Battery Chargers

Tasman Energy provide alternative Battery Chargers information:

Stage 1: Bulk charging

This is the starting stage when you first connect your charger to the battery. Current is "poured" in until the battery terminals reach a certain pre-determined voltage. Usually around 15-volts for a 12-volt flooded lead acid battery. This voltage is known as regulation voltage. A good battery charger will determine when bulk charging is completed because as the regulation voltage is continued and the battery fills, less and less current will be needed to maintain this voltage.

Stage 2: Absorption charging

Once the regulation voltage has been reached and the current flow stabilised a timed period should start at which this voltage is maintained. Usually around 1 hour.

Stage 3: Float charging

After the some period of time at absorption has approved the battery is for all intents and reasons "full of charge". At this stage if you were saying running a generator you would "switch off" and this will be the end of the process. If your source of charging was a solar array via a solar controller you would want a another stage other than disconnection. When a battery is full it can be upheld full at an inferior voltage then the absorption voltage. The benefits of less water loss, the battery will last longer would be achieved etc. naturally the voltage on a 12 volt battery would be more decreased to around 13.5 volts.

So often a forth stage is added, usually on battery chargers intended for regular (live) connection to a battery bank. This will be a slightly lower voltage than the float phase.

Cristec

These are a French made marine battery charger we tried on an installation and were very impressed with. These are little and dense wall mount units with a massive voltage input range and three outlets for charging multiple batteries. hard enough to take to sea in a yacht these battery chargers are equally at home withstanding the rigors of motor home installation or gracing the wall of the discerning solar power user. The solar installation that started our love affair with the French chargers is the pictured right. You can spot a Latronics inverter, a Blue Skies increasing regulator and the Cristec charger over the "Electrolyte Burns" safety sign.

Tasman Energy's Industrial battery chargers specially prepared to driven on a generator. These battery chargers comprise an extensive voltage range on the input side and use switch mode technology for lighter weight. Available in series from 25 through to 100 amp in single phase and up to 220 amps in three phase for 24 and 48-volt battery banks. Call or email with your needs.

The charger pictured left is a Stanbury Scarf and Lord 55 amp 48-volt unit we installed in a residence near here in October 2005. It works well and signifies very good value for money for 48-volt battery charger.