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Any Battery Charger Experts out there?

Started by 76eldo, December 12, 2008, 01:37:54 PM

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76eldo

I work in the security industry and have access to all sorts of 12 volt power supplies, and wiring accessories.

I also have a garage that has not been sheetrocked yet, and I was thinking about installing  a group of one amp 12 volt power supplies in a central location, and running wiring through the walls to wall plates near the fronts of the cars.  I can terminate the wall plates with something like a 1/4 jack (like for headphones) and make up jumper cords with clip leads, or some other method if getting 12 volts to the batteries.

My question is, to maintain batteries, if I were to power the main power supply off of a timer, how many hours ( or minutes) per day should you put a 1 amp charge into a car battery to keep it charged without cooking it.

I am thinking 1 to 2 hours a day, but not being an electrical engineer, I am just guessing.

Any opinions?

Thanks,

Brian
Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

Wayne Womble 12210

12 V power supplies might not do the job because they may be regulated at less than a good charging voltage.   

Mike Josephic CLC #3877

You need a power supply that will taper the charge, keep it at the ideal level
to let the battery "float" at 13.8 volts.  Otherwise, you'll "Cook" the battery and
it will be overcharged and die.

In other words, you ned somehing like the "Battery Tender" that has a computer
circuit in it that does all those things and more (comphensation for temperature, etc).

Just putting 12 volts on it at any constant rate is no good.

Mike
1955 Cadillac Eldorado
1973 Cadillac Eldorado
1995 Cadillac Seville
2004 Escalade
1997 GMC Suburban 4X4, 454 engine, 3/4 ton
custom built by Santa Fe in Evansville, IN
2011 Buick Lucerne CX
-------------------------------------
CLCMRC Museum Benefactor #38
Past: VP International Affiliates, Museum Board Director, President / Director Pittsburgh Region

76eldo

Gentlemen,

I am glad I asked, and got the above information.

I will just put in electrical outlets and use the small Battery Tenders.  I do all sorts of low voltage wiring for a living, so it seemed like a neat idea, but for $29.00 or so, I can buy the Battery Tenders, so there is no advantage to overcomplicating it.

Thanks,

Brian
Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado