T&T: Battery trickle charge

[Michael Scheuring]

Our primary house bank is a big commercial Surette battery ,wet, with 1200 amp hrs. This one is connected to the -3000 watt inverter ,which also charges the battery with up to 100 amps. When fully charged,the built in charger goes to trickle charge at 13.26 volts on high or to 12.66 volts on low setting. Sometimes we are for a month or two in a marina,and I am wondering if it is healthier for the battery to keep 13.26 or 12.66 volts.As this is a very expensive battery I like to keep her as happy as possible.Any advice from the experts,please?
Michael Scheuring
Aboard Trawler Sanctuary,Stuart
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[Mark Richter]

13.26 volts sounds right. At a setting of 12.66v, your battery is always undercharged and building up sulphate. Very unhealthy over weeks and months.

[Joe Pica]

There is 4th charging stage that many newer chargers have incorporated into their charging profile, that is"storage mode". When batteries are on float for extended periods, they can develop sulfating on their plates. On storage mode, the voltage is raised to absorb level after several days (7 days seems to be the default) for a set time 15-30mins. (often this is programable to suit the individual battery type) which mildly exercises the batteries and prevent the build up.

Joe Pica
M/V Carolyn Ann GH N-37
http://carolynannn-37.blogspot.com/
MTOA#3813, AGLCA #5485

[j...@vcn.bc.ca]

I am not an expert on anything but that does not stop me from having an
opinion on everything.

I would plug the charger into a 120 VAC timer set to come on for a couple
of hours a week with the charger on the normal B / A / F @ 13.26 volts.

John

!DSPAM:448,534c3192215693391418033!

[Tamaroak]

And I equalize the batteries every other month or so when I'm cruising.
They seem to like it.

Capt. Jeff Janacek on Adirondack, getting ready for rain
at St. John's Yacht Club in Charleston for three more weeks

--
Messinginboats.com is a way for folks to join us virtually as we cruise.
"Trawler Time" is our new charter business, featuring trawlering along the
east coast and to the Bahamas.

[Al Thomason]

FWIW: Though slightly different battery chemistry (calcium vs. antimony in
our common Lead-acid storage batteries), this white paper addressed to the
Telco industry does talk about some of the ++ and -- of different float
voltages, plus float profiles which include a rest period.


"Traditional float charges: are they suited to stationary antimony-free lead
acid batteries?"

www.intechopen.com/download/pdf/9712


Fun reading, esp for those (not me) who took Chemistry in school...

-al-


Viking Star
45' Monk Sr. / McQueen
mvVikingStar.blogspot.com

[George Hechtman]

I get the digest version, so excuse me if this has already been suggested.

Why not just call Rolls Surette technical support? They will tell you what is best for that particular battery. 800-681-9915

In their "User Manual" they spec 13.14 float for their wet cells in general. Battery User Manual - Flooded & AGM

George
Hatteras 56MY (including 4 large Rolls 8HHG-25s)

[George Hechtman]

Clicked "send" too fast. Here is another good link with all if Surrette's guides and manuals:

http://support.rollsbattery.com/support/solutions

[bevchasm]

Michael,

We had the same issue with our 3 8D Deca AGM's. We upgraded to the latest 4 step charger with the storage setting as Joe suggests.
Beside carefully reading both manuals we had numerous conversations with both manufacturers. They were very helpful.

Chas & Bev
...and Everywhere
430 Mainship
Anchored off Man of War Cay, Abacos

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