I have a wheeled Schumaker model SE-4020 manual battery charger I purchased new in 2009. It has a selector switch with the following choices:
6 Volt 40 amp / 100 amp start
12 volt maintainer
12 volt 10 amp
12 volt 40 amp
12 volt 200 amp start
Even though this is a manual charger, the amount of current (by the amp meter on the charger) drawn by the battery typically tapers down as the battery becomes charged. I know that even though the draw does taper down, it does not stop charging and can damage a battery if overcharging is allowed. Just as charging at too high of an amp rate can damaged a battery quicker. I believe this has to do with heat.
So if I was to charge a 12 volt battery at the 40 amp setting, when that battery was fully charged, the amp meter would shows that the battery is still drawing approximately half that in amps (20 amps). Same thing if charging at the 10 amp setting. When fully charged the amp meter would show about half of that draw (5 amps).
Now with all that said, I do not end my charging based on that. I have learned how to properly determine a battery charge state, and how to determine charging time at a given amp charge rate. I typically charge 12 volt batteries at the 10 amp charge rate, so as to not overheat the battery with a higher setting.
My questions comes when I am charging a 6 volt battery with this charger. Since this charger has only one 6 volt setting (6 Volt 40 amp / 100 amp start), I would like to know of a way to reduce this amperage down to about a 10 amp setting. Even though the 40 amp setting does taper down, and the 6 volt battery does not draw all that amperage the whole time, the cables and in some cases the batteries themselves start getting hot. Now I know a battery getting hot while charging is not healthy for the battery. Does anyone know of a way to reduce this 40 amp, 6 volt setting down to 10 amps?
6 Volt 40 amp / 100 amp start
12 volt maintainer
12 volt 10 amp
12 volt 40 amp
12 volt 200 amp start
Even though this is a manual charger, the amount of current (by the amp meter on the charger) drawn by the battery typically tapers down as the battery becomes charged. I know that even though the draw does taper down, it does not stop charging and can damage a battery if overcharging is allowed. Just as charging at too high of an amp rate can damaged a battery quicker. I believe this has to do with heat.
So if I was to charge a 12 volt battery at the 40 amp setting, when that battery was fully charged, the amp meter would shows that the battery is still drawing approximately half that in amps (20 amps). Same thing if charging at the 10 amp setting. When fully charged the amp meter would show about half of that draw (5 amps).
Now with all that said, I do not end my charging based on that. I have learned how to properly determine a battery charge state, and how to determine charging time at a given amp charge rate. I typically charge 12 volt batteries at the 10 amp charge rate, so as to not overheat the battery with a higher setting.
My questions comes when I am charging a 6 volt battery with this charger. Since this charger has only one 6 volt setting (6 Volt 40 amp / 100 amp start), I would like to know of a way to reduce this amperage down to about a 10 amp setting. Even though the 40 amp setting does taper down, and the 6 volt battery does not draw all that amperage the whole time, the cables and in some cases the batteries themselves start getting hot. Now I know a battery getting hot while charging is not healthy for the battery. Does anyone know of a way to reduce this 40 amp, 6 volt setting down to 10 amps?