Re: [VAC] Battery Overcharging

[Jim Dunmyer <jdunmyer@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Gerald,
 If you've done your homework as you suggest below, then break out your
DVM, you'll soon loose respect for the UniVolt as a battery charger.

To save some folks a bit of homework:

A battery must have the voltage kicked up to about 14.6 in order for it
to charge. Once charged, it should have no more than about 13.5 volts
applied to it or the water will be cooked out of it. A "12 volt" battery
should be 12.6 volts open-circuit if it's fully-charged and has been
sitting for 24 hours (unconnected to either a load or charger). If the
voltage is down to 12.3, it's about 50% run-down, and you don't want to
go lower than that for maximum battery life.

The only way to get maximum battery life is to replace the UniVolt with
something like a StatPower charger or have a good solar system attached.
Even with the latter, you'll probably have to apply an equalizing charge
every month or 2.

                                             <<Jim>>