battery charge rates
- Thread starter The Jed
- Start date
fiedler.casey
Active Member
I'm pretty curious as well. From what I read the lower amperage you can charge at, the better? And never exceed 5 amps? I'm looking for clarification too.
You can charge a battery at whatever amp level is equal to or less than the battery's amp/hour rating.
For instance, you can charge a 12Ah battery at 12 amps and suffer no immediate damage to the battery.
The longevity of the battery will be extended by charging at lower rates though. Unless you're in a big hurry, put 'em on the charger overnight at 1A.
For instance, you can charge a 12Ah battery at 12 amps and suffer no immediate damage to the battery.
The longevity of the battery will be extended by charging at lower rates though. Unless you're in a big hurry, put 'em on the charger overnight at 1A.
mydlyfkryzis
当有疑问时踢你的敌人在生殖器上，你可以道歉后
If you use the amp hour rating to recharge a lead acid battery, you will find that the battery will end up with a shorten life, with lower capacity.
Here is what Yuasa Says in their Manual
"For most motorcycle and other small engine start-
ing batteries, charge them at 1/10 of the
rated ampere-hour values in the Yuasa
Applications Book,
see example on page 12 for ratings. "
Yuasa has a nice explanation of taking care of the different batteries...http://www.yuasabatteries.com/pdfs/TechManual_2009.pdf
There are a few problems with high amperage problems:
Overheating the battery.
Incomplete charge, you never get the battery to a complete full charge. (There is not enough time for all the electrolyte to mix with the lead plates properly)
Outgassing - High amperage charging causes the electrolyte to break down into H2 and O2 instead of actually charging the battery - uses electrolyte up and creates an explosive environment around the battery.
Lead Acid type batteries, unless the mfg says otherwise, should only be charged at 1/10 the AH rate.
As always, don't take my word for it. Go to battery manufacturers sites and look for the technical literature.
LiPo, LiFe batteries are different, but have their own dangers. The are less current sensitive, but far more voltage sensitive then lead acid. They also have fire and overheating dangers. While compact and powerful, they are sensitive and prone to failure if not treated even nicer then needed to treat a lead acid type.
A 10 amp battery charger is for a Car with a 100 amp hour rating, not for a 12 AH motorcycle battery.
A 1o amp charger will boil the electrolyte out of a 12ah motorcycle battery, harden the sulfate, and reduce the life and capacity of it.
You want to have a motorcycle battery last for 7 years or more, treat it right.
If you don't mind buying new every 1-2 years, don't listen to anything I said.
Here is what Yuasa Says in their Manual
"For most motorcycle and other small engine start-
ing batteries, charge them at 1/10 of the
rated ampere-hour values in the Yuasa
Applications Book,
see example on page 12 for ratings. "
Yuasa has a nice explanation of taking care of the different batteries...http://www.yuasabatteries.com/pdfs/TechManual_2009.pdf
There are a few problems with high amperage problems:
Overheating the battery.
Incomplete charge, you never get the battery to a complete full charge. (There is not enough time for all the electrolyte to mix with the lead plates properly)
Outgassing - High amperage charging causes the electrolyte to break down into H2 and O2 instead of actually charging the battery - uses electrolyte up and creates an explosive environment around the battery.
Lead Acid type batteries, unless the mfg says otherwise, should only be charged at 1/10 the AH rate.
As always, don't take my word for it. Go to battery manufacturers sites and look for the technical literature.
LiPo, LiFe batteries are different, but have their own dangers. The are less current sensitive, but far more voltage sensitive then lead acid. They also have fire and overheating dangers. While compact and powerful, they are sensitive and prone to failure if not treated even nicer then needed to treat a lead acid type.
A 10 amp battery charger is for a Car with a 100 amp hour rating, not for a 12 AH motorcycle battery.
A 1o amp charger will boil the electrolyte out of a 12ah motorcycle battery, harden the sulfate, and reduce the life and capacity of it.
You want to have a motorcycle battery last for 7 years or more, treat it right.
If you don't mind buying new every 1-2 years, don't listen to anything I said.
mydlyfkryzis
当有疑问时踢你的敌人在生殖器上，你可以道歉后
Amazon has an 800 MA automatic charger for $23 bucks...Perfect for our batteries. Is that going to break the bank?
http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CITK8S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369355659&sr=8-1&keywords=battery+tender+jr
Or this:
http://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-SE-1-12S-Automatic-Onboard-Battery/dp/B0000AXTUY/ref=sr_1_14?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1369356059&sr=1-14&keywords=Battery+charger
You can get an excellent, automatic, low amp charger for under $25 and I've seen some for $17 on sale at Walmart, Pep Boys, etc.
Not only do the make the battery last longer, and extra season pays for itself, but also makes the batteries more reliable.
I have a collection of chargers, a Battery Tender Plus, a Battery Tender Jr, and 2 cheapo float chargers. the Bikes get the tenders. I use the float chargers for the other little SLA batteries I have around. I also have a nice 12A automatic Schauer for the Deep Discharge Marine Battery , and an older 10A Schumacher for the cars.
I didn't buy them all at once, but added to my collection as I went along. I threw away a cheap 1/2 amp wall wart battery charger, finding it boiled my batteries dry. It was a JCWhitney special, and It contributed greatly to the short lived batteries of my past.
Pick up a BT jr to start. It works great, will keep your MC batteries fully charged and in good condition, that's my recommendation.
http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CITK8S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369355659&sr=8-1&keywords=battery+tender+jr
Or this:
http://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-SE-1-12S-Automatic-Onboard-Battery/dp/B0000AXTUY/ref=sr_1_14?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1369356059&sr=1-14&keywords=Battery+charger
You can get an excellent, automatic, low amp charger for under $25 and I've seen some for $17 on sale at Walmart, Pep Boys, etc.
Not only do the make the battery last longer, and extra season pays for itself, but also makes the batteries more reliable.
I have a collection of chargers, a Battery Tender Plus, a Battery Tender Jr, and 2 cheapo float chargers. the Bikes get the tenders. I use the float chargers for the other little SLA batteries I have around. I also have a nice 12A automatic Schauer for the Deep Discharge Marine Battery , and an older 10A Schumacher for the cars.
I didn't buy them all at once, but added to my collection as I went along. I threw away a cheap 1/2 amp wall wart battery charger, finding it boiled my batteries dry. It was a JCWhitney special, and It contributed greatly to the short lived batteries of my past.
Pick up a BT jr to start. It works great, will keep your MC batteries fully charged and in good condition, that's my recommendation.
harrydahl
New Member
I use an ordinary automotive charger, 12 V , 4 Amps, but with a 2,7 ohms, 10Watts resistor in series. Nothing fancy about that, just something I had laying around, but it works fine. Just watch the time, if you leave it overnight, your battery will be boiled. If the battery feels warm or if you can see or hear bubbles, then it is fully charged. In real life the battery have to take anything that the generator throws at it, in a car the charging current can easily rise to 30-40 amps, although only for a very short time. Remember that the battery is designed to handle the very large starting current. Lead batteries are quite rugged but will be destroyed if you: have it on charging but never use it, discharge it to more than 50 percent of its capacity, leave it discharged for a long time etc. Lead batteries are designed to be used daily, and last longer if you use them regularly.
mydlyfkryzis
当有疑问时踢你的敌人在生殖器上，你可以道歉后
If you read some of the references, a lead acid battery accepts higher currents when it is discharged. However, the current capability tapers off as the voltage rises. Car alternators are field excited types, and will not over current the battery when the battery is at full charge. Un regu;ated chargers, however, can allow the current to continue even after the battery is fully charged. this si when the damage happens the most.
The purpose built Battery Tenders and alike, will not overcharge a battery. You can leave them on the battery for extended times without any problems. Using higher amperage chargers means the charger will deliver too much current when the battery is nearly charged, which is the condition that you end up damaging the battery.
If you has has bubbles forming, you are overcharging the system. If after a charge , you need electrolyte, you were charging at either to high a current rate or too high a voltage. The CB360, for instance, has a 9 amp generator (130 Watts At 15Volts). Running, about 8 amps is used for ignition and lights. It charges at a low rate. Less than an amp is available.
A car can charge a higher rate when the battery is low, but as a the battery charges, it's internal resistance increases, and the voltage rises. The car alternator maintains voltage less then one volt above a fully charged battery (Fully charged, results in a 13.6 volt surface charge on the battery. With less then a volt potential, the charging current is limited.
You can charge your battery any way you want. If you want your battery to last the longest, you just have to understand the chemistry and charging needs and you will get maximum life out of it. Abuse it, and it will have a shorter life. I used to go through a battery every season. Now they last me 10 years or so.....I learned over time...
Deep discharge marine batteries, SLA alarm batteries, LiPo, LiFe, NiCd, NiMH all have different charge rates, needs for current regulation, and what is good for them is not the same as for our standard batteries.
But read up.....Read manufacturers recommendation and information, battery charger information, educate yourself.
The purpose built Battery Tenders and alike, will not overcharge a battery. You can leave them on the battery for extended times without any problems. Using higher amperage chargers means the charger will deliver too much current when the battery is nearly charged, which is the condition that you end up damaging the battery.
If you has has bubbles forming, you are overcharging the system. If after a charge , you need electrolyte, you were charging at either to high a current rate or too high a voltage. The CB360, for instance, has a 9 amp generator (130 Watts At 15Volts). Running, about 8 amps is used for ignition and lights. It charges at a low rate. Less than an amp is available.
A car can charge a higher rate when the battery is low, but as a the battery charges, it's internal resistance increases, and the voltage rises. The car alternator maintains voltage less then one volt above a fully charged battery (Fully charged, results in a 13.6 volt surface charge on the battery. With less then a volt potential, the charging current is limited.
You can charge your battery any way you want. If you want your battery to last the longest, you just have to understand the chemistry and charging needs and you will get maximum life out of it. Abuse it, and it will have a shorter life. I used to go through a battery every season. Now they last me 10 years or so.....I learned over time...
Deep discharge marine batteries, SLA alarm batteries, LiPo, LiFe, NiCd, NiMH all have different charge rates, needs for current regulation, and what is good for them is not the same as for our standard batteries.
But read up.....Read manufacturers recommendation and information, battery charger information, educate yourself.
