Battery health indicator lesson.

[Stemar]

I agree. Even my 60AH jobs are plenty heavy enough, but Jazzcat lives on a mooring far from the mains, so if the batteries need a mains charger, I either have to stay on the club pontoon and run a long mains cable, or take 'em home. Jazzcat has low topsides, and no guardwires aft, so there's no clambering involved when alongside, which makes it safer

 

[coopec]

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.

I removed two 135ah AGM batteries by putting each in a plastic milk crate and lowering them to the ground on the end of a rope. Likewise I raised two Exide lead/acid batteries to deck in a similar manner. I've just checked they only weigh 22kg. (I thought they were heavier than that)

 

[coopec]

I agree. Even my 60AH jobs are plenty heavy enough, but Jazzcat lives on a mooring far from the mains, so if the batteries need a mains charger, I either have to stay on the club pontoon and run a long mains cable, or take 'em home. Jazzcat has low topsides, and no guardwires aft, so there's no clambering involved when alongside, which makes it safer

Maybe consider a small solar panel?

 

[Neeves]

W

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)

Fascinating can have positive implications.

If someone makes a post and I can make a contribution to any queries raised in the post, whether related to the thread or not, I will try to provide some positive information based on actual experience. If anyone objects to that, or my, attitude - tough. I will not change my ways. I am happy if anyone objects to the accuracy or not of my post - that is different. I thought the forum was one where we help each other and that there are no rules on how or when we help. I refrain from commenting - if I have no idea what is being discussed - I'm not so bored - I stick to, what I think are, core strengths.

I do confess that I have a soft spot for queries on multihulls - there are few here who can comment based on actually owning, living on one and sailing on one for over 20 years.

And on malts, I'm a peasant - I drink what I can (they can be expensive here - so money talks). But I do like Islay malts and in complete contrast will happily drink The MacAllan (the current bottle is Terra), Scapa - I'm not proud .

I confess to derive more pleasure from Malts than anchors

again - best wishes, to all, for Xmas

Jonathan

 

[NormanS]

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)

Happy Christmas to you all.
Norman. (Isle of Jura and Fortress). ?

 

[coopec]

And on malts, I'm a peasant - I drink what I can (they can be expensive here - so money talks). But I do like Islay malts and in complete contrast will happily drink The MacAllan (the current bottle is Terra), Scapa - I'm not proud .

I confess to derive more pleasure from Malts than anchors

again - best wishes, to all, for Xmas

Jonathan

Not sure what that has got to do with "Battery Health Indicator"?

So you use drugs (alcohol)? In fact the most harmful drug of all?

What is the most dangerous drug?
The best thing I ever did was to give the grog away!

 

[Stemar]

Maybe consider a small solar panel?

I've 200W of solar, so that should remove the need to charge at home, even over the winter. The 40w I had on my Snapdragon was enough to replace what I used over a weekend by the next weekend.

 

[Neeves]

I removed two 135ah AGM batteries by putting each in a plastic milk crate and lowering them to the ground on the end of a rope. Likewise I raised two Exide lead/acid batteries to deck in a similar manner. I've just checked they only weigh 22kg. (I thought they were heavier than that)

Now this has nothing to do with a battery monitor - but it seems an appropriate place to post - and I cannot be bothered to start a new thread for some personal winge of someone.

I did a Google search, very quickly, and 135amp/hr batteries should weight about 35kg. This needs to be checked by anyone sufficient motivated. So to have a 135amp/hr battery weighing 25kg looks odd - or maybe its not a lead acid battery, nor AGM etc etc. Batteries and their weight is not my knowledge base. However you did not say which batteries weighed 22kg - the Exides or the AGMs.

The suggestion might be that the batteries are not 135amp/hr - or there is something wrong with the weighing procedure.

If it were me I'd do a further check of what I had bought, what is the actual charge they hold (take one to Battery World) and what is the weight of my 'type' of 135amp/hr battery. But if the 22kg is correct, for the AGMs, then the batteries are not 135amp/hr but maybe around 100amp/hr - and you need to know the capacity fairly accurately to set up the battery monitoring system. If you bought 135amp/hr and they are actually 100amp/hr - you need to address the person/company from whom you bought the batteries.

Now my Google search maybe wrong - and all of this is a load of rubbish.

Take care, stay safe

Jonathan

 

[Farmer Piles]

Fascinating can have positive implications.

If someone makes a post and I can make a contribution to any queries raised in the post, whether related to the thread or not, I will try to provide some positive information based on actual experience. If anyone objects to that, or my, attitude - tough. I will not change my ways. I am happy if anyone objects to the accuracy or not of my post - that is different. I thought the forum was one where we help each other and that there are no rules on how or when we help. I refrain from commenting - if I have no idea what is being discussed - I'm not so bored - I stick to, what I think are, core strengths.

I do confess that I have a soft spot for queries on multihulls - there are few here who can comment based on actually owning, living on one and sailing on one for over 20 years.

And on malts, I'm a peasant - I drink what I can (they can be expensive here - so money talks). But I do like Islay malts and in complete contrast will happily drink The MacAllan (the current bottle is Terra), Scapa - I'm not proud .

I confess to derive more pleasure from Malts than anchors

again - best wishes, to all, for Xmas

Jonathan

I grow a lot of malting barley - about 700t - mainly for brewing by St Austell Brewery. Probably best known for Tribute. Simpsons Malt turn it from raw grain into malt for them but they also malt many thousands of tonnes for the distilling industry up at their Berwick on Tweed site. I once asked their head maltser which was his favourite good drinking, readily available single malt. Given that he supplies and knows them all, he said Macallan 10 year old would be his choice. I appreciate only one man's opinion but about as informed as you can get. He is a Scot BTW.

 

[Farmer Piles]

PS. On topic now. My boat, new to me in February, has three domestic batteries that came with the boat. The guy that fitted the chartplotter and autopilot said that he felt that there was something not quite right with the domestic system Once she was ashore last month I isolated the three batteries and did a discharge test on them individually. Two are identical batteries and both showed 13v, the third had been added by the previous owner. It is smaller by dimensions and is only kicking out 12.4v. All were fine on the discharge test but I feel that it cannot be healthy if they are different batteries, different voltages and different outputs. I'm thinking to try to get another battery that better matches the other two. The one that comes out can go in our little old classic Massey Fergusson tractor.
Just think that it would be a wise move.

 

[Neeves]

PS. On topic now. My boat, new to me in February, has three domestic batteries that came with the boat. The guy that fitted the chartplotter and autopilot said that he felt that there was something not quite right with the domestic system Once she was ashore last month I isolated the three batteries and did a discharge test on them individually. Two are identical batteries and both showed 13v, the third had been added by the previous owner. It is smaller by dimensions and is only kicking out 12.4v. All were fine on the discharge test but I feel that it cannot be healthy if they are different batteries, different voltages and different outputs. I'm thinking to try to get another battery that better matches the other two. The one that comes out can go in our little old classic Massey Fergusson tractor.
Just think that it would be a wise move.

I like your thinking - except you will add a new battery to 2 batteries that are older. It depends on the sizes involved and the age of the house bank, maybe its quite new, and their costs but maybe a completely new house bank, retire the 2 older good batteries to engine start (windlass, bow thruster) and bottom less pockets.

Its the bottomless pockets that may dictate the best solution.

Jonathan

 

[coopec]

Now this has nothing to do with a battery monitor - but it seems an appropriate place to post - and I cannot be bothered to start a new thread for some personal winge of someone.

I did a Google search, very quickly, and 135amp/hr batteries should weight about 35kg. This needs to be checked by anyone sufficient motivated. So to have a 135amp/hr battery weighing 25kg looks odd - or maybe its not a lead acid battery, nor AGM etc etc. Batteries and their weight is not my knowledge base. However you did not say which batteries weighed 22kg - the Exides or the AGMs.

The suggestion might be that the batteries are not 135amp/hr - or there is something wrong with the weighing procedure.

If it were me I'd do a further check of what I had bought, what is the actual charge they hold (take one to Battery World) and what is the weight of my 'type' of 135amp/hr battery. But if the 22kg is correct, for the AGMs, then the batteries are not 135amp/hr but maybe around 100amp/hr - and you need to know the capacity fairly accurately to set up the battery monitoring system. If you bought 135amp/hr and they are actually 100amp/hr - you need to address the person/company from whom you bought the batteries.

Now my Google search maybe wrong - and all of this is a load of rubbish.

Take care, stay safe

Jonathan

I tend to agree with you regarding the weight of the batteries as they certainly felt like 35kg as I was lifting them into the yacht.? Right now I've been doing more googling and I think the 23.2kg is for a 90AH .

My batteries are definitely Century Dual Force AGM 135AH. I can't find the weight of the batteries by googling but it is not worth wasting anymore time. I agree with you they must be 35kg (That makes me feel better!)?

 

[GunfleetSand]

Ive got a battery with a green eye ball thing in it. Should have 800cca but when tested with one of these it shows only 525cca left but still good volts and green light