How do i charge a LEAD ACID battery.

[bountyhunter]

Why 14.4v? Doesn't that cause excessive gassing of the battery?

Most new systems are about 14.0V these days, tolerance about +/-0.5V. back in the 70's, Chrysler corp specified 14.4 and some others specified 13.8.

You don't want to leave one at 14V indefinitely because it does accelerate water loss. A car uses 14V to get fatser charge replacement after starting.

 

[bountyhunter]

heh these are brand new batteries. I own 2 and i had a few customers come into my job at radio shack asking me where to get a charger and why dont we sell them.

So i decided to buy a couple and try to make a charger on my own and see how much it cost compared to commercial chargers then if possible create them and sell them outside/apart my job. Will be sold with no warranty/guarantee and has nothing to do with my job. I will sell it as cheap as possible while trying to make the money back from parts and something for time spent reading and learning this myself.

13v was my main choice. The batteries i have like a IDIOT i threw away the boxes which had a ton of info on them heh

Ill go and make a photo copy of the box at work and show you all along with my idea of how to charge it and my method and schematic and source etc...

I designed and published a temp compensated charger for lead acid that is cheap to build. You can have it if you want it since it's already been published. The text refers to a set point of 13.5V, but I adjust mine to 13.2V for my float charge application.

 

[indulis]

Some more reading if your interested....

 

[AtomSoft]

please remember these are not car batteries so there is a difference. I will post what i have later on today after work

 

[MikeMl]

Most new systems are about 14.0V these days, tolerance about +/-0.5V. back in the 70's, Chrysler corp specified 14.4 and some others specified 13.8.

You don't want to leave one at 14V indefinitely because it does accelerate water loss. A car uses 14V to get fatser charge replacement after starting.

I guess GM hasn't heard this. My 2004 GMC K1500 pick-up still has the OEM Delco battery after six years. The running voltage at the battery terminals is 14.4V to 14.7V, depending on temperature.

My 2006 Toyota Corolla has 14.4V at ~70degF.

 

[bountyhunter]

I guess GM hasn't heard this. My 2004 GMC K1500 pick-up still has the OEM Delco battery after six years. The running voltage at the battery terminals is 14.4V to 14.7V, depending on temperature.

My 2006 Toyota Corolla has 14.4V at ~70degF.

14.4V is within the spec I posted which is 14 +/-0.5V. My 2003 Chevy Cavalier is right on 14V.

I don't know what they are using for nominal charge voltage anymore, but they may be playing around with dual rate to get faster recharge. I do know using higher than 14.5 (25C) is going to reduce battery life but they probably don't care. They may be compensating for an undersized alternator or whatever cheap thing they do to cut cost these days.

 

[MikeMl]

14.4V is within the spec I posted which is 14 +/-0.5V. My 2003 Chevy Cavalier is right on 14V.

I don't know what they are using for nominal charge voltage anymore, but they may be playing around with dual rate to get faster recharge. I do know using higher than 14.5 (25C) is going to reduce battery life but they probably don't care. They may be compensating for an undersized alternator or whatever cheap thing they do to cut cost these days.

It is possible that the ECU reduces the VR (Battery voltage) setting after the engine has been running for a while. I should measure the voltage after the truck has been driven for a couple of hours.

 

[AtomSoft]

Sorry for delay heh: (THIS INFO IS ON BOX)

[B]APPLICATION--------------CHARGING VOLTAGE---------MAX INITIAL CURRENT[/B]
Normal Charge -------------      14.4-15.0v        ---------               2.1A
Standby/Trickle ---------------      13.5-13.8v        ---------               2.1A

[B]Better View:

NORMAL CHARGE:
VOLTAGE = [COLOR="Red"] 14.4-15.0v [/COLOR]
MAX INITIAL CURRENT = [COLOR="Red"] 2.1A[/COLOR]


STANDBY/TRICKLE CHARGE:
VOLTAGE = [COLOR="Red"] 13.5-13.8v [/COLOR]
MAX INITIAL CURRENT =[COLOR="Red"] 2.1A[/COLOR][/b]

 

[audioguru]

RadioShack never had brand new goods. They sold factory rejects (seconds) and defective parts.
Those batteries are probably cheap Chinese ones and spent a few years on a boat then a few more years in the store. They are dead and probably will never work properly because an old lead-acid battery does not work anymore.

 

[bountyhunter]

It is possible that the ECU reduces the VR (Battery voltage) setting after the engine has been running for a while. I should measure the voltage after the truck has been driven for a couple of hours.

I just combed through the electrical section my official factory Chevrolet Service Manuals for the Cavalier and the battery voltage they list as "typical data value" are 13.9V. Volume 2, 6-707: BCM, IPC, and PCM all list 13.9V for battery voltage read by scan tool. However, the fault detector doesn't store a fault code until system voltage passes above 16V.

 

[bountyhunter]

RadioShack never had brand new goods. They sold factory rejects (seconds) and defective parts.

I have seen some of that too. The "Realistic/Shure" stylus I got was definitely imperfect. I took my stylus microscope down to the Radio Shack I bought it to show the guy. For fun, we opened every one they had in stock and they were all Shure rejects. They were functional, but the diamond tips were cut off center like a cone shifted off center of the center line of the rod.

I always assumed their stuff was functional rejects that makers wanted to dump to make money without tarnishing their name.

 

[audioguru]

Guess what?
RadioShack has been gone fron Canada for years because they ripped off so many people. Their parts were expensive garbage. Years ago the parts were good.

I bought a video cable there for about $16.00. Then I found exactly the same cheap Chinese one (same brand) at The Dollar Store for $1.00. I bought the one from The Dollar Store and returned it to RadioShack for a refund.

 

[RCinFLA]

It sounds like your batteries are gel cell lead acid. They float a lttle higher then regular lead acid (13.5 -13.8 vdc).

Number one thing on lead acid batteries is do not let them sit for months without periodic full charge.

Discharge converts lead to lead sulfate taking sulfuric acid from electrolyte and converting it to water. If left in discharged state the lead sulfate will crystalize which does not breakdown back to lead and sulfuric acid when recharging. There is some self discharge so charge needs periodic replentishment.

 

[HATHA]

hi Lopez
try this Battery charger circuit using L200. | Free Electronics Projects-Electronics circuits and hobby designs diagrams
i built some thing similar to that with l200 regulator. i use it for charge 12v motor cycle battery work perfect. use large heat sink for l200 even though it have thermal shutdown protection; its getting really hot

 

[AtomSoft]

thanks! found this:

STMICROELECTRONICS|L200CV|Voltage Regulator IC | Newark.com

only issue is the description doesnt match the image really

 

[HATHA]

thanks! found this:

STMICROELECTRONICS|L200CV|Voltage Regulator IC | Newark.com

only issue is the description doesnt match the image really

is any thing i miss

 

[AtomSoft]

Thats the L200(CV) i though it would be hard to find but not. And really cheap ! heh thanks

 

[indulis]

RadioShack never had brand new goods. They sold factory rejects (seconds) and defective parts.

Oh really....

RadioShack - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[audioguru]

It is not surprising that Bell Canada now owns former Radio Shack stores (now called The Source) in Canada.
Radio Shack stores sold cell phones with Bell Canada contracts for many years.

 

[k7elp60]

All it takes is one PB137, a transformer, A heat sink,a rectifier and a couple of capacitors to float or standby charge your batteries. The data sheet for the PB137 is attached. Even a Radio Shack 12.6 VAC transformer will work.
I have had good luck with the all enclosed Radio Shack transformers.