Battery health indicator lesson.

[jamie N]

Everyday's a school day stuff.
One of my batteries became a little discharged a few weeks ago, when a pump didn't switch off for 'awhile'. OK, no big deal, it sson accepted a charge quite from the solar panels, and the volts came up to normal and held the charge, however the 'green indicator' of charged health remained off.
In an (almost RTFM) moment, I read up on what the green indicator actually is, which is simply a ball, painted green.
Given that the battery seemed in good health, to get the green thing to show was a quick 'jiggling' of the battery, which loosened the ball to show the green bit of it.
Job done, £94 saved, cheers. ?

 

[NickRobinson]

Everyday's a school day stuff.
One of my batteries became a little discharged a few weeks ago, when a pump didn't switch off for 'awhile'. OK, no big deal, it sson accepted a charge quite from the solar panels, and the volts came up to normal and held the charge, however the 'green indicator' of charged health remained off.
In an (almost RTFM) moment, I read up on what the green indicator actually is, which is simply a ball, painted green.
Given that the battery seemed in good health, to get the green thing to show was a quick 'jiggling' of the battery, which loosened the ball to show the green bit of it.
Job done, £94 saved, cheers. ?

So satisfying when you get a result like that. You will now get a hundred demands to change to lithium!.

 

[Gsailor]

I never trust that green thing.

Give me a battery were I can test the specific gravity.

Or a gel battery.

I know not a lot about lithium batts.

 

[Farmer Piles]

But surely if the green thing is a green ball that floats up when the battery is charged, it is a specific gravity indicator. The same as the pipette style indicators of old.

 

[Gsailor]

But surely if the green thing is a green ball that floats up when the battery is charged, it is a specific gravity indicator. The same as the pipette style indicators of old.

But the green ball is only in one cell isn't it?

There are 6 cells in a normal flooded battery and one can short out with debris at the bottom.

As far as I know which may not be a lot

 

[jamie N]

But the green ball is only in one cell isn't it?
There are 6 cells in a normal flooded battery and one can short out with debris at the bottom.
As far as I know which may not be a lot

Yup, but it's a reasonable indicator, I reckon, given the other indicator of holding voltage.

 

[Gsailor]

Glad if it works for you.

I have had a silly car battery with a green eye and a duff cell resulting in a knackered battery.

 

[ryanroberts]

There are 6 cells in a normal flooded battery and one can short out with debris at the bottom.

That's often obvious to the nose and volt meter

 

[Boater Sam]

The "magic eye" is often just a plastic light guide that dips the pointed end into the acid causing total internal reflection.
It means nothing other than that there is some liquid in one cell. Useless and misleading as a diagnostic tool.

 

[billyfish]

I had one battery out of 3 with a black eye ,only 10 months old so took it back ...changed it no problem. They said it happens now and then...Exide as well

 

[coopec]

I've installed a voltmeter for each bank on my switch/fuse panel. Surely that is an indicator of battery problems? (I know because the meter records 25.2v that is not proof that the batteries are OK)

Just last week I noted the house bank batteries were slowly discharging despite being charged by the solar panels. I thought I must have destroyed another two batteries somehow. But then I noticed the cable to Earth from the solar panels had become uncrimped! (I now have a new crimping tool)

Once I fixed the cable the voltmeter showed straight away the batteries were being re-charged. I am bewildered when people assert that voltmeters are useless.

 

[Stemar]

I have voltmeters for both batteries. They tell me that it's time to shed some load (<12v under load) and that the solar panels are doing their job (>13v). If <12v happens too quickly, it's either time to take them home for a really good charge or replace them.

Not perfect, but it works.

 

[Neeves]

Clive - I hate to be negative (but it is a post about batteries) but surely voltmeters are excellent devices (as you allude). How you interpret the data measured, and when the measurements are made, is the critical factor.



Jonathan

As Stemar implies - but again, maybe a bit 'too' simplistic (but I do like simple answers, especially to electrical issues). I'm not keen on Stemar's suggestion of taking the batteries home - we have 2 x 200 amp/hr batteries and I suspect I shortened my life expectancy when I ferried them out in the dinghy and then manhandled them on board.

Apologies Stemar and Coopec - I omitted you both from my list of reputable contributors, nothing personal - just laziness and a memory working off 11 volts.

Have a good Xmas.

J

 

[Stemar]

we have 2 x 200 amp/hr batteries

No, I wouldn't want to take those home either. Mine are only 60AH - two for the port engine and domestic system, and one for the starboard engine. I'd like to have one starter battery for both engines and the others exclusively domestic, but haven't figured out how best to do it yet.

 

[Neeves]

No, I wouldn't want to take those home either. Mine are only 60AH - two for the port engine and domestic system, and one for the starboard engine. I'd like to have one starter battery for both engines and the others exclusively domestic, but haven't figured out how best to do it yet.

That's how ours is wired, a small start battery (car battery sized) , common to both engines, and a big house bank - with the ability to use the house bank to start an engine. We start one engine and leave it running and then start the second engine. So not trying to start both engines one immediately after the other. The theory being this is better for the life of the engine start battery (but I don't know if this is correct ). The windlass and one winch are wired into the house bank. We tend to always have engines running when we deploy and retrieve - so the alternators are 'supporting' the house bank when we use the windlass. We would similarly raise the main at anchor, then retreive the anchor - so again the engines are running. We use both engines at close quarters, manoeuvring is so much easier using 2 engines (and one engine only and manoeuvring is a bit of a nightmare and needs much skill).

I know purists would sail onto and off an anchorage - we are not purists - and motoring on and off from an anchorage keeps anxiety levels low in tight anchorages.

But do not get me wrong - I have great admiration when someone sails into an anchorage (and leaves) under sail. They provide a knowledgeable spectacle, as we drink the chilled white wine, but I get twitchy (not knowing their skill) if they choose a location next to us .

Once we have exited from an anchorage we would switch off one engine as 2 engines offers little benefit of speed, maybe from 6 to 8 knots but you use twice the fuel - and fuel costs have become a larger drain on sailing funds. Each engine uses about 3l/hr - not much unless you are motoring 80nm. It depends on wind, for the wind gen and sun for the solars etc etc - but we might motor sail to top up batteries. However if we know we will need to motor sail at the end of a passage we might leave the battery top up till the end of the passage (crossing a bar and motoring up a river etc etc)

Its not only fuel costs - run both engines, only to gain 2 knots of speed, and you will need to service more frequently. I frankly can do with out engine servicing, crouched down in an un-accomodating engine bay (trying to remove an impeller from between my knees......).

Jonathan

 

[coopec]

Jonathan
I hate to be scathing on Christmas day but do you realise the thread title? It is "
Battery health indicator lesson."

I once watched a guy in a motor-less 20ft(?) yacht sail up a narrow 300 m(?) channel where he had to tack every 5 seconds! Phew!!!

 

[Neeves]

Please be as scathing as you like - but the thread seemed to be about the usefulness, or otherwise, of green balls and then someone induced thread drift in post 11 and I followed the drift, blame the drifter.

Voltage, or a voltmeter, is invaluable - if used at the correct time, when the battery has had some demand. Reading the voltage of a battery with a volt meter is accurate - for that instant - but if this is with no load - it does not tell you if the battery is healthy or not.


Independently - My Post 15 was a comment for Stemar, about which YBW will offer him a direct link. It saves me having to set up a new thread to comment on Post 14. There is no need for Post 14 and 15 to be but a minor interruption which everyone can ignore if they desire. A bit of tolerance goes a long, long way

If Stemar wants further info - he can start a new thread if he desires.


Personally I like lateral thinking and accept others might find it impertinent to answer an unrelated topic - but its the internet and worse has happened.


But be as scathing as you like. Water off a duck's back.


I reckon with some prompting I could introduce anchors and that would give you additional support. The benefit of an independent windlass battery perhaps and using a volt meter (or green ball) to tests its health.......??

I'm off to mull that one, over some Xmas cake and a glass of malt.


I don't bear any grudges of scathing comment.


Best wishes to you for Xmas and let us all hope for a resolution of the World's woes, specifically Ukraine, and that we can all have an unventful, happy, healthy and prosperous 2023.

Let us all, also, look forward to a harmonious forum where minor transgressions are accepted with a smile and humour?

Jonathan

 

[jamie N]

Jonathan, you'll realise of course that your mention of "a malt" might be as divisive as a mention of "an anchor".
They tend to be very polarising subjects!
Happy Xmas
Jamie (Ardbeg & CQR)

 

[coopec]

W

Please be as scathing as you like - but the thread seemed to be about the usefulness, or otherwise, of green balls and then someone induced thread drift in post 11 and I followed the drift, blame the drifter.

Voltage, or a voltmeter, is invaluable - if used at the correct time, when the battery has had some demand. Reading the voltage of a battery with a volt meter is accurate - for that instant - but if this is with no load - it does not tell you if the battery is healthy or not.


Independently - My Post 15 was a comment for Stemar, about which YBW will offer him a direct link. It saves me having to set up a new thread to comment on Post 14. There is no need for Post 14 and 15 to be but a minor interruption which everyone can ignore if they desire. A bit of tolerance goes a long, long way

If Stemar wants further info - he can start a new thread if he desires.


Personally I like lateral thinking and accept others might find it impertinent to answer an unrelated topic - but its the internet and worse has happened.


But be as scathing as you like. Water off a duck's back.


I reckon with some prompting I could introduce anchors and that would give you additional support. The benefit of an independent windlass battery perhaps and using a volt meter (or green ball) to tests its health.......??

I'm off to mull that one, over some Xmas cake and a glass of malt.


I don't bear any grudges of scathing comment.


Best wishes to you for Xmas and let us all hope for a resolution of the World's woes, specifically Ukraine, and that we can all have an unventful, happy, healthy and prosperous 2023.

Let us all, also, look forward to a harmonious forum where minor transgressions are accepted with a smile and humour?

Jonathan

Jonathan
I don't bear any grudges to anyone on this forum, that is for sure. (But I do find your attitude and comments quite fascinating though)

 

[vyv_cox]

No, I wouldn't want to take those home either. Mine are only 60AH - two for the port engine and domestic system, and one for the starboard engine. I'd like to have one starter battery for both engines and the others exclusively domestic, but haven't figured out how best to do it yet.

I was deterred from taking batteries home many years ago when I watched an owner drop one of his when descending his ladder. There are ways to avoid this of course but it seems safer to leave them where they are.