I have a 7500 watt generator which has a 12 volt plug that can be used for charging a battery or series of batteries if need be. This is in addition to 5 other plugs for 120 volt and 240 volt power.

My question: Is there anything to hook to the battery or batteries that will discontinue the charging once the battery or batteries have been fully charged? Something I could put inline?

Am I making sense here? I just don't want to have to monitor the charging.

I think this is what a "voltage regulator" on a car is for?????

-- Vernon Hale (create@premiernet.net), December 13, 1999

Answers

>>>Subject: How do you know when battery is charged? With a hydrometer you measure the density of the electrolyte. A good hydrometer is about $8-12.

First thing you need to find out is what is the maximum amps on the 12VDC outlet. Yes, this is what a voltage regulator on a car is for. If you want to get fancy you can get a charge controller from Trace or Morningstar or whoever, that would not only prevent overcharging but would convert the DC to pulse width modulated charging and desulphating current. Hubba hubba! For 12A it will cost you about $120 retail, $89 street price. As you can see a kitchen timer, a volt meter, and a hydrometer is a bunch cheaper. You could certianly find something that just controls the raw voltage for a lot less.

Of course you might find that that 12VDC is only an amp or so and is really only a trickle charge to maintain a starting battery.

http://www.dcbattery.com/faq.html and http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm will give you a good amount of info about battery charging.

-- Ken Seger (kenseger@earthlink.net), December 13, 1999.

Hey L@@K: Free clickable links!

http://www.dcbattery.com/ faq.html

http:// www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm

-- plonk! (realaddress@hotmail.com), December 13, 1999.