Is a B&D Simple Start safe to use?

[MSS]

Originally Posted by SD1too

I think the confusion arising from some recent posts arises from the incorrect use of terminology.

"Charge" is a term derived from static electricity. As Harry pointed out, a capacitor can be charged. When we use the same word in connection with a lead acid battery it is a different principle entirely. Such a battery is a collection of acid and metals which, when an electrical load is applied, undergoes a chemical reaction to produce an electric current. When we "recharge" it we are causing this chemical reaction basically to reverse. The battery does not hold "charge" in the same way as a capacitor does. This is why the above quote is fundamentally incorrect and the analogy of buckets of water does not work.


Here we have another extreme generalisation: "energy", which only serves to confuse. Electricity cannot be stored, and a battery does not store it. The process is chemical, more akin to "generation" I would say, as described above (documentary source: Lucas). Use of the term "energy" is too wide-ranging and vague to be useful in this discussion about how the Black & Decker 'Simple Start' works. I think we are making progress with this. It appears to have more sophisticated circuitry than first thought but, whilst we await Vinnie's measurements, it would be helpful if we restricted our attention to the appropriate fundamentals of voltage and current, avoiding "charge" and "energy" which only confuse and complicate unnecessarily.

Simon

Simon,

I think the "problem" here is that there are two parallel exchanges taking place in this thread. Firstly, your attempt at getting to the facts with Vinnie. For that, I agree that voltage and current are the only variables that should be used as they represent the correct terminology.

The other exchange is more entertainment than fact based and centres around the volume of the entity that is transferred between the two batteries when connected together. For this current and voltage will not suffice and thinking of the battery as a charge reservoir with the input/output characteristics of a lead acid battery (as opposed to a capacitor or indeed a bucket) is reasonable and helpful.

It's for the above reason that I actually posted two successive entries - one aimed at the "enterainment" and the other at the fact finding exchanges.

Maninder.