How to maintain New 6v batteries? Trickle charge?

[PhillipAaron]

I purchased two 6v batteries (golf cart 215AH) for my camper solar setup. There has been an unforeseen delay and the batteries will not be used for at least a month. How should I maintain the health of the batteries? Will a trickle charger work? If so, are there any specs it must have? Thanks in advance for any help.

[Logan005]

Keep in mind a month can turn into three or worse. If they are fully charged FLA's, a trickle charger might do it. better to use a smart charger. What is the amp rating on your trickle charger?

[PhillipAaron]

Don't have one. Was going to wait for suggestions from those wiser than me. Not sure what an FLA is "Fluid lead acid"? I purchased: https://www.batteriesplus.com/productdetails/sligc110

Would this be an acceptable smart charger: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...HS8M025CF508BN

Thanks for the help, it is appreciated!

[PhillipAaron]

For future benefit I went with the following charger: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...5126_200475126

[Logan005]

Good choices., that maintenance charger with 7.2 amps will be good for small to medium bank. Flooded Lead Acid=FLA, good batteries.

[PNjunction]

Note that the NoCo 7200 is primarily targeted at charging and maintaining vehicular batteries, with their attending parasitic loads.

As such, the normal charge employs "float voltage monitoring", which means that the standard charge waits for the battery to discharge, primarily from a parasitic load to a lower terminal value before recharging again. That's fine for a vehicle which gets used often. For your stationary battery bank, you'll want to do things a bit different:

However, that charger allows for a manual 13.6v maintenance charge. Thus, I would allow the 7200 to finish the normal charging cycle, and afterwards, remove the clamps, reconfigure for a manual 13.6v float mode, and re-attach the clamps.

Also note that this charge is too small for regular recharging of your battery bank. If you do regular recharging with it, your FLA electrolyte will stratify, and that's not good. For an initial top-off and perhaps manual 13.6v float, that's one thing. But if you are going to recharge regularly, you'll need a charger that can provide anywhere from C/12 to C/8 (anywhere from 17 to 25A with your 215a fla bank) to prevent stratification.

Also as a consumer device, which all seem to have QC problems these days, do not leave the charger without looking in on it once in awhile. If the charger fails, and you don't notice for a long time, the charger itself can become a parasitic load in itself, discharging your bank prematurely.