Trickle charging two batteries in a 24v system (Ferret)

[plym49]

24 volt Battery Tender.

/close thread

 

[Daybreak]

24v charging thru slave port

 

[tennmogger]

Our small rural sheriff's office has a military surplus Hummer. It's a 24v system with two 12v batteries connected and I'd like to hook up a trickle charger to keep it ready to go at a moments notice. Can I hook a 12v trickle charger to each battery to keep the system charged? Is there a better/more efficient way to do it?

Yes you can do that. The two trickle chargers should have isolated grounds just to be sure there are no surprises, like if setting both chargers on the deck of the HMMHV.

It is better, IMHO, to use two 12v chargers on a 24 v system because there will be a little mismatch between the batteries. Differences in batteries becomes significant if they are charged in series, long term, by a 24v charger. No two batteries are the same. The chargers should be the same.

 

[pjwest03]

Our small rural sheriff's office has a military surplus Hummer. It's a 24v system with two 12v batteries connected and I'd like to hook up a trickle charger to keep it ready to go at a moments notice. Can I hook a 12v trickle charger to each battery to keep the system charged? Is there a better/more efficient way to do it?

I have a ProSport marine charger permanently installed. http://www.promariner.com/en/43012 It has individual connections for each battery.

 

[DeucesWild11]

Update from my original post above from 2012. Over 4 years ago I posted that and I still am using the same batteries!!! They are probably around 8 years old now or older since they looked old when I bought the truck 6 years ago. The Battery Minders do really work with the DeSulfator option on them, I never use my standard trickle chargers anymore. I just hook them up as normal as if the batteries weren't connected together. I also have a battery cut off switch connected to the ground but that's more for security then anything else.