Charging a 12v starter box battery help
 

Im looking for a simple way to charge up my starter box battery. I have currently been using my e-station charger but I will be needing that now for charging my lipo packs for truggy and it takes forever to charge the starter box battery anyway.

So I have this 12v 1amp trickle charger for automotive/recreational batteries (one of those cheapo plug in the wall tranformer looking type) that I have no other use for so I was wondering if I could use that to charge the starter box battery?

Here are the specs on the charger:

1A trickle battery charger for small 12V lead-acid batteries; warms larger batteries
Reverse hook-up protection helps prevent battery and charger damage
Solid-state circuitry provides optimum performance
Copper-wound transformer for longer life
Conveniently plugs directly into a wall outlet
12' output cables with 50A clamps <<-- Which I would solder bananna plugs instead of.


Here are the specs on the starter box battery:

12V 7.2AH Gel Cell Battery

similar to this:

http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_...oducts_id/5767


let me know what you think

That charger would take 7.2 hours to charge the gel cell. Not sure if it would be good to leave it plugged in, but a simple wall timer could be used to switch it off after that time.

Thats assuming its fully discharged isnt it? What do I do if its partially charged? Wonder what the max safe charge rate to charge it at is? I have a nice Schumacher automatic charger, maybe I could use that?

I use a car battery charger to charge a couple 12v lead acid batteries that I have. It should work on the gell cell. My car charger has a 2, 6, or 12a charge rate. I have done 2a and I'll try 6a next time.

I used to use a small floating charger. Charge the day before racing or bashing, good for the weekend. That was before I found brushless.

Willy:

Did the float charger shut off/go into float mode when you used them on the s/box batteries? If thats the case thats perfect I have a little float charger with a 2/4/6 amp charge rate that I could use.

I run both nitro and brushless so still need the starter box.


Metallover:

Let me know on the 6 amps that would be great!


Thanks guys

On the 6 amps, it's not to comparable to a starter box battery I don't think. I've got 2 12v sealed lead acid batteries in a parralel for a total of 20ah. I am doubting 6a will even stress these sla batteries at all.

It won't. I have a Optima Yellow Top in my car and 10a or sometimes 20a is what I charge it at. Or if I want to leave it on over night, then 2a.

Ok so what can I use safely on the hobby gell cell that is in my starter box?

I think something like this would work well, just not sure about the suitability with gel cell. Trickle charge with auto-shutoff should be enough to keep it topped off providing you keep it charged before you head to the track. Might be small enough to mount it inside the starter box too.

I have this little automic charger do you guys think it would work on 2amp mode?

http://www.battery-rechargeable-char...y-charger.html