Load Tester for AGM...

2Guido
2Guido Solar Expert Posts: 62 ✭✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Looking for recommendation on a good load tester/charger for AGM's...I see plenty of load tester/chargers for car batteries but none with functions for deep cycle or AGM. The charger part is no so important, but the load tester will be working on 6volt 260amp batts...As always, your help is always appreciated...
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,642 admin
    #2
    Re: Load Tester for AGM...

    If you where looking at 12 volt (or 24/48 volt) testing... I would just use an AC inverter and some space heaters (used to get 100+Watt lights for "loads"--But we know what happened to those in North America).

    I like to recommend loads that are similar to your actual power usage. Putting DC Resistor bank on a battery--As the battery voltage falls, the battery current falls.

    With an AC inverter--The fixed 120 VAC @ YYY Watts is a "constant power load". And as the battery bank voltage falls, the DC input to the inverter actually increases current (P=I*V--V falls, I increases to maintain constant P).

    Quite a different behaviour (you will see UPS batteries rated in WH/kWH capacity instead of Amp*Hour capacity because of this difference).

    In the end, you want your batteries to work in your application. If your application is "constant power" (because of AC inverters, etc.)--Then I would do my testing that way.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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