12 v to 12 v trickle charger
Any suggestions? Looking to keep a 10 amp-hour AGM charged while running the Pinella Remote. I think a trik-l-start is on the large side.
Forum Discussion
Definitely follow the agm manufacturer's float voltage recommendation. Do not think 12.8v is good enough. most spec 13.4 to 13.8v @77f.
If I hold either of my AGMs at 13.4, vs 13.6v while loads are running, the battery will discharge slightly. I can tell this as when i spin my voltage dial upto 14.7v it takes more than the 0.5% of c/20 amperage for a while, before amps again taper to that prescribed 'full' level.
Some of these Asian agms might not taper to that level 0.5% level at Vabs. So consider these full when amps stop tapering, and overfull when amps start rising at a constant absorption voltage. I've noticed mine do both, and depth of the discharge seems to play a part.
Temperature of course plays a part in the right float voltage as you know.
The current limiting potentiometer of boost or buck/boost converters can also limit amperage, if one wants to limit amperage to what the Chinese AGM battery claims to be them allowable.
My 18Ah agm says no more than 5.4 amps. I've exceeded this by a factor of 5, but would not do this regularly, or in hot ambient temperatures, or when the battery is nearing end of life.
The minimum current seems to be 0.5 amps on the voltage converters I've tested with the current limiting pot turned all the way down.
The crush stranded wire under screw terminals can be problematic and lack of an enclosure might be an issue. Drok sells some units with acrylic enclosures as well as voltmeters with a toggle buttons for toggling display from input to output voltage.
Not sure of if they have buck boost or just buck or boost.
I tend to solder instead of using the screw terminals, and all things which can be shorted or vibrate and break, like the wirewound toroid, get covered with Amazing goop after some rubbing alcohol degreases the flux and fingerprints.
Peeling off the cure 'amazing goop' is pretty easy, if required. It is Di-electric when cured. No issues with the evaporating solvents inside of AG damaging the circuit board. It does take days for the tolulene stink to go away completely, depending on the strength of your sniffer.
If I hold either of my AGMs at 13.4, vs 13.6v while loads are running, the battery will discharge slightly. I can tell this as when i spin my voltage dial upto 14.7v it takes more than the 0.5% of c/20 amperage for a while, before amps again taper to that prescribed 'full' level.
Some of these Asian agms might not taper to that level 0.5% level at Vabs. So consider these full when amps stop tapering, and overfull when amps start rising at a constant absorption voltage. I've noticed mine do both, and depth of the discharge seems to play a part.
Temperature of course plays a part in the right float voltage as you know.
The current limiting potentiometer of boost or buck/boost converters can also limit amperage, if one wants to limit amperage to what the Chinese AGM battery claims to be them allowable.
My 18Ah agm says no more than 5.4 amps. I've exceeded this by a factor of 5, but would not do this regularly, or in hot ambient temperatures, or when the battery is nearing end of life.
The minimum current seems to be 0.5 amps on the voltage converters I've tested with the current limiting pot turned all the way down.
The crush stranded wire under screw terminals can be problematic and lack of an enclosure might be an issue. Drok sells some units with acrylic enclosures as well as voltmeters with a toggle buttons for toggling display from input to output voltage.
Not sure of if they have buck boost or just buck or boost.
I tend to solder instead of using the screw terminals, and all things which can be shorted or vibrate and break, like the wirewound toroid, get covered with Amazing goop after some rubbing alcohol degreases the flux and fingerprints.
Peeling off the cure 'amazing goop' is pretty easy, if required. It is Di-electric when cured. No issues with the evaporating solvents inside of AG damaging the circuit board. It does take days for the tolulene stink to go away completely, depending on the strength of your sniffer.
