12V or 6V Batteries - Which charge Better?
I plan to switch to two 6V batteries in series, but before I do, I need to ask this question. When the batteries are drained and in need of charging, which will charge back up to full FASTER? Two ...
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"Charge faster" is a relative term. So it takes me only 2 minutes to fill my Kia gas tank from empty to full - 8.5 gallons. My motorhome takes over 15 minutes. Is this because the pump is slower when filling the motorhome? NO!
So you are much better off with a pair of 6 volt golf cart batteries because they can accept a 35 amp charge for more time than a pair of 12 volt batteries. And the reserve water in a 6 volt battery is more likely to keep the battery cool and the plates are much less likely to warp.
What will degrade a battery? Warped plates can short out, causing instant death to the battery. Dry plates lead to warping and short life. I have had 13 years of service from a set of Trojan T-105 batteries, something that I never got from 12 volt batteries. And I could charge them at 45 amps for a while, without them getting past the "Warm" stage.
To fully charge my batteries, I always used the solar system. IT will slowly charge the battery bank, and keep the batteries from overheating or giving off to much water or gas.
I also used hydrocaps to recycle the leaving hydrogen and oxygen back into water, so that the cells did not need as much replacement water.
Many times battery charging is described much like a frog jumping 1/2 way towards the end of a log. It can take a long leap at first, while each additional leap has to be shorter and shorter to avoid going over.
So a battery charger can put out maximum amperage to a nearly dead set of batteries for about 30 - 45 minutes. Then it will reach it's set point voltage, and amperage will taper off, while voltage stays at say 14.4 volts.
If voltage is left at 14.4 volts more than about 2 hours, battery overheating and damage might happen, along with a lot of water loss. So most good chargers slow charge voltage and amperage to about 13.2 volts after a while to keep the battery stable. It can also reduce the charge amperage to less than about 10 amps.
So no point in running a 4,000 watt generator to put in 10 amps X 13.2 volts (about 150 watts into the charger). Makes more sense to run the generator and charger for only the first hour - twice a day. When you can put maximum amperage out of the charger - say it's 55 or 65 amp rating. Then after 1 hour shut off the generator, and use power for a while.
I would recommend running the generator at breakfast and dinner times. Fill from about 45% full to around 75% full. It will provide the most amperage to the battery with minimal generator run time. Filling from 80% full to 90% full can take about 1.5 hours (depending on converter output voltage) while charging from 90% full to 100% full can take an additional 4 hours. . .
Going below 45% state of charge can shorten the battery life, especially if not recharged soon. A battery left at 60% full or below for a couple of weeks can have perminate damage to it, that might be recovered by charging to 100% on shore power, but might never reach more than 95% ability - ever again.
Good luck!
Fred.
So you are much better off with a pair of 6 volt golf cart batteries because they can accept a 35 amp charge for more time than a pair of 12 volt batteries. And the reserve water in a 6 volt battery is more likely to keep the battery cool and the plates are much less likely to warp.
What will degrade a battery? Warped plates can short out, causing instant death to the battery. Dry plates lead to warping and short life. I have had 13 years of service from a set of Trojan T-105 batteries, something that I never got from 12 volt batteries. And I could charge them at 45 amps for a while, without them getting past the "Warm" stage.
To fully charge my batteries, I always used the solar system. IT will slowly charge the battery bank, and keep the batteries from overheating or giving off to much water or gas.
I also used hydrocaps to recycle the leaving hydrogen and oxygen back into water, so that the cells did not need as much replacement water.
Many times battery charging is described much like a frog jumping 1/2 way towards the end of a log. It can take a long leap at first, while each additional leap has to be shorter and shorter to avoid going over.
So a battery charger can put out maximum amperage to a nearly dead set of batteries for about 30 - 45 minutes. Then it will reach it's set point voltage, and amperage will taper off, while voltage stays at say 14.4 volts.
If voltage is left at 14.4 volts more than about 2 hours, battery overheating and damage might happen, along with a lot of water loss. So most good chargers slow charge voltage and amperage to about 13.2 volts after a while to keep the battery stable. It can also reduce the charge amperage to less than about 10 amps.
So no point in running a 4,000 watt generator to put in 10 amps X 13.2 volts (about 150 watts into the charger). Makes more sense to run the generator and charger for only the first hour - twice a day. When you can put maximum amperage out of the charger - say it's 55 or 65 amp rating. Then after 1 hour shut off the generator, and use power for a while.
I would recommend running the generator at breakfast and dinner times. Fill from about 45% full to around 75% full. It will provide the most amperage to the battery with minimal generator run time. Filling from 80% full to 90% full can take about 1.5 hours (depending on converter output voltage) while charging from 90% full to 100% full can take an additional 4 hours. . .
Going below 45% state of charge can shorten the battery life, especially if not recharged soon. A battery left at 60% full or below for a couple of weeks can have perminate damage to it, that might be recovered by charging to 100% on shore power, but might never reach more than 95% ability - ever again.
Good luck!
Fred.
