B2b charging (1 Viewer)

Bart

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I've got 3 x 130 ah batteries comined with a 60amp sterling b2b charger , also in stalled is a 1500w pure sine wave inverter.
Currently we are at home and the mh was on ehu charging the batteries for about 12 hrs with the control panel at the start showing the batteries at about 80% and about 10amps going in via the on board charger . Anyway about 12hrs later the panel showed batteries 100% and zero amps going in or out . So I turned off the ehu.
So later on I had to start the Mh and that's when I noticed that the sterling b2b charger the solid blue light on it - meaning fast charge mode / max charge and when I checked with a multimeter there was 40 amps going into the battery so I left it running . Then after a while I rechecked and the lights had changed to blue / yellow ( stage 2 absorption mode ) and it was still putting 35 -40 amps out of the b2b charger into the battery bank.
Atm it is still pumping them amps out while I am typing this .
My question is why is the b2b charger still pumping around 40 amps into the battery bank . When the built in charger stopped charging like a few hrs ago...
And where is that 35 -40 amps going if the batteries are full
 
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Bart

Bart

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Input has now dropped down to 18amps , I'm thinking that the b2b charger just does a way better job of charging the batteries than the standard charger.

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jonandshell

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Input has now dropped down to 18amps , I'm thinking that the b2b charger just does a way better job of charging the batteries than the standard charger.

It does!

Most on board chargers limit the voltage to prevent gassing. As a result, the batteries never fully charge and become sulphated.

That is why you keep getting 'which new leisure battery' threads on here.
 
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Bart

Bart

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1hr later with the b2b running and it's still pumping betweem 20 to 30amps into the batteries.
No strange smells or any heat from batteries / charger.

Edit now just ramped up to 45amps
 

Jaws

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The Sargent in ours cuts off and reads full charge at 13.4v.. Not even gassing voltage..

Really must look at getting a decent charger in there sometime.

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Peter A Forbes

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It does!

Most on board chargers limit the voltage to prevent gassing. As a result, the batteries never fully charge and become sulphated.

That is why you keep getting 'which new leisure battery' threads on here.

You need to understand that batteries gas when they are fully charged so yes, there is an upper limit at which you can hold a battery on continuous float charge, around 13.80V or thereabouts, slightly more for sealed types. If the battery is at the fully charged level, there isn't much point at pushing more charge in as the battery cannot take it and the excess charge goes into gassing (breaking down of the water part of the electrolyte into Oxygen and Hydrogen) and heating of the battery.

A battery on cyclic charge rate can be taken to a higher voltage but for a limited amount of time, you cannot run a battery on cyclic charge for extended periods.

Batteries become sulphated through over-discharge and being left in a discharged state, a battery at 13.80 volts is never going to sulphate.

Peter
 

jonandshell

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Depends what charger you have. The Electrobloc on our Hymer (and the one on our previous Adria) gives a full charge.

That's what they tell you! I bet it doesn't!

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jonandshell

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You need to understand that batteries gas when they are fully charged so yes, there is an upper limit at which you can hold a battery on continuous float charge, around 13.80V or thereabouts, slightly more for sealed types. If the battery is at the fully charged level, there isn't much point at pushing more charge in as the battery cannot take it and the excess charge goes into gassing (breaking down of the water part of the electrolyte into Oxygen and Hydrogen) and heating of the battery.

A battery on cyclic charge rate can be taken to a higher voltage but for a limited amount of time, you cannot run a battery on cyclic charge for extended periods.

Batteries become sulphated through over-discharge and being left in a discharged state, a battery at 13.80 volts is never going to sulphate.

Peter

Yes it will.

Repeated charging without completing a proper absorption phase will kill lead acid batteries.

Trust me, I work for the 3rd biggest warehousing equipment. The number one reason for rejection of battery warranty claims is due to incomplete charging cycles by a user.
All easily detected with charger download data.
 
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Well the gauges (one Schaudt and one victron) say otherwise - holds a higher charge for a certain time, depending upon what type of battery you have programmed it for. I believe you call that an absorption phase. And then reverts to a float charge. Does it for both EHU and solar charging.

But hey ... if you know more about Electroblocs than Schaudt ........
 
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Bart

Bart

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Yes it will.

Repeated charging without completing a proper absorption phase will kill lead acid batteries.

.
Hi what is a "proper absorption phase" ?
is that using the battery until its 50% used ?

Thanks

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Techno

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Did you perform the complicated task of setting the correct battery type on your B2B I'm assuming you bought the solid state unit? the red box.
Mine has to put in 16amps for the fridge alone. Was your fridge on
 
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3 Stage Chargers.
What are the 3 Stages of Smart Chargers?
tech-tips-and-tricks-header.jpg


You may have heard it said "you need a 3 stage charger". We've said it, and we'll say it again. The best kind of charger to use on your battery is a 3 stage charger. They are also called "smart chargers" or "micro processor controlled chargers". Basically, these types of chargers are safe, easy to use, and will not overcharge your battery. Almost all of the chargers we sell are 3 stage chargers.

Okay, so it's hard to deny that 3 stage chargers work and they work well. But here's the million dollar question: What are the 3 stages? What makes these chargers so different and efficient? Is it really worth it? Lets find out by going through each stage, one by one.

Stage 1 | Bulk Charge
Bulk.gif
The primary purpose of a battery charger is to recharge a battery. This first stage is typically where the highest voltage and amperage the charger is rated for will actually be used. The level of charge that can be applied without overheating the battery is known as the battery's natural absorption rate. For a typical 12 volt AGM battery, the charging voltage going into a battery will reach 14.6-14.8 volts, while flooded batteries can be even higher. For the gel battery, the voltage should be no more than 14.2-14.3 volts. If the charger is a 10 amp charger, and if the battery resistance allows for it, the charger will put out a full 10 amps. This stage will recharge batteries that are severely drained. There is no risk of overcharging in this stage because the battery hasn't even reached full yet.



Stage 2 | Absorption Charge
Absorption.gif
Smart chargers will detect voltage and resistance from the battery prior to charging. After reading the battery the charger determines which stage to properly charge at. Once the battery has reached 80%* state of charge, the charger will enter the absorption stage. At this point most chargers will maintain a steady voltage, while the amperage declines. The lower current going into the battery safely brings up the charge on the battery without overheating it.

This stage takes more time. For instance, the last remaining 20% of the battery takes much longer when compared to the first 20% during the bulk stage. The current continuously declines until the battery almost reaches full capacity.

*Actual state of charge Absorption Stage will enter will vary from charger to charger

Stage 3 | Float Charge
Float.gif
Some chargers enter float mode as early as 85% state of charge but others begin closer to 95%. Either way, the float stage brings the battery all the way through and maintains the 100% state of charge. The voltage will taper down and maintain at a steady 13.2-13.4 volts, which is the maximum voltage a 12 volt battery can hold. The current will also decrease to a point where it's considered a trickle. That's where the term "trickle charger" comes from. It's essentially the float stage where there is charge going into the battery at all times, but only at a safe rate to ensure a full state of charge and nothing more. Most smart chargers do not turn off at this point, yet it is completely safe to leave a battery in float mode for months to even years at a time.



It's the healthiest thing for a battery to be at 100% state of charge.


We've said it before and we'll say it again. The best kind of charger to use on a battery is a 3 stage smart charger. They are easy to use and worry free. You don't ever have to worry about leaving the charger on the battery for too long. In fact, it's best if you DO leave it on. When a battery is not at a fully charged state, sulfate crystal build on the plates and this robs you of power. If you leave your powersports in the shed during off-season or for vacations, please connect the battery to a 3 stage charger. This will ensure that your battery will be ready to start whenever you are.

- See more at: https://www.batterystuff.com/blog/3-stages-of-smart-chargers.html#sthash.DNACnmkp.dpuf

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Bart

Bart

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Did you perform the complicated task of setting the correct battery type on your B2B I'm assuming you bought the solid state unit? the red box.
Mine has to put in 16amps for the fridge alone. Was your fridge on
Andy as far as im aware the factory setting for sealed 14.4v was correct for my batteries
Amazon product ASIN B01DT5GA7Eand nope no fridge or anything on, just the usual 0.20A being drawn according to the control panel ( i cannot find out what is drawing this power, but i suspect the reversing camera ,as i read people installed an isolation switch on some of theirs )
 
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Bart

Bart

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Also will my batteries require topped up at some stage down the line , or are they sealed / maintenance free forever ?
 

Techno

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Also will my batteries require topped up at some stage down the line , or are they sealed / maintenance free forever ?
Yes they're not banners. No topping up

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Bart

Bart

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Just to check Andy isnt the default setting correct on my B2B charger for the batteries that i have atm ?
 

Techno

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Just to check Andy isnt the default setting correct on my B2B charger for the batteries that i have atm ?
I don't have the instructions to hand. If you've read them you're better informed than me (y)
 
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Bart

Bart

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@PhilandMena i just had a chance to read all that , very helpful and glad to read that the charger will not overcharge the battery.
and at the end it said
"You don't ever have to worry about leaving the charger on the battery for too long. In fact, it's best if you DO leave it on."
does that mean that i should not worry about making sure the batteries drop to about 50% used before charging them ?? to keep them in good condition or is that not required

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@PhilandMena i just had a chance to read all that , very helpful and glad to read that the charger will not overcharge the battery.
and at the end it said
"You don't ever have to worry about leaving the charger on the battery for too long. In fact, it's best if you DO leave it on."
does that mean that i should not worry about making sure the batteries drop to about 50% used before charging them ?? to keep them in good condition or is that not required

The amount you let your batteries discharge is critical to the longevity. Battery life for a new leisure battery is determined by the % of DOD. (depth of discharge). So, if the battery spec says 200 cycles at 50% DOD it means the battery can be discharged to 50% and then fully charged 200 times. The less you allow a battery to discharge the longer it will last and if you allow to drop say 20% before fully charging then you will get a lot more than 200 cycles, and if you let it discharge more than 50% you are going to get less cycles than stated for the given DOD. So, in answer to your question. Keep the battery as fully charged as you can at all times.

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Also will my batteries require topped up at some stage down the line , or are they sealed / maintenance free forever ?
You need to establish what type of batteries you have. If there lead acid then yes AGM and Gel will probably be sealed but check with the supplier or manufacturer to be on the safe side.
 
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Bart

Bart

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@PhilandMena Thanks for clearing that up for me about the charging,, as my sterling b2b charger runs everytime the MH is started , so my batteries could be at 95% or 50% , it just depends on how much i have used them for between journeys.
As for the type of batteries i have , i linked my batteries below your excellent post on page 1 about the 3 stages of charging :)
but here they are again
Amazon product ASIN B01DT5GA7Ep.s if you are using an add blocker , then it will be blocking the link for my batteries
Thanks
 
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Bart

Bart

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page 6
The unit default setting is sealed lead acid 14.4V
Andy now i am confused even more again after reading the manual & reading the description of my batteries.
batteries say "Use Maintenance Free Advance Calcium Technology Heavy Duty Long Life Batteries"

so have i got it set wrong atm and should i set the charger to setting 7 for calcium ??
or leave it at 3 for sealed ( but the manual says "sealed lead acid" )

Whats the right setting for my batteries

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