12V battery question

[subarub4]

A battery on a float charger what makes it determine when to go out of float charge? is it just voltage alone?

I was doing a little test on a 12V 18aH battery and I had a charger hooked up and a 12V lamp connection but the charger never went to the max charge rate (1.2A) so I would assume it would need to drop under 12V for that to happen?

 

[HOTFR8]

A tender style charger works as follows, they do a fast steady charge then gradualy they slow the charge the closer they get to 13.5 volts then go into a float charge and they only test the battery to maintain it at peak level. If that level drops they do a slow charge to bring the battery back to 13.5 again. Anything running on the battery is also compensated for like alarm systems in a car or a bilge pump in a boat.

If you tried something like a starter motor on the battery and not the light then you would see the charger change.

 

[subarub4]

Ah thanks

 

[HOTFR8]

You are welcome.