Megapulse

[eraser]

Are devices such as a megapulse  http://www.megapulse.net/  worth having to prevent Sulphation build-up on the plates of the batteries , Do they work? Or is it better to do a equalisation charge once a month .

Just wondering about your experiance with such devices.

Thanks for any help.

[nothing to lose]

I looked that over pretty good but never saw one in person so of course never tried one either,

It's my opion after reading everything they say about it that it's a gimmick not really worth having for RE systems. First, it's not a charger, so it's not going to be charging low or weak batteries. Second it's only good for 500amp battery bank, kinda small for a RE system of any size. They say you can add them in series and parralel for higher Volts or Higher amps. Sure at $50 a pop I want to add 4 or 6 myself!!

Looks like it works very very slow from alot of what they say also, talking of weeks and months about things here. Most of the facts they give sound about correct, but I think the only real use for the product would be maybe a motor home or boat like they claim. That would be smaller battery bank where you may want to leave it forever.

 Maybe some other type of pulse charger would be alot better. For around $50 maybe $70 I think you can get a smart charger with pulse/desulfate mode that is actaully a charger at 2/10/20 amps plus boost starter for your car. Or a little more and get one that also charges at 40 amps like mine.

I like pulse charging and think it's worked on some of mine pretty good, but $50 for that thing I think is gimmicky and I would buy a real charger with pulse mode instead.

Lots of things I don't like about the braindead smart chargers, like they won't start up an a really dead batteriy till after you charge it some other way a little like jumping off a car, but then they do work good. Also mine shuts off alot with errors on junk batteries and I have to play with it. Like the other day I wanted to cahrge some junk batteries I was trying to fix up. I had to start the smart charger on 40 amp mode about 15 times, it would run a second and shut down, but each time it did aliitle charging, then I was finnally able to get it to run at 2 and 10 amps fine without shutting off with the error. Now I been charging way over 24hrs on some junk batteries, time to go test them matter of fact.

[Kevin L]

This device was included in an article in HomePower Magazine in June/July 2000.

My understanding is they do work, they do take time, but very little energy.  Just build one yourself and save forty dollars.  The schematics are included in the article.  I don't know if & I can't firgure out how to link the file to this posting but the original article is in My File's.  Click User Info, then click View Kevin L files.  It's Named Desulfator.pdf, and you'll need Acrobat Reader to view it.  

Later, Kevin L

[Kevin L]

Better yet just go to this web page.  I deleted the article File as I wasn't sure it was a good idea to post magazine articles without permision.  This web site is made by the same guy who wrote the article.

http://www.shaka.com/~kalepa/desulf.htm

Kevin L

[ghurd]

I have seen PWM charge controllers 'fix' batteries.

One in particular was sitting behind a barn for several years.

No good when they put it there.

Put it on the solar just to see. (when the solar was not busy)

About 6 months later, dang if it didn't hold a charge!

Not much, but some.

It would run a 32w bulb and an inverter for a cordless drill charger, without dropping too much in voltage.

Never would have believed it.

G-