Re: [VAC] Re: Backward charging batteries

["Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, P.E." <geraldj@xxxxxxxx>]

I think even the "dry charged" batteries have to be wet and charged,
then dried for shipping. And the chemistry of the plates will allow a
battery to be charged in the reverse direction. Takes as long as it did
to make in the first place. More likely new help came in that was only
trained 17 seconds to connect up the batteries to the initial charging
equipment and the requirement to match polarity from the labels to the
charger didn't sink in. And it was Monday morning.

The significance of reversed polarity is fairly great. Solid state
appliances, if not protected for reversed polarity, simply fry, smoke,
turn to toast. Chargers sometimes are protected sometimes not. Permanent
magnet motors run backwards, so maybe the electric toilet boils over
instead of flushes, the electric razor doesn't cut, trying to charge
with an alternator discharges the battery... But most engine starters
turn the right way, ignoring polarity.

Gerald J.