Charging Battery

hello everyone,

I just bought a used generator (excellent shape) with elec. start.

What I'd like to know is ...is it necessary to disconnect either of the cables to the battery to charge it with a trickle charger?

Thank you for advice and information.

J0hn

Reply to
SirJohn
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Is it a portable like a contractors genset or is it a fixed standby generator?

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

I don't disconnect the battery cables on mine (Generac GP7500) when the trickle charger is on it. However, I do disconnect the charger when I do the weekly test run.

Reply to
Joe Tedesco

no

Reply to
Steve Barker

No.

You didn't ask, but I see warnings about the hydrogen gas that's created when a battery is charged. Especially if it run down and needs a lot of charging and especially if it is in a closed in space. And the warnings are about sparks from the charger when the charger is connected or disconnected. It helps to turn off the charger when doing this.

Despite my posting, AFAIK it's incredibly rarre for a fire to start, or an explosion, from this hydrogen gas, but people here or googling can tell us more.

I certainly don't worry about it.

Reply to
mm

I've seen batteries explode. It's pretty spectacular. Pieces of case

20 ft away. Never seen any injuries other than a little acid burns and ruined clothes. Typically from people disconnecting the charger while it was still on. I avert my face when disconnecting or connecting the last lead. It's more likely to happen inside a garage or other enclosed space than outside. Hydrogen is pretty light and given a chance it goes away quickly.
Reply to
jamesgangnc

So, inside a garage, the hygrogen filled up the whole place? Must have been one hell of an explosion.

For the OP, I've yet to see a starting battery that couldn't be charged with a slow charger while still connected to the engine without doing damage. People routinely leave battery tenders hooked up to all kinds of engines in everything from cars to generators without disconnecting the batteries. That's what I would use to keep it charged.

Reply to
trader4

I've never seen a battery explode that had the caps on. For some reason, possibly due to an old mechanics tale, many folks will remove the caps when a battery is charging. The idiot who uses a cigarette lighter to see down into the battery to check the electrolyte level is the usually the victim/cause of a battery explosion. :-)

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

My wife maintains about 80 golf carts at the country club she manages. They have had a few battery explosions. The caps were always on and it was always caused by something sparking while they were on the charger.

Reply to
gfretwell

That's a little different situation than a single battery. I imagine that a little ventilation could prevent a high concentration of hydrogen from occurring. The real expert on lead acid batteries is Ma Bell because the phone company uses more lead acid batteries than anyone else. Well, there are the U-boats...... :-)

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

It must be that there's no breeze inside, so there isn't that much hydrogen but it hasnt' spread out yet.

We should dye all the hydrogen blue. Then it would be easier to figure out where it is.

Reply to
mm

Typical golf cart chargers put about 18-20a into the battery. That is pretty modest compared to a car and about what you get from a big outboard.

Reply to
gfretwell

Are you talking about an electric golf cart with a bank of about 6 batteries or a gas or propane one with one battery to start the engine?

If it's an electric cart, are you saying 18 to 20 amps into each battery or to the whole bank of batteries?

Reply to
Tony Miklos

I am talking about an electric. The charger feeds the bank but they are in series so Mr Kickoffs says they all see the 18-20a. These can be 36v or 48v

Reply to
gfretwell

Some charge a lot higher than 20 amps. My 36 volt charger is capable of 35 and draws about 12 amps under full load.

Reply to
clare

OK, that makes sense. And yes if the charger shows 18 amps, that's 18 amps at each battery. I was thinking they were parallel, that would need a lot more current. I never worked on a golf cart, mostly just curious. Now I know a little bit about them.

Reply to
Tony Miklos

My friend manages a ministorage. Her golf cart is gasoline, but the other location, a couple hundred yards down the road, has an electric one. I finally got to see how they vary. They're just like you guys say.

Reply to
mm

Years ago a friend of mine had a gasoline golf cart just for riding around their property. They told me to take it for a ride so I got in and looked. And I looked and looked and asked them how to start it. They all (their was a party going on) told me to step on the gas. I said "I see the gas pedal but where do I start it?" Back and forth a couple times until I finally stepped on the gas, the motor started and I was cruising. I also found out that many of them run the engine the opposite way for reverse. Weird little machines.

Reply to
Tony Miklos

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