Battery question

Over the years I have charged lots of batteries but the one I have now is a sealed one. I recall being told that these can't be hooked up to a charger but wanted to check if anyone can confirm that for me?

Thanks

Yogie

I've used "temporarily" SLA battery,which is specifically NOT recomended for automotive use...now it's over three years and keeps going strong even with filthy charging spiking to some 15-16 V...

I find that hard to believe

when its fitted in the car its being CHARGED all the time

so what would be the difference ???

It was something to do with the expanding gases when it charges. Because you couldn't take off the inspection plugs it meant the gas couldn't escape when it expanded from the charging. I would assume it wouldn't generate as much gas when charging from driving. I hope you can charge it as I don't want to buy another battery but I also don't want it exploding on me.

Yogie

Drill some holes in it

jks

Don't do that.

Sealed batteries can be charged; you just use the 'trickle' charge setting on your battery charger. This charges with a lower current, so it takes longer, but will not cause any overheating, evaporation or gas expansion problems on a sealed battery.

If your battery charger only has one setting - for full charging - this might be too much, so time to get a more modern battery charger.

I thought trickle chargers were the only ones. ts the one i have but i always udo the caps just to make sure.

vw54 wrote:I find that hard to believe

when its fitted in the car its being CHARGED all the time

so what would be the difference ???

I had the same feeling about using it, because I've used SLA batteries in hundreds in the product I was making and manufacturers recommendations are : charging current 2- 4 A, voltage max 13,8V...discharge to 10.8 V..

Using it in a beetle for over three years says something different...

The difference / I guess / is, that generator is pretty shitty source and most of generated power goes to running the car, so there isn't much left for the battery...it could be different story with alternator equipped vehicle...

Yogie wrote:Over the years I have charged lots of batteries but the one I have now is a sealed one. I recall being told that these can't be hooked up to a charger but wanted to check if anyone can confirm that for me?

Thanks

Yogie

I have used those for many years with no problems...
even in Mitsubishi vehicles which really over charge the batteries.. or splatter acid all over the engine bay on a battery with vented holes....

I just bought a trickle charger for My beetle...
only puts out 2.5 Amperes at 12.8Volts DC...

My Old battery charger was 13.8 Volts DC at 6 amperes..

big difference...

LEE

Thanks for your help everyone. My charger is a 6amp and there is no switch for trickle feed. It charges till full then goes to trickle automatically to maintain the charge. Does that mean I would need another charger with a manual switch for trickle feed?

Yogie

I thinkk the newer charges just trickle charge, im not 100 percent but im prety confident in saying that

I forgot to add, the charger is only about 2 years old.

Yogie

You can get a little charger from Jaycar, which will " clean up" charging voltage and current to recommended values...I've got one, but never bothered to fit it..

Yes, 6-amp is for 'full charge' on wet lead acid batteries. Trickle-charge is around 2.5 amps. It's probably too strong for your sealed battery and might cause it to overheat and gas.

Supercheap Auto have a number of different battery chargers, from Arlec and Callibre mostly, some of them pretty basic and some a bit more sophisticated.

I like this one, for $55. Does all conventional lead acid batteries, plus calcium, gel and deep cycle batteries:

http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/online-store/products/SCA-Battery-Charger-6-12V-2400-4800mA.aspx?pid=155831#details

Yogie wrote:Thanks for your help everyone. My charger is a 6amp and there is no switch for trickle feed. It charges till full then goes to trickle automatically to maintain the charge. Does that mean I would need another charger with a manual switch for trickle feed?

Yogie

no,
Yours sounds like an Good battery charger...
some are vERY basic....

just putting 13.8 volts DC at 4-6 amperes into a battery...
just a transformer and diodes...

The trickle charger I just bought has a circuit board and has three LEDs...

I usually use a home made 13.8Vdc power supply I made years ago.... can put out 8 amperes...

and as the battery voltage goes up the current drops down to a couple of amperes..

LEE

the chargers are really not the answer as he wants to use it in his bug ,now i have seen these battery used in campers and when they get low the twin battery gismo switches over to charge the sealed battery
i would ask a camping outlet or a sparky the best way to go

Hi

A lot of new batteries are using calcium as a hardener in the making of the grids inside the battery, these batteries require special high out put battery chargers, if you have one in a generator equipped car you are pushing the proverbial uphill, in fact most early cars with alternators struggle with these batteries.

Steve