1982 Ray-O-Vac 6/12 volt Battery Charger

[tonymazz]

Greetings -

I have a 1982 Ray-O-Vac 6/12 volt (switchable) battery charger and seems to work ??

Details

This charger is a 6-Amp charger with an ammeter on front panel....

The insides reveal a somewhat primitive design of a very larger transformer that switches out put of either 13-volts or 8-volts....has a rectifier, a large transparent glass fuse (with coil wire inside).

Input as written on panel state: 115vac 1.2 amps 60Hz 12vdc / 6vdc 6-amps.

Questions

I have no manual and have measured the voltages with a DMM and show a stable output of DC (don't have a scope though) but am not sure what it would do with a battery...

So I connected it to my JD 12-volt battery, connected up, plugged in, stood back and watched the ammeter....

It started at 6-amps and quickly and steadily moved down toward zero...(moving right -to- left). When it got to about 2 amps I pulled the plug and every thing seemed fine, all was cool to the touch etc.

Would you say this charger once it hits zero that the battery under charge is fully charged... ?

How would / could I check that ?

I have searched the internet and cannot find even a trace of this device, only when following the patent for the ammeter which has a patent can I find just the meter on line.

I don't want to ruin a battery, but seems in such good shape I hate to toss it... I like to refurbish / fix older electronics but wish I had a manual to work from....

Thoughts or suggestions / cautions are appreciated....

 

[shokjok]

From what you describe, the JD battery may have drained the charger and/or rapidly depleted the capacitor. The meter told you that this method, while proper, worked in reverse. Did the battery work in the application afterwards?

 

[tonymazz]

From what you describe, the JD battery may have drained the charger and/or rapidly depleted the capacitor. The meter told you that this method, while proper, worked in reverse. Did the battery work in the application afterwards?

Hmmm.. I am just learning...so are you suggesting that if the JD battery were depleted, the ammeter would be low and as the battery charged the ammeter goes to a higher current ?

I was thinking the exact opposite...as the battery started in a depleted stated, the current from charger would be greater i.e. 6 amps then as the balance of the battery increased to full "capacity" the current would go near zero (full charged).

I have not tried the battery but does show 12volts when read by my vom.

Side note: do you know .... I pull the battery every year as I live in wisconsin and bring in side for the winter....spring I simply pull out and put in my tractor and turn the key and it seems to have a full charge enough to fire the JD after sitting all winter.....once started, the JD charges the battery and good to go....