Pulse Tech
I had some emails back and forth with Rich Gregory at Pulsetech
(RGregory@pulsetech.net) about how to use their products in a yachting
situation and he agreed that one cannot use their products as chargers,
nor can they be used in parallel with a charger, nor can they be used on
a house bank of several batteries in parallel. In the off season, they
can be used as a trickle charger and to do their mojo on individual
batteries. So, you'd break apart your bank and get a unit that can
handle several at a time, hook it up and just let her rip. And you can
restore sick batteries as they come up.
Considering the cost of batteries, I'm going to get one of these for
maintenance and repair (or life extension) of sick batteries. What I
want to see is a high capacity charge with this technology built it.
Looking at the web sites of the big guys, I don't see any such thing yet.
tr
I had some emails back and forth with Rich Gregory at Pulsetech
(RGregory@pulsetech.net) about how to use their products in a yachting
situation and he agreed that one cannot use their products as chargers,
nor can they be used in parallel with a charger, nor can they be used on
a house bank of several batteries in parallel.
Very strange he is driving away that business, since the solar power
guys are using Pulsetech or equivalent products on very large banks
of batteries. I have had a desulfator for several years on an
series/parallel 24 volt, eight battery L-16 bank. I can't say
whether it has performed miracles, but I regard these things like my
multi-vitamin -- it is not doing any harm and it may be doing some good.
Steve
Gregory is contradicting the matrix on his own website and my personal
experience. They make a unit which I attached to the battery posts of
my car battery and is powered by the battery. It continues to function when
the engine (alternator) is running and has done its job in extending the
life of the battery.
We haven't seen the questions or the answers so I'll reserve judgment, but
perhaps he was covering himself. Maybe his combined charger/maintenance
systems are not approved for marine use - especially on gas boats. This
could also be true for their myriad other products.
Ron Rogers
-----Original Message-----
I had some emails back and forth with Rich Gregory at Pulsetech
(RGregory@pulsetech.net) about how to use their products in a yachting
situation and he agreed that one cannot use their products as chargers,
nor can they be used in parallel with a charger, nor can they be used on
a house bank of several batteries in parallel.
There's been some interest in this so I'll attach the email thread I had
with PulseTech and let everyone with an interest draw their own
conclusions
I wrote to PulseTech using their "contact us" link on their web site:
"I have a 46' motor yacht with a house bank of 4 large AGMs in parallel.
I'd like to replace my mastervolt charger with yours, but it looks like
your chargers are setup to do individual batteries and not a whole bank.
How would you apply your products in my situation? Would you parallel
your kit with the main charger? Or would you connect you gear as a
periodic maintenance procedure? Your chargers don't seem to have the
current to charge a large bank and seem more suited to a trickle or
maintenance charger role. So, would you only use your gear when the boat
was not in use?"
Answer:
"Thank you for your interest in our products. We make an Xtreme Charger
for parallel batteries but the current output is only 2.5 amps. I would
recommend it for charging single batteries as time permits. The more it
is attached and operating, the better for the battery. Do not use it in
parallel with another charger. The batteries will have to be charged
separately for best results.
Best regards,
Rick Gregory"
I wrote back:
"Unsuitable I think for an installed unit. One could leave it on in the
off season though
tr"
And Greg's final response:
"I agree. It is not designed to be on board installation or to replace
your on board charger. Better for shop use and when it is not being
used."
That's the total of everything said. My conclusion is that their products won't do what I was wanting to do. I would like a high amperage charge with this functionality built in to replace the charger I have now. Failing that, it would be fine if I could run the unit in parallel to my existing charger. Their stuff is designed to work on individual batteries, some can handle several individual batteries, but from what Greg says, not so much for my application. I'm convinced that the technology works, and I'll get one of these guys for the off season and to bring back sick batteries. But I'm still looking for something I can install and forget.
tr
It is also very good for battery recovery.
----- Original Message -----
Gregory is contradicting the matrix on his own website and my personal
experience. They make a unit which I attached to the battery posts of
my car battery and is powered by the battery. It continues to function
when
the engine (alternator) is running and has done its job in extending the
life of the battery.> Ron Rogers
REPLY
Ron have you looked at the Solargizer product from Pulsetech?
This is yet another product which is advertised as being permanently
installed and used in conjunction with an external charger source. In most
cases being an engine driven alternator.
Illustrations in their newsletter being pictures of ambulances and fire
trucks, not to mention Rv parked in camps for weeks or even months on end.
It is a little photocell panel wired to the Power Pulse. The idea being this
small charge from a solar panel is sufficient to erplace the small amount
use by the Pulsetech circuit itself. For a trailer or RV that is often
parked semi permanently in a remote place away from any utility power,
this makes good sense.
I have two Power Pulse for regular maintenance of wired in batteries. One
Redi Pulse for recovery of dead batteries. Another competitive brand for
maintenance of a house bank that is on float charge with the emergency power
inverter and a Solargizer for use on a trailer not powered up or conaining
a charger.
When I do a battery ercovery I first condition the dead battery for a few
days. Then I connect a True Charge 40 to the battery to se if it will take
a charge. I leave the RediPulse still connected. Often no charge current
is indicated at first but after another day it slowly increases. Even
badly sulfated batteries will show a charge going into the battery after a
week or two of this treatment. If the battery is the flooded kind I may
also hit it with an equalize charge from the TC40+.
The big L16 are about 10 years old and were abandoned outdoors and left
frozen for at least one winter. It has never fully recovered but it now
does hold a charge for a while and deliver power to a 2kW inverter for a
couple of hours. Two batteries were new in 2004 but then sat in an unused
truck for a year or 18 months. The rest of the batteries are of
undetermined aged. Could be six or could be as much as twelve years. No date
code found.
So far none of these Pulsetech devices have shown any sign of being damaged
by being hooked in parallel with an external charger.
If I had to leave something of mine in storage for months on end I
definitely would install a product like the Solargizer. You do have to
start with the battery fully charged. but you can expect to return and
find the bateries ready to go.
The BC distributor used to manage a log sort yard for a big company. He
said it would cost him $1000 to helicopter in a mechanic plus a new 8D
battery to service a fire pump that had been left in a lumber camp over the
winter. He started by looking for a solution. He ended up becoming the
distributor for BC and quitting his day job. He also said that ever since
he began fitting Pulsetech to company equipment they never suffered a "no
start" situation due to flat batteries. The initial sucess was good
enough to justify rewriting company service instructions. Now whenever
any equipment comes in for major overhaul they add a Pulsetech,. This
included fire pumps, buldozers, trucks, yard tugs, and long haul sea
going tugs.
Arild
Good heavens to Betsy, of course they don't do that! Nobody, including
Arild, ever suggested that they were suitable for charging. On all the lists
in Georgs' family we have only referred to battery desulfators and the
desulfators don't care if you are charging the bank regardless of source.
On the T&T List, the consensus has been that the only way to charge large
battery banks is through either an inverter/charger or a large, dedicated
charger (only a few makers). If you want the best, get a Victron
(Mastervolt's competition) or a Newmar or a Charles unit. Then you can
attach a desulfator to the battery bank.
Ron Rogers
----- Original Message -----
From: "Terry Rolon" >
I wrote to PulseTech using their "contact us" link on their web site:
"I have a 46' motor yacht with a house bank of 4 large AGMs in parallel.
I'd like to replace my mastervolt charger < snip>
from what Greg says, not so much for my application. I'm convinced that
the technology works, and I'll get
one of these guys for the off season and to bring back sick batteries. But
I'm still looking for something I can
install and forget.
REPLY
Terry what Mastevolt model do you have? What symptoms led you to seek
another charger?
Why didn't you ask me for help before? < VBG>
I have only been around since Noah was a sea cadet. <grin>
Install and forget is how the Powr Pulse is supposed to be used.
Arild
I'm replacing a bunch of batteries this year and when I became aware of
this technology, it occurred to me that it might help extend the life of
my new batteries. At over $600 a pop, any additional life is welcome.
This seems a natural addition to the typical smart charger set of
tricks. It seemed clear that Pulsetech's product line wasn't up for the
job when I looked at their web page, but I asked them to be sure. That's
pretty much the whole story. Well that and weather the approach really
works. Seems many people think it works well. So now I just need to keep
looking. I'd only replace my perfectly adequate charger with one that
combined this other technology. Until I find one such, or a parallel
solution, I'm fine with things as they are. Poorer, but that's
fashionable these days.
tr
----- Original Message -----
From: "Terry Rolon" trolon@trolon.net
I'd only replace my perfectly adequate charger with one that combined this
other technology. Until I find one such, or a parallel solution, I'm fine
with things as they are.
REPLY
Terry why does this have to be INSIDE the charger? Doesn't make sense.
The very high freqency pulses are attenuated by long wires. ( more than 18
inches) Common sense dictate that you do not mount the charger in close
proximity to your batteries becaue the gasses from a charging battery will
cause damage to a charger and most electronics.
Pulsetech specifically made their products hermetically sealed so they can
be mounted directly on top of a battery. Insisting the pulser be mounted
remote from the battery simply negates the beneficial affects.
regards
Arild