Overcharging

How can I avoid overcharging a 12 V Gel Cell battery? I'm looking for a table which would relate percentage of charge to voltage. If such a table exists, I'd appreciate it if you could pass that information along.

Thanks for your time.

Unfortunately, it is not always so simple. The amp/hour rating, age, discharged state and sulfation of the plates all play a role in the charge capacity of a battery. With Gel Cells, I would trickle charge if time permits to avoid any possibility of gassing. Many chargers on the market have enough intelligence built in to turn themselves off when fully charged. If you are using an inverter/charge controller setup, they also have some "smarts" built in. After charging, let the battery sit for a few minutes and test the voltage. If it is close to about 12.6 volts, then it is fully charged. Gel Cell batteries are nice in that they are maintenance free, but more care is required when charging them. The traditional lead acid wet cell needs a little more maintenance as far as keeping the water/acid level up, but it allows faster charging and deeper discharges (non-automotive, deep discharge batteries). It all depends on whether you want the convenience of a low maintenance Gel Cell, or the flexibility of the higher discharge capabilities of a wet cell.

Offered by Steve.