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Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Naive 3-stage charging (and stuff)

 bulk, absorption, float, it's all pretty basic except for the float-part.

Hang on, I gotta get a quote.

Got one, and it's a little unsettling.

https://www.batterystuff.com/blog/3-stages-of-smart-chargers.html

https://www.batterystuff.com/blog/3-stages-of-smart-chargers.html
I don't know if you're cluing in to the "85% / 95%" thing, but like the bottom-line says, it's healthiest in a lead-acid battery to have 100% charge.
So.
How long should the "Float" charge be?
The stage where the fan in the charger goes off and the light turns green???
Some websites say the charge is done as soon as this happens, but others say the charge isn't done.
Who's right, does it matter?
The new charger has an actual numerical display! So I should have a better idea.
There's no "beep" on any charger saying it's done*,  but...everyone (except a few) think that the green light is the "Done" light. 

For reference (I'm proud to be able to read this, for the first time)
The current stays high 5.1 amps, 140++ watts, until (almost imperceptibly)
The current starts to drop, until it gets to where it is now, 1.2 amps, 
"0.35" (almost zero) watts!
But, the voltage is steady at 29.6
twenty-nine volts. 14.8 per battery.

"Float" means a couple different battery-things according to google, and I'm limiting my meaning to a three-stage charger.
*WHOA! this charger is way-cool, beeps faster and faster while the red-light flashes green, and shuts off the fan, turns green, but keeps the voltage on display!!
Same question: is it done?
I'm gonna guess "yes" what with the volts displaying "27.7"
If it's floating (truly), it's at 0.8 amps, 0.022 watts, and 27.7 volts.

Odd...Today (one day later) it didn't blink red-to-green, or, too much background noise to hear...It went "red" to "green" and skipped the blinking and the beeping.
OK now I feel foolish, chargers don't beep (I already knew that) but I thought maybe it was a new feature.


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