Battery Charger question

[66HertzClone]

Well a maintainer really I guess. I have an old Asplundh Whisper Chipper that uses a 25 series battery. I have purchased an Optima Red Top to replace the battery that had worn out. This chipper does not get a lot of use and the previous battery often would need to be charged before we could start the chipper. I have this battery maintainer and would like to use it to keep the Red Top ready to go. Under perfect conditions it puts out 2.5 watts, left connected to the battery on a daily basis do you think it could damage the battery? I sent an email to Optima and their reply was what I read off the recommendations on the web site.



Thank you for contacting Optima Customer Service. Below you will find charging recommendations for Red Top batteries.



Alternator: 13.3 to 15.0 volts, no amperage limit.

Battery Charger: 13.8 to 15.0 volts, 10 amps maximum, 6-12 hours approximate.

Rapid Recharge: Maximum voltage 15.6 volts (regulated), no current limit as long as battery temperature remains below 125°F (51.7°C). Charge until current drops below 1 amp.

Float Charge: 13.2 to 13.8 volts, 1 amp maximum current, time indefinite (at lower voltage).



Thank you

Mary Jo

Optima Customer Service

 

[matt_i]

Imo, if you buck up to an AGM battery you also need to buck up to an AGM maintainer.

I had an AGM battery once and it was great when new but I didn't like its seemingly linear decay in the ability to hold charge over its lifespan (had the AGM maintainer and used it regularly). Imo the best advantage is not having any liquid in it and can mount upside down if necessary, but, I don't need that feature.