Mex's Flash?
Does "Flash charging" mean we (some of us anyway) are wrong to hate it when the PowerMax or Iota converters drop their voltages so soon for the absorption stage? In another thread Mex says, "A flas...
Forum Discussion
I think the actual time it takes to get the gassing a happenin will be different for each battery, and charging amps, and temperature, and battery health. So any data collected and reported here, might not have much validity for another system at a different point in time and place.
The beauty of an Ammeter on an adjustable voltage charging source is one can see the results, directly of raising or lowering voltage. But one needs a voltmeter on the battery terminals, not one just inline on the possibly undersized overlength cabling.
I've been finding that a while after I first get my AGM to 14.46, and amps start tapering into the low 30amp range, if I reduce voltage to 14.0 the amps flowing at 14.0 are not much less, perhaps 2 to 3 less, than what was required to hold 14.46.
Same general test on the screwy31 and the amps it accepted at 14.0 was perhaps half of what it took at 14.9v iirc.
I think for generator charging, you'll still want to hold absorption voltage at the battery terminals for as long as you are willing to run the generator. But next time your amps are tapering at 14.8v, try lowering voltage to 14.0 and see the difference on your trimetric. If it is not a huge difference, then perhaps 14v would be less abusive and only marginally slower.
I move my 10 turn pot way past 15volts as measured by the 8awg leaded wattmeter when I am seeking to get the battery to 14.7 as fast as possible as I have some 8 gauge and a few connectors in route to battery terminals from the Meanwell.
If I set it to 14.7 unloaded, then plug into the batteries, amps start tapering earlier, So I crank it way past its unloaded voltage to keep that 40 amps flowing until the battery terminals read 14.7, or Whatever voltage I choose.
I'll bump off the voltage as the amps taper and the voltage drop becomes less of a factor, IF the time I have to recharge is limited.
Turning the voltage dial higher is easier than upgrading the charging circuit in my case. A little less convenient.
Now, if I had an Amperage potentiometer that could go from 0 to 40 amps, I'd never stop laughing maniacally.
Perhaps the Fanless Meanwell hep-600-15 which claims to adjust current from 18 to 36 amps and also has constant current limiting on overload:
http://www.meanwell.com/search/HEP-600/HEP-600-spec.pdf
My 500 watt meanwell will output 600 watts so I imaging this 600 watt unit will also be able to exceed its rating
The beauty of an Ammeter on an adjustable voltage charging source is one can see the results, directly of raising or lowering voltage. But one needs a voltmeter on the battery terminals, not one just inline on the possibly undersized overlength cabling.
I've been finding that a while after I first get my AGM to 14.46, and amps start tapering into the low 30amp range, if I reduce voltage to 14.0 the amps flowing at 14.0 are not much less, perhaps 2 to 3 less, than what was required to hold 14.46.
Same general test on the screwy31 and the amps it accepted at 14.0 was perhaps half of what it took at 14.9v iirc.
I think for generator charging, you'll still want to hold absorption voltage at the battery terminals for as long as you are willing to run the generator. But next time your amps are tapering at 14.8v, try lowering voltage to 14.0 and see the difference on your trimetric. If it is not a huge difference, then perhaps 14v would be less abusive and only marginally slower.
I move my 10 turn pot way past 15volts as measured by the 8awg leaded wattmeter when I am seeking to get the battery to 14.7 as fast as possible as I have some 8 gauge and a few connectors in route to battery terminals from the Meanwell.
If I set it to 14.7 unloaded, then plug into the batteries, amps start tapering earlier, So I crank it way past its unloaded voltage to keep that 40 amps flowing until the battery terminals read 14.7, or Whatever voltage I choose.
I'll bump off the voltage as the amps taper and the voltage drop becomes less of a factor, IF the time I have to recharge is limited.
Turning the voltage dial higher is easier than upgrading the charging circuit in my case. A little less convenient.
Now, if I had an Amperage potentiometer that could go from 0 to 40 amps, I'd never stop laughing maniacally.
Perhaps the Fanless Meanwell hep-600-15 which claims to adjust current from 18 to 36 amps and also has constant current limiting on overload:
http://www.meanwell.com/search/HEP-600/HEP-600-spec.pdf
My 500 watt meanwell will output 600 watts so I imaging this 600 watt unit will also be able to exceed its rating
