new DC/DC battery charger from Victron Energy

[pcg]

Victron Energy is now shipping the Orion XS DC/DC battery charger - I got mine in the mail today.

Designed with Li batteries in mind, compared to the Orion-Tr Smart, it is...
1) Smaller
2) Runs cooler and requires no heatsink
3) Although it can provide 50A to a Li battery, it can be programmed to provide much less if one is concerned about overheating the rectifier in an outboard motor.
4) It costs $100 more.

Here’s the specs… https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Datasheet-Orion-XS-12-12-50A-DC-DC-battery-charger-EN.pdf

[thataway]

Certainly sounds interesting--perticulary for boats with larger alternators.

What engine, and how much alternator output do you have? I used the Sterling 30 Amp unit which also allows programing the output--and did the setup for my Honda 150 HP with about 44 amp output--25 amps was about what I felt comfortable pulling for the 2 LIFePO 4 100 amp hour Battle Born 100 amp batteries==200 amp bank.

On the portable power supply: 100 amp hour LiFePO4 with Orion 18 amp output was about what was good for my battery, and the various car alternators (and RV--which has a Leece Neville 200 amp alternator,) as the max I want to pull for those applications and my needs. j

Thank you.

[pcg]

[WCF]

Thanks for sharing this, just yesterday I was looking around at what is available now in DC-DC; I somehow missed this.

I use the Renogy DC-DC 20 amp which has configurable charging profiles at less than 1/3rd the price. The Renogy line is not infinitely configurable, but it is configurable with a jumper to either the full rating or half rating. I find that 10A is plenty and provides peace of mind that I am not damaging anything on the outboard. I manually switch it on and off only when running and when the start battery is charged. But it would be a lot more fool-proof set at 5A. It would also be nice if it were smaller.

I just purchased one of VE's new small inverter chargers, which I think is the perfect solution for a basic 22 cruiser. I'm sure soon VE will have a combination solar, DC-DC, and inverter/charger unit that will fit in a 22

[pcg]

[jkidd]

[pcg]

[ssobol]

[thataway]

The LiFePO4 battery actually functions best at 20% SOC to 80% SOC. (This is a consensus, and could be debated, but generally accepted range.)

Relion is one of the Navico Group which includes: Blue Seas, BEP, Lawrence, Simrad, B & G, Lenco, Marinco, Mastervolt, and a number of other very familiar Marine company names. Their web page makes the distinction:

[thataway]

Over heating the alternator (if here is one) is the usual issue with limits. The cheapest is to have the alternator programed so it runs XX minutes, and then rests XX minutes. This is what is often used in the RV world where the coaches are swinging a 200+ Amp heavy duty Leece- Neville alternator.

It would not require innovative programing--that can be done fairly easily today. Most of the systems are going into larger boats and RV's where there is not an issue with the cost as much as with a small outboard. For example in the boat we took to Europe I had two 150 amp alternators on the main engine, and a 200 amp alternator driven off the front part of the 120VAC "generator". I had 1200 amp hours of Lead Acid battery, and ran the main or generator several hours a day. (Change batteries, heat water, make water and do the wash, all at once.). No problem doing this with larger boats.

[thataway]

Over heating the alternator (if here is one) is the usual issue with limits. The cheapest is to have the alternator output programed so it runs XX minutes, and then rests XX minutes. This is what is often used in the RV world where the coaches are swinging a 200+ Amp heavy duty Leece- Neville alternator.

It would not require innovative programing--that can be done fairly easily today. Most of the systems are going into larger boats and RV's where there is not an issue with the cost as much as with a small outboard. For example in the boat we took to Europe I had two 150 amp alternators on the main engine, and a 200 amp alternator driven off the front part of the 120VAC "generator". I had 1200 amp hours of Lead Acid battery, and ran the main or generator several hours a day. (Change batteries, heat water, make water and do the wash, all at once.). No problem doing this with larger boats.