I have a charger that I would like to check. Exactly how would you recommend to check it? It is putting out about 16 volts but I am not sure it is charging as fast as it needs to be or that it used to........ How do I check it?
I have a charger that I would like to check. Exactly how would you recommend to check it? It is putting out about 16 volts but I am not sure it is charging as fast as it needs to be or that it used to........ How do I check it?
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The bitterness of poor quality is remembered
long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten - Benjamin Franklin
2013 RANGER RT188 - YAMAHA F115 - ULTREX - LOWRANCE GRAPHS
LOCK-N-HAUL Transom Saver, ALL ABOARD Emergency Ladder
1996 RANGER CHEROKEE - 40 YAMAHA
You can insert a DVM inline with the positive lead from the charger to the positive terminal of the DVM test lead and the negative test lead to the positive terminal of a known good battery. Set the DVM to amps. Connect the negative lead from the charger as you normally would, directly to the negative terminal of the battery. This setting should show what the actual output from the charger is, in amps.
Caution!!!! If the charger is capable of more than 10 amps, it may damage some DVMs. Most are internally fused at 10 amps. A few are capable of more than 10 amps.
Sometimes, like you have hinted to, a reading of higher than 12.6 volts from a charger doesn’t always mean that it’s charging as it should be.
16VDC is too high. Use a quality VOM to make sure of output voltage.
Usually it's around 14.5VDC
Mike
2019 Ranger 520L w/ 250HO ETEC G2
2011 Tracker 175TXW w/ 75HO ETEC
Yes if you are getting 16v with the charger hooked to a known discharged battery and using good quality meter that is high. The first thing is to find the rated output of charger and insure you are getting the correct AC voltage to charger. Then check the amp and voltage charging a known discharged battery that doesn't have a shorted cell are some other issue.
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