BACKGROUND

The following description is provided to assist the understanding of the reader. None of the information provided or references cited are admitted to be prior art.

It is important to correctly charge a vehicle's battery. Overcharging the battery may significantly decrease the battery's performance and lifespan. Likewise, undercharging of the battery consistently may cause wear and tear resulting in a diminution of the battery's ability to recharge. Accordingly, proper control of the battery's charging is essential to ensuring the battery's longevity.

SUMMARY

One embodiment relates to a vehicle. The vehicle includes an engine, an alternator mechanically coupled to the engine, a battery bank electrically connected to the alternator via a connection line. The connection line includes a current sensor configured to measure an electrical current through the connection line. The battery bank provides power to at least one accessory component of the vehicle. The vehicle further includes a start-stop system configured to stop and restart operation of the engine in response to predetermined triggers. The start-stop system includes a controller configured to determine, during a time when the engine is off, that a voltage of the battery bank is below a first threshold value for a first predetermined period and provide a control signal to a starter to start the engine to initiate charging of battery bank. The controller is also configured to determine, by the current sensor, that the electrical current is below a second threshold value and, in response to the determination, provide a control signal to turn the engine off to terminate the charging of the battery bank.

In some embodiments, the battery bank includes an auxiliary battery bank. Additionally, the vehicle further includes a main battery bank disposed in the connection line between the current sensor and the alternator so as to receive electrical energy generated via the alternator. The current sensor is configured to measure an electrical current between the main battery bank and the auxiliary battery bank.

Another embodiment relates to a controller for a start-stop system of a vehicle. The controller includes an engine interface communicably coupled to a starter circuit of the vehicle, the controller configured to provide control signals to the starter circuit to start and stop an engine of the vehicle via the engine interface. The controller also includes auxiliary power interfaces communicably coupled to a current sensor and a battery bank of the vehicle. The controller also includes a processor and a memory storing battery management instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to determine, after the controller provides a signal to stop the engine, that a voltage of the battery bank is below a first threshold value, and, in response to the determining that the voltage is below the first threshold value, provide a control signal to the starter circuit to start the engine to initiate charging of the battery bank. The controller is also configured to determine, by the current sensor, that an electrical current into the battery bank is below a second threshold, and, in response to the determining that the electrical current is below the second threshold, provide a control signal to the starter circuit to turn the engine off to terminate the charging of the battery bank.

Another embodiment relates to a method of charging a battery bank of a vehicle. The method includes determining, by a controller, that a voltage of the battery bank is below a first threshold value during a time when the battery bank is powering an accessory component of the vehicle. The method also includes transmitting, by the controller, a first signal to cause an engine of the vehicle to automatically start in response to determining that the voltage is below the first threshold value engine to initiate charging of the battery bank. The method also includes determining, by a current sensor coupled to the battery bank, that an electrical current into the battery bank is below a second threshold. The method also includes transmitting, by the controller, a second signal to cause the engine to stop to terminate the charging in response to the determining that the electrical current is below the second threshold.

In some embodiments, the battery bank is an auxiliary battery bank. Additionally, the vehicle includes a main battery bank. The current sensor is coupled to the auxiliary battery bank and the main battery bank.

