battery charger on timer?

[Soundguy]

I've got an old signal gen setting around here somewhere with a pair of those in it... It has the oil or water pot in the top for heat sinking it... I've use dthat old thing to make a low range am broadcast set before..

Soundguy

 

[BobRip]

Sorry to take this back to the business at hand, but...

I don't yet have AC power run with my house building project. Until that shows up, I have 6 100aH Dynasty batteries (UPS Battery - UPS 12-310) wired in parallel connected to a 5000w inverter. I fire up the generator when the voltage drops to 12.46 (not sure that this is the "right" number be using) and transfer all loads to it while an oldie but goodie Schumacher 10 amp charger recharges the batteries (I think I would benefit from a beefier charger actually). Obviously, I don't want to be running this generator longer than necessary and the 5000 watts is more than plenty to be running table saws, etc. anyway. As the batteries approach a more fully charged state, the number of amps being pushed into them decreases thus decreasing the benefit of running the generator. Here's the questions: how can I determine the most efficient use of the generator (i.e. not necessarily charging the batteries fully each time, but not giving them such a superficial charge as to hurt them)? What voltage SHOULD I be letting these batteries drop to prior to charging them? What amperage rate SHOULD they be recharged at? These are NOT automotive batteries, but are recycled from a computer backup power system. Enough juice is flowing into the batteries at the 12.46 voltage that the charger periodically shuts down, I'm guessing to allow the transformer to cool...

I can answer a few of your questions. For a 12 volt battery stop discharge or start recharge at around 10.5 volts. Since lead acid batteries like to be kept fully charged I would charge it to 14.2 volts. I know your generator is not as efficienct there, but you could stop at 13.8 volts. I expect you want your battery to last so go to at least 13.8. As far as raising the voltage above 14.2 to charge faster, don't do it you will generate hydrogen gas and reduce battery life.

Check with your battery manufacturer for charge rate. 20 amps (100/5)would probably be OK during the middle charge state, but should taper off as the battery approaches full charge. A smart charger is highly recommended as it will do this automatically.

For battery maintenace I use a BatteryMINDer Model 12112 which I purchased at Northern Handyman. It limits charging voltage as well as pulse discharges to reduce sulfation which is what really kills batteries. Keeping batteries fully charged is the road to long life. I keep one of these or its cheaper brother on my generators, mower, tractor, and the car that sits too much.

 

[patrick_g]

Amen to what BobRip said.

AND... Sound guy, I have a Drake XCVR that will transmit from 1-30 MHz and will do AM as well as USB/LSB so I can be an AM statioin on the high end of the band. Otput is reduced considerably below about 1.5 MHz, not 100+ Watts, but it is there. My old KnightKit sig gen handles all the way down below IF freqs of 455KHz and up into UHF TV by using harmonics.

Pat

 

[GaryE]

Just picked up an old HW-101.... I built one when I was a kid..... I guess I could always unbalance the balanced modulator and join you on am!!!!! Well kinda am!


Has this thread drifted just a bit? Are we still in the right forum?

 

[patrick_g]

Gary, Most excelent! A Hot Water 101. Never talked over one but talked to plenty of them.

Digression maxima are under the perview of the thread police and not for you and I to worry our old heads over.


I bought/traded for an old Eico 753K (kit) tribander. I was a hotshot with a diddle stick and proceeded to peak up the old box.

I started getting strange results and looked more closely at what I was doing. I noticed the cans I was tweaking the slugs in did not precisely align with the slugs I was alligning from the other side of the chassis.

OH MY! Delving into the manual deeper I find a comment about the sideband generaton being factory set and not to mess with it. Well now that I had accidently done that, now what? Not having all the tech equip I needed I proceeded boldly where no amature should go and angels feared to tread. I got it sort of restored to function and gave it a try. I kept getting comments that I was on the "WRONG" sideband or some such. I got a clear response from a CQ I made and chatted up a fellow college sutdent in New England (from my garage in San Diego.) He too was running an Eico 753K and was the only voice contact I ever got a QSL card from with that rig. I swallowed my pride and relegated it to CW. I always wondered if he had DORKED up his sideband section as well since we may have been the only two folks we could talk with.

Pat

 

[Soundguy]

In case anyone is interested.. HF has a special on their float chargers.

Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

AUTOMATIC BATTERY FLOAT CHARGER


Skip the aggravation of a jump-start by keeping your vehicle's battery fully charged. Use on 12V batteries while in storage or during cold weather. The floating circuit maintains a full charge without overcharging. Includes automatic safety shut off.
Leads: 10 ft. overall length

$ 7.49

ITEM 42292-1VGA

 

[patrick_g]

SoundGuy, It doesn't get much better than that! I use a 100 AH deep cycle batt to power an electric fence. I have a "spare" 100 AH standard starting batt from replacing both batts on my Cummins at the same time and one was still pretty good. I keep the "spare" on float and every few months swap it out for the deep cycle, recharge the deep cycle and revert back to floating the stand by batt.

I am giving an older Hawk brand motor home to a neighbor in exchange for some labor. I will remove the solar installation from the Hawk and use the components to charge the deep cycle in the field and probably never have to swap but every so many years when the deep cycle goes out. Meanwhile I use 2-3 float chargers and the HF units are as effective as the overpriced Shumacher I bought.

Pat