Battery charging question

[Atchuuu]

Yes, I have read through past threads regarding charging options-

Need to keep my 24v system charged as ever o e does but need some help.

1. prefer not to use a 24 V charger as I’m reading it may not balance the batteries correctly. Is this a valid concern?

2. I don’t want to have to disconnect the terminals to charge the batteries separately with a 12v charger because it’s a pain and I want to keep the connections tight. Can you use a dual bank 12v charger WITHOUT having to disconnect the cable between the two batteries?

3. Using Optima yellow top batteries-AGM

4. I see a lot of people installing chargers under the seat in the battery compartment. I have always charged where the batteries can vent and never put the charger right next to the batteries due to gasses. Is it save to charge with the charger in the same compartment, unvented?

Hope this make sense. Looking to find a reliable and safe method to trickle chat while in storage.

Thank you

 

[Autonomy_Lost]

Thats the exact charger I use, and used on my previous humvee. No issues so far.

 

[98G]

I saw no reason not to go this route. 24V charger hardwired into the back of the slave port.

I've done several of these on various pieces of equipment and haven't seen any imbalances on charging.

 

[Atchuuu]

Thats the exact charger I use, and used on my previous humvee. No issues so far.

Do you have to remove the serial battery cable? I’m thinking you would have to do that to isolate both batteries.

 

[Atchuuu]

I saw no reason not to go this route. 24V charger hardwired into the back of the slave port.

I've done several of these on various pieces of equipment and haven't seen any imbalances on charging.

Do you charge with the seat in place or remove it for ventilation?

 

[Autonomy_Lost]

Do you have to remove the serial battery cable? I’m thinking you would have to do that to isolate both batteries.

You dont need to remove anything, its designed to work with two 12v batteries wired in series or parellel. This has been confirmed by the manufacturer.

I leave mine hooked up at all times, and installed the NOCO inlet port on the front of the battery box.

 

[Atchuuu]

You dont need to remove anything, its designed to work with two 12v batteries wired in series or parellel. This has been confirmed by the manufacturer.

I leave mine hooked up at all times, and installed the NOCO inlet port on the front of the battery box.

Perfect. That’s exactly the information I was looking for. Thank you

 

[Autonomy_Lost]

Here is the inlet



The toggle switch is for my block heater. I purchased an inlet that is also a Y splitter, so powers the charger and block heater.

 

[glcaines]

I use the exact same charger and setup to keep the batteries on my MEP003A genset charged. No problems and works great.

 

[Atchuuu]

How does the charger only charge the single 12v battery and not cross feed the second battery via the serial cable? I believe it works as you have stated, just curious about how.

 

[Autonomy_Lost]

How does the charger only charge the single 12v battery and not cross feed the second battery via the serial cable? I believe it works as you have stated, just curious about how.

It has seperate positive and negative leads for each battery. So 4 leads total.

 

[Coug]

I also use the same 5X2 charger, and have it installed under the seat. They are marine rated units, so no way they should ever make any sort of spark exposed to air. Manufacturer states that it is 100% safe to wire to batteries installed in series to each other.

It's only flooded lead acid batteries that will produce enough to cause any type of issue, and only when overcharged/abused that they are really any danger.

Your AGM batteries are a complete non issue; I'm sure you could overcharge them to the point off producing oxygen/hydrogen enough to cause an issue, but it's massively more abuse than you can do with a flooded lead acid.

 

[98G]

Do you charge with the seat in place or remove it for ventilation?

I remove it. But I've put these on MEP802 gensets in the door pocket and charged with the door closed.

 

[royg]

On my first truck, an M998 with a TH400 trans, I tried one of the "military" 24v solar chargers. I'm not sure if it was a result of the 24V solar charger or a result of the earlier alternator/battery configuration, but that truck reliably killed one of the two batteries annually.

On my subsequent trucks, which all have the 4L80e trans(and thus a 12V tap) and I've used the NOCO 5x2 and have had no battery issues.

I love the NOCO products.

just like charging x2 is a good solution, two 12V NOCO booster packs in the event you need to jump start is a great solution.

 

[Coug]

On my first truck, an M998 with a TH400 trans, I tried one of the "military" 24v solar chargers. I'm not sure if it was a result of the 24V solar charger or a result of the earlier alternator/battery configuration, but that truck reliably killed one of the two batteries annually.

On my subsequent trucks, which all have the 4L80e trans(and thus a 12V tap) and I've used the NOCO 5x2 and have had no battery issues.

I love the NOCO products.

just like charging x2 is a good solution, two 12V NOCO booster packs in the event you need to jump start is a great solution.

Yup, been there done that.
Of course, my booster packs are massive overkill for this application.

 

[Thunderbirds]

On my first truck, an M998 with a TH400 trans, I tried one of the "military" 24v solar chargers. I'm not sure if it was a result of the 24V solar charger or a result of the earlier alternator/battery configuration, but that truck reliably killed one of the two batteries annually.

On my subsequent trucks, which all have the 4L80e trans(and thus a 12V tap) and I've used the NOCO 5x2 and have had no battery issues.

I love the NOCO products.

just like charging x2 is a good solution, two 12V NOCO booster packs in the event you need to jump start is a great solution.

.
I've learned the hard way that some solar chargers actually drain batteries when it gets dark due to faulty diodes/resistors in the charge controller.

 

[Mogman]

On my first truck, an M998 with a TH400 trans, I tried one of the "military" 24v solar chargers. I'm not sure if it was a result of the 24V solar charger or a result of the earlier alternator/battery configuration, but that truck reliably killed one of the two batteries annually.

On my subsequent trucks, which all have the 4L80e trans(and thus a 12V tap) and I've used the NOCO 5x2 and have had no battery issues.

I love the NOCO products.

just like charging x2 is a good solution, two 12V NOCO booster packs in the event you need to jump start is a great solution.

I am not sure why but I see allot of non working NOCO chargers for sale on the popular action site.

 

[glcaines]

I am not sure why but I see allot of non working NOCO chargers for sale on the popular action site.

I currently have five NOCO chargers of various sizes and models that I've had for years and no failures.