dangerously high voltage on:-? battery charger

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ches2443

ches2443

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deal island, maryland
Last week I was wiring the DC side of the control circuit for a Cat. powered Gen. set.
While looking thru the installation manual I read this "Many battery chargers are capable of dangerously high voltage if operated without a functioning battery, to provide an electrical load."
Has anyone heard of or ran into this situation before?
 
No . All of the chargers I work with are capable of regulating the output without a load . I wonder how they define " dangerously high " ?
 
Yes. The alternator fitted as standard to your car and to gensets and just about every other prime mover will in the absence of the battery produce hundreds of volts. I guess that is what they are talking about.
 
dbuckley said:
Yes. The alternator fitted as standard to your car and to gensets and just about every other prime mover will in the absence of the battery produce hundreds of volts. I guess that is what they are talking about.
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isnt that the function of a voltage regulator?
 
This diesel motor is air start and has no alternator. The 2 (8D 12 volt size) batteries are maintained by a 120v /30 amp three stage newmar brand charger.
 
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mattsilkwood said:
isnt that the function of a voltage regulator?
Click to expand...

You would think, wouldn't you.

I do recall, as a teen, jump starting a batteryless car, and thinking that when I disconnected the jump lead the car would continue to run without battery, as the alternater would produce enough juice.

Its a good job arc flash hadn't been invented back then or I'd be in real trouble. Unexpected, very large blue spark as I removed the jump clip and yes, the engine stopped.

In terms of the OPs problem, no alternator wipes out this as a possible cause of high voltage.
 
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