Charging 4 sealed lead acid batteries in series

SilverFox

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Jan 19, 2003
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Hello Saladsack,

I am not sure how the charger you have listed works. It may just be a constant current charger.

I think you would be better off with a charger something like this.

Tom
 

CuriousOne

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Oct 14, 2012
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I've serviced a huge, industrial grade UPS -es, which use 10-20-40 SLA batteries in series. No balance circuit was seen ever.
 

broadgage

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Somerset UK
Battery management systems are generally a requirement for lithium and other exotic batteries.
Not needed for lead acid batteries. The charger linked to is intended to charge a series string of 4 batteries each of 12 volts.
I have never seen a 48 volt lead acid battery as a single unit, they are almost always 4 batteries in series, each of 12 volts, or less commonly a greater number of lower voltage batteries.
If batteries are to be connected in series it is most important that they are of the same capacity, brand, age, and charging history. 4 new batteries purchased at the same time from the same vendor should be fine.
The proposed charger is for 12AH batteries but the proposed batteries are 18AH, this difference is not huge and it should be fine in practice, but avoid any gross discrepancy between battery and charger, especially if the charger makes any claim to being "smart"
 

Overclocker

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a 12v lead-acid is 6 cells in series WITHOUT a BMS ;)

so yes you may charge four 12v leadacids in series using a "48v" escooter charger
 

Timothybil

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a 12v lead-acid is 6 cells in series WITHOUT a BMS ;)

so yes you may charge four 12v leadacids in series using a "48v" escooter charger
Good point! One even us experienced Flashaholics forget from time to time. Part of the problem is that most of the public (and regrettably, some of us) use 'cell' and 'battery' interchangeably, which blurs the distinction between the two.
 

IonicBond

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May 2, 2013
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You can series them and use the charger that Tom mentioned, BUT don't shoot yourself in the foot by not charging each one of those batteries individually before putting them all together!

A lot of diy'ers just slap batteries with different SOC's together, and cross their fingers with the higher overall voltage charger. Either that, or they assume that new batteries don't need a good initial charge - by themselves first!

Battery Tender makes one suitable for this purpose - the 1.25A AGM 12v model. There are plenty of others, but this is the a common reference.

Once you have charged each one individually, and then LATER connected them up in their final configuration, watch over them during charge and make sure they don't vary more than 0.1V from each other at the end of charge. This is also a PM procedure. They should not vary more than 0.1V during rest - if they do, that may be an indication that one or more batteries was manufactured poorly, or perhaps your own wiring infrastructure is flaky. (loose clamps, corrosion etc).

Even though those batteries are low-cost, this is the same thing you'd do with a much more expensive bank.

If you really want to get into it from a "learner bank" standpoint, you may want to pick up an inexpensive infrared temp/laser pointer at your local hardware store. As you charge, point the temp laser all over your cells, and especially along your infrastructure wiring. Overall accuracy isn't as important at identifiying immediate "hot spots" that allow you to correct things (like loose clamps) before they become an issue.

Sounds like overkill, but they are inexpensive enough, and still quite useful if you decide to go with a larger current / capacity format.
 
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