Recharging Deep Cycle Batteries

[Lowell]

I guess I left a light on in the TT in storage a week or so ago.  Anyway, the battery was dead when we took some friends over to look at it.  I brought the battery home and now have it hooked up to a 10 amp charger.  Does anyone have any idea how long it takes to recharge a fully discharged battery?  Is a 10 amp charger too much?  I read something about recharging on the internet but it just confused me.  If I understood it correctly, I should expect it to take about 10 hours or more to recharge.  Thanks in advance  for any guidance.
Jake

 

[caltex]

It depends on the capacity of the battery.  For example, a 100 amp hour battery should charge in 10 hours with a 10 amp charger (10 amps times 10 hours).  This isn?t exactly correct due to many factors, but it?s close enough.

 

[Lowell]

Thanks Robert.

I believe the battery is an 80 Amp/hr battery.  The only number on it I can find is DC24-6.  Looking at batteries on-line, it seem all those with number 24 are 80 Amp/hr batteries.  So I guess I will charge it for 8 hours and see how it goes. I'm not certain who the manufacturer of the battery is.  The name is Performace Plus but that didn't get me any hits on the web.

Jake

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Once the battery is around 70-80% charged the charge rate will have slowed to somewhere around 3 amps and slow further as the battery gets closer to 100% charge.  Figure at least 24 hours and more like 36-48 to reach 100% charge.

I'm guessing you are using an automotive-type 10A charger. Don't worry - they are designed to taper the charge and should not cause any damage if left on for a couple days.  Just don't leave it for weeks at a time.  And maje sure the cells are full of water before charging and check again afterwards. Full means to the bottom of the ring which you can see when the cap is removed.

And yes, a Group 24 battery is 80-85 amp-hours.

 

[Lowell]

This is one of those sealed batteries with a viewing window. I don't know if the window is supposed to show green when it is charged or not.  It is clear now.  I've charged it for 10 hours and will take it off the charger for now.  We will be gone for two weeks and I will check it out again when I get back.  I think I our next trip will be to a site with full hook-ups so the battery shouldn't be an issue.  Maybe I can let the TT converter system finish the job.
Jake