Odyssey PC545 Battery conditioning

[swooshdave]

Schauer Charge Master CM6A Charger https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BXL2BS4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_QwW6CbP2NPGBD

I believe this is th3 least expensive Odyssey approved charger on their list. When I bought it last week it was $62. It’s jumped to $71. 

[docc]

15 minutes ago, swooshdave said:

Schauer Charge Master CM6A Charger https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BXL2BS4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_QwW6CbP2NPGBD

I believe this is th3 least expensive Odyssey approved charger on their list. When I bought it last week it was $62. It’s jumped to $71. 

Do the voltages (Charging 14.2-14.7v) and "float" (13..5-13.8v) check out, Dave? I ask because I returned a charger (not that model) from that manufacturer that did not check out . . .

[swooshdave]

Do the voltages (Charging 14.2-14.7v) and "float" (13..5-13.8v) check out, Dave? I ask because I returned a charger (not that model) from that manufacturer that did not check out . . .

14.21v on charging (on a non-Odyssey battery). I’ll check the float when it’s charged.

What did you get on the one you sent back?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[docc]

The float was a typical 13.1v  even though it said "AGM" on it. Yours looks like the real deal, though! (As long as that float voltage is over 13.2 . . .)

[swooshdave]

How do you check the float? Putting the multimeter on the battery just shows 13.51v but isn’t that just what the battery is charged to?

[docc]

21 minutes ago, swooshdave said:

How do you check the float? Putting the multimeter on the battery just shows 13.51v but isn’t that just what the battery is charged to?

If you are getting 13.51v with the charger hooked up, after the 14.21v charge terminates, then that is your "float" voltage. Perfect!

After maybe eight hours, consider terminating that charge and monitoring how long it takes the battery to drop back to 12.65v; then discharge and repeat.  Makes these batteries really strong!

[swooshdave]

So I did good?

Well, it was on the list!

[docc]

Probably a great time for many of us to pay attention to our Odyssey PC545s. On the cusp of spring in the northern hemisphere and lots of our precious V11 have languished for other reasons keeping us home.  Last night during a severe storm watch, I decided to bring an Anker PowerCore battery pack up about 20% using the ten year old PC545 in my test bed, Swampee the Cub Cadet. This battery was in the Sport almost five years, then stepped down into the tractor nearly five more. At some point in the last couple years, I found it under 8 volts and brought it back using these methods.

After the Anker charged, I was surprised to find the PC545 at 12.43volts  . . . ("That's ded, Jim.")  A little research and I discover the PC545 is 13Ah capacity and the Anker (6 x 18650 Li battery pack) is 20.1 Ah! Woops . . .  Seems I used the old PC545 to statically charge a battery with 50% more capacity.

The EnerSys charger would not set a deep charge after two discharge cycles. I've seen this before: a rather deeply discharged PC545 (below the 12.65v charging threshold) quickly (under a couple minutes) switches to "float" charge on the EnerSys and then stays below the AGM float voltage (13.5-13.8v). Then, as soon as load is applied, the battery would drop back to it's pre-charge state. i.e. - Not taking a charge.

Recovery method: applied 6 amp charge, manual/constant, until 15.0 volts was reached (35 minutes).  Now to monitor how long it takes to statically discharge to the 12.65v charge threshold. If it takes less than 24-48 hours, I'll repeat the discharge/charge to 15.0v until it either holds for days to weeks, or have to declare the ten year old PC545 "done" at which point the Sport gets a fresh one.

Once again, the PC545 is awesome using the correct methods.   

 

[docc]

1st update on the poor, burdened, and over-extended ten-yer-old PC545 after this latest recovery:

It took nearly eight hours to drop back to a temperature corrected 100% state of charge. I'm calling that "good news".

Next metric: How long until it statically discharges to the 85% (12.65v) charge threshold...

[gstallons]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm . Uh , whatever you want it to be ? I thought I knew about batteries . Flooded cell , yeah . Gel , AGM . Uh NO !

[docc]

So, the exhausted, abused ten year old PC545 took five days to discharge to the 85% discharge threshold. I'm calling that (another) save! Just turned the lights on a few minutes and the static voltage increased a bit (good sign) from the known effect of the battery warming chemically. Back on the EnerSys Ultimizer and it moved immediately to a float charge above the 13.20 volt minimum (remember, Odyssey says the PC545 will be damaged at float/"trickle" voltages below 13.20, ideal range is 13.5-13.8)

Time to check the five year old PC545 that is actually in the Sport . . .

Best results for your batteries, folks!    

[LowRyter]

Too much for me to keep up with.  The little trickle charger didnt seem to work.  Even more confusing, the battery was too weak to start the bike after I had ridden it for 30 minutes and had just sprayed the switches with contact cleaner.  I guess it might have discharged a little bit when I couldn't get to start and turned the ignition switch on and off, played with relays and neutral switch connector only to realize I had cycled the kill switch to off when I was cleaning the switches.  After that it just would barely turnover and kick back.  I doubled the trickle charge over night (two units), I they're 500MA and it did start this morning.  Then I read all of this rigmarole about AGM batteries and stuff, yada yada.  Maybe these little chargers aren't right for it?

So anyways, I went to Harbor Freight and picked up a 4A unit that has an AGM "mode".  I've got it plugged in now.  For $22 I didn't think I could go wrong.  I figure you guys can tell me if this a fix or a screw up.  It's showing green now 13.5V and in maintenance mode.

(I think I'll check the starter connections next)

https://www.harborfreight.com/4-Amp-Fully-Automatic-Microprocessor-Controlled-Battery-ChargerMaintainer-63350.html?ccdenc=eyJjb2RlIjoiOTUxOTU2OTQiLCJza3UiOiI2MzM1MCIsImlzIjoiMjIuOTkiLCJwcm9kdWN0X2lk IjoiMTIyNDMifQ%3D%3D &cid=paid_google|||63350&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtLT1BRD9ARIsAMH3BtVr8nFSPxjge4FBIzpBtyNjPwITq2X6AdTubk-pKP_L8qP-ixsj3moaAoh8EALw_wcB

 

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[Gmc28]

Nice work, and sharing docc!

The only datapoint which is troubling me is that despite all that you’ve wisely chronicled, I’ve run several odyssey’s and (older) westco’s On my bikes for around 10yrs at a whack, never with an issue, and always on a battery-tender (deltran) brand charger (all winter, always, and at times in the summer). No issues. Too many batteries that lasted too long for me to ignore.
Now, I never killed one and had to bring it back, I don’t think.... so maybe the Deltran (batterytender brand) is ok for that. I’ll check the float voltage at least, and see how it compares to what you’ve shared here...

I’ve got a shorai I inherited (I will not dive into that here) which would just drop off on voltage, but then come back alive after a brief hit with the li-ion charger, despite being told that it should be toast. Took it out of the bike and it now powers my home clay pigeon shooter, very nicely! Great covid activity

[docc]

That is an excellent (counter?) point! Lots of us have had that same experience. Testimony to just how durable and tenacious these things are?

Pretty sucky when they fail (always at a bad time) and we have to admit we didn't follow the manufacturer's specific recommendations.

For the record, I didn't make this stuff up.  I'm not that smart. 

 

[gstallons]

Wise men always discount their knowledge