!

 

[DiploStrat]

Short answers - always better too big than too small. Your 1.5Kw inverter will soon grow to a 3 Kw inverter, your cooler will become a fridge, and fans will blossom and thus your 150Ah battery will be replaced with a 270Ah.

So get the BCDC1250D and also look at the "Manager" line for more complete readouts, shore power, etc.

A 50A, or even a 100A charger will not hurt your battery, assuming that it is a halfway decent unit. Indeed, as you postulate short drives, you want the biggest charger you can find. (Subject to a few caveats.)

 

[Snowhunter]

Short answers - always better too big than too small. Your 1.5Kw inverter will soon grow to a 3 Kw inverter, your cooler will become a fridge, and fans will blossom and thus your 150Ah battery will be replaced with a 270Ah.

So get the BCDC1250D and also look at the "Manager" line for more complete readouts, shore power, etc.

A 50A, or even a 100A charger will not hurt your battery, assuming that it is a halfway decent unit. Indeed, as you postulate short drives, you want the biggest charger you can find. (Subject to a few caveats.)

Thank you!

I agree, I'm a graduate of the Go Big or Go Home School.........My original post actually calls for more than I initially expect to need, but I know you are right, down the road I'm sure that my needs will grow so maybe even now I'll go bigger!
Good to hear that a bigger charger won't hurt anything and that the bigger charger will help offset the short drives. I thought so but I wanted to be sure that I'm on the right course.

 

[DiploStrat]

FWIW, a friend who also uses REDARC toys reports that REDARC suggested a Manager 30 paired with a BCDC1250D for his new camper - to give some 80A of charge. I have NOT tested this and would not attempt it without an iron clad assurance from your dealer that they will take things back should it not work, but that gets you monitoring of the alternator charge, which you do not have with the BCDC, as well as shore charge and two points where you can add low voltage solar panels.

Or, you might start with a Manager 30 and add the BCDC later, should you need more charge.

I love to help people spend their money. Good luck!

 

[Snowhunter]

FWIW, a friend who also uses REDARC toys reports that REDARC suggested a Manager 30 paired with a BCDC1250D for his new camper - to give some 80A of charge. I have NOT tested this and would not attempt it without an iron clad assurance from your dealer that they will take things back should it not work, but that gets you monitoring of the alternator charge, which you do not have with the BCDC, as well as shore charge and two points where you can add low voltage solar panels.

Or, you might start with a Manager 30 and add the BCDC later, should you need more charge.

I love to help people spend their money. Good luck!

Now I'm going to contradict myself....Yes, I like the biggest and baddest and I believe in buy once, cry once but I do have limits (learned the hard way). I like the Manager 30 but I can't justify the increase in price (at least I haven't figured out a way yet ) and it does much more than I anticipate needing. I'm thinking that I will start with the BCDC1250D (which is probably overkill too!) and see how that works for me. Big desires are one thing but the reality is that I often times have to build piecemeal.

I've got time. I'm hoping for my first ventures far north to be about a year from now. In the mean time I get to have fun researching, building and planning.

 

[DiploStrat]

Makes sense. Start with a BCDC 1250D and upgrade if/when you need.