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gregz gregz is offline
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Default Trying to get the most out of a charger.

Micky wrote:
I need a DC power supply, bigger than what I've got. Any reason why I
can't connect two automobile battery chargers in parallel to suply the
same vehicle?

Let's say one puts out 13.8 volts and the other 14.2. Is the first
one really going to be a load on the second?

What happens if they are both connected to a discharged lead acid
battery that's now putting out 4 or 8 volts**? Won't that lower the
voltage of the 14.2 charger to where it's not backcharging the 13.8
charger? And won't the battery charge at rate of the sum of the two
chargers, 2 (or 10) amps and 10 amps?

**Or if they are both connected to motor scooter whose starter motor
is engaged.


A separate question: The charger I'm using now has 2 amp and 10 amp
settings. It was on 2 amps, to charge a sealed burglar alarm style
lead acid gel battery, used in place of a motorcycle battery in a
motorscooter I'm working on. When I pressed the starter button to
electrically crank the engine, the ammeter on the charger went
immediately all the way to the right, 10 amps or more. But it was
not enough to crank the engine. It made an effort, a little noise,
and stopped immediately.

Given the way chargers are usually wire, will setting the charger on
10 amps provide more starting power than setting it on 2 amps? I
would have assumed the answer was yes, but the ammeter went to 10 amps
even in the 2 amp setting.


And before anyone brings it up, I've been testing the kick starter
too, and the ignition and fuel systems. I'm making mulitples tests,
in order to test all the systems. Before I recommend spending money
on a battery and a couple other parts.


Your talking chargers, an we have to assume things. I'm assuming anything,
so I have no idea, depends. I blew out my Harbor Freight charger, don't
know if it was something I did.

Start out slow charging the battery first before anything using one charger
and see if it cranks.

I can't see the chargers or schematics. It could be regulated chargers with
a 2 amp setting being lower voltage connected to ammeter. It's possible to
connect two supplies in parallel under certain conditions and depends on
circuit design.

Greg