I have lived on a 12v system for years, but recently inhereted some 24v upgrades, including a trace 4024 inverter. I have wired it all together. Everything runs great, except I dont have enough sunlight for the PV to bring the batteries up to full yet. So I must get my gen system configured.

Okay, I need to know three things about the trace 4024:

1. What is the “AC-2”-in-to-charger-amps-out “ratio”? With a 120a max charger output, and a 35 Amp AC-2 max breaker on the input, the ratio appears to be 3.4:1. I want to use 10 amps on my small generator and set the 4024 to 34 amps out. Does this math prove as logical as it seems?

2. This math also seems to support the conclusion that if I want to bump up to a larger gen with a 30amp 115v receptacle for dedicated use on the 4024, that a 3500 watt gen is the largest I can actually use without tripping the 30 amp breaker (30a x 115v = 3450 watts), and that the 30 amps AC-2 actually will only support a setting of 102 amps at the inverter (30a AC-IN x 3.4 ratio = 102a DC). So, how does one ever get the full 120a ratio on a 115v circuit from a generator? Is there a higher amp add-on receptacle I am aware of? I have had 3 gens of 5000 - 8000 watts and never saw a receptacle bigger than 30 amps.

3. My current setup on batteries is 4 strings paralleled of two (2) 12v, 235AH street sweeper batteries (New) for a string voltage of 24 ea. Total AH is therefore 940. Batteries bank is currently base lining at 24.8 After daily sun. I need to get that up to 28.8 so that early sulfation doesn’t begin to ruin my new batteries from undercharge. So what would my expected charge time being at both 32 amps and 102 amps, to reach 28.8 and get into float. I need to set my acceptance rate time setting correctly in the 4024 to make this happen. It currently defaults to 2 hours, not nearly enough of course.

4. At 24 volts, what is the math to figuring charge time to 28.8 from the solar input amperage?

Thanks in advance.

> Batteries bank is currently base lining at 24.8 After daily sun.

Yikes ! you are killing the batteries. after 24 hours below 70% of full, they start sulfating.
There is state of charge chart here http://www.solarseller.com/2cdf3f6a0.jpg and in here,
http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Batter ... 20Charging (scroll UP just a bit to the chart)

24.8V is only 50% full

Yes, I figured it was about 50%. So Thats why I am trying to get the charger questiones answered. I have since posting this set my Honda 2000i at 10 amps AC in and 33 Amps charging, which is evidently limited to 33 amps by the AC in setting. It wont let me even try to select higher.

If I run all day I end up by bed time where it shows batteries actual at 28.0 However, after settling I woke up to it being 24.5 yesterday, then after another day of chairging it settled at 24.9 this morning. So I am gaining by charging, but the 33 amps is not enough to gain big each day since I have no sunlight this week to speak of. Still, by reeaching the 28.0 level each night I assume I ma staving off the sulfation issues.

These batteries are brand new, and arrived at the 50% charge state evidently. So I will keep going to get them to 100% one day. At least I seem to be gaining. I just cant wait til the sun comes out again...