Technical Manual

Document No. 6-0101 Rev. F Page 21 of 40
5.5 Conditioning
Conditioning should only be done when the battery is showing symptoms of capacity loss due to
extended time in a partial or low state of charge condition. This could be caused, for example,
by low charging voltage for an extended number of charge cycles, or by repeatedly charging to
only 90% state of charge.
NOTE: Some chargers use the term Equalizing Charge instead of Conditioning Charge. An
Equalizing Charge is generally applied to flooded lead acid batteries that are susceptible to acid
stratification. However, an Equalizing Charge may be used to provide a Conditioning Charge for
Lifeline® batteries as described below.
To apply a conditioning charge, first go through the normal charge cycle to bring the battery to
full charge. The conditioning charge should then be applied by charging for 8 hours. At 77°F
(25°C), the conditioning voltage should be set at 2.58 VPC (15.5 volts for a 12-volt battery). The
conditioning voltage at other temperatures is shown in Table 5-2. By using the temperature-
compensated conditioning voltage, batteries that are not in controlled temperature environments
may be conditioned without bringing them to room temperature. If temperature compensation is
not available, it is best to bring the battery as close to room temperature as possible before
applying the conditioning charge.
Table 5-2. Conditioning Voltage at Different Temperatures for a 12 Volt Battery*
Temperature °F
Conditioning
Voltage
Temperature °F
Conditioning
Voltage
-40
18.05
70
15.58
-30
17.75
77
15.48
-20
17.47
80
15.44
-10
17.20
90
15.32
0
16.95
100
15.21
10
16.71
110
15.12
20
16.48
120
15.04
30
16.27
130
14.98
40
16.07
140
14.93
50
15.89
150
14.90
60
15.73
160
14.88
* For a 6-volt battery, divide the voltage by 2. For a 2-volt battery, divide the voltage by 6.
In systems with limited charging output or long time periods between full charge, a routine
conditioning charge may helpful in preventing capacity loss due to sulfation. If a routine
conditioning charge is used, the time duration should be less than the 8 hours specified above.
As a starting point, a routine conditioning charge may be applied every 3 weeks for 4 hours at
the voltage levels given above. The frequency should be fine-tuned to assure the batteries are
not being undercharged or over-charged. In most cases, the optimum frequency will be between
2 and 4 weeks.