I ***LOVE*** my BatteryMinder®!

[Mex-Busnut]

Dear Friends,

I just want to say that I received my BatteryMinder® OBD-12V in the mail about a week ago. My two original bus batteries were unable to sustain a charge over night, even after charging them for several days. I hooked up the BatteryMinder® to the two batteries in parallel, along with my Sears battery charger set on "automatic" at 12 amps. I let it run for for four days, checking water levels periodically. Now my batteries have been disconnected for three days from any charging source, and are still at 12.8 volts. I am very impressed! I believe any busnut would benefit from this investment.

http://www.batteryminders.com/batterycharger/catalog/BatteryMINDer-OnBoard-Battery-Restorer-Conditioner-12-Volt-With-p-16148.html

And no, I do not work for them. Just think it is an awesome money-saving product!

P. S. I changed the website link, because the other one did not work, for some reason.

[Lin]

Thanks, I have been thinking about trying one.

[gus]

I would guess your Minder was overpowered by the Sears charger and had nothing to do with the battery charging. I stand to be corrected.

These small ones usually require a min of 10v and the batts are not to be used or charged for 12 hrs before being connected. Check the manual.

I wouldn't set a charger to 12 amps for more than a couple of hours. I usually use 2 amps after an hour or two. I leave the more powerful "automatic" chargers on for maybe 12 hrs, but no more than that. The Minder I leave on for weeks or months because it charges at such low amps.

I have both Battery Minder and Battery Tender chargers and I like the Minder more because it only has one cord to get tangled. Otherwise they are pretty much the same and nearly the same price.

[Mex-Busnut]

The version of the minder I have does NOT do charging, unless an additional 2-amp charger is added. I corrected the link above.

Please note that I had already tried charging these two bus batteries half a dozen times with the Sears DieHard 2/12/70-amp automotive charger that I have. Without fail, within 20-30 hours, the batteries would be dead.

And yes: I did it exactly as the manual said, and it resurrected my two bus batteries, plus now a small Volkswagen bug battery that I was using as an emergency backup for my ham radio equipment. This VW battery had been unused/uncharged for several years. The DieHard charger alone did NOT bring it back to life. But three days on the BatteryMinder, and it is at 12.5 volts.

My version of the BatteryMinder is designed to be left on you batteries full time, and begins working as soon as it senses a charging source, such as a generator or battery charger.

[gus]

Steve,

Live and learn!! Never heard of that one?

I have two Minders which can be left on full time but they charge on their own.

Does it have a model or part number you can post? Thanks.

Do you always have the batteries connected to the bus when charging with the Minder and Sears chargers?

It is still a mystery to me how any charger connected in parallel could affect a larger charger connected in parallel with it and the batts??

[buswarrior]

Our friend Mex-Busnut has added a desulphator, not a charger.

Go check the link.

Brand names versus generic functions are the devil in this game.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[Lin]

Do dedicated desulfators work better than charger/desulfators?

[Mex-Busnut]

1. The link above has the specific model number, which is the OBD-12V.

2. The way I understand it, the desulphator requires to sense a charging current (such as the bus's alternator or house battery charger) in order to start its "desulphating".

3. I did not buy their model with a built-in charger, because it was a whole lot more money, plus I already have a 55-amp three-stage house battery charger.

4. It can basically be left connected full-time to the house batteries to keep them in top shape. This model handles up to four parallel batteries.

[Oonrahnjay]

   Please, for those of you who "know such things", what is the difference between a "desulphation" and an "equalization"?

[gus]

OK, now I' onboard. This is not a charger like my Minder which also desulphates.

I wouldn't trust most automatic chargers, especially at 12 amps, to charge my batteries for more than a couple of hours, the rate is too high.

The only large charger I would trust long term is a three or four phase smart charger like the one built into my converter. Most others will eventually boil out the liquid including float chargers. Just my opinion. When I bought my 4107 all three batts were boiled dry from being connected to float chargers for a year.

Desulphation is an off/on pulsing that supposedly breaks the solidified sulphation from the cells. Some small smart chargers do it automatically and some require a button to be pushed, the Minder is one of those.

[Mex-Busnut]

  Please, for those of you who "know such things", what is the difference between a "desulphation" and an "equalization"?

I think Gus explained what "desulpherization" is.

The way I understand it, "equalization" is treating a bank of batteries so that all batteries hold the same voltage, or a single battery so that all of its cells have the same voltage.

[Oonrahnjay]

    Ok thanks, that brings out my real question - if you "desulphate" do you also have to "equalize"?  Thanks,  BH

[buswarrior]

Yes.

Equalizing involves charging the battery or bank of batteries at a higher voltage for a length of time in order to encourage them to return to an equality between all the cells.

Through normal use, some cells will wander in power, and need to be dragged back to spec, kicking and screaming, by way of this equalizing procedure. Unequal cell voltages will lead to an early failure of the whole, as the strong are being harmed by the weak. Lots and lots on the web to read about this in far greater technical detail, if you prefer.

As to the exact voltages and lengths of time, it is of most importance that the particular type of battery and any manufacturer's directions are followed. This is not an area to just wing it by way of these few words.

Or, you get to buy some new batteries...

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[Oonrahnjay]

Yes.  (snip)

     Thank you, Mr. Rior.  A very clear, understandable and helpful answer.

[Lin]

I was checking into getting a desulfator and thought that I would pass on what one tech guy at one smaller company emailed me:

1. Most charger/desulfators do not do a good job desulfating.
2. My 2 8D batterys should have separate 12v desulfators.
3. It would take about 4 weeks to recover them.
4. Desulfating AGM is a hit or miss proposition since some can not be recovered due to damage to the glass mat caused by lead sulfate buildup (if it does work, it also will take about 4 weeks).