Author Topic: Opinions on this battery charger?  (Read 506 times)

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madlabs

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Opinions on this battery charger?
« on: October 31, 2010, 01:04:32 PM »
Hi All,

My buddy is looking for a charger for his 48V battery bank, which will be run from a small propane genny. This one makes desulphating claims, but I don't really care if that is true or not. What I want to know is if it looks like a decent charger and if the desulphater could have any bad effects on the battery.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/48-volt%2f25-amp-battery-charger_W0QQitemZ270604238425QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=160903072962&gclid=CLyNgK3J_aQCFQQCbAodTEIwgw

Thanks!

Jonathan

ghurd

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Re: Opinions on this battery charger?
« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2010, 09:32:09 AM »
If no one else wants to say anything...

It does not look like anything special to me.

There are a few desulfating schemes out there, and at least one of them is a bad idea IMHO.
The one in the link does not have any setting but On or Off.

"Every time you start the charger it will first go into the disulphide mode and remove as much sulfate as it can." 
I hope that does not mean it is one of the schemes that drains the battery before charging it.
I would try to get some clarification as to what the specific desulfator operation does and how, but I bet nobody can tell you.

Running from a genny, I would want one a little more old school, like with an analog ammeter.
Depending on how the 'microprocessor' works, it may do things based on a 220AH bank.
It would be nice to see if the genny was running just to put 1/4A into the bank.
When the automatic shut off shuts it off, then the genny is running doing nothing.

I have a microprocessor controlled fully automatic charger.  It does 10A, or 0A.
It doesn't take long before it is spending a large percentage of the time not doing anything, and the percentage gets lower and lower, which is fine for grid power.  It does not sound so great if it was being powered by a dedicated genny.
G-
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madlabs

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Re: Opinions on this battery charger?
« Reply #2 on: November 01, 2010, 11:16:51 AM »
I had my doubts, and you confirmed them. I'd love to get an old school golf cart.forklift charger (dumb ol xfrmr) but they are hard to find for 48V.

Thanks!

Jonathnha

TomW

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Re: Opinions on this battery charger?
« Reply #3 on: November 01, 2010, 11:57:18 AM »
I had my doubts, and you confirmed them. I'd love to get an old school golf cart.forklift charger (dumb ol xfrmr) but they are hard to find for 48V.

Thanks!

Jonathnha

We have several used  lift truck chargers of various ratings in the Hoka. MN Store. Shipping is a killer these days but I bet we have something you could use.  Mostly brute force chargers which you probably want on a generator?

PM me if you are interested and I will get you in contact with them.

Tom