Not sure this is the right forum for a battery question. If not, please suggest another.
I have an Eco-Worthy 12 V, 280 Ah, battery, which I use to supply low-power amateur radio equipment, which is only on occasionally, Will it shorten the life of my battery if I keep my Eco-Worthy 12 V, 20 A, charger connected all the time? I have read that it is best not to keep lithium ion batteries (e.g., those in my car or my telephone) fully charged for long periods of time, but I do not see an easy way to prevent the charger from taking my Eco-Worthy battery to 100 percent,. The battery stays at 14.8 volts while the charger is turned on. When I turn it off but leave it connnected to the battery terminals, the voltage goes down slowly, e.g., to 14.2 V after several hours and 13.9 overnight). Somce those voltages are higher than LiFePo4 resting voltage at full-charge, I suspect the output capacitor in the charger is holding the voltage up.
So, here's my question: Does holding the battery terminal voltage at 14 V or more for extended periods shorten the life of the battery? Do I need to disconnect the charger (even when it is turned off)? Do I need to deliberately discharge the battery a bit after fully charging it, or does the battery's BMS keep things at a safe level? Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks!
