Battery charger

[Fou Du Large]

Hello

When i bought my Catalina there where 2 batt. chargers in.
1 - DYTECK 15a 2 banks.
1- Guest no-2615 15a 2 banks.

The DYTEK was installed, and the Guest was stored in a bag.

The DYTEK is ded two weeks ago......
I installed the Guest and it's run well....
I have installed this year to two bank of golf car batt. 6 volts Trojan.

My question!
Is this charger suffisent for the new bank?
Is this charger charge 15A at each bank or 7.5A at each bank?
When my Dytek wil be repared is this a good idea to intall one charger per bank?

[Stu Jackson]

Sounds like you have two separate house banks, and no separate start (emergency) battery, thus switching usually daily between the two banks.

Regardless, your charger size is fine for that use.  Any size charger in Amps is fine up to about 25% of the total amp hours of the bank.  Anything further is simply overkill and the acceptance of the batteries will govern and not allow more than that amount of current to flow into the banks.

The smaller the charger, the longer it takes to charge.

You'll only get half of the 15 amps to each bank, it can't do more than its size.

You're fine the way you are.  You should check on how the alternator output works and how you charge both banks from the alternator, unless you leave the 1-2-B on B when you start and when you're motoring.  Just remember to switch to one or the other when the engine stops.

Please check to see if your remaining charger is a true 3 stage charger.  If it only puts out 13.8V all the time, it is killing your batteries and you should get a new, modern  charger.  Why mess up a great investment in new batteries only to have those expensive batteries killed by a lousy charger.  Unless the Dytek is also a good charger, why repair it?  If they are both single stage chargers, save your repair $ and help increase the longevity of the new batteries with a new charger.

The operation of chargers is discussed in John Nixon's topic (http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4352.0.html) and in many electrical systems articles in the Projects section of the website, like this one: http://www.c34.org/projects/projects-electrical-system-upgrade-2.html

[jmnpe]

First of all, don't bother having your Dyteck charger repaired: it is not a very desirable charger, and will produce charging voltages that are excessively high on your nice Trojan 6 volt batteries. The Guest 2615 is a 2 stage charger that is not a terrible charger, but has already been replaced in the Guest product line by an improved version. The primary problem is that it doesn't have sufficient capacity for your 225 a-hr per bank battery capacity, it does not have a well regulated float voltage, and cannot be configured for optimum charge performance with flooded batteries.

My best current recommendation for you is to install a Zantrex Truecharge 40+ charger. They can still be found at a quite reasonable price on the Internet, and will do no harm to your Trojans when properly configured.

The Trojan 6 volt batteries can give very good service if they are well cared for and properly maintained, which includes periodic equalization charge, something the Guest charger cannot provide, but the Zantrex Truecharge will perform.

John

[Fou Du Large]

This morning i have installed my new Promatic 30A-3 stages charger.
I think that my problem is over.

Thank you.

[Fou Du Large]

Hello

On my mew Promatic 30Amp.-3 charger there is 2 setting switches to set it for acid or gell batteries.
Nothing about AGM batteries.

What setting do you thing is better for my Trojan AGM batteries?

Thank.

[Stu Jackson]

Use the wet cell setting for AGMs.