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Use Welder to Charge Batteries

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K-Mo

06-20-2002 09:30:53




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I have 4 Exide E-3600 batteries I need to charge. I figure with my little battery charger charging at 5 amps, it will take a month to fully charge them. These are 6volt 200a/h deep cycle batteries.
1. Can an ordinary DC arc welder be used to charge them? (My welder does not have a "battery charger" function.)
2. What is the typical output voltage of a welder?
3. Could I connect 2,3 or all 4 in series while charging to better match the voltage output of the welder?
I would appreciate some words of experience before I blow the doors off of my garage.

K-Mo

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MarkB

06-20-2002 19:18:01




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 Re: Use Welder to Charge Batteries in reply to K-Mo, 06-20-2002 09:30:53  
I don't recommend it. First, most welders aren't intended to run at a 100 percent duty cycle, so you run a definite risk of overheating the welder. Also, it's not a good idea to charge batteries in series if you can help it. A bad cell in one battery will stop the others from charging.

Heavy duty battery chargers are getting so cheap, it doesn't make sense to jury rig a substitute.



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Sven

06-20-2002 13:47:15




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 Re: Use Welder to Charge Batteries in reply to K-Mo, 06-20-2002 09:30:53  
I think your calculations are a little off, I figure 800Ahrs / 5 amps = 160 hrs or 6.67 days.
Thats assuming they will take 5amps charging current for the full time, which they should. Your welders DC voltage will be too high probably 40 to 60 volts depending on current. If you want max life out of your batteries get a smart charger 3 stage type. A good 3 stage charger around 5 amps will cost way less than new batteries.

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John Van Valkenburgh

06-20-2002 13:44:53




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 Re: Use Welder to Charge Batteries in reply to K-Mo, 06-20-2002 09:30:53  
I would not use a welder to charge batteries. The welder is designed to use a fairly low voltage (I think somewhere around 30V) but it delivers a massive amount of current. Its generally not a good idea to charge batteries quickly. Its best to give them a long slow charge.

You could take two of your 6V batteries and put them in series with a cable and then charge the pair at 12V. Basically you connect the + lead of one battery to the - lead of the other and then connect your charger across the two unused battery terminals. Its still 200AH but at 12V.

Regards,
John

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Red Dave

06-20-2002 12:23:19




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 Re: Use Welder to Charge Batteries in reply to K-Mo, 06-20-2002 09:30:53  
I suggest that you buy/borrow/rent another charger before you try charging batteries with your welder. In theory it can be done, but you would have to carefully control amps & volts to the batteries or you'll damage something.
Even at 5 amps, it shouldn't take a month.



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JimQc

06-20-2002 14:39:52




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 Re: Re: Use Welder to Charge Batteries in reply to Red Dave, 06-20-2002 12:23:19  
Leave your garage doors open !!



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