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Trickle charger / maintainer

Ronmar

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But he didn't. Some of that might be true when it's charging more than one battery at once, which it does at first, but then it starts charging them round robin, and just maintaining them. I just went and double checked, and mine is currently charging only battery #4, which reads 14V, and the others all read 12V.

(Sometimes it's doing other stuff, like charging with a square wave to desulfate the battery, and then you can't really get a good reading.)
Well actually I did... Like NDT said, if it is charging one battery in parallel, it IS charging the other battery as well. The interconnect wiring between the batteries gives it no choice... If one battery is at 14 and the other three are actually at 12, then you have a battery interconnect wiring issue between the batt on charge and it’s parallel twin...
 

chucky

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I found the box for the NOCO charger i was refering to its a noco genius g7200 12/24 v with agm charging ability 90 something bucks on amazon
 

ramdough

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I just installed a Noco Genius 5x2.

I have never had trouble starting my truck, so it surprised me when the Noco told me I only had 25% charge on my batteries.

Next time I start, I will have to pay attention to see if I notice a difference.


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NDT

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I just installed a Noco Genius 5x2.

I have never had trouble starting my truck, so it surprised me when the Noco told me I only had 25% charge on my batteries.

Next time I start, I will have to pay attention to see if I notice a difference.


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My BatteryMinders do that too, they are fooled by the voltage not being 13 ish. In no time they cycle up to showing 100%.
 

Ronmar

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I just installed a Noco Genius 5x2.

I have never had trouble starting my truck, so it surprised me when the Noco told me I only had 25% charge on my batteries.

Next time I start, I will have to pay attention to see if I notice a difference.


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Considering the battery bank is grossly oversized for the engine/starter, no I would not find a good crank and start at 25% that surprising... Cat specs a pair of group 31’s in series(100AH) for their equipment that uses these engines. The 4 batt milspec bank is 240AH...
 

Ronmar

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Before I pulled my instrunment shunt the other day, I connected a millivoltmeter to it, pressed the start inhibit and did a couple of longer crank cycles on it. It averaged around 15 MV while cranking but the meter did record a peak transient of 26MV. If the spec I found for the shunt is correct, with 100.0MV = 1000A, that was an average current draw of 150A cranking a 3116, and a peak in there somewhere that only the meter saw(initial surge?) of 260A...
 
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ramdough

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Considering the battery bank is grossly oversized for the engine/starter, no I would not find a good crank and start at 25% that surprising... Cat specs a pair of group 31’s in series(100AH) for their equipment that uses these engines. The 4 batt milspec bank is 240AH...
I run 4 Walmart batteries, so not 240Ah. But that is a great reference to have.


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swbradley1

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I have always run the battery tender type wallwarts with alligator clips on all of my trucks. Desulfate and maintain for months at a time.

On a 24v system I hook one up to each battery. Problem solved.
 

ramdough

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Well, I can say qualitatively that the batteries have more juice. When I reconnected the cables, they sparked more than last time. Noticeably more.

I think I need a disconnect switch now or I will accidentally weld my lugs on next time I connect them.


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Floridianson

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Yea but make sure it has the agm charging ability .
Ok if all four batteries are still hooked up and using my Noco Genius charge does it still need to be on AGM. Hate to say it but I have not been using the AGM with the four 6TL in the truck just regular 24 volt. Would seem to me if I was just charging just one battery in the shop then yes use AMG cycle. Maybe I am wrong and will find out in a couple of post's. Would seem like when all four are still hooked up in the truck and running the charging system is not voltage limited the charge back in. No problems so far but if I have to charge the 1088 before the person who bought picks it up it I will switch to AGM cycle. No need to hurt his good batteries. Tanks
 
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Ronmar

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If they are AGM batteries, you want to use AGM mode. AGM and plain lead acid batteries charge/absorb current at different rates for a given voltage. A smart charger uses the voltage vis current to determine the charge rate and state of charge and control things for best efficiency and best final charge.

A smart charger may even fault when connected to the wrong type, as normal for that battery type may be out of tolerance for the charger set for a different battery type.
 

Floridianson

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As said I do not know but it does not fault when I did it. Also batteries have always been maybe one volt low when I charged them. No drain when the 3116 just sits. Been two months since he paid for it just not picked it up. Other thread I posted I will not let it off the property without the title in his name. Also they are shipping it out of the country so I think they are trying to find someone with an export license. Got my money not my problem.
 
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