• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

24v battery maintainer set up help

ANG3CHEAPSHOT

Member
45
26
18
Location
California
So I’m looking for guidance on what to purchase when it comes to a 24v battery maintainer and shoreline plug. I’d like to be able to plug my hmmwv into an extension cord to keep the batteries charged. Tired of removing the seat and disconnecting battery terminals. I don’t have any accessories. I’ve seen and like the idea of a shoreline plug at the rear where the hole is for antenna wiring. Also wondering if anyone has been able to modify a slave cable to make this happen.
 

Coug

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,956
4,306
113
Location
Olympia/WA
So I'm slightly confused with what you are trying to say/accomplish.

You mention adding a battery maintainer, and I assume to wire it in using a shore power type inlet plug at the rear of the truck requiring you to run a power cable from wherever you mount the maintainer in the truck to that inlet plug.
I understand all of that part.
I'm just confused where the slave cable comes into this?

If you're adding a plug to the truck body there should be no need for anything slave cable related as you're making an independent system.

Also to note, it's unlikely that you will find a power inlet that won't require a much larger hole than the one used for the radio cable, so you'll end up enlarging the hole to around 2" for most marine style 115V AC inlets.


Just to borrow some links from no.co for examples




The other method to charge these is just use a regular 24V charger with an adapter that lets it plug into the slave port so the seat doesn't need to be removed.

example
(this one requires specific charger to plug into, but it's not hard to make one)

https://blackdogcustoms.com/product/noco-charger-nato-adapter-cable/

It's basically just this cable with the no.co plug attached (and a big markup)
 
52
26
18
Location
Aguanga, CA
I know black dog customs has a battery charger that would work for this purpose and even has the slave receptacle connector. They make good stuff.

 
  • Like
Reactions: OBX

Milcommoguy

Well-known member
Supporting Vendor
1,706
2,255
113
Location
Rosamond, CA
Question from the peanut gallery. When first time plugged in... do you have to step thru the settings to get to 24 volts and or type of cells?? That could get old real fast if it resets.

Used them on emergency rig. To keep from ripping the cord out of the wall, ran it thur the steering wheel as a reminder or like shown in back and drove off no worries, most of the time. 🚒🚒🚒

Let err rip, CAMO
 

Coug

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,956
4,306
113
Location
Olympia/WA
Question from the peanut gallery. When first time plugged in... do you have to step thru the settings to get to 24 volts and or type of cells?? That could get old real fast if it resets.

Used them on emergency rig. To keep from ripping the cord out of the wall, ran it thur the steering wheel as a reminder or like shown in back and drove off no worries, most of the time. 🚒🚒🚒

Let err rip, CAMO


usually for the NO.CO chargers they will stay with whatever the last charger setting was, unless it's been a long time. Can't comment for the 26000, but I have the 7500 and 15000. It's just hook it up, and if it isn't the right setting press the button a couple of times.

Putting it to the correct setting isn't hard. only 4 main settings to go through. 12v, 12v agm/cold, 24v, 24v agm/cold. The Some of the other settings (like 12v supply or repair) require you to hold down the button for several seconds to activate.


The way I did it with my enclosed trailer is the plug was at the rear of the trailer, so if I drove off it just unplugged itself rather than damage anything.
 

riderdan

Member
313
20
18
Location
Central Kansas
I'll just tell you what I did and you can think about it...

First, I bought a NATO slave plug so that I could plug the truck in without messing with the seat. They can be pricey but a careful watch on the evil auction site turns them up for reasonable prices.

Second, I bought a 24v battery tender. I bought a NOCO Genius smart tender. It's got electronics to prevent overcharging. It's 7.4 amps, so it's plenty strong enough to charge up both batteries quickly if they happen to both be low. And yes, the NOCO "remembers" its last setting, so when it gets plugged in it's already at 24v without me doing anything.

Third, I bought a "battery balancer" that maintains the charge level between the two batteries. This keeps the charger from charging one battery to "full" and leaving the other partially charged. It has the same effect on the voltage coming from the alternator, which is a plus. Batteries wired in series can have this "one isn't charging fully" problem.

I put all the electronics and connections in a waterproof box (a Harrdig-like case) with grommets that allow a 120v plug (to plug the system into the wall), and the heavy-duty cable with the NATO slave plug attached to exit the box. Also, I have another 120v plug on the end of a cable that reaches to my engine block heater.

In the summer I plug the truck in overnight about once a week, maybe every other week. In the winter I plug it in every other night or third night. Sometimes I plug it in to the block heater if I know I'm going out the next day.

In two years the batteries (cheap Wallyworld ones) have held up fine and the truck sat for three weeks this Fall while I was out of town and started right up, so I know this setup isn't killing the batteries.

Hope this helps.
 

Inspector 1

Active member
105
73
28
Location
Spring Texas
So I’m looking for guidance on what to purchase when it comes to a 24v battery maintainer and shoreline plug. I’d like to be able to plug my hmmwv into an extension cord to keep the batteries charged. Tired of removing the seat and disconnecting battery terminals. I don’t have any accessories. I’ve seen and like the idea of a shoreline plug at the rear where the hole is for antenna wiring. Also wondering if anyone has been able to modify a slave cable to make this happen.
Here is my 24 volt battery trickle set up.
 

Attachments

foxtrot

Well-known member
643
3,263
93
Location
france
If this is a 24v battery maintainer there is the original system on my truck.
The solution for Hmmwv outside for long periods of time.
I will submit additional photos tomorrow if interested.



 

Inspector 1

Active member
105
73
28
Location
Spring Texas
If this is a 24v battery maintainer there is the original system on my truck.
The solution for Hmmwv outside for long periods of time.
I will submit additional photos tomorrow if interested.



???? What are we looking at???? Is that a Solar Panel in the windshield?
 

foxtrot

Well-known member
643
3,263
93
Location
france
Yes,
two wires come out of the solar panel to a regulator (component sealed in resin).
From this box two other cables, one for the positive and negative pole of the 24V batteries.
 

Inspector 1

Active member
105
73
28
Location
Spring Texas
can I get your parts list on this.. fuse holder, voltage converter, and charger. wire gauges.. ect.. looks like a Genius, blue sea and converter ? Thx
1...Orion 24/12-70A DC/DC Converter, 2...ST Blade Fuse Box, 3... NOCO Genius G15000 12V/24V 15 Amp Pro-Series Battery Charger and Maintainer,
4...NOCO GCP1 15 Amp 125V AC Port Plug Power Inlet with 16-Inch Integrated Extension Cord. 5...Wiring harness from Black Dog Customs. ( Money Well Spent ). Everything can be purchased on Amazon other than Black Dog Customs wiring harness.
 

Attachments

papakb

Well-known member
2,285
1,185
113
Location
San Jose, Ca
Foxtrot, the image you posted is the standard Solargizer made by Pulsetech that the military commonly used on their trucks to keep the batteries from sulfating and discharging from sitting for long periods. It's attached to a small pulse generator box that puts a short high voltage spike down onto the batteries and "blows off" any small tendrils that start to form between the battery plates. People often mistake it for a battery charger but that's not it's purpose. It will keep your batteries from shorting out internally and discharging but if you want to keep them charged during periods of non-use you still need a trickle charger.
 

foxtrot

Well-known member
643
3,263
93
Location
france
Oops! I stopped at a battery maintainer.
Thank you for your explanations. I am not a fan of chargers.
All my vehicles are fitted with circuit breakers and in the event of a problem I work with the Nato sockets.
 

fpchief

Well-known member
1,041
220
63
Location
South Alabama
Question from the peanut gallery. When first time plugged in... do you have to step thru the settings to get to 24 volts and or type of cells?? That could get old real fast if it resets.

Used them on emergency rig. To keep from ripping the cord out of the wall, ran it thur the steering wheel as a reminder or like shown in back and drove off no worries, most of the time. 🚒🚒🚒

Let err rip, CAMO
Reminds me of a few years back, my dad forgot to unplug his boat charger before heading to the river....got pulled over by a trooper because he was pulling my great grandads one horse plow that had gotten hung on the extension cord when pulling the boat out of the barn.
 

Inspector 1

Active member
105
73
28
Location
Spring Texas
Reminds me of a few years back, my dad forgot to unplug his boat charger before heading to the river....got pulled over by a trooper because he was pulling my great grandads one horse plow that had gotten hung on the extension cord when pulling the boat out of the barn.
That's a great story!!! It just happened to me the other day for the 1st time. I was backing out of the driveway and noticed the orange extension cord coming with me. Thankfully my garage door was open and the extension cord pulled strait out of the wall plug.
 

FlameRed

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
339
512
93
Location
Florida
I resurrect this old thread but will add what I did in-case it helps someone.

I got a NOCO GENIUS GEN5X2, 2-Bank, 10-Amp (5-Amp Per Bank) Fully-Automatic Smart Marine Charger and mounted it behind the front seat battery compartment and fished the leads through a convenient hole there into the battery compartment. One lead to the + and - to each battery. There is also a cheaper 2 amp version available also which is cheaper.

For power access, I installed NOCO GCP1 15 Amp AC Port Plug, 125 Volt Power Inlet Socket, and Waterproof Electrical Outlet Receptacle Box behind the rear seat where again, there is a convenient unused port which is almost the perfect size for a 110 outlet. I used some rubber material to make it water proof. Yes, I know, a lot of water will hit it, but this makes it very convenient to plug it in from the outside of the vehicle without drilling new holes.
 

juanprado

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
5,605
2,898
113
Location
Metairie/La (N'awlins)
If this is a 24v battery maintainer there is the original system on my truck.
The solution for Hmmwv outside for long periods of time.
I will submit additional photos tomorrow if interested.



Just noticed this post. you lose alot of its effectiveness being behind glass. The instructions for the solargizer also discourage mounting behind glass. On most hmmwv's they are on front of the hood
 
Top