Put the Chambers Bros recording of "TIME!" at 110 db and let it blast for 24 hours.
Getting to 14.8 volts is only 1/1000000000000000000000000000th the objective. It has to stay at 14.8 volts until current drops to a proscribed level then defaults to float voltage.
Small chargers can do this successfully (during which your grandchildren grow to adulthood.) At rationally fast rates of charge, manual timing is essential.
And as far as general charging exists.....dream on. I've have an RV park about three miles from here. I have played with the Wizard chingadera Iota and I have played with the Boondocker.
Conclusion?
These things charge lead acid batteries LESS INCORRECTLY than standard converters.
But for generator charging, long-term, they fail to do the job anywhere near correctly. unless you like 12 hour generator recharge run time.
For these types of batteries, a charger has to go to 14.8 volts and stay at 14.8 volts a lot longer than any of these over-priced gizmos can be programmed for.
TEN THOUSAND DOLLAR chargers are regulated at 14.8 volts, programmed to the size of the battery for timing shut off.
These converter boys are afraid to let people think and calculate for themselves.
No one, not Trojan, not Rolls, not me, can argue with the protocol the US Navy and BuShips tested for submarine batteries. Battery Council International adopted it. Battery equalization voltage is 16.0 not 15.6 or 16.3.
Trojan got cute and got their fingers burned. Now they're up to 16.2
God forbid if they get caught recommending the rote of 16.0 volts.
Landy there is NOTHING WRONG with adopting 14.6 volts for short-term charging an AGM. Nothing. Try it and see how much time it reduces the 80-100 transition. Feed that Northstar as much amperage at 14.4 volts as it takes to maintain 14.4
When amperage drops, bump the charger to 14.6 but no higher. See the difference now?
