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[funtimefrankie]

How long do you charge a SLA battery for. Can it be left on charge for a few days? what do you do if the battery is only half used, say youve been sailing but it's not completely flat.
 My charger is not one of the intelligent ones.
I've a nice new battery and I don't want to ruin it!!
Thanks

[roycv]

Hi FTF.  Ideally you should be using an SLA battery charger, either a 6 or 12 volt unit.
This is not an expensive intelligent charger.
This will charge the battery at a constant voltage and as the battery voltage increases so the charge current reduces and you can leave it connected without fear of over charging.  This is also known as taper charging as the current tapers off as the battery charges up.
regards to all Roy

[dougal99]

Also SLAs like to be kept charged. I top mine up after each outing. If not in use a top up every month or so would not go amiss. They can be charged at any state of discharge and do not need to be discharged before charging.

HTH

Doug

[Colin Bishop]

Being an awkward sort of character making awkward shaped boats my current project uses 4 2v 4.5ah Cyclon cylindrical lead acid batteries and runs on 8 volts. Having rather neglected the first set I've just had to shell out for another. I have a 2v/6v/12v automatic charger which seems to think its a 6v pack and an old Flair multivoltage charger which puts a fluctuating 500ma through the pack for as long as it's switched on. I shall probably continue to use the Flair but wonder if anyone has ideas on charging an 8v SLA battery?

Some years ago I had a lovely little Sonnenschein 8v 2.5ah SLA which worked very well with 6-12v model motors in scale applications but you don't seem to see these around anymore.

[dougal99]

Colin

Model Power do a charger, X-Peak 3 Plus, which, among other features, charges SLA 2-12v. See http://www.modelpower.co.uk/acatalog/Pack_Chargers.htm

May be a sledge hammer to crack a nut. Up to you.

Cheers

Doug

[Colin Bishop]

Thanks Doug,

It's certainly a nice piece of kit but I'd never get it past the wife at that price!

Incidentally I spoke to John of Model Power on Friday at Brighton. They stock the 2.5ah and 5ah Cyclons but he seemed unaware of the 4.5ah cells which are the same diameter as the 2.5ah ( about D size) but longer. They cost me £5.60 each from Rapid Electronics. Ordered Friday night and arrived today (Tuesday).

Colin

[funtimefrankie]

This is my charger...
http://www.mfacomodrills.com/battery_chargers/battery_chargers.html
the model no229. (Although it's older than this one, looks different)
So I can leave this on the battery without risk of overcharging?

[dougal99]

This is my charger...
http://www.mfacomodrills.com/battery_chargers/battery_chargers.html
the model no229. (Although it's older than this one, looks different)
So I can leave this on the battery without risk of overcharging?

As it's a trickle charger it works the same way as a car battery charger. So if you use it in the same way all will be well. It should take no more than 15-17 hours to fully charge a flat battery. In normal use overnight should do the trick.

HTH

Doug

[dougal99]

It's certainly a nice piece of kit but I'd never get it past the wife at that price!

Just saw the price list from SWMBO's hairdresser    - no contest. Battery charger every time and I don't have to go back in a couple of months 

I'll put my tin/kevlar hat on now

Doug

[DickyD]

What about this charger then

Pro Peak Sigma Mains & 12volt Charger
So you can charge at home of the mains or at the field or lake on the 12 volt system .Making this a very versatile system charging most of today's battery types

Spec's
input Voltage 11~15volt DC to 100~240Ac
1~14 Cells Nickel Cadmium
1~14 Cells Nickel Metal Hydride
1~5 Cells Lithium-ion/Lithium Polymer
1~6 Cells Lead Acid
Charge Current 0.1~5amp in 100ma steps
Discharge current 0.1~1amp in 10ma steps
Auto Limited to 5w maximum )
Trickle Charge Current 0~200ma
Charge Termination Zero Delta V , Peak Detection for Ni-Cd /NiMh
Constant Current Constant Voltage for lead Acid and Li-po/lon
Cycling: Charge to Discharge ,Discharge to Charge
Display: 2 Line LCD Screen Blue backlit
Voltage Monitoring :Using EQ-6 + Balancer only

£74.99

Is this a good one? ???

Richard

[dougal99]

Dicky

Not sure if your question was rhetorical. In case it wasn't the charger you quote looks very versatile, the big brother of the one I referred to. As a mains and field charger it would appear to answer all the requirements.

Doug