Float -vs- bulk charge

Papajohn011964 · 08-04-2012, 01:30 PM

I have a Schauer JAC2036H charger and the yellow led (indicating a bulk charge) never comes on. It's always in "float charge" or led off mode, what's the difference?

JohnnieB · 08-05-2012, 05:27 AM

The Yellow LED might be bad.
What is the pack voltage after 12 hours rest? (Should be about 38.2V)

Both bulk charge and float charge are ambiguous terms whose definition will vary according to charger and battery manufacturer, but for a Schauer JAC2036H, bulk charge means the current is limited to 20A until the voltage ceases to rise. I'm not sure what their float charge is, but it is most likely a constant voltage in the 39.2V range.

To determine if charger is working right, monitor the pack voltage while on charge.
If you have a DVM with a Min/Max or Peak hold function, it'll be easy to do.
It should climb past 45V (maybe as high as 50V and will take several hours) and then taper off down to about 39V and stay there.

If the on-charge voltage never gets into the mid 40's or above, the charger is sick and needs to be fixed.

Papajohn011964 · 08-05-2012, 08:36 AM

Thanks JohnnieB! I will give that a try. We use our cart in a RV park every other weekend or so and it gets less than an hour of run time. Well this weekend I charged it Thursday night and was stupid and didn't check the voltage when we got here Friday. It died completely Friday night to the point that we had to push it back to our site. Pack voltage was 30 something and my first thought was the charger. Then I checked individual voltages and one of them was at 1.3, the rest were at 6.2. Charged the low battery up to 6.2, plugged in the charger for a few hours and pack voltage came to 38.1. Charged it all last night and am getting 38.2 on the pack, 6.4 on five of them and 5.9 on the one. Batteries are about 3 month old US 1800's so I will be taking one of them back to the store next week.

JohnnieB · 08-05-2012, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Papajohn011964

.............didn't check the voltage when we got here Friday............

Get a dash-mounted DVM from Scotty and you won't forget.

http://www.cartsunlimited.net/Digita...ry_Meters.html

Semper Fi !!!

scottyb · 08-05-2012, 08:57 AM

Indeed one does sound bad, check the water levels too.

Papajohn011964 · 08-05-2012, 09:49 AM

Water levels are all good and I think it showed the wife the importance of a meter. Probably be ordering one soon!!!!

08-04-2012, 01:30 PM	#1
Papajohn011964 Getting Wild Join Date: May 2012 Location: Canyon Lake Texas Posts: 118	Float -vs- bulk charge I have a Schauer JAC2036H charger and the yellow led (indicating a bulk charge) never comes on. It's always in "float charge" or led off mode, what's the difference?

08-05-2012, 05:27 AM	#2
JohnnieB Techno-Nerd Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: West Virginia Posts: 19,654	Re: Float -vs- bulk charge The Yellow LED might be bad. What is the pack voltage after 12 hours rest? (Should be about 38.2V) Both bulk charge and float charge are ambiguous terms whose definition will vary according to charger and battery manufacturer, but for a Schauer JAC2036H, bulk charge means the current is limited to 20A until the voltage ceases to rise. I'm not sure what their float charge is, but it is most likely a constant voltage in the 39.2V range. To determine if charger is working right, monitor the pack voltage while on charge. If you have a DVM with a Min/Max or Peak hold function, it'll be easy to do. It should climb past 45V (maybe as high as 50V and will take several hours) and then taper off down to about 39V and stay there. If the on-charge voltage never gets into the mid 40's or above, the charger is sick and needs to be fixed.

08-05-2012, 08:36 AM	#3
Papajohn011964 Getting Wild Join Date: May 2012 Location: Canyon Lake Texas Posts: 118	Re: Float -vs- bulk charge Thanks JohnnieB! I will give that a try. We use our cart in a RV park every other weekend or so and it gets less than an hour of run time. Well this weekend I charged it Thursday night and was stupid and didn't check the voltage when we got here Friday. It died completely Friday night to the point that we had to push it back to our site. Pack voltage was 30 something and my first thought was the charger. Then I checked individual voltages and one of them was at 1.3, the rest were at 6.2. Charged the low battery up to 6.2, plugged in the charger for a few hours and pack voltage came to 38.1. Charged it all last night and am getting 38.2 on the pack, 6.4 on five of them and 5.9 on the one. Batteries are about 3 month old US 1800's so I will be taking one of them back to the store next week.

08-05-2012, 08:57 AM	#5
scottyb Happy Carting Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 73,417	Re: Float -vs- bulk charge Indeed one does sound bad, check the water levels too.

08-05-2012, 09:49 AM	#6
Papajohn011964 Getting Wild Join Date: May 2012 Location: Canyon Lake Texas Posts: 118	Re: Float -vs- bulk charge Water levels are all good and I think it showed the wife the importance of a meter. Probably be ordering one soon!!!!

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