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Old 02-22-2010, 02:38 AM   #6
RodeWorthy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Woodstock, Ontario
Posts: 370
RS3000 Charger Voltages

Thom,
Your 14.2 Volts is normal with the Charger portion of the RS3000 enabled and charging in Absorption mode to your flooded (wet) cell batteries. The 3-stage charger will Bulk charge at the current rate set in the SCP until battery voltages get up to around 13.5 Volts. At this point your batteries are about 75% charged.

The Charger will then switch to Absorption mode and continue to charge at full rate until the batteries attain 14.4Volts. At this point the voltage is held at the 14.4 Volts and the current reduces gradually as the battery comes to full charge (internal resistance rises). The Absorption Charge will continue until the current is reduced to a predetermined level or 6 hours passes. At this point your batteries are either fully charged or charged at the highest level that can be attained.

The Charger then switches to Float Mode and the charging voltage drops to 13.5V with a low trickle charge current rate. This is maintenance mode for a charged battery.

You are no doubt observing the voltage during the Absorption phase.

Wingnut is right that a Converter fixed at 13.8 Volts will never charge the batteries to their fully charged state.

The Inverter charger voltages are fixed and not user adjustable. This is a pity because they are lower than the U2200 battery calls for.

Your 12V devices should be able to withstand the voltages you are seeing with no problems. My Solar Controller is set for 14.8V and I have experienced no over voltage problem.

Hope this helps.
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RodeWorthy

'07 Mobile Suites 36RS3 #3910
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4 x 135W Solar Panels, Outback Controller, 4 x 6V batteries, Xantrex Inverter/Charger
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