Ok, expecting a constant current to 14.7v is unreasonable/ impossible with a power supply set at 14.7 initially. I get it.
What I do not want is one I have to keep adjusting the trim pot upward throughout the whole bulk stage to keep the amps maxed out throughout bulk but under the smoke release threshold of the power supply.
I don't know if i made this clear, but in my earlier tests, I matched the cheapowatt voltage to depleted battery voltage, and then hooked the battery to it, then increased the trim pot to just below buzzing. The point at which buzzing began initially with a single battery in the 50% range, was well less than 50% on the full range of the voltage pot. Like at 11.7 hooked up, by the time the screwdriver had moved the pot to ~12.7, the thing was buzzing away, so I backed it off the 12.6v level. Amps would soon taper, I'd increase the pot again to just below buzzing. I did this every 5 minutes or so for the first hour on a single flooded group 31 and then next night the Northstar AGM. 36.2 amps was the buzzing threshhold, and I kept it just below that threshold on 2 different batteries for an hour or more two consecutive nights.
Near the one hour mark, the voltage pot was maxed out and amps were in the high 20's, battery voltage approaching 14.7, and shortly after I had to lower the voltage pot to keep the battery voltage from exceeding 14.7. In fact I never let any test go on so long that CW terminal voltage matched battery voltage. I just unplugged the CW, let battery voltage drop to desired float voltage, adjusted CH to desired float point, hooked them back up together, and went to bed.
The third night I took my flooded screwy 31 to ~50%, set the CW to 14.7v plugged it in knowing full Well the buzzing due to overload could easily destroy it, and 17 minutes later, fireworks. I knew this single unregulated CW would not meet my desires with the continuous pot adjustments required upto and after ABSV was reached at the battery terminals, so I stress tested it in a matter I had hope to use it for the task for which it was never deisgned. If it cost more than 22.59 I would not have pushed it beyond those limits i was dang well aware of. I could have easily just relegated it to my Float intentions knowing its limits, but explored those limits anyway.
If I get a current limiting power supply I could still set it for 14.7v crank a timer and walk away. Will the amps be as high as if I were babysitting the Cheapowatt, tweaking the voltage pot every few minutes? Of course not. I don't really require super short charging times. I am not using a generator. My AGM just responds favorable to them. Some mornings I know the Sun is not going to have the batteries full by sundown, then I want 30+ amps for however long I have before i have to unplug and the faster the better.
My tests with a hydrometer show me that my depleted battery respond favorable to high currents. I don;t care what anybody preaches or what grandpa believed and taught you, High amperage on a depleted battery wakes the thing up, low and slow could very well mean that hardened sulfate just got oven baked even harder.
The cheapowatt just has no restrictions on its amperage output. It can smoke itself. All I want is adjustable voltage and the ability to not worry about the power supply smoking itself trying to feed a single depleted healthy battery that still has a relatively minor load on it . I don't want it fold back current limiting, or hiccup mode protection, I want constant current limiting.
I hope this clarifies things, at least from my end. you can take the data presented, or Not, makes not difference to me. You can question my clearly posted intentions. I think many of you pay no attention to any other intentions other than your own specifics.
"Why" gives so little and can be insulting, "HOW?" can add so much.
Seems the MeanWells give me the options I seek, and they have a reputation and a warranty, even if the later is meaningless, their reputation stands.
If I'm plunking down 70$ for the 400 watt megawatt, I might as well spend another 40$ get 100 more watts and constant current limiting.
In truth Any power supply I get is mostly going to be used for overnight floating, holding a near fully charged battery at 13.1 or 13.6 while I have 0.5 to 13 amps of cycling load on it. I just want one single compact AC charging source capable both a high bulk rate to ABSV and float at the voltage parameters I choose. Nothing out there less than 600 dollars gives me that option. The Meanwell I'm eyeballing also allow me the 16v option without a 150 watt DC to DC converter, which is already on a slow boat from China anyway. It has voltage sense wires and can compensate upto 0.3v. Power factor corrected.
Came so close to placing order last night.
