Can a use a 12volt battery while its charging from a Smart Charger?

Submitted: Sunday, Jan 06, 2013 at 04:52

ThreadID: 99821 Views:12848 Replies:6 FollowUps:9

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Zebu

Hi All,
I havent been able to find an answer to this question. My wife is about to take delivery of a new horse float this week, and it has a 12volt water pump and 4 x 12 volt lights as well as a 12volt/240volt waeco camping fridge. (also has a seperate 240 volt wiring setup for powerpoints etc)

The float has been wired up with an Anderson plug (prefer not to use - as the wife will be sure to flatten the car batteries at some point in a remote location!), but also has the wiring in it ready to wire the 12 volt side up to a 12volt battery.

I hope to install a 100amp battery and a smart charger. My question is - is it ok if she is away for a weekend and camping and has access to power, to use the 12 volt devices (like a light or pump etc) while the smart charger is connected and turned on?

I was planning to permntly install the charger and permanenty connect to the battery, so when ever she is plugged into power, the battery chargers, but I also need to insure she can use the battery/lights/pump etc while it is charging.

Is this possible? Anyone recommend a suitable charger?

Thanks

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Reply By: Work2Travel - Sunday, Jan 06, 2013 at 07:18

Reply By: Bushranger1 - Sunday, Jan 06, 2013 at 07:48

Sunday, Jan 06, 2013 at 07:48

G'day,
No problem. I asked the same question here a couple of years ago & got plenty of replies saying it was ok.
Been running my Engel fridge while charging the deep cycle battery from a generator & smart charger ever since. Only thing I notice is that sometimes the smart charger cranks up the charge rate for a short time when the fridge comes on but it has not done any harm to the battery

Cheers
Stu

AnswerID: 501799

Follow Up By: Member - Rod N (QLD) - Sunday, Jan 06, 2013 at 07:54

Sunday, Jan 06, 2013 at 07:54

Yes you can, but read your instruction manual. You need to select a different setting on the charger, something like 'supply'. This will prevent over charging of the battery when loads are applied. As noted in Stus post a load will crank up the charge and if prolonged will overcharge the battery, shortening its life.

FollowupID: 778021

Follow Up By: Bushranger1 - Sunday, Jan 06, 2013 at 08:35

Sunday, Jan 06, 2013 at 08:35

Good point Rod.
It was suggested I do this at the time but I have never bothered to do this. I notice that the charge rate only increases for a short time when the fridge kicks in then it settles back down again.

Everything is still working fine so I guess that as the battery does not always get charged with the fridge running then no damage has been done.

FollowupID: 778022

Follow Up By: Allan B (Member, SunCoast) - Sunday, Jan 06, 2013 at 09:42

Sunday, Jan 06, 2013 at 09:42

.
It is quite OK to run the fridge from the battery whilst a multi-stage charger is operating. The increase in 'charge rate' when the fridge cuts-in is simply the additional current being supplied to the fridge and this current is not passing through the battery. It is similar to a car battery being charged by the alternator whilst having the headlights etc operating.

There is no need to set the charger to 'Supply" which causes it to output at a constant voltage of typically 13.6v. This setting is intended for using the charger to directly power appliances without a battery in circuit. Whilst using this mode will not necessarily harm the battery you lose the advantages of the charger's control algorithm and may overcharge the battery.

My Troopy's two aux batteries are charged by Redarc DC-DC chargers with load connected. This works fine and has the specific approval of Redarc's engineering department.