How do I charge a battery.....?

[morgan]

I have a spare 12V 50Ah maintenance free battery. Actually, it's off my mobiility scooter. One was ok the other went bad so I replaced them both.

How can I charge it..?

I have been told that I can not use a a car battery charger on it.

Any advice most welcomed.

Thanks in advance.

morgan

[usenet]

No you can't really.

But you can use an 'intelligent' charger like some of the ones that Gunsons make. There are also a couple of other ones available but I can't remember the makers' names now.

Go to

and look in the Battery Chargers & Battery Care section, there are a couple of chargers there which specifically mention maintenance free batteries. They are universal, you can use them on car batteries too.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Yoiu can buy a suitable charger at any model shop. These batteries are extensively used to power electric starters and fuel pumps for model aircraft, as part of the refuelling/starting equipment.

[Dave Plowman]

Many modern car battery chargers are switchable for no maintence types.

[Lawrence]

Or look for sealed lead acid chargers from maplin

try lj73q or lo8ab

Lawrence

usenet at lklyne dt co dt uk

[BillR]

When I last looked Argos had one.

[Peter Parry]

That's correct, it is a sealed lead acid battery and overcharging will damage it. Chargers for sealed batteries are generally expensive if you want short charge times - typically GBP40-GBP150. If you can tolerate much longer charge times (and depending upon the amp/hour rating of the battery) there are some chargers around for about GBP10.

[Andy Dingley]

"Maintenance Free" on a car battery isn't the same as a maintenance free traction battery on a scooter. The charge voltage is different, and you'll kill it.

You could use a charger for the tiny sealed lead acids in burglar alarms (and wait a year), you can build / adjust one, or you can buy one - over-priced that they are.

Talk to the battery maker for the correct voltage specs, and read any basic DIY electronics book from Maplin on how to build a suitable circuit. Easiest way is probably to buy a charger from Halfords (using the case, transformer and rectifiers) and make a new or adjust the old regulator.

-- Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods

[usenet]

If you look further the Gunsons chargers specifically mention traction (and similar selaed) batteries I think.

[John Armstrong]

Probably a silly question but can't you use the charging system for the scooter?

[Dave Plowman]

It bugs me that the ad men call what are low maintence liquid electrolytic types maintenance free just because there are no easily accessible fillers.

I assume the scooter ones are gel types and require a constant voltage charge? My Halfords charger says it is suitable for this, but I've not tried it. It would make sense as aren't many leisure batteries gel types too?

[Lobster]

Swap it for the one on the scooter temporarily and charge it on that?

David

[Thomas Prufer]

For a start,

will tell you more than you want to know about charging, chargers, battery types, what to do, what not to do and why not...

Thomas Prufer