Does this charger exist?

[WotEver]

If you guys haven't been reading the T105 charging tips thread, the Sterling range allow me to setup a 'custom' battery mode, where you can program both bulk and float voltages yourself. This in my case gives me 15.1V all the time, so effectively there is no float. This suits the Trojans admirably and I monitor them myself.

 

If and when I ever get shore power, I can simply re-set Lead Acid and away it goes on a 'normal' charge, switching to float when required (13+V) and remaining at float thereafter.

Yes, but OP wants all that for fifty quid. Hence this thread.

 

I posted what he needed in post #2 but he doesn't want to pay £300.

[Loafer]

Yes, but OP wants all that for fifty quid. Hence this thread.

 

I posted what he needed in post #2 but he doesn't want to pay £300.

 

Ah yes. I was clearly lacking in thread discipline there!

 

I don't think he'll find one then, meself, unless he can find a 'current-limited constant-voltage power supply' maybe. I'm not even sure there CAN be such a thing! (Except those £300 battery chargers!)

[blackrose]

Correct. A charger for shore power isn't the topic of this thread.

True, the topic is battery chargers and as I mentioned earlier, one never knows when one may need to plug into shore power, so not having the additional functionality of float mode in a battery charger would just be shortsighted in my opinion.

[Ricco1]

Apart from the truly hideous colour, might this do the job for me?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/INTELLIGENCE-DIGITAL-UNIVERSAL-BATTERY-CHARGER-4-2V-28V-0-20A-XKQC/381275781251?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131017132637%26meid%3D2c78e5b0ed62490298a253a53af55b72%26pid%3D100033%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D381275781251

[Loafer]

Apart from the truly hideous colour, might this do the job for me?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/INTELLIGENCE-DIGITAL-UNIVERSAL-BATTERY-CHARGER-4-2V-28V-0-20A-XKQC/381275781251?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131017132637%26meid%3D2c78e5b0ed62490298a253a53af55b72%26pid%3D100033%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D381275781251

 

Well it fits your voltage requirements, but maybe 20A is a bit small. I can't find your battery bank size.

[mrsmelly]

Apart from the truly hideous colour, might this do the job for me?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/INTELLIGENCE-DIGITAL-UNIVERSAL-BATTERY-CHARGER-4-2V-28V-0-20A-XKQC/381275781251?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131017132637%26meid%3D2c78e5b0ed62490298a253a53af55b72%26pid%3D100033%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D381275781251

 

It looks like its come off the Ark............I love it

 

Tim

[Ricco1]

 

Well it fits your voltage requirements, but maybe 20A is a bit small. I can't find your battery bank size.

 

Just one 110ah leisure at the moment but that's not set in stone.

[Loafer]

 

Just one 110ah leisure at the moment but that's not set in stone.

 

It will cover that OK. I'd be a bit scared of the quality though, and probably would only use it when I'm actually there. And put a smoke detector above it!

 

I would also worry a bit about its stability in a marina environment, when left on at 13 or so volts, for ages. I'd await a second opinion!

[Ricco1]

 

It will cover that OK. I'd be a bit scared of the quality though, and probably would only use it when I'm actually there. And put a smoke detector above it!

 

I would also worry a bit about its stability in a marina environment, when left on at 13 or so volts, for ages. I'd await a second opinion!

 

Cheers. I would rather have my teeth pulled out than live in a marina but I guess that could change. I'll keep my old one, which steps down to 13.8 volts, but much too quickly.

[Loafer]

 

Cheers. I would rather have my teeth pulled out than live in a marina but I guess that could change. I'll keep my old one, which steps down to 13.8 volts, but much too quickly.

 

Well that won't do any harm. The cheap one might!

[Ricco1]

 

It looks like its come off the Ark............I love it

 

Tim

 

I like it too. I like the twiddly knobs that seem to be for 'dialing up' the current and voltage. I like the idea of that, rather than leaving it for faceless electronics to decide when the current should change.

[WotEver]

 

I like it too. I like the twiddly knobs that seem to be for 'dialing up' the current and voltage. I like the idea of that, rather than leaving it for faceless electronics to decide when the current should change.

I agree. However, I wonder what it'll do in Bulk if you've dialled in 14.6V (for example) and the batts are really low. Will it simply voltage limit? I guess so but £75 is a lot of money to find out if it 'beeps' instead.

[Cas446]

Use an old laptop power supply with a dc-dc converter from ebay with variable voltage set point ~£15. Better to use your existing charger first and then when it drops into float - swap over.

 

There are various tutorials online about modifying switch mode power supplies and cheap float chargers to get a higher output voltage.

[MtB]

Here it is, for those who haven't followed the link:

 

 

I'm sorely tempted to get one too as I love the control it gives.

 

Shame it only goes up to 28V as I need 29.6V for my 24V battery banks.

 

I wonder what the BATT TEST button does.

[Richard10002]

Here it is, for those who haven't followed the link:

 

 

I'm sorely tempted to get one too as I love the control it gives.

 

Shame it only goes up to 28V as I need 29.6V for my 24V battery banks.

 

I wonder what the BATT TEST button does.

What does it actually do?

[MtB]

What does it actually do?

 

 

Delivers a fixed voltage or a fixed current, within it's max capabilities.

[blackrose]

What does it actually do?

It's a battery charger with full manual control.

 

Looks like an interesting unit. For me it might be useful for doing a desulphation charge (at 16v?). Is 20amps sufficient to do that for a 400ah bank and how do you know when and how long to desulphate?

Edited January 10, 2016 by blackrose

[MtB]

It's a battery charger with full manual control.

 

Looks like an interesting unit. For me it might be useful for doing a desulphation charge (at 16v?). Is 20amps sufficient to do that for a 400ah bank and how do you know when and how long to desulphate?

 

 

In the other thread, I asked the difference between desulphation and equalising charging. Desulphation seems to involve the voltage being cycled ON and OFF very quickly. I don't think this one does that.

[Ricco1]

If I order this will I have to pay import tax on top, how much might it be?

[Neil Smith]

I have bought stuff from china, you get it delivered then the couriers ie dhl in my case send you an invoice for the vat and handling charges.

 

Neil

[WotEver]

If I order this will I have to pay import tax on top, how much might it be?

The last time I bought something from Japan (a Nikon flash) for around £100 the extras totalled £37 if memory serves (20% VAT + import duty + handling charge). However, most items I've bought from China have been carriage and duty free.

[jonesthenuke]

Apart from the truly hideous colour, might this do the job for me?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/INTELLIGENCE-DIGITAL-UNIVERSAL-BATTERY-CHARGER-4-2V-28V-0-20A-XKQC/381275781251?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131017132637%26meid%3D2c78e5b0ed62490298a253a53af55b72%26pid%3D100033%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D381275781251

 

Look at the name of the seller on Ebay, Only the Chinese would choose "POOZOO"

 

I have bought one of the following, which although only 10A may be useful for equalising batteries even if you have to do one at a time (yes I can see limitations) but these are a bit cheaper. Clearly manual control rather than fancy digital control in "real" battery chargers so set the voltage and current limit according to requirements.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Adjustable-DC-Power-Supply-Precision-Variable-Digital-Lab-0-10A-0-30V-/281904045765?hash=item41a2ca5ec5:g:IckAAOSwKtlWj61F

[WotEver]

In the other thread, I asked the difference between desulphation and equalising charging. Desulphation seems to involve the voltage being cycled ON and OFF very quickly. I don't think this one does that.

Although many battery manufacturers acknowledge that a short-term (say up to 2 hours) equalisation charge will also help with desulphation.

 

I've never read any evidence that a pulsing charge actually makes any difference. Which is not to deny it of course, just that I've never read anything to support the claim.

[blackrose]

 

 

In the other thread, I asked the difference between desulphation and equalising charging. Desulphation seems to involve the voltage being cycled ON and OFF very quickly. I don't think this one does that.

But couldn't you just do that yourself, or are we talking milliseconds?

[MtB]

Although many battery manufacturers acknowledge that a short-term (say up to 2 hours) equalisation charge will also help with desulphation.

 

I've never read any evidence that a pulsing charge actually makes any difference. Which is not to deny it of course, just that I've never read anything to support the claim.

 

 

Ah ok, so are we back to there being no difference between equalisation and desulphation charging? So the two terms are broadly interchangeable?