INTELLIGENT BATTERY CHARGERS What are they and what do they do?
Simple battery chargers work by delivering a constant whi le more current and voltage to a battery, irrespective of the expensive battery’s physical condition or state of charge. This type of mo d e l s charger is cheap to buy but the big disadvantage is that can have they don’t charge batteries efficiently. This can seriously as many as impair the performance and reduce the life of a battery.
An “intelligent” charger, on the other hand, monitors a c h a r g e r w i l l battery and, according to the battery’s condition and constantly monitor demands, will constantly adjust not only the voltage but the battery to which also the current supplied to the battery. It will do this in
eight or even m o r e . T h e
various stages or steps and these types of charger are switch between stages often referred to as multi-stage chargers.
it’s connected and will varies widely according to the make and model. In The different operating stages used by these chargers charge and condition.
according to the battery’s demands based on its state of
general, the more expensive the charger, the more Different chargers are programmed to behave in different stages it will have and the better its performance will be.
A simple multi-stage charger may have just three steps, does by referring to the chart below. 1) Desulphation - revives
sulphated batteries
2) Soft start - tests whether the battery can accept a charge
3) Bulk - main charge with maximum current
4) Absorption - top charge and minimal fluid loss
[ You have batteries which are left in the vehicle or boat for long periods of time without being used. [ You’re concerned about safety when using a battery charger. Many “intelligent” chargers (all CTEK models) are protected against short-circuits, reverse polarity and most models can be left connected and switched on indefinitely. [ You want to ensure maximum performance and working life from your batteries.
You need one if: Batteries naturally discharge when not used and, if ways but you can get an idea of what an 8-stage charger
5) Analysis - ensures that the battery can retain charge 6) Recond - reconditions a deeply discharged battery 7) Float - maintenance for maximum performance 8) Pulse - maintenance for maximum service life
[ Your vehicle is often not on mains hook-up and you rely on batteries to provide power for lights, pumps, fridge, TV, etc.
leisure batteries charged up. A lot of people will have had
neglected, will also suffer from stratification and the experience of parking up after a long drive and, relying sulphation, both of which impair performance and reduce on their batteries to provide enough power for a few days’ battery life.
If you have a vehicle or boat and you want to keep your batteries - both starter and auxiliary - in peak condition, it’s essential to make sure that they are properly charged. A car’s starter battery will usually be quite adequately charged by its alternator when used frequently and regularly. However if it’s to be used for more than just starting - running a laptop through an inverter for example - or if the vehicle is laid up for periods of more than a month or so, using a mains charger will not only
ensure that it will perform well when required but also that it will last a lot longer.
in a field, find that, even after one day, lights start to dim, TVs stop working and the voltage meter is in the red. If the batteries had been hooked up to an intelligent charger before the trip, things would be very different.
Apart from extending a battery’s life by a considerable margin, for many people the most important difference between a standard charger and a multi-stage model is the increased performance when a battery in good condition is charged intelligently. It’s
It’s easy to assume that the battery charger built in to a appreciate the performance of an “intelligent” battery motorhome for example will be quite enough to keep the
charger.
Prices and models can change. For up to date prices, to find a dealer near you or for further information on any of our products, please phone us on 01327 312233 or visit our website:
www.roadpro.co.uk
8
not unrealistic to expect an increase in available power of well over 50% and even, in some circumstances, 100%. If you spend time away from mains hook-up, you will really
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