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Hi all. I have in the process of purchasing a Victron IP65 Blue Smart Charger 12V 5A, however, i have a question that will inform my purchase. In the product manual, it is recommended a maximum battery size of 50Ah capacity for this charger. CTEK offers a 5A charger and states that batteries up to 160Ah can be charged with this charger....obviously it will just take longer. Can the Victron 5A charger be used for larger capacities (>50Ah) than recommended or will it damage the charger?
Thank you
Whilst this wont damage the charger if cooling is adequate, the problem is that the charger may not be sufficient to fully charge the battery and move into float mode (tail current too high)..Also if lead acid battery: these do need to be charged at at least c/10 in order to maintain battery life.
The maximum recommended battery capacity for Victron chargers is based on 0.1C charge rate, this ensures the battery is recharged within a reasonable time period and that the charger can provide enough charge current to prevent premature battery degradation caused by repetitive low charge rates.
It is fine/safe for a Victron charger to remain at max current output for extended periods and charge much larger battery capacities than the recommended maximum, it is just not a very good match.
Note: there is a 'bulk time limit' setting on Victron chargers - this setting may need to be increased or disabled if a very large battery capacity is attempted to be charged.
Other brands may recommended a higher max battery capacity, but that is a poor recommendation for the customer and primarily made to make their charger appear more capable/attractive, when it is not.
