Date:         Mon, 23 Feb 2009 23:37:33 -0500
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Battery recharge and stereo
Comments: To: Mike Miller <mwmiller@CWNET.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <C5C86B77.7E9D%mwmiller@cwnet.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 06:04 PM 2/23/2009, Mike Miller wrote:
>lit. Doesn't seem possible that it could draw that much but the battery's OK
>if I just disconnected the display face plate when I leave it for a while.

Big fluorescent display?  Wouldn't surprise me at all.

>Question is how long driving at highway speeds to completely charge a
>battery? Group 46 I think.

Short answer -- forever.
Medium answer -- from my experience in sailing boats, a long, long
time, unless there's a three-stage regulator or manual charge control involved.
Practical answer -- just drive the thing as usual, or stick a charger
on it.  Ideally one that will charge it at about ten amps until it
gasses, then keep constant voltage while the charge rate ramps down
toward nothing, then drop the voltage to about 13.6 and stand by.


--
David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'89 Whitestar "Scamp"