BILL BAUER wrote in a message to Roy J. Tellason:
> BB> There is a lot of difference between constant voltage charging
> BB> and constant current charging. The temperature at which they
> BB> are charged can also make or break a battery.
> What temperatures would you consider optimum?  Under what circumstances?
 BB> I've got that information somewhere, but don't want to take the 
 BB> time to look it up right now so if memory serves me correctly, 
 BB> if during the charging process, the internal battery temp goes 
 BB> over about 122 degrees one is supposed to halt the charging and 
 BB> let the battery cool. or the cell plates may begin to warp 
 BB> badly.
I used to have some heat up like that just by filling them,  especially the 
cheap import motorcycle batteries.  Had to stick them into a bucket of cold 
water until they cooled off...
Those never came up as charged as others did that didn't exhibit this 
behavior.
> Yeah.  The handiest charger I've got here at the moment is a simple unit,
> with a timer on the front.  No regulation at all,  though it'll push a
> little harder and for a little longer than a regulated charger,  so it's
> handy for stuff that's run down real far,  but mostly I need to keep an
> eye on what's going on.  That's why this one is right here next to my
> desk...
 BB> I don't want any charger that has any kind of a timer on it 
 BB> because that's exactly why all my customers need my batteries 
 BB> and why I can take so many in from them and recharge their 
 BB> batteries and then go sell them their old batteries all charged 
 BB> up and ready to go back to work for them. The chargers they use 
 BB> all have timers on them. Basically there are two types of 
 BB> timers that are used by battery chargers. One is the mechanical 
 BB> or electrical type normally seen on lots of battery chargers 
 BB> and the kind usually found sitting on top of the necks of those 
 BB> doing the charging. 
Not sure what you mean,  there.
 BB> I find both woefully inadequate. The mechanical types go for 
 BB> maybe a couple of hours at most and the "over the neck" type 
 BB> usually go for no longer than "overnite." which could vary 
 BB> considerably. I charge for 12 hours minimum on the first 
 BB> go-around. 
This one is marked in hours,  going up to 12 hours.  I'll usually kick it on 
at night,  check the battery in the morning again and set it back towards the 
full 12 hours,  if I think that the battery needs it,  etc.  It's a regular 
clock-type timer.
 BB> At the end of the 12 hours (more or less) I pull the batteries 
 BB> that will hold above 10.6 on load test and put dead or 
 BB> discharged ones in their place and go for another 12 hours or 
 BB> so whereupon the process is repeated.
I'll usually check them with a hydrometer unless it's one like the exides 
I've got sitting here which have multiple colored indicators built into them.
> I'm always interested in looking at more info with regard to charger
> design, if you know of any.
 BB> I don't. There are some extremely expensive ones being built by 
 BB> an outfit in Dallas but I can't afford $1800.00 per charger X 
 BB> (the number of them I would need) so until they sell enough of 
 BB> them so I don't have to pay for their R&D and a goodly profit 
 BB> on that, I will have to do without their fancy gadgets.
Yeah,  I'd consider that a bit up there as well...
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