Battery Charger Restrictions

[Ian Kaplan]

Originally Posted by Andy A.

Do you happen to know for certain what the maximum charging current is?

It is possible to damage and even rupture this type of battery with excessive charging currents. This can be extraordinarily dangerous and, at a minimum, would result in a minor hazmat cleanup situation. You can imagine what the worse case scenario would be.

The manufacturer calls for a 2 amp charging current, for what it's worth. 6 amps is, through experience, safe but probably does the battery's lifespan no favors (oh well). Anything above 6 amps is considered dangerous. If the pit staff called your charger out it was either because

A: The maximum charging current was grossly in excess of 6 amps.

B: They felt that the maximum current draw of the charging station could overload the circuit it was connected to

C: They felt that the number of batteries, cables, and such in close proximity merited a safety hazard of its own.

Most of this is subjective (and my list isn't at all all inclusive) and in the end the pit staff and venue staff get broad authority if they feel they are acting to protect the safety of teams, public and venue. I'd guess they made a call along the lines of C. Maybe not fair, but without being there I couldn't fairly say. You handled it correctly though, so good on you and your team. I would suggest that, if you plan on attending another event this year you email the event coordinator to discuss the matter ahead of time. He/she can involve the necessary pit personal so, come game day, there is no confusion.

While I will let someone on my team talk about the specs of the charger, I can say that we used this charger at the New Jersey Regional with no problems.