Starter battery voltage

[Alan Spencer]

Since charged the ignition battery yesterday and it reached 14.4 I unplugged the "Care" Ctek to see what the depreciation would be and it has gone down to 12.7, is that normal ?

 

[Pauly]

yes it will drop to its resting voltage, 14v is what the charger is putting out not what the battery is sat at

 

[Alan Spencer]

Thanks Pauly but it is the Battery monitor on my Phantom Tracker page that was telling me that the battery was at 14.4 and that it is now at 12.7. Never the less, what is the battery's resting voltage, 12.7 ?

 

[Pete C]

Yes

 

[Alan Spencer]

I have connected my ignition battery to my Cetek C5 Charger. I intend to leave it connected on the "Care" mode as I will not be using it now until the New Year. It was fully charged and then switched over to the "Care" mode and has been there now for 24 hrs, my Tracker display is reading that the battery state is 14.4, is that safe ? It also seems that it is taking "care" of the Leisure Battery also ?

 

[Deaky]

I have connected my ignition battery to my Cetek C5 Charger. I intend to leave it connected on the "Care" mode as I will not be using it now until the New Year. It was fully charged and then switched over to the "Care" mode and has been there now for 24 hrs, my Tracker display is reading that the battery state is 14.4, is that safe ? It also seems that it is taking "care" of the Leisure Battery also ?

I don't think that charger is suitable to leave on. It's not a smart charger and doesn't switch between bulk, absorption and float voltage charging. If left on it will damage your battery.

Whether the leisure battery is being charged also will depend upon your split charging device. Do you have any more info on it?

EDIT, just reading through the info on it, it does say it can be left on indefinitely.... it should float voltage at 13.8v or there abouts

 

[Alan Spencer]

Thank you Editor for your intervention. I too have read up on this charger and that is why I selected it in the first place, it is a "Smart Charger" and has a automatic, post charge Care/management mode. All Ctek chargers seem to have the ability to be left connected indefinitely. The question I asked was that my Tracker read out was reporting that the battery was currently showing 14.4 and I was asking if that was a safe voltage for the battery to rest on given that it may decrease when settled.
!

 

[Deaky]

Thank you Editor for your intervention. I too have read up on this charger and that is why I selected it in the first place, it is a "Smart Charger" and has a automatic, post charge Care/management mode. All Ctek chargers seem to have the ability to be left connected indefinitely. The question I asked was that my Tracker read out was reporting that the battery was currently showing 14.4 and I was asking if that was a safe voltage for the battery to rest on given that it may decrease when settled.
!

If your tracker voltage read out is correct and your charger is connected to the battery 14.4v is NOT a safe voltage to leave the charger connected at. This is the absorption voltage of the battery, not float voltage. Leaving it connected will damage the battery. Do you have a multimeter to accurately test the battery?

 

[Deaky]

These are the voltages a Victron Smart Charger would sit at

 

[Alan Spencer]

The voltage has started settling now and has gone down to 14 . I have been in contact with Ctek and they tell me this is quite normal and that the read out from the tracker is about 12 hours behind and it will settle right down by the next reading to somewhere in the region of 12.7 - 13.2. As you say I will be testing it with a multimeter also the battery is connected but is in "Care" mode ie. safe mode and will not be inducing any charge unless required !