Charging Functions
Equalizing Gel Cell Batteries
You don’t normally equalize gel cell batteries. If they have been severely discharged, however, this may be the only way to get them to begin accepting a charge. The voltage is limited to the Acceptance charging level, but the cycle lasts for eight hours.
Be sure that battery type is set to 002 before you equalize gel cell batteries.
Activating Power Share
Power Share is a load management feature that helps prevent external source AC breakers from tripping when the charger and a number of other loads all come on at once. Power share automatically reduces the output of the Freedom Inverter/ Charger if the AC loads exceed a specified current limit.
To change the Power Share setting:
•See page 27.
Battery Capacity Testing
To determine the actual amount of energy your batteries can store, you conduct periodic capacity tests. A capacity test should start with a battery that has been properly charged and equalized.
Deep cycle battery capacity is usually stated as a 20 hour discharge rate (a 100 Ah battery will provide 5 amps for twenty hours). At discharge rates above 5 amps, the battery will supply less than 100 Ah. For example, if you are drawing 100 amps out of the battery, it will last less than half an hour. The following table shows battery capacity at various discharge rates.
Battery Capacity at Various Discharge Rates
Capacity (as a percent of the
Hours to Discharge 20 hour rate)
20100%
42
