Forum Discussion
MEXICOWANDERER
Aug 16, 2017Explorer
Note that manufacturers recommend "limiting the charge current. Trojan says 3-5% of C20 (so about 11A for a 12V pair of GC2). US Battery says 10% of C20, Rolls and Crown say 10-20%"
Fifteen years ago my cardiologist wanted me running a half mile, doing a half hour of calisthenics daily and eating a near vegan diet. Near the same age as me.
Next month I turn 71 - he's dead.
I've gone over this a hundred times. Engineers have demands put upon them by management to make their product look as good as possible. Even if it means having the customer acting stupid to gain 3% in lifespan.
Trojan has changed their GC charging formula three times in the last seven years. Same battery, same plates, same paste, same electrolyte density. Global warming? Lost the Gulf Stream?, Magnetic Pole Shift? Earth rotating backwards? No, merely a new generation of engineers.
I have voltage saturated charging flooded batteries for over forty years, and that's how I life cycled tested over a thousand samples.
The key is to reduce charging voltage drastically if electrolyte temperature reaches 45c and cease charging altogether at 50c. This is damned hard to reach unless outside air temperature is extremely high to begin with.
What DOES hurt batteries sir, is to constantly undercharge them for weeks or months at the stretch. They will sulfate, and few people want to learn how to never mind actually equalize a battery. That ends up killing a battery. Like my cardiologist who was a kind, amiable, misinformed boob. Last week I had a hospital stay full radionucleide, sonogram stress test performed. That cardiologist reported "You have the heart muscle health of a 40-year old". But awful nerve impulse control. To prevent total A/V block they stuffed a dual node pacemaker in me.
Of course, for some these facts will enter one eyeball go onto a four lane highway and fall out an ear. I do not offer spuriously contrived advice. Many cyclable batteries survived hundreds of 5% amp hour total, constant discharge until 0.0 volts was reached whereupon full vAbs 14.8 volts was applied for a pre calculated number of minutes whereupon resumption of discharge was re-initiated. A very rude, a most relevant way to separate battery manufacturing quality levels. I tested engine starting batteries the same way. Southern California Edison loved me. Rank & File staff engineering wogs hated and feared me. I reveled in it.
So forgive me if I seem abrupt. Old antagonisms die hard. I dislike BS rote from professionals. I can appreciate an engineer's desire for his pride and joy to reside in battery heaven with 22 virgins and endless bowls of dates and goat stew - but life does not work that way. Generator run time rears it's ugly head. And my Rolls bank is nearing the quarter century mark.
Fifteen years ago my cardiologist wanted me running a half mile, doing a half hour of calisthenics daily and eating a near vegan diet. Near the same age as me.
Next month I turn 71 - he's dead.
I've gone over this a hundred times. Engineers have demands put upon them by management to make their product look as good as possible. Even if it means having the customer acting stupid to gain 3% in lifespan.
Trojan has changed their GC charging formula three times in the last seven years. Same battery, same plates, same paste, same electrolyte density. Global warming? Lost the Gulf Stream?, Magnetic Pole Shift? Earth rotating backwards? No, merely a new generation of engineers.
I have voltage saturated charging flooded batteries for over forty years, and that's how I life cycled tested over a thousand samples.
The key is to reduce charging voltage drastically if electrolyte temperature reaches 45c and cease charging altogether at 50c. This is damned hard to reach unless outside air temperature is extremely high to begin with.
What DOES hurt batteries sir, is to constantly undercharge them for weeks or months at the stretch. They will sulfate, and few people want to learn how to never mind actually equalize a battery. That ends up killing a battery. Like my cardiologist who was a kind, amiable, misinformed boob. Last week I had a hospital stay full radionucleide, sonogram stress test performed. That cardiologist reported "You have the heart muscle health of a 40-year old". But awful nerve impulse control. To prevent total A/V block they stuffed a dual node pacemaker in me.
Of course, for some these facts will enter one eyeball go onto a four lane highway and fall out an ear. I do not offer spuriously contrived advice. Many cyclable batteries survived hundreds of 5% amp hour total, constant discharge until 0.0 volts was reached whereupon full vAbs 14.8 volts was applied for a pre calculated number of minutes whereupon resumption of discharge was re-initiated. A very rude, a most relevant way to separate battery manufacturing quality levels. I tested engine starting batteries the same way. Southern California Edison loved me. Rank & File staff engineering wogs hated and feared me. I reveled in it.
So forgive me if I seem abrupt. Old antagonisms die hard. I dislike BS rote from professionals. I can appreciate an engineer's desire for his pride and joy to reside in battery heaven with 22 virgins and endless bowls of dates and goat stew - but life does not work that way. Generator run time rears it's ugly head. And my Rolls bank is nearing the quarter century mark.
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