"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message
news
"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/a...nal_resistance

Interesting. It looks like I'm going to have to take their
"course"
to get more up to speed.

Here is a good, simple overview of battery charging:
http://www.iotaengineering.com/pplib..._Batteries.pdf

I use simple dumb chargers for the high current bulk phase and
smaller, more efficient and better controlled ones for the final ones.
It costs nothing to leave a battery on a solar powered charger. The
big chargers draw idle power, transformer magnetizing current, that
may be more than goes into the battery. I've added an input tap after
the rectifier to let a charger operate on solar if available or grid
power if not.

"The charging parameters
discussed here are applicable to ?ooded lead acid batteries. Be aware
that
some available smart chargers may
not be suitable for other applications."

However the makers post their products' parameters, which aren't hard
to meet with a voltage-adjustable power supply with meters. Some of my
AGMs have the charging conditions printed on the cases.
-jsw