Is this a new 100A power supply you recently bought? It must have cost $$$$
I had a friend buy it close to about 8 years ago, I think it was about 320$ then.
The specific model is no longer offered.
It is not a lab style power supply with a current potentiometer only a voltage dial.
It is a PFC'd RV converter by Powermax, but it is made to be a single voltage model.
It came with a voltage dial and a voltmeter and a 120vAC cord. One adds their own DC cabling.
Most of their converter models are 3 or 4 stage chargers with an Algorithm OK for an RV needing to get to 85% charged quickly, but not ideal for the 85 to 100% range when time to full is a factor such as when running a generator.
The closest to what I have can be found here, and they can go upto 120 amps:
The PMBC Series is an essential tool that will correctly maintain the vehicle battery voltage during complex Calibrations, Diagnostics and Programming
powermaxconverters.com
A while back my friend started suffering from dementia, and gave me the power supply.
I've added a 10 turn potentiometer for more precise voltage adjustment, and a 60mm computer fan on a switch with a backlit voltmeter and added some air filters on the intakes as it is often in a dusty environment.
It comes with a loud powerful 80mm fan but it will cycle on and off annoyingly, the 60mm fan is much quieter and keeps the loud fan from coming on until hot ambient temps or output is in the 40+ amp range for a while.
------
Don't confuse regular car starting AGM batteries, with TPPL AGMs.
Thin Plate Pure Lead have higher CCA / less resistance, and basically no limits on charging amps as long as voltage is limited and compensated for battery temperature.
Most AGM manufacturers will recommend limiting charging to ~30 amps per 100Ah of capacity.
Thin plate and deep cycle are usually not uttered in the same sentence, but the TPPL AGMs perform quite well in deep cycle duty, and their starter turning ability is unmatched. Not sure how they pull this off, but my experience with my Northstar group 27 was impressive.
It's just when TPPL agms are deeply cycled they cannot be fed a low and slow trickle charge diet, or their capacity tanks. One needs to let them feed on a high amp charging source seeking mid to high 14 volts from their most depleted state, perhaps not each and every recharge, but this is the regimen which keeps them happiest. I try to go no more than 7 deep cycles without some high amperage thrown in.
Even regular '30% limited' AGMS seem to benefit from upto a 30% charge rate in deep cycle usage.
I have some small AGMs, 18 and 22 Ah each, which say 5.4 and 6.6 charging amps max.
I've put them on the 100 amp charger from low states of charge and dial them upto 14.8v.
They can accept ~10x their 'max' recommended rate, though I usually dial it down to about 2 to 3 times the recommended maximum then bump up the voltage in stages towards 14.8v. They heat up, but not alarmingly so.
I expect that to change as they age and will be more careful exposing them to a charger with 100 amps potential.
They still perform well though the 18Ah is a year older and is exhibiting some weirdness, in that it will not taper to 0.09 amps at 14.7v on the first try. I have to let it sit and try again. Sometimes it tapers to
[email protected], others it just stops at 0.14a and starts rising
My 40 amp adjustable voltage power supply is a Meanwell rsp-500-15. It too is modified with a better voltage potentiometer, and more ventilation and heatsinking, and will output 40 amps at any voltage I choose between 13.12 and 19.23v. Cost about $120 delivered in 2014.
I have combined the Meanwell and the Powermax for that 134 amp total. The Powermax can't make its full output with input voltage under ~114vAC and it nearly maxes out a 15 amp household circuit by itself. Powering the Meanwell and Powermax on same circuit trips the 15 amp breaker after a few minutes.
The Meanwell , I have a shunted ammeter and an ideal Diode on the output. The meter displays volts, amps, watts, watt hours and amp hours.
The Ideal diode drops only 0.04v at 40 amps output, and is basically so I can leave the DC hooked up and unplug the AC, and have the meter and additional cooling fans shut off. Plug in and it starts charging automatically at whatever voltage I left it at when I unplugged.
Without the Diode then the fans and meter continue running unless I unhook the 45 amp Anderson Powerpole DC connectors.
I want to modify the Powermax similarly, one day. The voltmeter is good but whats more important is knowing how many amps are flowing into the battery ( or other DC loads) at that voltage. The total amp hours/ watt hours accepted when amps taper to prescribed 'full' levels at absorption voltage can help one to estimate battery state of charge when it was hooked up, and state of health.
The more data the better.
I've not tried Lifeline's 'reconditioning' procedure on my TPPL AGMs, but could simply by twisting the voltage dial.
I have done Odyssey's procedure, but not quite down to 10.0v, and my battery did not see much if any improvement over the regular high amp recharge from ~50% SOC, as it was simply wearing out from use, not compromised from sulfation caused by too low an initial charging current or chronic undercharging or sitting undercharged for extended periods of time.
If a TPPL battery is exhibiting poor capacity and performance, I would first try the Odyssey procedure and try and judge results, Then the Lifeline reconditioning procedure.
The Lifeline procedure will force some gas past the vents, but would have to be of extreme duration and repeated often before it would 'dry it out', as some seem to think happens instantly and is an instant battery killer.
Monitor battery temperature fairly closely though.
If sulfation is not completely hardened, elevated temperature stands a battery chance at dissolving it, but charging amperage related heating can occur quickly. It can shoot past 105f to 115f in a few minutes and 120F is the upper limit.
A high amp charging source on a well depleted but sulfated AGM should be able to get it above 100f, but if it is really sulfated then only 20 amps might be required to bring it to 14.7v and while 20 amps might be considered high amperage, it does not qualify on a car sized battery and will not be as effective compared to if it took 40 amps for twice as long before reaching absorption voltage.
Often the battery will not improve no matter how much attention one gives it, or the gains can be minimal and fleeting.
I found the efforts to restore a battery, often proved fruitless.
They did however help subsequent batteries remain much healthier for much longer.
But the biggest factor in improving lifespan in deep cycle duty, is not believing the smart charger's green light.
My schumacher charger is only used on other vehicles, when it has the potential to grow legs. When it reverts to float voltage and there is no danger of it growing legs I will put my meanwell on it, set it to 14.7v, reset the amp hour counter, and see how long it takes for amps to stop tapering or start rising and with a flooded battery perhaps bust out the hydrometer. I estimate the Schumacher stops absorption almost every time in the 87 to 92% charged range. rarely have I been able to stuff less than 8 more amp hours into the battery after the schumacher has reverted to float voltage.
More than good enough to start an engine, but totally inadequate for achieving maximum potential longevity and performance of the battery.
