[Elecraft] Battery Charger Voltage High?

[Don Wilhelm]

  Dick,

Yes, 16 volts is too high.  There is a 15 volt zener diode right at the 
DC input of the K3 which should limit the voltage to the K3 at 15 volts 
(or until that zener diode is damaged).

The charger may be dropping into the bulk charge output rather than 
staying in the trickle charge state.
You may be better off with a simple trickle charger than a 2 or 3 state 
battery charger.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 5/26/2011 1:58 PM, RLVZ at aol.com wrote:
> Hi Guys,
>
> I'm operating from a portable location and using a 12-volt  automobile
> battery with my K3.  To keep the battery charged I'm using a  Schumacher 15-Amp
> Charger/Maintainer that automatically switches to "Trickle  Charge" when the
> battery is charged.  My concern is that when the charger  is connected the
> battery voltage is peaking at 16.0 volts.  The K3 manual says "maximum
> voltage is 15  volts".
>
> Do I need to be concerned about powering the K3 with 16.0  volts?
>
>