This is what happens when you overcharge a lead acid battery
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MowerMike
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It depends on the type of SLA battery. Car batteries are wet type sealed, so they can overheat and leak both liquid and gas. Dry AGM batteries that are used in UPS and alarm systems are not supposed to leak even if overcharged.
I run 6 batteries , and have tried various types of chargers across the years. The small H Frt stuff "was" worthless, probably because of cheap components and packaging. I was with Shumacher also for years . Their support sucked. The smart charger I had for about 4 years worked well until it also became unresponsive. A smaller trickle charger crapped out too soon, and the latest trickle charger hook broke almost immediately , but is working as a float unit.
Always adventuresome, today bought the "latest" H Frt smart unit with coupon. It has a touch screen, winter mode and repair mode. I just used it on 3 batteries which were finished in good order and will try the "repair" mode on a sulfated or shorted unit (aged) in the shop. The new unit could be junk, but the theory of the smart chargers is good. I have some faith in the H Frt (and Amazon) testimonials as they have published some of my gripes as I sent them.
Although I have never had a scary event with the "flooded" (lead acid) batteries every instruction pamphlet is loaded with warnings of explosion and acid burn hazard. Online there are many good articles on batteries, specific gravity, surface charge, charging curves, and load testing for the interested. I could not find any manufacturer of household type chargers made in USA. I have never had a bad experience leaving any charger advertised as a float or maintainer hooked up indefinitely.
Always adventuresome, today bought the "latest" H Frt smart unit with coupon. It has a touch screen, winter mode and repair mode. I just used it on 3 batteries which were finished in good order and will try the "repair" mode on a sulfated or shorted unit (aged) in the shop. The new unit could be junk, but the theory of the smart chargers is good. I have some faith in the H Frt (and Amazon) testimonials as they have published some of my gripes as I sent them.
Although I have never had a scary event with the "flooded" (lead acid) batteries every instruction pamphlet is loaded with warnings of explosion and acid burn hazard. Online there are many good articles on batteries, specific gravity, surface charge, charging curves, and load testing for the interested. I could not find any manufacturer of household type chargers made in USA. I have never had a bad experience leaving any charger advertised as a float or maintainer hooked up indefinitely.
Those are great warranties which are paid for in the higher unit prices, I suppose. In contrast the new H Frt unit I bought was cheap . They offered 1 and 2 yr warranties for $20+ which I passed up. I will work the unit heavily for the 90 day warranty and hope for the best. Your brand probably has better grade parts, also.
bertsmobile1
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Now batteries have changed a little bit since I was making them in the 80's but the chemistry behind them has not.
The easiest thing to do is get a dumb charger and a timer.
To keep the battery in tip top condition, set the timer for 10 to 15 minutes a week and leave the charger on full power settings.
Auto chargers really do not work because you can not properly determine the condition of the battery electronically without doing a max discharge and full load test.
Also different batteries require different charging voltages so hooking a sealed paste filled battery onto a flooded cell charger is a recepie for a hot date with a fireman
Pb-Ca
Pb-Pb
Sn-Pb
Pb/Ag-Pb
flooded cell batteries all require different floating voltages but few chargers under $ 100 can determine which cell they are hooked up to.
Then you have Gel Cells , AGM & PVR AGM and again each one has a specific charging regime if you are to get the best use out of them.
All the rot about pulsed cleaning and over voltage desulfating of the plates only works on the batteries that used to be made 50 years ago when plates had 3 mm thick grids coated on both side with another 3 mm of high bond strength paste.
Search "the battery university" to get all of the grubby facts.
The easiest thing to do is get a dumb charger and a timer.
To keep the battery in tip top condition, set the timer for 10 to 15 minutes a week and leave the charger on full power settings.
Auto chargers really do not work because you can not properly determine the condition of the battery electronically without doing a max discharge and full load test.
Also different batteries require different charging voltages so hooking a sealed paste filled battery onto a flooded cell charger is a recepie for a hot date with a fireman
Pb-Ca
Pb-Pb
Sn-Pb
Pb/Ag-Pb
flooded cell batteries all require different floating voltages but few chargers under $ 100 can determine which cell they are hooked up to.
Then you have Gel Cells , AGM & PVR AGM and again each one has a specific charging regime if you are to get the best use out of them.
All the rot about pulsed cleaning and over voltage desulfating of the plates only works on the batteries that used to be made 50 years ago when plates had 3 mm thick grids coated on both side with another 3 mm of high bond strength paste.
Search "the battery university" to get all of the grubby facts.
I will report on this purchase after the 90 day warranty. I like the mechanical design with a good handle , triangular package with heavy base to resist tippping over like the last one did. Very easy touch screen symbols and response . The unit shuts down after it completes the chosen input. I have not observed yet if it starts up again for the "float" charging. I wonder what the UL acceptance testing looks at on these things, surely "fire hazard" ? But maybe only wire gauge and insulation?
bertsmobile1
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IF it came from some place like HF it would be type tested, hanging on the coat tails of a model 15 years ago, testing costs money.
While modern solid state electronics has come leaps & bounds I avoid things like touch screens like the plague.
I still have , and use a charger from 1954 with a multi wired transformer so I can set it anywhere from 2 V to 100V and a nice big resistor so the current can be varied from 20 A right down to 0.1 A .
Because it uses mechanical switches, it will run forever. If left in the sun I can still read the panel & change it of left in the rain it still works and being properly earthed ( grounded ) again chugs along happily.
It can be left hooked up to a vehicle overnight with a heavy dew without worry. Hook it up backwards and it either blows the fuse , right there on the top panel or trips a breaker around the back.
It has 30 feet of power cord and 15 feet of hook up leads.
Downside is you have to remember you turned it on then go back and turn it down or off.
Apparently using ones brain is way do difficult now days.
There is a back up from 1972, a cheapie with 4 out put sockets 2V 6V 12V & 24V which requires the operator to carry out the onerous task of pulling out the plug and putting it into the correct socket then selecting a position on the 3 position switch Hi Med Low.
The analog voltmeter and amp meter on the front panel can be read for 20 ' away and again, never goes black if the sun should ever shine directly on it for more than 15 seconds.
Can not remember just how many times I have loaned this charger out to friends & fellow club members because their you beaut modern dose everything but make your morning coffee battery charger died.
I went to a petrol Station closing down sale last year.
One of the big supermarkets bought the site and was going to convert the 6 car workshop into a convienence store to challenge the 7-11 on the other side of the corner.
When they came to the battery chargers , they were listed as , very old- mechanical - rusty case - meters not working estimate $ 50.
Similar units to my 1954 one.
One went for $ 790 and the other which some one threw a few sparks with went for $ 1800
While modern solid state electronics has come leaps & bounds I avoid things like touch screens like the plague.
I still have , and use a charger from 1954 with a multi wired transformer so I can set it anywhere from 2 V to 100V and a nice big resistor so the current can be varied from 20 A right down to 0.1 A .
Because it uses mechanical switches, it will run forever. If left in the sun I can still read the panel & change it of left in the rain it still works and being properly earthed ( grounded ) again chugs along happily.
It can be left hooked up to a vehicle overnight with a heavy dew without worry. Hook it up backwards and it either blows the fuse , right there on the top panel or trips a breaker around the back.
It has 30 feet of power cord and 15 feet of hook up leads.
Downside is you have to remember you turned it on then go back and turn it down or off.
Apparently using ones brain is way do difficult now days.
There is a back up from 1972, a cheapie with 4 out put sockets 2V 6V 12V & 24V which requires the operator to carry out the onerous task of pulling out the plug and putting it into the correct socket then selecting a position on the 3 position switch Hi Med Low.
The analog voltmeter and amp meter on the front panel can be read for 20 ' away and again, never goes black if the sun should ever shine directly on it for more than 15 seconds.
Can not remember just how many times I have loaned this charger out to friends & fellow club members because their you beaut modern dose everything but make your morning coffee battery charger died.
I went to a petrol Station closing down sale last year.
One of the big supermarkets bought the site and was going to convert the 6 car workshop into a convienence store to challenge the 7-11 on the other side of the corner.
When they came to the battery chargers , they were listed as , very old- mechanical - rusty case - meters not working estimate $ 50.
Similar units to my 1954 one.
One went for $ 790 and the other which some one threw a few sparks with went for $ 1800
Well, my "modern" units have had a relatively short life which I attribute to cheap Chinese components. But they are doing better with their quality. Theory of solid state components like resistors and transistor chips is that good ones last "forever." Consider the switching of a transistor compared with a set of breaker points. Weight , by itself, is not a standard anymore. The smart units I have had (now 2) DO seem to work, just not last. I think they are fragile and subject to handling damage where parts can break on the circuit boards . One cannot criticize the ignition modules on our small, air cooled engines as the good ones are a marvel of "chip" engineering. I have noticed a fall off in advertising of "desulfate" or repair on these smart chargers. Perhaps because the public expects miracles. Read the testimonials and consider. I will report as noted , at first failure.