Bill Dupe posted this message about charging Optima YTs which I think
is timely considering our recent conversation on the topic:
Maximizing cycle life for an Optima AGM is a compromise
between sulfation and losing water. If you charge them to 14.8 volts
and then stop, they will die a premature death of sulfation on the
negative plate. This is because the charge efficiency of the
negative plate in an AGM is slightly less than the positive plate.
(This is because the recombination process is not quite perfect.)
If you force in an 8% overcharge at 2 amps, you will fully
charge the negative plate, prevent the sulfation, but lose a little
water while you are doing it. The batteries will last the greatest
number of cycles if you do it this way. You will run out of water at
about the same time as the paste will degrade if you charge this
way. Any other charge profile will result in a shorter cycle life.
This is a fact, it is not an opinion. This charge profile is
the result of many years of cycle life testing at the Optima Battery
Company. I get this information straight from the guy that ran the
Optima research effort, Dr. John Olson.
Bill Dube'
--
The Electric Motorcycle Portal
http://www.electricmotorcycles.net/
Electric Motorcycle Listserv
http://www.electricmotorcycles.net/listserv
