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charging the batteries

TOBASH

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There is a quick way and there is a better way and there is the solargiser way.

The quick way is to use a 24 Volt charger (when your vehicle is dead at the side of the road), but then the upstream battery risks overcharging and the downstream battery risks undercharging. You need to swap the batteries back and forth to keep them from being damaged.

There is the double 12 Volt charger way that will charge each battery properly. I use 2 amp trickle chargers with conditioning functions.

Solargizers also work to properly charge each battery and prevent sulfation.

The "Genius" chargers come in several flavors. Yes, there is a 24Volt unit but there are also 12 V units. There are some with 2 or three 12 Volt chargers built into one device to allow charging each battery separately. They come in various amperages.

So, those are your choices.
 
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warcow105

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Charging them is series is fine, that's how the vehicles charging system does it. It's best if they are both the same type and same age. If one battery is in worse condition than the other then you may get lower voltage on it, but battery position doesn't charge it more or less than the other, current flows equally into them. If you are worried about balancing them just do a slight overcharge, it will bring the weaker battery up and lead acid batteries are tolerant of sight overcharge. In the end each of those batteries has 6 cells in series internally, and charging works fine.


Mike
 

TOBASH

Father, Surgeon, Cantankerous Grouch
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Charging them is series is fine, that's how the vehicles charging system does it. .


Mike
With all due respect:

Just because it was built that way does not mean that it is not a problem. It is well known in all 24 Volt vehicles with batteries in series have overcharging issues with the upstream and undercharging issues in the downstream battery, and swapping them back and forth extends their life. There are even comments about this phenomenon on this forum. There are even comments about how solargizers reduce this issue.
 
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