Electronics or Circuits? Ohm or Kirchhoff? You sure I shouldn't take a programming class instead to understand smart charging profiles?

It appears that desulfate, fast charge, etc. of standard smart chargers cause voltages >14.4v and that is the killer.

A dumb standard charger would charge just fine, just like bike/auto regulators charge fine. Unless a regulator fails to regulate, then any battery would be fried and is probably what happened to the OP.