high rate charging on generator
Hi all, The batteries: 556 amp-hours of surplus acid AGM batteries 12 volt jars 105 lbs each. They are wired as two banks with balanced wiring. The depth of discharge: 12.1 volts under 425...
Forum Discussion
It's football season, I may spend more time out at the TT watching football on the TV, drinking a beer, and in general cycling the battery and generator regularly to keep the gas in the Honda generator fresh, and the jets in the carburetor clean. As well as cycling the Telecom battery. I don't believe I have gotten much below a 60 to 65% SOC yet.
I don't know how deeply discharged mine was when it only took 21 amps. What I do know it that with the Mega Watt 30 amp, and this battery rated 158AH @ 20 hrs amp rating, I am right at the C/5 max rate. I put a good 14 days in a row on mine the first two weeks of Sept. It's held it's voltage at 12.88V and a month of sitting in my garage in some heat had it down to 12.84 when I just float charged it again and topped it off. I will probably check it again come December 1st, for holding voltage, and top up as necessary.
I would think that a sunny day, and with one 158 amp hr battery, my 150w solar panel aimed at the sun on a sunny day for 3 to 4 hours will more than suffice to top charge the telecom battery before letting it rest again in storage.
What I am seeing, time and again, is that it takes about 3 to 3.5 hours for the battery to get the last 4 or 5% charge while recharging, back into it... There is no forcing it, no rushing it... doing so with a generator is a huge waste of fuel. And it is imperative to get that last 5% back in, to prevent sulfation, as soon as is possible, if you want the battery to last. These batteries don't sit well if not stored completely, fully charged, that is considered abuse. The cell site keeps them top charged constantly, if power goes out, as soon as power comes back on, these batteries are being recharged fully to 100% SOC. You need to mimic and duplicate that condition, as best you can, while dry camping.
I don't know how deeply discharged mine was when it only took 21 amps. What I do know it that with the Mega Watt 30 amp, and this battery rated 158AH @ 20 hrs amp rating, I am right at the C/5 max rate. I put a good 14 days in a row on mine the first two weeks of Sept. It's held it's voltage at 12.88V and a month of sitting in my garage in some heat had it down to 12.84 when I just float charged it again and topped it off. I will probably check it again come December 1st, for holding voltage, and top up as necessary.
I would think that a sunny day, and with one 158 amp hr battery, my 150w solar panel aimed at the sun on a sunny day for 3 to 4 hours will more than suffice to top charge the telecom battery before letting it rest again in storage.
What I am seeing, time and again, is that it takes about 3 to 3.5 hours for the battery to get the last 4 or 5% charge while recharging, back into it... There is no forcing it, no rushing it... doing so with a generator is a huge waste of fuel. And it is imperative to get that last 5% back in, to prevent sulfation, as soon as is possible, if you want the battery to last. These batteries don't sit well if not stored completely, fully charged, that is considered abuse. The cell site keeps them top charged constantly, if power goes out, as soon as power comes back on, these batteries are being recharged fully to 100% SOC. You need to mimic and duplicate that condition, as best you can, while dry camping.
