Percent of Charge, Battery Type Switch

•Percent of Charge

The percent of charge scale is intended as a visual aid to help simplify reading the state of charge. It is scaled for use with the 6, 10, 12, 15 or

30 amp charge rate only. For the 2 amp charge rate, use the triangle. The percent of charge is based on the current drawn by the battery. For this reason, accuracy will vary with the size and battery type. Typically a 28 ampere hour gel cell battery will draw less current at the end of the charge cycle than a 140 ampere hour wet cell battery. This means that the indication for a fully charged large battery may be slightly less than 100%.

Battery Type Switch

Use this switch to set the type of battery to be charged.

•SLI – These initials stand for Starting, Lighting and Ignition, which are the three basic functions which a battery has to perform on all normal vehicles. This battery type is usually used in cars, trucks and motorcycles. These batteries have vent caps and are often marked “Low Maintenance” or “Maintenance-free”. This type of battery is designed to deliver quick bursts of energy (such as starting engines) and have a greater plate count. The plates will also be thinner and have somewhat different material composition. Most Maintenance Free Batteries are SLI, otherwise known as Flooded, Regular or Standard Batteries. Regular batteries should not be used for deep cycle applications.

•Deep-Cycle– Deep-cycle batteries are usually marked as “Deep-Cycle” or “Marine”. Deep-cycle batteries are usually larger than the other types. This type of battery has less instant energy but somewhat greater long-term energy delivery than regular batteries. Deep cycle batteries have thicker plates and can survive a number of discharge cycles.

•AGM – The Absorbed Glass Mat construction allows the electrolyte to be suspended in close proximity with the plate’s active material. In theory, this enhances both the discharge and recharge efficiency. Actually, the AGM batteries are a variant of Sealed VRLA (valve regulated lead acid) batteries. Popular uses include high performance engine starting, power sports, deep cycle, solar and storage battery. AGM batteries are typically good deep cycle batteries, and they deliver best life performance if recharged before the battery drops below a 50 percent charge. If these AGM batteries are completely discharged, the cycle life will be around 300 cycles. This is true of most AGM batteries rated as deep cycle batteries.

•GEL – The Gel Cell is similar to the AGM style because the electrolyte is suspended, but different because technically the AGM battery is still considered to be a wet cell. The electrolyte in a GEL cell has a silica additive that causes it to set up or stiffen. The recharge voltages on this type of cell are lower than the other styles of lead acid battery. This is probably the most sensitive cell in terms of adverse reactions to over- voltage charging. Gel Batteries are best used in VERY DEEP cycle application and may last a bit longer in hot weather applications. If the incorrect battery charger is used on a Gel Cell battery, poor performance and premature failure is certain.

When antimony is known to be one of the materials used in the battery’s construction, that battery is conventional/low maintenance type.

Some low maintenance batteries have a relatively smooth top without any apparent battery filler caps. If, however, the battery manufacturer/distributor recommends periodic checking of the electrolyte level and provides access to the battery for water additions, the battery is probably a conventional/low maintenance type.

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