battery charger

[mike1245]

The converter in my sightseer 26p charges batteries slowly. I use a stand alone charger so I can charge at 14.8v  and 40 amps.
anyone else use this method. seems much cheaper than buying a 3 stage converter.  I also install outside charging lugs so I do not have to open the steps.
Mike

 

[Quillback 424]

Mike: If you have that stand alone charger turned on -- go turn it off RIGHT NOW!

Then, come back for some advice.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I see no problem with using an external charger, but I hope that 40A charger has at least a taper charge algorithm. Even if it does, running it continuously is bound to boil away a lot of water from the electrolyte in the cells.  I would remove it once the battery reaches about 95% charge.

I'm curious why you think your internal charger is slow. It should be at least a 40A charger itself. Most any charger is going to reach 70-80% charge fairly quickly, then slow way down as the battery resists further charging.

 

[mike1245]

I did not explain fully, I use the charger when I run the gen set only.  It used in conjunction with a amp hr, meter.  Thus I only run it until the batteries back to 90-95%
My converter only puts out 13.5v it is my understanding that you need about 14.8v volts to efficiently charge a battery.
Mike

 

[Just Lou]

It sounds to me like you have a good understanding of proper battery charging. 

It would help others to understand just what you are trying to accomplish by telling us what make and model battery charger is being used.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

13.5v is fine if the battery has reached float stage; 14+ is typical of the earlier stage (bulk or acceptance phase).  Your existing house charger is probably a single stage (tapered charge) and the voltage will vary with the rate at which the battery accepts the charge.

As long as you are monitoring the charge, I see no problem with what you are doing.

 

[mike1245]

The charger I am using is a Black and Decker smart charger.  Has settings for Gel,agm, and wet batteries.  will charge at 40,20,10, or 4 amps.  It is fully automatic and indicates a fully charged battery, but will maintain a float charge.  It also has a equalizing setting.

 

[denmarc]

I am wondering if anyone has better luck with the Black & Decker smart chargers since they acquired Vector?  I had two of the Vector smart chargers identical to the one mike1245 has and both bought the farm inside of 2 years.  Not impressed at over $100 bucks!  Now using a Schumacher SC-10030A.  All the features I want, about $40 bucks cheaper, smaller, and going on 3 years of use so far.  Does a great job. 

 

[Just Lou]

I am wondering if anyone has better luck with the Black & Decker smart chargers since they acquired Vector?  I had two of the Vector smart chargers identical to the one mike1245 has and both bought the farm inside of 2 years.  Not impressed at over $100 bucks!  Now using a Schumacher SC-10030A.  All the features I want, about $40 bucks cheaper, smaller, and going on 3 years of use so far.  Does a great job.

I also had two of the Vectors before giving up on them.

 

[John From Detroit]

The one thing I have not heard asked is this: What converter does your RV have?

There are some, of which the Magnetek 6300 series seems to head the list, Which really need to be upgraded.  There are others, and this list has a very wide top which includes things like the Progressive Dynamics 9200 line, and teh IOTA with IQ4, and, as implied, many many others, where it's kind of hard to upgrade,, Cause you are already at the top of the .iist.

The reason for this is not, however speed,  It is control.  The magnetek does not know when to quit.

On the other hand, a slower recharge is better for the batteries normally.. When you fire up ye-old gasoline, propane or diesel burning generator however, faster burns less fuel.  WAY less fuel.  So the faster recharge is more efficient long run.

 

[mike1245]

This MH is new to me.  I put is two 6v batteries.  It has a Paralax 7300 converter.  I ran 50 amp hrs out of the batteries last night.  I am charging them this morning from shore power through the converter.  It is charging at 13.3v and a steady 10 amps.  This will take over 5 hrs to bring the batteries back up.  With the charger it would only take about 1 1/2 hrs.  I bought this charger new about 5 years ago, and used it on my class C MH. I have had no problem with the charger at all.
Mike