Simple 110V-12V car battery charger?
I'm exhausted and depressed after reading reviews on Amazon. "Multistage" chargers that have only 2 stages (sometimes 1). Bulk stage running at 16-17V 'cause some idiot imbedded a "desulfation" mode...
Forum Discussion
The Xantrex operates this way:
1) Bulk stage - current limited charging ... the Xantrex delivers the current that the battery can accept or the maximum the charger can supply ... whichever is the lower value. As I understand it, this is the "perfect way" to bulk charge. I see nothing wrong with this simple battery charging approach if one can afford this amount of flexibility to keep life simple.
2) Absorption mode - fixed voltage charging ... the Xantrex output goes to one of four (4) different output voltage values to handle four (4) different kinds of batteries ... which the user programs. Whichever voltage the user programs for absorption mode is adjusted up or down in accordance with temperature. I see nothing wrong with this simple battery charging approach if one can afford this amount of flexibility to keep life simple.
3) Float mode - fixed voltage maintaining ... the Xantrex output goes to one of three (3) different output voltage values to handle four (4) different kinds of batteries (two of the battery types require the same float voltage) ... which the user programs. Whichever voltage the user programs for float mode is adjusted up or down in accordance with temperature. I see nothing wrong with this simple battery charging approach if one can afford this amount of flexibility to keep life simple.
The Xantrex charging profile curves show better/more detail than what I describe, including the duration of the stages, on page three (3) of this .pdf User Manual:
http://www.xantrex.com/documents/Battery-Chargers/TRUECharge-2/TC2_10A_Battery_Charger(975-0565-01-01_Rev-D).pdf
In his opening post, Almot didn't say how much he was willing to pay for this kind of high quality set-it and forget-it battery charging. He implied that he wanted simple battery charging perfection to eliminate his exhaustion and depression. ;)
1) Bulk stage - current limited charging ... the Xantrex delivers the current that the battery can accept or the maximum the charger can supply ... whichever is the lower value. As I understand it, this is the "perfect way" to bulk charge. I see nothing wrong with this simple battery charging approach if one can afford this amount of flexibility to keep life simple.
2) Absorption mode - fixed voltage charging ... the Xantrex output goes to one of four (4) different output voltage values to handle four (4) different kinds of batteries ... which the user programs. Whichever voltage the user programs for absorption mode is adjusted up or down in accordance with temperature. I see nothing wrong with this simple battery charging approach if one can afford this amount of flexibility to keep life simple.
3) Float mode - fixed voltage maintaining ... the Xantrex output goes to one of three (3) different output voltage values to handle four (4) different kinds of batteries (two of the battery types require the same float voltage) ... which the user programs. Whichever voltage the user programs for float mode is adjusted up or down in accordance with temperature. I see nothing wrong with this simple battery charging approach if one can afford this amount of flexibility to keep life simple.
The Xantrex charging profile curves show better/more detail than what I describe, including the duration of the stages, on page three (3) of this .pdf User Manual:
http://www.xantrex.com/documents/Battery-Chargers/TRUECharge-2/TC2_10A_Battery_Charger(975-0565-01-01_Rev-D).pdf
In his opening post, Almot didn't say how much he was willing to pay for this kind of high quality set-it and forget-it battery charging. He implied that he wanted simple battery charging perfection to eliminate his exhaustion and depression. ;)
