Selecting a MEAN WELL Battery Charger for Use in Caravans
This blog post has been written to help auto electricians select the most suitable MEAN WELL battery charger for use in a caravan’s electrical system.
In 2021, MEAN WELL launched a new range of battery chargers, the NBP series.
At the time of writing the popular PB series chargers are still available.
In this article we will first look at models with a power output of 360 WATTS or lower, and then look at the larger models.
Battery Chargers 360 WATTS or Less
Advantages of the MEAN WELL NPB Series Battery Chargers
The key advantage of the NPB series battery chargers is that they can charge most lead acid and lithium batteries.
This is achieved in two ways.
Firstly, the NPB series battery chargers allow you to adjust both the charging voltage and charging current, so you can set it to the requirements of your battery.
Secondly, they have both 2-stage and 3-stage charging. This is user selectable. 2 stage charging is best suited to lithium batteries, whereas you would use 3-stage charging for lead acid batteries.
Being a new design, the NPB series battery chargers were designed using the latest components and manufacturing techniques. This has resulted in many of the NPB series models being smaller in size compared to the PB series. This is particularly useful if you have limited space in the caravan.
Advantages of the MEAN WELL PB Series Battery Chargers
The PB series battery chargers have been around for the best part of 20 years and have an excellent track record when it comes to reliability.
One of the key advantages of the PB-300 and PB-360 models is their mounting flange. This makes them easy to mount in caravans, boats, and other recreational vehicles.
None of the NPB series chargers have the mounting flange, so you would have to fabricate some sort of fixing bracket.
The PB series battery chargers are designed for lead acid batteries. However, they can charge many lithium batteries without any need for modification. Please contact ADM with the specifications of the lithium battery you wish to charge, so that we can check the PB series battery charger you are considering is suitable.
If you are charging lead acid batteries that may be under load during the charge cycle, such as when a refrigerator is running off a battery in a caravan, then your best option is to use the PB-360P-12CDM. This particular model has been specifically designed for this purpose.
However, you cannot use the PB-360P-12CDM to charge lithium batteries. You may need to use the standard PB-360P-12 instead.
MEAN WELL NPB and PB Battery Charger Specifications at a Glance
|
|
PB-120, 230, 300, 360 Series |
NPB-120, 240, 360 Series |
|---|---|---|
|
AC Input |
PB-120, 300, 360: 115 or 230Vac (selectable by switch) PB-230: 90~264Vac |
90~264Vac |
|
Charging stage |
3 stage charging | 2 stage or 3 stage charging |
| Charging voltage |
PB-120, 230: 13.8V, 27.6V, 55.2V (fixed) PB-300, 360: 13~14.7V, 26~28.8V, 52~56.8V (adjustable) |
10.5~15.2V, 21~30.4V, 42~60.8V (adjustable) |
|
Charging current |
Fixed | Adjustable 50~100% |
|
Operating Temperature |
-10/20 ~ + 45/50/60°C | -30~+70°C |
| Fan |
PB-120, 230, 360: Fan cooled PB-300: Fanless, convection cooled |
NPB-120, 240: Fanless, convection cooled NPB-360: Temperature controlled fan |
| Protection |
Output short circuit Over voltage Over temperature Battery reverse polarity |
|
| Output connector |
PB-120, 230: XLR connector PB-300, 360: Terminal blocks |
XLR connector, Andersen connector, and screw terminals available as standard across the range. |
| Safety approvals |
PB-120, 230: CE CB PB-300, 360 CE CB RCM (held by ADM) |
Australian approvals for built-in applications only |
|
EMC |
RCM | |
| Dimensions |
PB-120: 180 x 96 x 49mm PB-230: 190 x 96 x 49mm PB-300, 360: 253 x 135 x 48.5mm |
All models: 180 x 96 x 49mm |
| Mounting Flange |
PB-120, 230: None PB-300, 360: Yes |
None |
Please note that the NPB-120, 240, 360 series battery chargers carry Australian electrical safety certification for built-in applications only.
Battery Chargers Larger than 360 WATTS
When it comes to larger battery chargers, there are 5 series in the range:
|
Series |
Output Voltages / Current |
Typical Power Output |
Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| PB-600 | 13.8V / 40A 27.6V / 21A 55.2V / 10.5A |
600 WATTS | 2, 3, and 8 stage charging Remote on/off Temperature compensation |
| PB-1000 | 13.8V / 60A 27.6V / 34.7A 55.2V / 17.4A |
1000 WATTS |
2, 3, and 8 stage charging 2 bank charging |
| RPB-1600 | 13.8V / 100A 27.6V / 55A 55.2V / 27.5A |
1600 WATTS |
PMBus interface Programmable* |
*programmable models require the SPB-001 programmer, which is purchased as a separate item
MEAN WELL PB Series Battery Chargers
The PB-600 and PB-1000 battery chargers have been around for many years. They have a well-established reputation for reliability.
Caravan manufacturers like the built-in mounting flanges, as this makes them very easy to install.
2, 3, or 8 stage charging is selectable by a switch.
Out of the box these battery chargers can charge lead acid batteries (GEL, flooded and AGM). They can also charge some lithium batteries.
If you wish to charge a lithium battery, please contact us with the brand and model number of the batteries you wish to charge. We will then check the charging requirements to see if the battery charger is suitable. We will also advise which charge setting should be selected on the battery charger.
The PB-1000 has a built in PMBus interface and is available with an optional CANbus interface for remote monitoring of the battery charger.
MEAN WELL RPB-1600 Battery Charger
The MEAN WELL RPB-1600 typically gives you 1600 WATTS of power with the flexibility of programmable charging curves.
It features a PMBus Rev. 1.1 interface with a maximum 100KHz bus speed, which enables remote information reading, status monitoring, and output trimming.
The charging curves can be programmed using a Windows based PC or laptop and the MEAN WELL SPB-001 programming tool. This means the RPB-1600 can be used with most lead acid and lithium-ion batteries.
There is no built-in mounting flange, so you will need to fabricate or purchase the necessary mounting hardware.
MEAN WELL NPB Series Battery Chargers
The NPB-450, 700, 1200, and 1700 models are not listed on this website, this is because they do not carry Australian electrical safety certification.
Please do not hesitate to contact ADM if you would like any further information about MEAN WELL battery chargers.
IS THIS INFORMATION USEFUL?
If so, why not share it with your peers and colleagues. Simply click on the blue LinkedIn share icon below.