22 Years' Battery Customization
Aug 31, 2021 Pageview：2865
Charging a Deep Cycle Battery.
A deep cycle battery is a battery designed to provide steady power over a long time and with the feature of recharging itself when the battery is low. It works when chemical reactions take place, developing a voltage, which results in electricity. This type of battery can be used in different areas, for example, in solar, marine, and camping. I find deep cycle batteries to be the innovative solution needed in this age and time simply because they come with the added advantage of them being a renewable source of energy since they can recharge themselves, unlike car batteries. This enables the battery to run at a stable rate for a longer period hence is reliable.
Can you overcharge a deep cycle marine?
Yes, one can overcharge a deep cycle battery and any battery as well for that matter especially when using the old and simpler type of chargers. However, an individual needs to be careful when doing so, to avoid damaging the battery and reducing its life. Overcharging reduces the battery life through allows the excess heat or temperatures to destroy the insides of a battery by causing the cells to buckle and shed their active materials within their plates thus corroding them. Overcharging also leads to an increase in the level of water consumption rate.
One can avoid the problems brought out by overcharging by maintaining the state of the battery by charging it even when it is not being used, letting it cool down after using it frequently or continuously to avoid grid corrosion, monitoring the charge level as well as keeping the batteries terminals clean of any specks of dust or corrosions. The battery can be maintained by first choosing the correct type of charger based on the type of the deep cycle marine battery, for example, GEL, Absorbent Glass Mat(AGM), or the flooded type. The best charger to be used is one of the modern smart chargers that will regulate its charging rate thus making sure that the battery is fully charged, 100%, without it being overcharged. If one has no smart charger, a timer should be set for the entire period needed to fully charge it and be unplugged once it is done.
How long should you charge a deep cycle battery?
There is no specific time or duration required by one to charge a deep cycle battery as it all depends on the type of our charger and its amperage specifications, battery size, and discharge value. For an individual to determine, the time needed to charge a battery, he should divide the amperage hour rating of the deep cell battery by the amperage rating of the charger. After one has known the time needed, it should be charged for that exact period to avoid undercharging or overcharging of the battery.
For instance, if your battery is at a 50% of charge, the battery is a 100 amperage per hour, and your charger charges at a ten amperage; it will take approximately five hours to charge. Deep cell batteries tend to take more time charging when compared to other batteries since they are designed in a way that it is to be charged at low amperage ratings. Moreover, a battery should ideally start being charged at 50% and care is to be taken as not to let its charge be drained to under 20%.
What is the best way to charge a deep cycle battery?
To understand the best way to charge a deep cycle battery, it is important to understand the stages of charging it and the ways or methods of charging the battery beforehand. There are three stages involved in charging a deep cell battery, which include the bulk stage, absorption stage, and float charge stage. In the bulk stage, the maximum rate of current is sent to the battery while maintaining a constant voltage. In the absorption stage, the voltage gradually lowers while there is an increase in internal resistance. Finally, in the float charge stage, the voltage of charging is reduced since the battery is fully charged.
The various methods of charging a deep cycle battery are through solar charging with energy free from the sun. Remember to install solar regulators or charge controllers before using them to avoid fluctuation of the solar energy that may destroy the battery and since most of them can switch to float charge when it is full; it helps it by preventing an overcharge. In addition to that, one can charge the battery from the vehicle alternator although they can never be able to charge deep cell batteries fully and are only recommended for topping up the battery level. As for GEL batteries, there is a higher risk of overcharging them since the output of the alternator is too high for it. Lastly, one can use a generator with a built-in charging system to fill up their batteries as well.
Nevertheless, the best method to be used in charging the deep cycle battery is trickle charging. This means that a trickle battery charger will charge at the same rate as the battery is self-discharging hence, allowing a small quantity of power to flow into the battery. Thus, it may take them a longer period to charge. This factor makes it to be ideal for the battery especially during, its storage in winter when the weather is harsh, on and off summer days, and when transporting it. Trickle chargers also have the advantage of them not heating up, as they do not generate excess heat. The downside to using trickle charging is that it can lead to battery damage if left to overcharge. It may also be ineffective since one may consider it redundant in its role of maintaining the charge level of the battery.
When it comes to safety concerns, it is best to charge a deep cell battery in an outdoor setting to avoid breathing in fumes released by the battery as well as to avoid dangerous situations such as explosions in the case of charging batteries indoors.
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