rtbomp
New Member
I'm familiar with stages of charging a (12v) lead acid battery, e.g. 13.8v float charge, then 14.4v boost 14.6 equalize etc.
Are these figures discrete steps, or does it mean that float charge is 13.8v to 14.4v, then boost is 14.4v to 14.6v and so on?
Also, I've read in a couple of places that the charging chemistry starts at 12.9 volts, so the charging voltage has to be at least this figure. If I have a 12.6v charger* connected to a battery there is current flowing, is this just passing through the battery? Is it causing any harm?
*The charger is in fact a PV panel connected to the (12v) battery (via a blocking diode), the battery voltage will be sitting at about 12.4v before the sun rises, and then slowly increases until it reaches 12.9v where the increase in voltage slows down markedly. It will then carry on rising until I cut it off at about 14.7 volts
Thanks.
Are these figures discrete steps, or does it mean that float charge is 13.8v to 14.4v, then boost is 14.4v to 14.6v and so on?
Also, I've read in a couple of places that the charging chemistry starts at 12.9 volts, so the charging voltage has to be at least this figure. If I have a 12.6v charger* connected to a battery there is current flowing, is this just passing through the battery? Is it causing any harm?
*The charger is in fact a PV panel connected to the (12v) battery (via a blocking diode), the battery voltage will be sitting at about 12.4v before the sun rises, and then slowly increases until it reaches 12.9v where the increase in voltage slows down markedly. It will then carry on rising until I cut it off at about 14.7 volts
Thanks.