Equalisation Charge voltage

[canals are us?]

I have installed my new fairstone 5 stage 12 volt 30amp battery charger. https://electroquestuk.com/chargers/leisure-battery-chargers-marine-battery-chargers/fully-automatic-5-stage-marine-battery-charger-12v-30a

 

It has been charging for 3 hours except it hasn't gone into float mode. The engine battery was totally flat, so probably take a while.

The voltage on the boat at a cig lighter outlet at the far end of the boat is saying 14.2 volts which is fed from the domestic bank.

The charger seems to be doing an equalisation charge as it's lit as orange. The charger also has an LED display and it is showing 14.4volts, this is with the 12 volt fridge on and 6 led light on. When I turn the fridge and lights and charger off the voltage reads 13.5volts.

 

Is anyone familiar with this charger and have any idea as to the equalisation voltage it goes up to before going into float. I have read the instructions but means nothing to me. It may be a case I need to buy a new engine start battery any recommendations?

 

The Trojan T105's are nice and cold the engine battery is tepid. The water levels are fine and keeping a check on them.

 

Thanks. James

Edited April 10, 2015 by canals are us?

[by'eck]

Leave it on for 24 hours then check. Such a low power charger may take a while to make an impact on a bank of T105's, although you didn't say how many.

 

BTW it doesn't seem to have an equalise function in any of its five stages, but it may be advantageous to cycle charger off then on again when it finally reaches float mode.

[canals are us?]

Leave it on for 24 hours then check. Such a low power charger may take a while to make an impact on a bank of T105's, although you didn't say how many.

 

BTW it doesn't seem to have an equalise function in any of its five stages, but it may be advantageous to cycle charger off then on again when it finally reaches float mode.

I have just 2 Trojan t105's and a 12 volt engine start battery. The Trojans have been in use for around 18 months being charged with a 20 amp 3 stage charger permanently as Marina based.

 

Thanks James

[Richard10002]

14.4V is an ordinary charging voltage and, if this is as high as it goes, it is probably the absorption charging voltage.

 

An equalisation charge is definitely over 15V, most likely 15.5V.

 

After a night of use, (fridge, TV, laptop charging, lights, etc..), my monitor generally show that I have used between 60Ah and 80Ah. It then takes several hours of charging with an 80A charger to reach the point where the batteries draw less than a couple of Amps, thus suggesting they are full. It can take all day if I use the engine, which seems to have a max of 35A.

 

So 3 hours is probably nowhere near long enough to have come close to fully charging your Trojans and a starter.

[cereal tiller]

I have installed my new fairstone 5 stage 12 volt 30amp battery charger. https://electroquestuk.com/chargers/leisure-battery-chargers-marine-battery-chargers/fully-automatic-5-stage-marine-battery-charger-12v-30a

 

It has been charging for 3 hours except it hasn't gone into float mode. The engine battery was totally flat, so probably take a while.

The voltage on the boat at a cig lighter outlet at the far end of the boat is saying 14.2 volts which is fed from the domestic bank.

The charger seems to be doing an equalisation charge as it's lit as orange. The charger also has an LED display and it is showing 14.4volts, this is with the 12 volt fridge on and 6 led light on. When I turn the fridge and lights and charger off the voltage reads 13.5volts.

 

Is anyone familiar with this charger and have any idea as to the equalisation voltage it goes up to before going into float. I have read the instructions but means nothing to me. It may be a case I need to buy a new engine start battery any recommendations?

 

The Trojan T105's are nice and cold the engine battery is tepid. The water levels are fine and keeping a check on them.

 

Thanks. James

The Electroquest 30 AMP charger peaks at 14.3/14.4 Volts for Absorption then will drop to 13.3-6 for float

 

CT

[smileypete]

Is it behaving as expected now?

 

A clamp meter is an easy way of finding out what's going on in terms of charge current.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

[dmr]

You really really need to charge Trojans at 14.8v

 

..............Dave

[blackrose]

You really really need to charge Trojans at 14.8v

 

..............Dave

 

Yes, I think that goes for all wet lead/acid batteries.

 

Some of the cheaper chargers have no battery type settings only go to 14.4v maximum.

Edited April 11, 2015 by blackrose

[Arthur Brown]

Unless you have figures to show elswise, assume that a 30A charger put 20AH in for the first hour then 18 for the next and so on if the batteries were totally flat, they were not so guess that a 30A charger may put in 30AH in three hours.

 

Add to that the load (fridge and lights you say, 6amps) maybe the charger is holding the batteries' state of charge but not much more, have you checked how the charger responds to battery voltage changing with applied load -it could confuse the automation.

 

IMO clever chargers are best used on batteries NOT whole systems

[Arthur Brown]

Auto chargers usually limit to 14.4 because at that point lead acid cells start to gas freely. Big batteries are often charged at 14.5 - 15.5v this stirs the electrolyte and gets the amp hours in faster, BUT the charge must be stopped completely at the right point and the electrolyte gassed off must be topped up regularly (neither will happen in a boat!).

 

With a real Gel battery gassing causes the gel to part from the plates reducing the peak current available and the capacity.

[blackrose]

Auto chargers usually limit to 14.4 because at that point lead acid cells start to gas freely. Big batteries are often charged at 14.5 - 15.5v this stirs the electrolyte and gets the amp hours in faster, BUT the charge must be stopped completely at the right point and the electrolyte gassed off must be topped up regularly (neither will happen in a boat!).

 

Usually? Really? Plenty of auto chargers don't limit voltage to 14.4v. Victron, Mastervolt, Sterling, etc, etc... They have settings for wet lead/acid batteries.

 

On your second point, it happens on my boat and any others where people have decent chargers and top up regularly..

[smileypete]

 

Yes, I think that goes for all wet lead/acid batteries.

 

Some of the cheaper chargers have no battery type settings only go to 14.4v maximum.

 

Should be charged at what the mfrs recommend, not what Mr Sterling etc says.

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

Edited April 11, 2015 by smileypete

[canals are us?]

Got back last night and the charger had gone into float with the engine battery disconnected. Reconnected the engine battery charge lead and 45 minutes after the charger went into float. Seems like it's working.

When the fridge turns on, but not always the charger will start up after a minute of the fridge running and the voltage goes up to around 14.2 volts with the fridge running. Once the fridge switches off the charger turns off and the voltage returns to 13.2 volts.

 

James

Edited April 12, 2015 by canals are us?