'Recondition Charging' question

LittleSister

LittleSister

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Advice sought on battery charging.

My battery charger (Ctek Multi XS 7000) has a 'RECOND' setting for severely discharged batteries. According to the manual it does the normal charge, then applies a constant 1.5 amps (and max 15.7V) for a 1/2 to 4 hours.

The manual states 'This mode is used to recharge very discharged batteries where you would expect to find a vert stratified acid (high acid weight in the bottom, low on top). Use this setting with care because it can cause some water loss.'

My question is whether it is safe to use this setting on a 'sealed' battery.
 
PaulRainbow said:
Not if you like your batteries.
Click to expand...

I have a couple of batteries which, to my shame (though I claim mitigating circumstances), have been left way too long without a charge. One has, I think, had it (a Red Start, £££!, 0.42v!); the other (Lucas Leisure, 12.42v) might or might not be re-usable. So, desperate measures!
 
LittleSister said:
I have a couple of batteries which, to my shame (though I claim mitigating circumstances), have been left way too long without a charge. One has, I think, had it (a Red Start, £££!, 0.42v!); the other (Lucas Leisure, 12.42v) might or might not be re-usable. So, desperate measures!
Click to expand...

I'd only try them whilst under supervision John, charging sealed batteries at 15.7v for up to 4 hours is risky.
 
Apologies for the slight thread drift. Why would a new 110ah leisure battery lose 0.1 volts per day when charged from 12.4v to 12.8v (on charge for 24 hours) but after a few more charging cycles start losing a lot less than this so that it now just sits at 12.7v without being charged even after a couple of weeks. Was it just not fully charged initially or is there some other chemistry at work? Just curious. Battery is 3 months old and not connected to anything except when being charged. When first installed it was used to power a bow thruster for some tests and left at 12.4v for a few weeks before being recharged.
 
Ammonite said:
Apologies for the slight thread drift. Why would a new 110ah leisure battery lose 0.1 volts per day when charged from 12.4v to 12.8v (on charge for 24 hours) but after a few more charging cycles start losing a lot less than this so that it now just sits at 12.7v without being charged even after a couple of weeks.
Click to expand...

Odd isn't it, but that's what happens. Trojan even wrote about it in one of their manuals and indeed when I fitted the last set of new batteries the same happened. Really deep discharge voltage even with comparatively light loads for the first couple of weeks on use, then everything settled down. Guess its a bit like running a car engine in 40 years ago when you had a sign in the back window saying "running in, please pass".

Pete
 
Ammonite said:
Apologies for the slight thread drift. Why would a new 110ah leisure battery lose 0.1 volts per day when charged from 12.4v to 12.8v (on charge for 24 hours) but after a few more charging cycles start losing a lot less than this so that it now just sits at 12.7v without being charged even after a couple of weeks. Was it just not fully charged initially or is there some other chemistry at work? Just curious. Battery is 3 months old and not connected to anything except when being charged. When first installed it was used to power a bow thruster for some tests and left at 12.4v for a few weeks before being recharged.
Click to expand...

Down to battery charger, switchmode chargers are not an ideal charge source. Putting it simply, the first charge gave you a surface charge, not converting all the active material. The battery settled and the second charge converted more of the active material.

The old transformer / rectifier chargers with a proper controller and charge cycle gave a better charge profile and deeper charge. It also what is described as reconditioning charge in the OP as part of the charge cycle.

Brian
 
LittleSister said:
Advice sought on battery charging.
My battery charger (Ctek Multi XS 7000) has a 'RECOND' setting for severely discharged batteries. According to the manual it does the normal charge, then applies a constant 1.5 amps (and max 15.7V) for a 1/2 to 4 hours.
The manual states 'This mode is used to recharge very discharged batteries where you would expect to find a vert stratified acid (high acid weight in the bottom, low on top). Use this setting with care because it can cause some water loss.'
My question is whether it is safe to use this setting on a 'sealed' battery.
Click to expand...
As mentioned the problem with a sealed,low maintenance battery is being unable to top up the electrolyte level.
However at only 1.5 amps you will only lose approx 0.5cc from each cell per hour.
No problem for a small number of recondition cycles during it s lifetime
 
VicS said:
As mentioned the problem with a sealed,low maintenance battery is being unable to top up the electrolyte level.
However at only 1.5 amps you will only lose approx 0.5cc from each cell per hour.
No problem for a small number of recondition cycles during it s lifetime
Click to expand...

Particularly poor advice to hold SLA batteries at 15.7V for up to four hours. (n)

Best avoided by anyone who wants to get the best out of their batteries.
 
PaulRainbow said:
Particularly poor advice to hold SLA batteries at 15.7V for up to four hours. (n)

Best avoided by anyone who wants to get the best out of their batteries.
Click to expand...
Best to avoid needing to go there!
Some 'sealed' batteries can be un-sealed to allow venting and adding water.
Some cannot.

The OP might think he has nothing to lose with a battery that's down to 0.4 volts, but a mate of mine once blew up a tiny moped battery, made a lot of mess!
 
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