Quote:
Originally Posted by jcjim4
Paul, you suggest to not exceed 5 amps when recharging. My charger only has options of either 2 amp or 12 amp. Should I not use the 12 amp option?
My Optima battery suggests charging voltage: 14.4v. Is that the voltage I should see when it is fully charged?
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Don't confuse amps with volts. Yes, 13.5 to 14.4 VOLTS is what you want in a fully charged battery. Amps is the "capacity" your battery has to run the various appliances in your trailer, including lights. A Group 27 12 volt deep cycle battery will have approx. 85-105 Amp hours. That means that if you operate a light that draws 2 amps, you can run that light for approx. 42 to 52 hours before the battery is depleted. When the battery is fully discharged, it will still show you that it has about 10>5 VOLTS, but there is no capacity left in it to operate a light bulb.
My recommendation is to charge your battery using the 2 amp option rather than the 12 amp option. The reason is that if the battery is seriously discharged, a 'quick charge' using the 12 amp option could buckle the plates and boil the water out of the battery in a short period of time. You can leave the 2 amp option on for 24 hours without fear of overcharging or over-heating the battery. So, a slow, longer charge is more effective than a quick 'hot' charge. When the battery nears a full charge, does your charger automatically shut off, or cut back the charge to a trickle (.5 to 1.5 amps)? If not, you need to watch it closely to make sure it doesn't damage the battery after the charger has been on for several hours.
10/21/07: Since you have an Optima Brand battery, I pulled this information from the Optima Website:
Battery Storage
Because of the high purity lead grid in the OPTIMA battery, it has a self-discharge rate much lower than conventional flat-plate batteries. This means the OPTIMA can sit for longer periods retaining enough charge to start your vehicle. Depending on storage temperature, the OPTIMA can usually sit for 8 to 12 months and start most vehicles.
When possible, store your battery in a cool, dry location. Check the battery voltage every 6 months and charge if it falls below 12.6 volts.
Remember, newer vehicles with on-board electronics such as computers, LCD screens, game systems, GPS units, clocks, etc., require battery power to retain system memory while the vehicle is parked. If the vehicle is to be stored for long periods you should use a maintenance charger to compensate for this drain.
This charger should be voltage regulated between 13.2 - 13.8 volts, 1 amp maximum. (Paul's note: This is what is referred to as a trickle charge.) On older vehicles, without electronics, disconnect the battery cables when the vehicle is not being used for extended periods.
©2007 OPTIMA Batteries Media
I hope this helps.