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Penn Yan Antique & Classic Boat Owners Club > Penn Yan Discussions > Electronics & Electrical Systems  |
 Current Flow While Charging Battery - What's "normal"? |
| Marty Feldman |
 Jun 22 2009, 05:18 PM
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#1
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Member  Group: Members Posts: 79 Joined: 22-September 07 From: Owl's Head, Maine Member No.: 2,836  |
On my Explorer, I have a 2-battery system, with a 1/2/BOTH selector switch. Due to a leak in the discharge hose from the bilge pump, the pump was working overtime, and battery #1 went flat (to 11+V). Battery #2 is fine (12.7V) and starts the engine right up. My boat is at a marina slip, and to charge battery #1, I plugged into the dock power point, connected a battery charger, and connected the battery charger to the terminals of battery #1. The red wire was removed, and the selector switch was on OFF. The charger was on "Auto", not "Manual".
The charger is a 25 year old Sears automotive 10 Amp battery charger -- a heavy square black box, with an analog ammeter, reading from 0 to 15 amps DC fullscale, on its front. My question has to do with the readings I got on this ammeter when I energized the charger. As soon as I connected the charger, the meter read 4 amps DC; a minute later, this dropped to 3 amps; a minute after that, this dropped further to 2 amps. The reading stayed at 2 amps for about 5 minutes, at which point I left the boat. I will go back and check it later tonight or tomorrow morning. Are these readings normal? |
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| PENN YAN NUT |
Jun 22 2009, 05:37 PM
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#2
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 Member Group: Members Posts: 1,069 Joined: 25-March 06 From: NEW GLOUCESTER,MAINE N 43-54-24 W 70-14-51 Member No.: 1,003 |
It is far better to slow charge a battery to prevent from "cooking it" . If the battery had been completley discharged it may have drawn the full 10 amps the charger is capable of putting out, but it would have dropped down after a short while . If the battery you are charging is in good shape , a slow overnight charge will do.
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| robswanson |
Jun 22 2009, 07:18 PM
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#3
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 Member Group: Members Posts: 1,386 Joined: 23-December 02 From: Kodiak, AK Member No.: 215 |
2 amps is a good charge rate.
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| gerald |
Jun 23 2009, 07:43 AM
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#4
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 Member Group: Members Posts: 1,336 Joined: 21-April 03 From: Potomac River Member No.: 280 |
No they are not norrmal. did you check to see if the battery is full of water?
on a dead battery, the charge starts slowly, 1-2A, as the electrolyte has low conductivity. as the battery charges, the charge rate should go to 10A on the charger you have. should run there for 2-3-4 hrs if the battery is really dead, then taper off. although most auto/marine batteries are rated at 200+ amp hrs, seems only a few hours and they are done. i have what sounds to be an identical charger. |
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| Marty Feldman |
Jul 16 2009, 09:14 AM
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#5
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Member Group: Members Posts: 79 Joined: 22-September 07 From: Owl's Head, Maine Member No.: 2,836 |
Just a quick report back on the charging values in my original post:
Battery #1 has been fine since the charging. Holds a charge, starts the engine up smartly. |
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| Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 9th September 2010 - 04:49 PM |
