bounty hunter Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Never thought of this until I couldn't get back to sleep this morning and this popped into my head 3 years after I bought the van. Our on board charging system is an Elektrobloc 240 which charges both habitation and engine batteries and you have to select Gel or Lead Acid. Why??? Habitation batteries (3) are Gel and engine battery (1) is lead acid so obviously which ever one I choose is wrong for the other one. Now Schaudt. who make Elektroblocs, are quite insistent that you must choose correctly so presumably there is a good reason which I am currently unaware of. Can anyone advise please. Thanks John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanS Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 The peak charging voltage of a GEL battery is less than that of a lead acid battery and also the charging profile is different. If the charger only allows for one system then I would set it for the lower voltage peak charge, i.e. GEL setting. It just means that the lead acid may not always be at the top of its charge but shouldn't be a problem. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 The Elektroblock on wet setting charges until voltage reaches 14.3volts holds at 14.3v for 1 hour then reduces to a maintenance voltage of 13.8v. On the Gel setting it holds the voltage at 14.3 for 8 hours. You set it for type of habitation battery in your case Gel, as the engine battery only receives a trickle charge of a max of 6 amp once the habitation battery is nearly charged. Edit: On wet setting a Gel battery will never fully charge. On Gel setting a wet battery will be overcharged and could gas off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bounty hunter Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 Alan/Lenny Many thanks for your prompt replies. As charger has been set on Gel since July 2011 and nothing seems to have gone wrong i will just carry on. Hopefully I will sleep through tonight John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I had my switch the wrong way for a while but no harm seems to have been done - I suspect that I was just depriving myself of the final bit of top up charge of the gel leisure batteries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 StuartO - 2015-01-05 9:22 AM I had my switch the wrong way for a while but no harm seems to have been done - I suspect that I was just depriving myself of the final bit of top up charge of the gel leisure batteries. AS you have Gel batteries, it will not do any harm just as you say not quite fully charge the Gel's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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