6. Why does overcharging damage batteries?
Overcharging a battery occurs when the total capacity removed has been replaced by recharging and the battery remains on charge. This overcharging creates excessive heat which can cause the battery plates within the cells to buckle and shed their active material. The battery will react to the overcharge by producing an excessive amount of hydrogen and oxygen. These gases are the result of the breakdown of the water molecules within the electrolyte. The water that has been displaced by overcharging can be replaced in a serviceable (non-sealed) battery, but, in the maintenance-free sealed batteries, permanent capacity loss will result.
Excessive discharging a battery can also damage a battery. The amount of discharge a battery can have without damage depends upon the chemistry of the battery, but in general a lead acid battery will not tolerate as deep a discharge as a Ni-cad battery or Ni-mh battery. Sealed lead acid batteries function best if they are discharged to only about 85% of nominal voltage (10.2V on 12V battery).
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7. What is sulfation of batteries?
Sulfation is the formation or deposit of lead sulfate on the surface and in the pores of the active material of the batteries' lead plates. If the sulfation becomes excessive and forms large crystals on the plates, the battery will not operate efficiently and may not work at all. Common causes of battery sulfation are standing a long time in a discharged condition, operating at excessive temperatures, and prolonged under or over charging.
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8. Do I ever have to disconnect the Chargetek Chargers from the batteries?
Absolutely not! On the contrary, with our chargers connected, your batteries will be fully charged and ready to go during short term or long term usage and storage. Our chargers were designed to work for you, not you working for them. Chargetek chargers are fully automatic and self-protecting which sense the state of charge of the batteries and provide the required current and voltage. Just plug in your charger; watch it play and walk away! Let the charger do all the work after that.
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9. What Safety Features does the Chargetek product line have?
Our Chargers were designed with safety first in mind. The TPRO, CT/CK150 and CT500 product lines are certified to UL/CSA 1236, a very demanding marine specification. Our RTIC line is in process and will be certified by 12/1/03. All additional models will also be certified to this specification. In addition, Chargetek products are fully protected against reverse polarity, output short circuits, no spark hookup and over temperature protection. The chargers are also ignition protected, which is a must for any marine charger. Chargetek chargers will not generate sparks when connected to the batteries.
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10. Why are the high amperage Chargetek chargers so small and light weight compared to other heavier and larger competitor products?
The Chargetek Charger line was designed using the some of the latest technology in high frequency power conversion. Traditional battery chargers use large and bulky 60Hz line frequency transformers, which then power very inefficient linear regulators to provide battery power. Our chargers use very efficient, high frequency switching technology to minimize size, weight and cost and increased performance. You can easily see this by comparing our charger size, weight and features for the same power level to some of our competitors.
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11. How can I extend the life of my battery?
By following some simple tips your battery can provide years of reliable service. One simple practice is to maintain the full charge on the battery at all times. A fully charged battery will gradually lose its capacity, the rate at which this occurs depends upon the exact battery and type. Sulfation will occur if the battery is not charged for a long period of time and the battery may reach a point where the battery will no longer accept a charge.
As mentioned in a previously, overcharging your batteries for an extended time will damage the batteries plates and boil electrolyte. Unfortunately, many battery charging and maintenance devices are not designed to be left safely attached to your batteries for more than a day or two at a time. All Chargetek products are designed to be connected to the batteries indefinitely.
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12. What is the Chargetek warranty and repair policy?
As a consumer, the manufacturer warranty covering your purchase should be scrutinized and fully understood. We record and track each charger sold by a unique serial number or day code, depending upon the product. Our warranty policy provides you with a new charger if any failure occurs during the two-year coverage period. If you have any problem the two year warranty period, we will exchange your unit for a brand new one.
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