battery equalization
 

The batteries on my boat need an equalization charge. According to the
battery manufacturer that is 15.5 volts for 8 hours. I have an onboard
55 amp charger but it does not have an equalization function. Does
anyone know of an easy inexpensive way to accomplish this. The Xantrex
Trucharge 20 and 40 amp chargers have an equalization function built in
but I haven't been able to find any other chargers that have the
function. If there is an inexpensive charger with an equalization
function out there I would like to know about it.

battery equalization
 

wrote in news:1166839615.657599.210950
@f1g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

If there is an inexpensive charger with an equalization
function out there I would like to know about it.




Just get a charger with no shutdown electronics and keep charging it at
capacity/20 for another 8 hours. Keep a CLOSE eye on them for percolating
acid all over or overheating. This charge MUST be done SLOWLY....not some
cowboy 50 amps to warp the plates.

SLOWLY is a keyword.

Here's some good information:

http://www.shaka.com/~kalepa/technotes.htm

"First recharge the cell and then continue to charge the cell at a C/20
rate for five to seven hours. During equalization charges, the cell voltage
will become very high, about 2.7 VDC per cell. This overcharge contains the
necessary power to break the Level Two bonds and force them to Level One.
Once they reach Level One, the bond is easily broken and the sulfate ions
reenter into solution in the electrolyte."

So, if we have a 130AH deep cycle, we'll be charging it for an extra 5-7
hours at 6.5A....OR LESS! Any ol' cheap charger without SCRs and computers
will do it.

DO NOT LEAVE THESE BATTERIES UNATTENDED DURING THIS PROCESS! DO NOT
OVERCHARGE THEM AT HIGH CURRENT!

Read his comments about this "pulse charging" nonsense, too....