Voltage Limit On A Battery Charger?

stp57

Anybody here know how to limit the voltage on a battery charger. I just emailed Schumacher about their charger but I doubt that they will tell me how to modify their charger (SE- 4220).
I just purchased a Odyssey battery & the limit on charging it is 15 volts. My charger even on the 10amp setting hovers around 15 volts & it makes me real nervous. If I could limit it to 14.8 (especially on the 40 amp setting) that would great! Odyssey's 25 amp charger goes for around $200!
Steve

woodchuck2

I would consider the voltage normal, i worked for two different dealerships as a tech years ago and it wasnt uncommon to see an alternator output of 14.5-16 volts. Anything lower than 14 volts and i would question the ability of the charging system. From what you posted the charger hasnt exceeded the limited voltage so i personally wouldnt worry, you may find as the battery charges the voltage and amperage will drop too depending on battery condition. If it begins to emitt an odor or boil over then i would shut off the charger before any serious damage is done to the battery.

stp57

What you are saying holds true for a flooded cell battery & maybe even an Optima, but an Odyssey is a whole new ballgame. It is critical not to charge at 15v & higher. $300 is a lot to pay for a battery. My Sprinter van's alternator charges 13.7v consistently & as high as 14.1v (normal for a Bosch alternator). The Odyssey prefers the 14.2-14.8v range, so if I can charge it once a week for a few hours to full capacity, I may get 5-8 years out of this battery.
Steve