[Elecraft] KBT-2 out of radio battery charging

[Vic K2VCO]

W3FPR - Don Wilhelm wrote:

> Of course, an even better system is to use a 3 stage charge controller
> specifically designed for SLA batteries - something like the A & A
> Smartcharger would do a fantastic job.

Keep in mind that the Smartcharger (and most likely other 3-stage 
chargers) has an adjustment for the amount of trickle current.  If the 
charger is designed for an automobile battery this will be too much for 
a small gel cell and will destroy it.

How do I know?  Because I have a Smartcharger and I made an error in 
arithmetic when I selected the value of the resistor that controls the 
trickle current, and the rest -- including my 4ah gel cell -- was history.

-- 
73,
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco