charging deep cycle

[phoenixgold2100]

How long should I charge my deep cycle batteries. When I got home from fishing they were at 12.3 I charged them at 2 amp for 24 hours and only got 12.7v. 115 amp group 27

What are the volts of a fully charged deep cycle.. Some say 12.6 some say 14v.

Also read that I should charge them 15 amp for 4 hours then switch to 2 amp?

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: charging deep cycle

What Make/Model of Charger are you using.

2 amps is a Maintainer, not a Charger. It will take over 3 days to fully recharge a depleted 115Ah battery.

2 amps for 24 hours will theoretically replace 48 Amp-Hours back into your 115Ah battery.
Realistically only about 35Ah.
The battery wasn't all that low at 12.3v so you are now near full again.

The Battery will measure 14+ volts while on the charger.
A full battery will taper down to ~12.7v an hour or so after coming off the charger.

 

[phoenixgold2100]

Re: charging deep cycle

When connected to the charger it only reads 12.7 volts it is a shummacher charger.

I have been charging it at 12v 2amp for 24 hours and its only gotten to 12.7 then within 10 minutes it drops to 12.4 12.5

The charger has two settings 12v 2amp 12v 6amp.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: charging deep cycle

How long you charge a battery depends on several factors - such as:

1) How discharged is the battery
2) Capacity of the battery
3) Charger output

A flooded, lead acid battery can be charged at a "rate" of 20% of its capacity. A "smart charger" will determine charge time and rate for you. With an old charger you need to determine roughly how much current was sucked from the battery in order to determine how much you need to put back. How much you put back depends on the charger and that determines the time required.

 

[colbyt]

Re: charging deep cycle

I just connect mine to the battery tender and forget about it until I am ready to use it again.

 

[phoenixgold2100]

Re: charging deep cycle

So should I be charging it at 6amp and not 2amp?

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: charging deep cycle

So should I be charging it at 6amp and not 2amp?

You could be charging it at 15 Amps without a problem.
The Battery is NOT charging at all until you get the voltage ABOVE ~13.4volts.

WHICH MODEL of Schumacher charger do you you have?

 

[phoenixgold2100]

Re: charging deep cycle

SF826 is the model number. I put it on 6 amp and I am getting 12.88 volts while connected to the charger. So this isn't enough to charge these batteries?

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: charging deep cycle

I will assume you meant it is an SE-82-6.
Give it a little time, you should be above 14 volts within an hour or so.

Does the Meter indicate it is actually charging at 6 amps?

EDIT:
I Noticed you keep saying Batteries. (Plural)
Are you charging two batteries in Parallel?

 

[Alumarine]

Re: charging deep cycle

Do yourself and your batteries a favor and buy a smart charger from Canadian Tire when they're on sale.
They have one on sale for 49.99 thru to Wednesday that looks good. 11-1525-0

 

[phoenixgold2100]

Re: charging deep cycle

yes two deep cycle batteries connected with a jumper wire they run a 24v trolling motor. se 82 6 is the model

When I put it on 2 amp the needle moves down to 2 amp and up to 6 when it's on 6.

If 2 amp is not a charge should it then be on 6 amp?

I hooked the charger up to my starting battery on 6 amp for an hour now and it is only reading 12.48 volts while connected.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: charging deep cycle

yes two deep cycle batteries connected with a jumper wire they run a 24v trolling motor.I hooked the charger up to my starting battery on 6 amp for an hour now and it is only reading 12.48 volts while connected.

Something is wrong! Or, at least Not Right.
If you are charging a 6 amps and the Battery voltage does not increase into the 14volt area, I am confused.

Just to make sure we are on the same page....
The battery chargers POS lead is connected to the POS Post of the battery,
and the NEG Lead is connected to the NEG Post of the SAME battery.
You are not trying to charge two batteries at the same time?

What is the Voltage on the Battery CHARGER Leads when it is NOT Connected to any battery?

 

[phoenixgold2100]

Re: charging deep cycle

ya positive to positive..... One battery at a time.

voltage at the charger leads is 12.16 not connected to anything.

 

[dingbat]

Re: charging deep cycle

Something is wrong! Or, at least Not Right.
If you are charging a 6 amps and the Battery voltage does not increase into the 14volt area, I am confused.

What is the Voltage on the Battery CHARGER Leads when it is NOT Connected to any battery?

My wife left the fan on in the horse trailer and killed the AGM in the truck. Jumped the truck. The voltmeter in the truck read 12.X volts with the motor running. Normally 14.X volts. Put a DVM on the battery... same result. Took the battery out and put it on the charger. Same reading, 12.X volts. Connected charger to a "good battery", 14.X volts. Humm......

No voltage on charger when disconnected. No current draw, unit automatically shuts off.

Left battery on charger (10 amps) over night. Came back up to spec. 12.6V
No idea what was going on. Assumed the battery was drawing more current than the charger could supply dropping the voltage until the demand leveled off

 

[phoenixgold2100]

Re: charging deep cycle

I am connecting this charger to three brand new batteries and have had them load tested and they were good.

What voltage am I supposed to get from the charger leads when not hooked to anything is it 14?

 

[ondarvr]

Re: charging deep cycle

The voltage will be lower when you start and will climb as they battery is closer to being fully charge, it may take some time but should be over 13V rather soon, then climb to just over 14V and settle there when fully charged. The exact voltage will depend on the brand and model of charger though. If it's still under 13V the next day it isn't doing anything.

Best bet is to just buy a better charger, if the batteries are good, and you want to keep them that way, a good charger is necessary.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: charging deep cycle

ya positive to positive..... One battery at a time.

voltage at the charger leads is 12.16 not connected to anything.

You have a basic Manual Charger.
Open circuit I would expect to see 16+ volts.

Cycle the 6v-12v switch back and forth a few times.
You may be set to 6 volts and not know it.

 

[phoenixgold2100]

Re: charging deep cycle

I have just hooked a new charger to my battery and after 20 minutes the battery was at 13.2 volts.

I hooked the leads to the volt meter and only got 10v not connected to anything. this is a 10 amp 2amp motomaster charger.

 

[Alumarine]

Re: charging deep cycle

I have just hooked a new charger to my battery and after 20 minutes the battery was at 13.2 volts.

I hooked the leads to the volt meter and only got 10v not connected to anything. this is a 10 amp 2amp motomaster charger.

They are meant to charge batteries. The reading with no load is probably irrelevant.
Is this a smart charger?

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: charging deep cycle

They are meant to charge batteries. The reading with no load is probably irrelevant.
Is this a smart charger?

Agree.

A smart charger will commonly shut down if no battery is attached.
The unattached lead voltage is irrelevant.
What Model of MotoMaster charger is it?

The original SE-82-6 Charger is an Old School Manual Charger.
It will likely show a higher than charging voltage with nothing attached.
Did you see different voltages with the switch in the 6 and 12 volt positions?