Why does my power max converter spark when I try to hook it up to the battery?

[FortWorthVanNoob]

Imagine a positive and negative wire is already hooked up to the battery. All I need to do iso hook those two wires up to my converter. I attach the positive wire up to the converter. Now I take my negative and attempt to hook it up to the converter. It sparks. Where should I go from here? Sorry if this is a dumb question but I don't want to burn my $200 converter up.

 

[GotSmart]

Hook up the battery (power source) last.

 

[LeeRevell]

Hook up the battery (power source) last.

Agreed, and make the negative connection to the battery the very last.

 

[SternWake]

They do that.  I believe it is the capacitors inside.  My 800 MSW inverter does the same thing when i hook a cable to it, yet there is no Amp draw a minute later.

My buddy's adjustable voltage 75 and 100 amp models did the same thing when I hooked them up initially.

The early powermax models had issues with the inrush thermistor on the 120Vac input blowing out, i f the power connections were disconnected then reconnected quickly, but they upgraded this part and claim it is no longer an issue.  Still, I would not unplug it when it is putting out its maximum amperage and then plug it back in quickly.

I hope your converter to battery wiring is short and fat for maximum performance.  Which model did you get?  Pm3 or PM4?  Or did you get the manual adjustable voltage model?

 

[FortWorthVanNoob]

They do that.  I believe it is the capacitors inside.  My 800 MSW inverter does the same thing when i hook a cable to it, yet there is no Amp draw a minute later.

My buddy's adjustable voltage 75 and 100 amp models did the same thing when I hooked them up initially.

The early powermax models had issues with the inrush thermistor on the 120Vac input blowing out, i f the power connections were disconnected then reconnected quickly, but they upgraded this part and claim it is no longer an issue.  Still, I would not unplug it when it is putting out its maximum amperage and then plug it back in quickly.

I hope your converter to battery wiring is short and fat for maximum performance.  Which model did you get?  Pm3 or PM4?  Or did you get the manual adjustable voltage model?

It is the bpcm-60, 60 amp adjustable voltage converter. I have a 4 Guage multiple strand wire I bought by the foot from lowes. The wiring is around 2 feet Long

 

[SternWake]

I give your choice of charger a thumbs up.

Be sure to mark the voltage on the dial when unloaded, for both desired float voltage, as well as absorption voltage.


When the unit is hooked to the battery it will not represent the intended final voltage. So mark these points on some masking tape before.

After the first use when it maxes out the unit, these setpoints might drift, so check it again before the second use.

Know how much you should adjust voltage for temperature.  Temps higher than 77 or 80F require lesser voltages and lower than that require higher voltages ideally.

It is only really when you are about 25 degrees higher or lower that one really needs to concern themselves with voltage out of spec from the 14.4 or 14.7 or whatever the battery manufacturer recommends as to absorption voltage.

You can hook a digital Ammeter/ voltmeter combo inline on the output.  Voltage is OK, but seeing how many the amps the battery is taking at that voltage is quite revealing as to state of charge.  Much more than voltage alone.  The hydrometer, on a flooded battery is the Polygraph.  On an AGM on needs to use an amp figure at a voltage to call the battery charged. like when a lifeline AGM requires 0.5a or less to be held at 14.4, one can call it fully charged.

Once the hydrometer or Ammeter indicates the battery is full, then one can estimate the time it took.

One then can put the POwermax adjustable voltage model on a spring wound timer, crank it to ~ 6.75 hours, and walk away for as long as needed.

If one does not need to rush, you can just dial in 13.5 or so and the battery will only take 60 amps briefly, and then the amps will taper quite quickly.

Remember the battery might never get to 100% charged  even after a week at 13.5v, but from that point one can dial it upto 14.8v for a little while and the once it only takes ~ 1 amps to hold 14.7 on a flooded group 27, call it good, or check Specific gravity and let it go if it needs it. 

http://www.amazon.com/Intermatic-FD...ywords=intermatic+10+hour+spring+loaded+timer

This combo of  a High amperage, adjustable voltage power supply, a spring wound timer, An Ammeter/ voltmeter, and a human capable of finding the voltage sweetspot and duration is simply the best grid powered charger available.

http://www.amazon.com/DROK-4-5-30V-...1430108093&sr=8-3&keywords=100+amp+DC+ammeter

Once my buddy gets his project vehicle running, I am hardwiring a 100 amp adjustable V  powermax to 2 group 31 AGM s, putting dual ammeters on the dash as well as the ON/Off button for the powermax, and the voltage dial.  Project Vehicle will be  getting a  second large case 200 amp alternator and 0 gauge cabling throughout.

 

[FortWorthVanNoob]

Thanks all. I hooked it up from the converter to the battery and viola, no sparks.

SternWake, thanks for the masking tape tip, I see what you mean. The voltage reflects the battery's it seems. You should work for powermax. They need some help writing a simple manual to go with their converter.