a charger that floats 13.6V

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sky jumper

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I have a dozen three-stage chargers. only 2 float at 13.6V (more recent production runs of stanley BC15BS and BC25BS). oddly I have 2 older versions of the same chargers and they float at 12.9. all of my other chargers float at 12.7-12.9, including a noco G750 which is a total pos.

I am looking for a cheap ($20) charger that will hold a 13.6V float. I'd buy about 5 of them. any suggestions?
 
I can’t say aive ever seen a charger that “floats” at 12.7-12.9... that’s more like shuts off and monitors. Those voltages don’t meet the definition of float charging.

Look at the Battery minder units.
 
My Battery Minder 128CEC1 would only do 13.2V on float (@77F, Odyssey setting). Too low for my use. Returned it to Amazon.

An Amazon reviewer of the BM 2012-AGM also complained of low float voltage. The manual says 13.6V, the charger does 13.2V.
 
Nice find on that Viking 63350.

Anyone know what the HF "compare to" float voltage the Snappy EEBM500A does?
 
Ideal float voltge is temperature dependent.

There are inexpensive (~22$) 30 amp 12v led power supplies with a 11.5 to 15 volt adjustment range.
Just dont set them to mid 14s and hook to a well depleted healthy battery as it will exceed 30 amps and the magic smoke will escape as they do not have constant current limiting on overload.
Though some claim they do.

I use a meanwell rsp 500 15 as a 40 amp manual charger. Lots of use since 2014.
Voltage range 13.12 to 19.23.
 
ofelas said:
Nice find on that Viking 63350.

Anyone know what the HF "compare to" float voltage the Snappy EEBM500A does?
Click to expand...
that was a great call by nwjones. I picked up one of these and it is a fantastic charger, especially for $28. I put it on a grp27 deep cycle that had been floating on a different charger for weeks. the viking immediately went into absorption charge with voltage varying from 14.4 to 13.8 for a few minutes and then tapered off to 13.6 when it went into float mode. the display backlight changes from red to green when it goes into float mode, it is obvious and unmistakeable unlike some of my other chargers where you can't really tell what its doing. its got long high quality cables and and good clamps. overall a very rugged construction.

I also like the "winter" mode since I plan to use it on a generator battery that sits outside in subzero temps.

my only wish is that it also displyed charge current along with voltage, but none of my chargers do that simultaneously.

it appears to be the same as the $25 Chinese chargers on Amazon, and I plan to get one of those for comparison. not sure why bitog deleted the links to those in my other post?
 
Last edited:
SubLGT said:
Does it have adjustable current limiting?
Click to expand...
No. The battery takes what it wants at the voltage I choose.

I can throttle amperage by lowering target voltage and raising it in stages, but only do so on small batteries.

Good, and enlightening, to have a digital ammeter/ AH counter on the output.
 
sky jumper said:
that was a great call by nwjones. I picked up one of these and it is a fantastic charger, especially for $28. I put it on a grp27 deep cycle that had been floating on a different charger for weeks. the viking immediately went into absorption charge with voltage varying from 14.4 to 13.8 for a few minutes and then tapered off to 13.6 when it went into float mode. the display backlight changes from red to green when it goes into float mode, it is obvious and unmistakeable unlike some of my other chargers where you can't really tell what its doing. its got long high quality cables and and good clamps. overall a very rugged construction.

I also like the "winter" mode since I plan to use it on a generator battery that sits outside in subzero temps.

my only wish is that it also displyed charge current along with voltage, but none of my chargers do that simultaneously.

it appears to be the same as the $25 Chinese chargers on Amazon, and I plan to get one of those for comparison. not sure why bitog deleted the links to those in my other post?
Click to expand...
Glad you're liking it. I've got a 4th running now and I rarely use other chargers that I have. I've seen them to begin to float as low as 13.2 initially, but after they sit on the battery a while they always end up at 13.6. I leave mine on boat batteries and rarely used vehicles.
 
Optimate accumate has a 13.6v float so has CTEK MXS5.0.

You should probable eye up a motorcycle compatible charger or ones that can charge AGM batteries.

IMO 12.9v for flooded lead acide is ok for float function
 
sky jumper said:
I have a dozen three-stage chargers. only 2 float at 13.6V (more recent production runs of stanley BC15BS and BC25BS). oddly I have 2 older versions of the same chargers and they float at 12.9. all of my other chargers float at 12.7-12.9, including a noco G750 which is a total pos.

I am looking for a cheap ($20) charger that will hold a 13.6V float. I'd buy about 5 of them. any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Optimate 6 manual states it floats at 13.6v
 
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