I have dual 6 volt batteries. I would like to run them through a reconditioning program like I can with my 12 volt batteries. I have the CTEK 4.3 charger and it does not appear to be capable of charging 6 volt batteries individually.

Can I charge them if I keep them in series? I'm guessing that's not an ideal thing to do. Or should I just get a dedicated 6 volt charger?

 

Short answer, yes. When they are in the camper that is the way they are charging on the power converter.

Steve

 

The reason I ask is that I don't understand the reconditioning process. Will the process for a 12 volt charger work properly against 6 volt batteries in series. I don't want to blow anything up.

 

I read over the instructions for your charger. The reconditioning is a timed high voltage charge of 15.8 volts for either 30 minutes or 4 hours. Looks to me like it is what I refer to as an equalizing charge during which acid and water are remixed. Your are using standard wet cell batteries right?

 

Correct. Standard lead/acid/wet batteries. These are Interstate brand. They came with the trailer. The water level gets checked periodically.

After half a day in the sun the solar system is either showing 13.3 volts or they are charging at that amount. I had them down to 12.2 (maybe a little lower) yesterday from running the furnace while I was doing some work inside.

 

At 13.3 your controller is most likely telling you your batteries are fully charged and is in "float" during which amp output is very low. The furnace is a power pig when it comes to battery power. You will usually see an 8-10 amp draw when the blower motor is running. If you also had a couple of lights on, you had a reasonable draw.

Reconditioning or equalizing and the need to do it has been a debated issue for some time in the RV world. With some folks recommending it and some advising against it. Here is a quote from one of the Internet sites I pulled up as a reference

"An equalizing charge is nothing more than a deliberate overcharge to remove sulfate crystals that build up on the plates over time. Left unchecked, sulfation can reduce the overall capacity of the battery and render the battery unserviceable in extreme cases. An equalizing charge also reverses acid stratification, a condition where acid concentration is greater at the bottom of the battery than at the top.

Experts recommend equalizing services once a month to once or twice a year. A better method is to apply a fully saturated charge and then compare the specific gravity readings (SG) on the individual cells of a flooded lead acid battery with a hydrometer. Only apply equalization if the SG difference between the cells is 0.030."

Here is a link to the site Equalizing Charge For Stationary Batteries ? Battery University

Personally I equalize about once a year. You will find differences in opinion on this topic and I do not know of a definitive study.

Steve

 

Thanks Steve!