Simultaneous charging dis-similar batterys..
Submitted: Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 15:06
ThreadID:
69717
Views:
2348
Replies:
4
FollowUps:
4
This Thread has been Archived
Member -Signman
Just been to the Auto Elec to get the battery and alternator output checked before our next trip.
I noted on a bench, 5 batterys all of different sizes/conditions being charged simultaneously off a single charger. It was one of those old VANE brand things, with a transformer as big as a house brick !!
I daren't not ask him about the practice- as I reckon he'd know more about battery charging than I'll ever know !!
The ole fella has been there for yonks (even still has a pounds /shillings/pence cash register).
So is there some new theory in battery charging that wasn't around 40+ years ago?? that specifys batterys charged in parallel must be of equal capacity and type??
Reply By: olcoolone - Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 15:19
Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 15:19
Don't worry there are a lot of auto elecs living in the dark ages.
With our agreement to sell batterys we have to have a certain type of charger.
AnswerID:
369517
Follow Up By: Member -Signman - Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 15:25
Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 15:25
G'day there..
Could you please enlarge on that- so there's different chargers now for different batterys??
Even though this fella lives in the dark ages ??- he's been doing (successful) business for a looong time !! Should I tell him he's doing it all wrong !!
FollowupID:
636929
Follow Up By: olcoolone - Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 18:02
Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 18:02
Mostly for calcium type batterys.
There is a set protocol we have to follow to ensure the battery is OK or stuffed whilst testing.
The charger the recondmend has 4 differant maps for charging.
Most of the old chargers will do most batterys ok except calcium.
FollowupID:
636952
Follow Up By: Member - Stuart P (WA) - Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 23:25
Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 23:25
its funny tho that the old 40 yr old charger (the one without all the regulators etc) can charge these calcium (new age batteries) without any 4 stage charging . maybe us old auto sparkies and old equipment may just hold our own!!!!!
FollowupID:
637005
Follow Up By: olcoolone - Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 09:31
Friday, Jun 12, 2009 at 09:31
No I think it's more funny people with 40 year old battery charges think they can charge any type of battery.
A standard battery charger will charge a calcium battery enough to start a car but not correctly or the full charge.
Much the same as a older charging system in a car will not charge a calcium battery correctly.
New multi stage battery charges are far supiour to the old types.
10 years ago cordless drill batterys use to take 2 to 5 hours to charge and now they can charge them in 15 minutes and have a longer life....why?
Technology has changed so much in the last 5 to 10 years and it's unfortanate some people don't want to accept it nore move with the times.
FollowupID:
637027
Reply By: TerraFirma - Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 15:31
Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 15:31
I manage to charge 3 x AGM's all the same with 2 Gel Batteries which are different at the same time. I can however disconnect a bank temporarily. Whilst it isn't ideal the gels haven't got long to go, nearly 8 years old now and will replace with AGM's. I use 2 different Ctek 25amp chargers at the same time and engine alternators when going. (Marine App)
AnswerID:
369519
Reply By: Member - Mike DID - Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 18:44
Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 18:44
Despite all the Marketing hype, must Battery Isolators simply connect the Auxiliary Battery directly in parallel with the Starter Battery - there is simply no regulation of current into either battery.
This works because Lead Acid batteries are self-regulating in normal circumstances - i.e. if they are not heavily discharged, temperatures are in a normal range and they are not left on for days.
You cannot charge batteries in parallel of they have different charge voltages e.g conventional Lead Acid in parallel with Calcium-Calcium batteries.
AnswerID:
369549
Reply By: Nomadic Navara - Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 22:46
Thursday, Jun 11, 2009 at 22:46
There is not much problem with charging mixed type batteries in parallel from a vehicle alternator - the big problem is leaving them connected in parallel without the alternator running.
There is nothing new about using one of the older Vane chargers to charge many dissimilar batteries. They operated the batteries in series and controlled the current so as not to charge the lowest capacity too quickly. Whilst charging they monitored the batteries with a hydrometer to
check when to disconnect them. You would walk into the local garage and see a few 6 V and 2 V batteries on the charger and occasionally a 12 V one as
well. (The 2 V batteries were used to supply the cathodes/heaters in the old console battery radios.)
PeterD
AnswerID:
369607