Battery Charger Question !!!!!!!!
08-04-2003, 04:40 PM
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Battery Charger Question !!!!!!!!
Hi,
Ive had problems with my new lead acid battery as it didnt seem to charge, its a new battery worked fine for the first few days then it runs the electric starter too slow now, i recharged it using the charger i got with it, but it hasnt made no difference i left it on charge overnight.
So my question is i have a car battery charger is it ok to use to charge the battery ?? it states on the back the output is 12v 4Amp RMS so would that charge the battery the meter on the front seems to rise after a while when its connected so it looks like it charging ok, but i wanted to make sure its ok ??????
Also the gage on the front only goes up to 5A ? what ever that means, so how would i know when the battery is fully charged ?
Any help would be appreciated Thx.........
Ive had problems with my new lead acid battery as it didnt seem to charge, its a new battery worked fine for the first few days then it runs the electric starter too slow now, i recharged it using the charger i got with it, but it hasnt made no difference i left it on charge overnight.
So my question is i have a car battery charger is it ok to use to charge the battery ?? it states on the back the output is 12v 4Amp RMS so would that charge the battery the meter on the front seems to rise after a while when its connected so it looks like it charging ok, but i wanted to make sure its ok ??????
Also the gage on the front only goes up to 5A ? what ever that means, so how would i know when the battery is fully charged ?
Any help would be appreciated Thx.........
08-04-2003, 04:56 PM
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Battery Charger Question !!!!!!!!
Check out www.rcbatteryclinic. com and surf the items in the left margin for lead acid batteries. These need to be charged with a constant voltage and current limited source, quite different from NiCads. The voltage readin accross the battery give you a good indication of the state of charge. Wait at least half an hour after removing the charger and measure the voltage. A reading of about 13.7 volts shows full charge has been obtained. Do not discharge below 11.7 volts or you will probably permanently ruin the battery or at least cause diminished capacity.
08-04-2003, 06:45 PM
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Battery Charger Question !!!!!!!!
DragonHeart,
Yes, a car charger will work as both are lead-acid. However, the smaller battery in your starter may not be able to handle the current from your charger. Keep a real close eye on it and if it gets to warm disconnect. If your starter battery is 2 amp hour then probably don't want more than 1 amp charge. Still keep an eye on it.
Personal experience, I've burned up 2. Bit the bullet and got a Sullivan pack and a bunch of ni-cads for it.
Good Luck,
KW Counter
Yes, a car charger will work as both are lead-acid. However, the smaller battery in your starter may not be able to handle the current from your charger. Keep a real close eye on it and if it gets to warm disconnect. If your starter battery is 2 amp hour then probably don't want more than 1 amp charge. Still keep an eye on it.
Personal experience, I've burned up 2. Bit the bullet and got a Sullivan pack and a bunch of ni-cads for it.
Good Luck,
KW Counter
08-06-2003, 06:17 AM
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Battery Charger Question !!!!!!!!
If you are using the usual small sealed (gel??) 7Ah batteries or VSLA (vented sealed lead acid) batteries, a standard car charger will kill it!
As stated on an earlier post these batteries need a constant voltage and a current of about 1/4 c. So if you are using you car charger at 4A to charge a 7Ah battery you are over 1/2c.
As somebody suggested - 1 check your wall charger. 2 Did you leave the battery on charge long enough - if it is a reasonable quality wall charger it will switch to trickle mode when the battery is full and you will not have to worry about overcharging!
A good wall charger costs about £25 - get one, connect your battery to charge every time you get home from a day out and you will have years of trouble free use of the battery .
PS... these batteries should always be left fully charged!!
PM.... me if you want a source for a decent 3 phase (charge, timed charge, trickle) wall charger !!
As stated on an earlier post these batteries need a constant voltage and a current of about 1/4 c. So if you are using you car charger at 4A to charge a 7Ah battery you are over 1/2c.
As somebody suggested - 1 check your wall charger. 2 Did you leave the battery on charge long enough - if it is a reasonable quality wall charger it will switch to trickle mode when the battery is full and you will not have to worry about overcharging!
A good wall charger costs about £25 - get one, connect your battery to charge every time you get home from a day out and you will have years of trouble free use of the battery .
PS... these batteries should always be left fully charged!!
PM.... me if you want a source for a decent 3 phase (charge, timed charge, trickle) wall charger !!
