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27-02-2019, 06:14 PM
(This post was last modified: 27-02-2019, 07:00 PM by JonE.)
Greg - have done all battery and earths recently, so still back to the fact that the other charging threshold must be too low.
Ok, well I was planning to purchase an accumate tonight but happened to drive past Lidl on way home, and for 13.99 rather than 54 quid, was worth trying! Wish I'd brought the battery back with me, so now have to wait to play again.
Having studied the details, I find that the Lidl one actually says that 6V defaults it to program 1 only, which is recommended for batteries of less than 14Ah and is 0.8A. The two ampages which will be seen on this 6V program are thus 0.8 and 0.1... rather than 5, 3, 0.8 and 0.1 on 12V programs.
I've emailed Accumate about the precise details of how theirs charge, as its not in the literature online other than "1.2A".
Do I assume that the advisory Ah level is solely down to practicality i.e. its just going to take a hell of a lot longer? Or Is there some need for high current strength to start off the process? Initial desulphation appears to be done at 0.8A.
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Roughly check the calibration of your meter against the battery in your modern or compare with another.
What voltage appears across the battery at the various charge states?
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That is very useful thanks. So pretty similar...
Bob- will do those checks when next down to get the bits. Not sure I can check the voltage across terminals when its actually charging? It triggered the old charger off.
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Bob - when new Lidl plugged in, immediately said '6.1V' and appeared on lowest block on the display. Was on 6.3 after 3 or 4 hours, so I think that the other unit must be defunct - and binnable.
(I wonder if a slight break in the wire to the croc clip could be responsible for it triggering off at too low a voltage?)
For anyone interested, Accumate sent me back this to an email enquiry about the detail of the stages. Posting in case it gives anything more than Timothy's post:
"The AccuMate 6/12 is a multistage 1.2A charger which operates has Bulk (constant current), absorption (constant voltage @ 2.4V/cell) and float charge (constant voltage @ 2.27V/cell). The switching point from absorption and float charge is set to 200mA. The charger will revert from float charge to absorption should the battery require more than 200mA. The charger also monitors the ambient temperature and makes adjustments to the bulk, absorption and float charge voltages.
We also supply a more advanced charger which has a 6V functionality, the OptiMate 5 Voltmatic™. In addition to the recharge and maintenance functionality of the AccuMate model, the 5 Voltmatic has the ability to access battery condition and then offer the charge mode best suited to its needs. The OptiMate 5 will also perform regular testing during the maintenance stages and report if the battery"
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Location: The delightful town of Knaresborough, North Yorkshire
This week I bought the £15 small charger and it seems to be really good. The best thing is the instructions which are clear and easy to understand.
About 3 years ago I bought the Lidl starter/charger for maybe £35 and it is not as good. It's instructions are not at all clear! Also it will often auto-detect a flatish 12v battery as being a 6 volt battery!
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Car type: Austin Ruby Mk1 1935
5 years ago when in the Netherlands with my Ruby I had charging problems that I could not repair as I had not got the spares with me ( my car has the Dynamo converted to a 2 brush and has a solid state voltage regulator). My solution whist away from home was to buy a 6 volt battery charger and charge my battery at night in the hotel. It was then that I found that it was difficult to buy a 6 volt charger in the Netherlands as all moderns are 12 volt. A very helpful assistant at the auto factors I visited did locate a 12/6 volt charger for me but the price was very expensive around £85.00 in Stirling. To get me out of the fix I bought it .A Batium all singing all dancing with micro processor. It was expensive and normally would never pay that much however it is the best charger I have ever had. You cannot accidentally connect it the wrong polarity because it won't work then, it has a battery de sulphuring mode and each time you charge a battery it analysis it before it starts to charge.
John Mason
Would you believe it "Her who must be obeyed" refers to my Ruby as the toy.
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Hi Jon
I suspect your meter is reading low. What does it read on the modern?
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Bob - the voltage reading in previous post was on the display of the new unit. Thus supportive of the hand meter....
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Lidl has been on for three days and its stabilised onto the 0.1 A trickle at a 6.7V reading.
Didnt see whether it went higher.
So that seems ok... how high did yours get, Hedd, on the Aldi?!
