Battery Chargers and Tools

Charging your battery must be done with the correct equipment and to achieve this there are many chargers available to us. It's important to keep the battery in a fully charged state whether its being used or not. This will guard against sulphation, a process that will reduce the battery's ability to perform to its maximum specification. The Gel battery uses lower voltages than the flooded and AGM units and the calcium battery (maintenance Free) has a higher voltage. Most modern chargers have a selection switch for flooded / AGM / calcium or Gel.

Automotive Chargers

Loosely speaking, an older automotive charger has a fixed voltage (say 14.7v) and the amperage reduces as the battery voltage equals the charger voltage (water finds its own level). As the state of charge increases, so does the rate of charge slow and the last 20% of the charge is really slow. However, this has been addressed these days with the Constant amperage / Constant Voltage algorithms

Also bear in mind, that gassing (boiling) of a lead acid battery occurs at 14.4v (at average temperatures) with exception of the Calcium battery and some earlier automotive chargers are insensitive to this. If left on through an extended time frame, the electrolyte will evaporate to a dangerously low level - the battery will overheat and internal damage will result. However, the automotive charger can be low in price but must be managed. The modern charger will automatically move into float mode and reduce the charge voltage.

Adaptive Charger

Known for its ability to adapt to the state of charge and condition of the battery. The adaptive charger essentially has 3 steps - Bulk, Absorption and Float and sometimes as many as 8.

1. Bulk charge. Often over a given time frame, the charge rate is at a constant amperage for fast recovery up to about 80%. The charger will automatically click into the next stage -
2. Absorption. This will maintain a given voltage and reduce current as the charge comes up. This will minimise the recovery period with minimum electrolyte loss.
3. Float. The battery is now fully charged and the voltage will drop to approximately 13.6v (below gassing voltage of 14.4v) The float mode will guard against parasitic discharge or loss due to the maintenance of memory circuits such as radios and other electronics.
4. The 4th stage when present, could be described as a pulse wake up call. Periodically, the charger will click from float mode back to bulk mode for a brief time and then back to float. This process will guard against stratification (the electrolyte settling into layers of different concentration) Many battery advisors will recommend the battery be equalised every 4 or 6 months to ensure all cells are fully charged which also promotes de stratification.

Battery Maintainer and float support

The fully charged battery, indicated by the low amperage drawn from the charger, generally will trigger a 'float' mode. To float the battery, the voltage will drop to approx 13.5v - model dependant, to discourage paracitic internal discharge.   

However, experience shows us that the battery held on a low voltage over long periods (floating) will affect the electrolyte partical to partical conductivity increasing the internal impedance and reduce performance to eventual failure.

One fix is to peroiodically charge it with a bulk charge wake up. All lead acid batteries suffer but the technology most suspetable to this condition is Lead Silicon -  Lead Crystal for instance.

The modern charger will move from float mode to 'Maintenance' mode within 20~ 30 minutes. This is a pulsing function where approx every 2 ~ 3 seconds the charger will pulse a mid voltage with low current. Pulsing has the effect of 'disturbing' the electroyte keeping it active and functional.

Battery Maintenance Tools

Tools to assist you with your battery care.

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