Return-Path: Sender: (Marvin Kaye) To: lml Date: Thu, 01 May 2003 20:42:06 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from pintail.mail.pas.earthlink.net ([207.217.120.122] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.1b4) with ESMTP id 2330010 for lml@lancaironline.net; Thu, 01 May 2003 16:49:55 -0400 Received: from sdn-ap-007watacop0178.dialsprint.net ([65.176.64.178] helo=f3g6s4) by pintail.mail.pas.earthlink.net with smtp (Exim 3.33 #1) id 19BL02-0002br-00 for lml@lancaironline.net; Thu, 01 May 2003 13:49:50 -0700 X-Original-Message-ID: <007901c31023$8c16a560$b240b041@f3g6s4> Reply-To: "Dan Schaefer" From: "Dan Schaefer" X-Original-To: "Lancair list" Subject: Re: Electrical System X-Original-Date: Thu, 1 May 2003 13:52:14 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1158 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1165 Re: Bob Smiley's question. Bob, a battery keep-alive or topping charger isn't necessarily rated at a specific output current. Rather, it should respond to the battery terminal voltage by automatically reducing the charge current to near zero when the voltage indicates full charge. It could start at several amperes as long as it drops as required as the battery voltage comes up to full charge. The only chargers acceptable to leaving one connected all the time are the so called automatic topping chargers. Forcing a continuous 200 ma into a fully charged battery, even the recombinant gas types, is likely to shorten it's life - though different manufacturers units can exhibit very different response to such conditions. Batteries from different mfg's can and do have significantly different characteristics - some are just more tolerant than others - I'm told that it's mainly due to some technician in the factory that knows just when to spit in the brew that makes all the difference! Dan Schaefer