24V Battery Charger Questions, who makes a good one?

[emmado22]

The Hawker/Armasafe AGM batteries are different ball games when charging them. There are threads about them with lots of good info on here.. They like to be zapped with high amps to recover.

 

[FlakShrapnel]

Lots of info and a lot to digest...All is greatly appreciated...! I have experience with large truck deep cycle batteries and large marine deep cycle batteries and I originally thought this would be a cake walk, but I'm sadly mistaken to assume...lol.

This is the current situation after first battery recharge attempt.

I did use the NOCO Genius 4bank 4.4amp battery charger and it did fully charge batteries...

1st bat) 12.73
2nd bat) 12.75
3rd bat) 12.75
4th bat) 12.74

However the voltage gage says the batteries are slightly under charge with the gage arrow pointing a frog's hair under green area in the high yellow area of gage. And the engine with not turn over to start...

I do have another battery charger that will go up to 50amps for fast charge and/or fast start settings as well as 20amp slow charge?

Any suggestions as for my next attempt...???

 

[emmado22]

What batteries do you have?

 

[FlakShrapnel]

Reconditioned standard batteries for the M923A2.

 

[MtnSnow]

I would suggest undoing the battery cables and do a load test on each battery individually as I will suspect that you have 1 or more faulty batteries that are incapable of supporting the amp draw needed for starting and is only supplying what is referred to as surface voltage.

 

[emmado22]

6TL, AMG, 6MF? There are several versions.

 

[MtnSnow]

Here is some good info straight from the Army on batteries

 

[emmado22]

That info doesn't cover AGM batteries, which are 100% different than lead acid types with regards to charging them. Check the TM on them.

 

[FlakShrapnel]

She's running now...!

Selector wasn't fully engaged into neutral. Grip lever didn't completely drop into selector neutral grove so it wasn't contacting internal switch.

Thanks for all the input.

 

[MtnSnow]

That info doesn't cover AGM batteries, which are 100% different than lead acid types with regards to charging them. Check the TM on them.

Never said it did cover AGM's and the OP never said he was using AGM's and by far there is more standard wet lead acid batteries in use in our trucks than there is AGM's and so it is very good info to know besides all the other good info in the pdf posted as it doesn't just talk about lead/acid batteries. So if you want to share info on the AGM type batteries post it up like I did above for the standard batteries in interest of helping everyone in the long run.

 

[emmado22]

I have posted to several threads on the AGM subject in the past. Any you'd be surprised at the # of AGM batteries that get surplused out in trucks, particularly the 5 tons. But a lot of people don't know the differences and to them a battery is a battery is a battery. I have bought a bunch of 1 and 2 year old AGM batteries at MV shows for $20 each, because the seller said they were dead/bad even though they showed 12.0 volts. The real truth is they didn't understand AGM batteries and their non understanding was my gain. Lead Acid Batteries and AGM Batteries are 2 different animals, and the "thinking" for one doesn't work on the other.

 

[manders]

I stumbled on this thread while looking for something completely different, but it just so happened at the same time I was 'engaged' with NOCO tech support about their G7200 model.

My truck sits for weeks at a time and even when I drive it, there's not enough time for the alternator to throw a really good charge into all 4 batteries. And the winters around here are just cold enough that I need to keep the batteries at full-strength to get it to start. (I've run out of ether and haven't yet added a block heater.)

After some intertube research, I bought this model about a year ago. I pulled all the batteries and moved them to my home garage and let this thing do its' voodoo for each individual battery. I like the LED readout, and while 3 of the batteries (HASP FT AGMs) were at 50%, one was showed at 25%. I didn't stand over them and watch, but it was never more than about 6-8 hours (per) for them to go to 100%.

Knowing that this thing can also be a "maintainer", I fired off an email to NOCO tech support explaining our serial/parallel arrangement and included the spec sheet for the HAWKER battery. Following is the response from the support guy:

With your set up the battery bank is 24V and 240Ah. The series set up increases the voltage to 24V and the parallel set up increases the Ah capacity. It is a little large for the G7200 in 24V mode as the charger is only rated to 115Ah in 24V Mode and 230Ah in 12V mode. A better charger to charge the entire battery bank at once would be the GEN4. The batteries can remain connected in their systems and each battery would have its own charge lead. So the charge would be healthier for each battery, and the system would charge much faster.

You could use the G7200 to maintain the 24V system once the alternator of the vehicle charges the battery bank up. The G7200 should be able to maintain the charge level and you could leave the batteries connected in the series/parallel system in the vehicle.

The HASP has an indicated capacity of 120 ah, so I maybe could charge one bank at a time (presuming they weren't at 0%), but I like the fact that he green-lighted using this as a maintainer without having to pull them, once I got them back up to snuff.

HTH.

MAnders.

 

[FlakShrapnel]

I went with the suggested NOCO Genius 4.4 Amp 4-Bank UltraSafe Smart Battery Charger and after two years of use, no doubt the best battery charger system. Originally I was disconnecting the battery cables from between all four batteries and come to find out that was unnecessary. This battery charger allows you to connect clips directly to terminals without removing anything. If the batteries are completely dead or around 7 registered volts after sitting long term, this battery charger will take about 9 to 12 hours to completely recharge all 4 batteries. You can leave the NOCO 4.4 Amp 4-Bank charger connected 24/7/365 and the Trickle Cycle recondition and keeps scale build-up off of Lead Battery Plates as well.

 

[manders]

I went with the suggested NOCO Genius 4.4 Amp 4-Bank UltraSafe Smart Battery Charger and after two years of use, no doubt the best battery charger system. Originally I was disconnecting the battery cables from between all four batteries and come to find out that was unnecessary. This battery charger allows you to connect clips directly to terminals without removing anything. If the batteries are completely dead or around 7 registered volts after sitting long term, this battery charger will take about 9 to 12 hours to completely recharge all 4 batteries. You can leave the NOCO 4.4 Amp 4-Bank charger connected 24/7/365 and the Trickle Cycle recondition and keeps scale build-up off of Lead Battery Plates as well.

Thanks for the confirmation!

 

[Bmxenbrett]

Who makes a good 24v battery charger..

Who makes a good 24v battery charger...that also does 12v..2/10a and possibly 50a? The dumber the better. I dont care for the smart ones.

Looking at this 2/10a one.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002TP2C0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1AUFI5NHGNZ61&psc=1

Im still working with a 1970s shumacker 6/12v 6a dumb charger. Works great but looking for a 24v and higher amp charger.

 

[Dock Rocker]

I have had great service out of the NOCO genius. It does 12v and 24v. They offer one up to 26 amps. I have the 7 amp version and put a slave end on one of the quick connects. It works great to throw on all my green gear. Swap to the clamps and it works on all my 12v stuff.

NOCO Genius G7200 12V/24V 7.2A UltraSafe Smart Battery Charger https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004LWTHP2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_nYnGAb3JJ0D3V

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[doghead]

You are better off charging each battery separately with a 12v charger.

 

[11Echo]

I've been using this charger for years. Bought it at a garage sale.
Likely can be found most places where they sell used hospital equipment. Cheap.
https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?149518-special-charger-for-AGM-batteries&p=1823410#post1823410

 

[Dock Rocker]

You are better off charging each battery separately with a 12v charger.

Could you elaborate?


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[Chainbreaker]

Could you elaborate?

I use two 12v charger/maintainers (Battery Minders 1500) because each battery is its own unit. If one battery were to drop lower due to internal differences of that particular battery (older, bad cell, etc.) then its dedicated charger detects that and it gets the appropriate charge while the other battery remains in maintenance mode. Also, the Battery Minder I use has automatic desulfator cycles and one battery may need to be de-sulfated whereas the other battery may not need it. Its my understanding that by using a 24V charger on two 12V batteries in series you could potentially run the risk of overcharging the good battery. However, the newer ones may be smart enough to detect that. Maybe someone else who has one of the more recent smart 24V chargers can elaborate on that aspect.