Pecron Power Station's Car Charging

[menancyandsam]

I have a Pecron Power Station E1500LFP which allows 32V-96V, 15A max and about 700W of solar charging.
I want to Car Charge using the available solar input port. But since the port calls for 32V-96V I don't think the Victron DC to DC converter Amazon.com - https://www.amazon.com/Victron-Energy-Orion-24-20-Converter/dp/B01BF5BU20/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.FuCLSZdzaxzEgnc4TuZhn9nJkeH-IdxEcUVqWiM6OEAXyejX-WdiyjiL1cqQZhfcqvUIkfM0UTL4h-4BblpR_g4eLueOgfTXEqLmc10R19KL0F3DwEqizEudk1KB_BlFGQsv1tFg46VHa4OeVOATj8KduWyS-PB5cRLXht6Ub4pItY5J_gabTyk92mWqzdIH5C1qByuiWhqVYu56Qq0gW80YYIZk9kDrHUf1LskqghA.ZcXg0mKdirAvKApinIM1DcFViGpC-SfOz3WwmvFiJ4Q&dib_tag=se&keywords=dc+dc+converter&qid=1715224752&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1&smid=A2VHGGOHXF24LJ which only outputs 30V will work well(although I've seen videos of Pecron working with 30V and even saw one work with a cheap 12V to 24V booster).

Now Pecron has come out with its own car charger that outputs 40V PECRON 500W Car Charger DC1242-500 for Cars, RVs, Trucks, etc. - https://www.pecron.com/products/pecron-500w-car-charger-dc1242-500-for-car-rv-van
It even has a adjustable Starting voltage range so it wont turn on until it sees the voltage you set.

My question is the input:
The input is a XT90 plug and the wire it comes with to attach to the Starter battery seem really thin like 10g, per Pecron support the wire is 10mm sq or I guess this translates to 8g. I estimate a 16ft one way run from starter battery to the Car Charger input, looking up the online tables for 50A, with 3% voltage drop, I get a recommended 6g wire. Now with a 10% voltage drop I get recommended 10g.
I want to be safe and use 6g, but per the interwebs XT90 biggest wire it can fit is 10g maybe a 8g.

So what say you electronic gurus? Is 10% voltage drop adequate? Or if you recommend 6g how do I get the wire to play nice with the XT90?

 

[e9999]

if you'd like to use 6AWG because of voltage drop but can only physically fit 8AWG in your XT90, you can always reduce the cross section of the 6AWG wire at the connector (read snipping strands or using an adapter) to fit the connector and still benefit from the bigger cross section over the length of the bigger wire. If the 8AWG equivalent "adapter/snipped bit" can handle the 50A (seems marginal to me from memory, but may be OK for a very short length - double check), having the 6AWG long run will be better than the 8AWG from a voltage drop perspective, and you can use the XT90. Best of both worlds?
Now admittedly, this is a cringy thing to do, so YMMV.

On a side note, that power station likely can handle car charging at 12V as well, I imagine. What's the problem with that? You want faster charging?

 

[menancyandsam]

Thanks for your reply.
I guess my question now becomes should I care if there is a 10 voltage drop in my application?

 

[e9999]

well, 2 aspects to this come to mind:
- can the receiving device function OK with the lower voltage? If your power station is nominally happy with 32V and you have 0.9x42= 38V, you should be OK on that front.
- the 10% is wasted energy as heat in the wire. Do you care if you waste 10% of your energy? If not, you're OK. Do you care if the wire gets hot? If not, you're OK.

But, again, I would double check that 50A is OK with your specific wire.

 

[peesalot]

Victron makes a 100/50 that would handle it.

 

[menancyandsam]

Are you referring to this Victron Orion Xs Smart 12/12 50a (700w) Dc-Dc Charger - https://www.hodgesmarine.com/vicori121217040-victron-orion-xs-smart-1212-50a-700w-dcdc-ch.html?msclkid=891cc955e8b5160e37d6af690f4efb73&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping%20-%20All%20Products&utm_term=1100200315462&utm_content=Shopping%20-%20All%20Products

The output range says 10v to 17v. I need at least 32v per Pecron

 

[e9999]

IIRC you can buy a generic boost converter to go from 12V to 36V and more for less than $20 on Amazon.
Cheap enough to try.

 

[menancyandsam]

$25 boost converter, is too dicey for my taste.

 

[peesalot]

No, I was refering to their 100amp/ 50V solar controller

 

[menancyandsam]

No, I was refering to their 100amp/ 50V solar controller

Are you referring to the Victrons MPPT Solar Controller?
My Pecron Power Station already has a MPPT built in.
If its something different your referring to, can you please point me to it.