Battery Equalization Power Supply

[dparilla]

I am looking at a easy way to equalize batteries. I can do it with the alternator, but 4 hours of run time on the diesel just doesn't sound fun when it is already 90 degrees outside at 10am.

So, do you think that a adjustable 30V 10A lab power supply would be able to be used for this purpose? I could set 15.5 volts at whatver amps I need to run each bank (of golf cart batteries in series) one bank at a time. My total bank capacity is 2 banks of 125AH GC batteries (wired in series and then the banks are in parallel.)

An example of the supply I was thinking of using is:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/28106441177...X:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_3925wt_1329

 

[JohnShannon]

Why not? the battery can't tell the difference between alternator volts and amps and lab supply volts and amps?

 

[jviss]

I think it would work as long as the batteries are fully charged before you try equalizing as the lab supply might not be able to drive enough current to bring the bank up to equalization voltage otherwise, which is 16.2V for a 12 Volt battery.

 

[Maine Sail]

I am looking at a easy way to equalize batteries. I can do it with the alternator, but 4 hours of run time on the diesel just doesn't sound fun when it is already 90 degrees outside at 10am.

So, do you think that a adjustable 30V 10A lab power supply would be able to be used for this purpose? I could set 15.5 volts at whatver amps I need to run each bank (of golf cart batteries in series) one bank at a time. My total bank capacity is 2 banks of 125AH GC batteries (wired in series and then the banks are in parallel.)

An example of the supply I was thinking of using is:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/28106441177...X:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_3925wt_1329

It is what I use. However I would advise a decent quality PS that has over voltage protection. Here in the shop we use a couple of inexpensive Mastech power supplies... We also have three BK Precision 60A that feature dedicated voltage sensing. The Mastech VOLTEQ series are specifically designed for battery charging, reasonably priced and pretty rugged. They are sure not the quality of the BK Precision power supplies but they cost many hundreds less. We have a 30V 30A model 3030EX and a 3050EX but they also make a 3010EX and a 3020EX too..

30V 10A Regulated Switching DC Power Supply HY3010EX Over Voltage Protection - Best Deals on Mastech Variable DC Power Supply.


Please check with your battery manufacturer for equalization voltage preferences.

Trojan is max 15.5V
Deka is max 15.3V
US Battery is max 15.3V

Above all corrected for 80F.

I much prefer to equalize batteries solo or first in parallel to absorbtion at 6V to correct any imbalance issues that may be noted at 12V. I prefer to EQ at 6V rather than in a bank as it allows me to see any differences in tail current acceptance rates which can be a sign of trouble if one battery remains higher than the others. I generally equalize 6V batteries at 7.65V to 7.75V...

 

[dparilla]

Perfect! Thank you for the opinions, and thanks Maine Sail for the reference numbers. With 4 house batteries, it will be easier to do one at a time than anything else. I have a lab power supply w/ over-voltage protection from some other experiments (capacitance and static discharge demos) so it is a perfect re-purposing.

-Dan

 

[Bill Roosa]

You might check your marine battery charger. mine has both a button to run a equalization cycle and a timer that does it every 28 days if you leave it "on charge" that long.

 

[Maine Sail]

Perfect! Thank you for the opinions, and thanks Maine Sail for the reference numbers. With 4 house batteries, it will be easier to do one at a time than anything else. I have a lab power supply w/ over-voltage protection from some other experiments (capacitance and static discharge demos) so it is a perfect re-purposing.

-Dan

The beautiful thing about using a power supply is that you can see exactly when the battery is "full", at absorption voltage, by watching the accepted current. Many sub-par battery chargers often do not get a battery "full" before switching to float mode..

Once full you can then increase the voltage to 15.3V to 15.5V. I then also adjust the current to the point where it can just barely maintain 15.3V to 15.5V. The batteries will equalize at the 15.3 to 15.5 but will be using the bare minimum of current to do so..

This is the beautiful benefit of using a bench-top power supply to equalize. It allows you to set the BARE MINIMUM current needed to do the job.

Don't be alarmed to see the current go up quite a bit from 14.4 - 14.6V when you turn the voltage up to 15.3V - 15.5V.. The accepted current during equalizing will also diminish as time goes on..

I think this is my Mastech 30A model # 3030EX. I also own a 3050EX

They are very handy tools:

The little tiny ones are good for equalizing but this one costs as much as the 30A version and it is only 5A capable...