[C320-list] Battery Charging

[Warren Updike]

I presume y'all new owners of AGM batteries know that the charging voltages 
for AGM are different than for Gel or AGM.  If your charger cannot be set 
for specific battery types, you might not want to leave your new AGMs on 
charge all the time.  They may seem like small differences; but, apparently, 
it makes a difference.

                                Absorbtion    Float
Flooded (wet cell)    14.2 to 14.5V 13.2 to 13.5V
AGM                      14.4 to 15.0V  13.2 to 13.8V
Gell Cell                  14.0 to 14.2V 13.5 to 13.8V
Source: www.batterystuff.com

I'm not an expert here, just aware of stuff.  Check with your battery 
manufacturer.  Or, perhaps one of our "experts" can check-in on this.

Warren & Pattie Updike
C320, #62, 1994, "Warr De Mar"
Frog Mortar Creek, Middle River
Chesapeake Bay

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <crashley at gte.net>
To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 1:21 AM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery Charging


> Doug,
>
> That seems to be the general consensus. Up to now I have always left the 
> charger on but I had a cell go bad (shorted) in one of my two 4D flooded 
> batteries a couple of months ago. They were only 5+ years old, but the 
> boat was used and I'm not sure how deeply or frequently the previous owner 
> may have disharged them. I replaced them with two 4D AGMs and certainly 
> don't want to abuse them.
>
> Thanks,
> CRA
> Rosebud #882
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Doug Stieber" <djstieber at gmail.com>
> To: <C320-List at catalina320.com>
> Sent: Monday, February 11, 2008 6:59 PM
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Battery Charging
>
>
>> Batteries last best if kept at full charge.  If your battery charger is
>> operating properly, it will cut out when the batteries are fully charged 
>> and
>> only cut back in when they need to be charged.  My advice is to keep the
>> charger plugged in all the time.  By the way I replace my batteries after 
>> 7
>> years even though they still had life in them.
>>
>> Doug Stieber, Second Chance #406
>>
>> On Feb 11, 2008 5:06 AM, <crashley at gte.net> wrote:
>>
>>> I've heard that one should not keep boat batteries on charge for 
>>> extended
>>> periods. That is, when docked in my slip (which is most of the time), 
>>> should
>>> I leave the charger on continuously or leave it off and only charge once 
>>> a
>>> month (or so)? The charger is a 3 step type which ends up in "float" 
>>> mode at
>>> about 13.5 volts. Also, the charge is a Pro Mariner 1230 which seems to
>>> have a bad reputation. Any advice?
>>>
>>> Rosebud
>>> #882
>>>
>>
>
>
>
>