Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks: Battery Charger/Maintainer

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Battery Charger/Maintainer

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Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=11079
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Topic: Battery Charger/Maintainer

Posted By: stevo220
Subject: Battery Charger/Maintainer
Date Posted: 21 Jan 2018 at 12:48pm

Hi,

I purchased 2 brand new 6 volt batteries (trojan t-105s). They are hooked up in series. Right now they are in my garage and not in the R-Pod. I bought a new battery charger/maintainer (NOCO genius g15000 15amp smart battery charger).

My question is...Is this a proper battery charger/maintainer for my batteries? I have the NOCO genius hooked up to the batteries right now and they are 100% charged. It is in maintaining mode but I hear light bubbling coming from the batteries (its been about 24 hours of bubbling) Is this normal? Should I have purchased the 7.2 amp charger instead of the 15 amp version?

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Steve

Replies:

Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 21 Jan 2018 at 1:34pm

Is it a 4 stage charger? if so, every now and then, (well really, on some set schedule that I don't know)It should turn up the voltage to keep them from sulfating, and to keep the "acid" in solution. What does the manual say? It should tell you how often it goes into maintenance mode.. 15A isn't an issue for a set of T105's.

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Posted By: stevo220
Date Posted: 21 Jan 2018 at 3:28pm

This is from the Noco chargers manual.....

Step 8: Maintenance
Continuously monitors the battery to determine when a maintenance charge should be initiated. If the battery voltage falls below its target threshold, the charger will restart the Maintenance cycle until voltage reaches its optimal state and then discontinues the charge cycle. The cycle between Optimization and Maintenance is repeated indefinitely to keep the battery at full charge. The battery charger can be safely left connected indefinitely without the risk of overcharging.

I am assuming when I go down into my garage and hear the bubbling (very faint) the charger would be in Maintenance mode? The charger still indicates 100% charged. It just seems like every time I check on the battery I can hear the faint bubbling.....Shouldn't there be the times when I check on the battery and I shouldn't hear the bubbling.

I just don't want to ruin these brand new batteries...

Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 21 Jan 2018 at 4:01pm

If they are fully charged, you can take them off the charger.. in 6-8 weeks or so, put them back on for a couple days. Repeat.

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Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 21 Jan 2018 at 6:55pm

Mark, is it necessary to charge the batteries that much? I ask because my nearly 7 year old deep cycle 12 volt batteries get a "fill-up" charge in November using a charger set at 2 amps, usually takes a day/battery to top them off. At that point I leave them in our unheated garage on the concrete floor and then repeat this charging cycle the following April. This is all the TLC they get, except for checking the electrolyte level and topping off if a cell is low. When we used them last September we still got 3 days out of each battery and that is when they get a lot of use, as temps were in the mid 30's to mid-40's at night at RMNP in the Rockies.

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God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 21 Jan 2018 at 7:09pm

Originally posted by jato

Mark, is it necessary to charge the batteries that much? I ask because my nearly 7 year old deep cycle 12 volt batteries get a "fill-up" charge in November using a charger set at 2 amps, usually takes a day/battery to top them off. At that point I leave them in our unheated garage on the concrete floor and then repeat this charging cycle the following April. This is all the TLC they get, except for checking the electrolyte level and topping off if a cell is low. When we used them last September we still got 3 days out of each battery and that is when they get a lot of use, as temps were in the mid 30's to mid-40's at night at RMNP in the Rockies.

Not necessarily, but without getting into using a hydrometer or DMM, it's enough to be sure it will keep them up. 5 months is a bit long, have you checked them with a DMM to see how far they have discharged at that point?

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Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 21 Jan 2018 at 10:10pm

[QUOTE=furpod]
Not necessarily, but without getting into using a hydrometer or DMM, it's enough to be sure it will keep them up. 5 months is a bit long, have you checked them with a DMM to see how far they have discharged at that point?

I have noticed that my spring trickle charge at 2 amps does take noticeably longer than the fall charge. It normally takes 36 = 42 hours to bring each battery to 100% S.O.C.

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God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."