southace26
Active Member
My new (1 year) 2x 110 amp hr batterys are going from full charge (13.5v) down to (10.5v) in 6.5 hours drawing 5 to 6amps this is at night with no charge going in would this sound right, any ideas???
Amps and stuff
- Thread starter southace26
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maxi77
Well-Known Member
Is the 10.5 V measured with the 5-6 amp load or with no load after the battery has had some time to setttle?
A
Anonymous
Guest
[ QUOTE ]
My new (1 year) 110 amp hr batterys are going from full charge (13.5v) down to (10.5v) in 6.5 hours drawing 5 to 6amps this is at night with no charge going in would this sound right, any ideas???
[/ QUOTE ]Is this one 110Ah battery or more than one? What is the total Ah? If just one 110Ah battery then it might be about right if it wasn't 100% charged in the first place.
If you run your batteries down to 10.5V they won't last long. Cut off at 12V for a good life.
My new (1 year) 110 amp hr batterys are going from full charge (13.5v) down to (10.5v) in 6.5 hours drawing 5 to 6amps this is at night with no charge going in would this sound right, any ideas???
[/ QUOTE ]Is this one 110Ah battery or more than one? What is the total Ah? If just one 110Ah battery then it might be about right if it wasn't 100% charged in the first place.
If you run your batteries down to 10.5V they won't last long. Cut off at 12V for a good life.
savageseadog
Well-Known Member
No
Either the battery is U/S or it isn't getting fully charged.
To test the battery I suggest you charge it completelt with a mains battery charger and discharge it with a known load.
It's common for batteries not to fully charge owing to the fact that fixed voltage charging (your alternator) provides a charge that tapers off quite quickly as the battery voltage recovers. That's what a smart charger is for, it pushes more amps into the battery at a higher voltage but detects the battery state intelligently so doesn't over charge it.
Either the battery is U/S or it isn't getting fully charged.
To test the battery I suggest you charge it completelt with a mains battery charger and discharge it with a known load.
It's common for batteries not to fully charge owing to the fact that fixed voltage charging (your alternator) provides a charge that tapers off quite quickly as the battery voltage recovers. That's what a smart charger is for, it pushes more amps into the battery at a higher voltage but detects the battery state intelligently so doesn't over charge it.
southace26
Active Member
no they are on charge most of the time in marina, 6200mA charge n maintain and I live on boat so always drawing and recharging.... after 6 hours 5amp draw volts go from 12 down to 10 rapidly I am thinking one battery in the series may be faulty?
A
Anonymous
Guest
[ QUOTE ]
I am thinking one battery in the series may be faulty?
[/ QUOTE ]What is "the series"? How many batteries have you got, how are they wired, and what sort of batteries are they?
I am thinking one battery in the series may be faulty?
[/ QUOTE ]What is "the series"? How many batteries have you got, how are they wired, and what sort of batteries are they?
southace26
Active Member
maintance free AGMs X 2 negitive to negitive pos to pos = 220amp hrs
pappaecho
Well-Known Member
I hope that your comment "one battery in the series" is not true. They should of course be in parallel. If you are using 6.5 hours of 5 amps draw eg 32.5 amp hours, and the bank is 220amp hours, I agree that you have a problem.
My fridge draws 5 amps, and takes about 3 days to flatten my 2 x 110 amp service batteries, assuming no input from wind genny.
When I say flatten- the voltage is down to about 11.7 volts, which causes major problems in the SWMBO department, because the LCD TV, still works, but loses the sound at 11.7 volts, which then causes an argument - do we switch off the fridge or the TV?
My fridge draws 5 amps, and takes about 3 days to flatten my 2 x 110 amp service batteries, assuming no input from wind genny.
When I say flatten- the voltage is down to about 11.7 volts, which causes major problems in the SWMBO department, because the LCD TV, still works, but loses the sound at 11.7 volts, which then causes an argument - do we switch off the fridge or the TV?
A
Anonymous
Guest
[ QUOTE ]
maintance free AGMs X 2 negitive to negitive pos to pos = 220amp hrs
[/ QUOTE ]And one year old? If they are being properly charged then there is a problem. What charger do you have, and are you CERTAIN that it is set for AGMs? Do you have a digital volmeter running 24/7 on the panel? If so, tell us what it normally reads.
maintance free AGMs X 2 negitive to negitive pos to pos = 220amp hrs
[/ QUOTE ]And one year old? If they are being properly charged then there is a problem. What charger do you have, and are you CERTAIN that it is set for AGMs? Do you have a digital volmeter running 24/7 on the panel? If so, tell us what it normally reads.
southace26
Active Member
parallel I mean yes 2 same battreys banked together giving me a 12 volt feed and i have a analog volt and amp meter on main switch board.....and when batterys are unloaded and charged get about 14 volts...
sailinglegend420
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
.... after 6 hours 5amp draw volts go from 12 down to 10 rapidly I am thinking one battery in the series may be faulty?
[/ QUOTE ]Do you really mean going from 12 volts down to 10?
At full charge they should be at 12.8V. Empty they are at 12.2V. So 0.6 volts goes from full charge to recharge time. For AGMs you must have a smart charger and a digital voltmeter, and you must look after them.
Try only using one at a time and see if they both behave the same way. If not then only one is faulty.
.... after 6 hours 5amp draw volts go from 12 down to 10 rapidly I am thinking one battery in the series may be faulty?
[/ QUOTE ]Do you really mean going from 12 volts down to 10?
At full charge they should be at 12.8V. Empty they are at 12.2V. So 0.6 volts goes from full charge to recharge time. For AGMs you must have a smart charger and a digital voltmeter, and you must look after them.
Try only using one at a time and see if they both behave the same way. If not then only one is faulty.
A
Anonymous
Guest
You need to go back to the spec for your batteries and ideally put a DVM across them...can you just wire in your digital multimeter (if it is a quality job otherwise buy one). The Lifeline AGM manual calls for a limit of 14.3V at 25C and then a float of 13.3 +/- 0.1V so if you have been leaving them on float at 14.3 you might be in trouble.
My advice is firstly check with a DVM exactly what you ARE doing at the moment. If, as it seems, you have been leaving them on a float that is too high, then call the manufacturers for advice. AGMs have very little fluid in them so if you have been losing fluid you might have ruined them.
Still, get the facts straight first before jumping to any conclusions. Personally I won't have sealed batteries on board other than one small Lifeline that I use to power my hookah diving kit in the tender.
My advice is firstly check with a DVM exactly what you ARE doing at the moment. If, as it seems, you have been leaving them on a float that is too high, then call the manufacturers for advice. AGMs have very little fluid in them so if you have been losing fluid you might have ruined them.
Still, get the facts straight first before jumping to any conclusions. Personally I won't have sealed batteries on board other than one small Lifeline that I use to power my hookah diving kit in the tender.
EdWingfield
Well-Known Member
If you live Tyneside area I can recommend my 'battery man'.
He looks after RNLI batteries, and will test your battery. He tested one of mine. He said, 'I could sell you a battery but it'll be no better than the one you've got.'
After that I take all my business to him.
He looks after RNLI batteries, and will test your battery. He tested one of mine. He said, 'I could sell you a battery but it'll be no better than the one you've got.'
After that I take all my business to him.
npf1
Well-Known Member
as maxi77 has already noted, if you've not already, to get a meaningful view of how much charge is left in the battery, you need to measure the voltage after the battery has settled/rested ie 4 hours without any load.
