Battery problems

[BobA]

Good morning all, for various reasons which are better not gone into on here we have not used "Sting" for over a year. Last weekend I went to have a look round and even though the battery charger is connected it would seem that the battery is flat, power switched off for some reason on the pontoon - I have a spare one at home but it does not seem to want to accept a charge - I am using a CTEC 3600 charger and is constantly showing the charge light but won't, even after 4 days 24/7 use, swap over to maintenance charge.

Any ideas or do I need to get a new battery?

Bob

 

[Wiggo]

Sorry to say, but they do both sound terminal. Lead acid batteries will self discharge over time, and if they're left for long enough they will pass the point of no return. It sounds like this is what happened to your 'spare' and possibly the one on theboat, depending on when and why shorepower was turned off. New battery time, I guess.

 

[VicS]

If a battery has stood for any length of time in a discharged state or even partially discharged, it is probably knackered.

It might be worth trying a battery charger with a decent output. (8 amps, or more for a big battery) before finally giving up.

 

[leadersail]

Buy some EDTA+

Mix it with battery water and tip it in to the cells.
Charge over night and it will work well, with a few months charge and discharge cycles it will be as good as new.

http://www.courtiestown.co.uk/batteries/shop.htm

 

[VicS]

Good idea from Leadersail although the EDTA will not restore the full working capacity because it takes some of the lead sulphate formed on the plates as an essential part of the charge/discharge process permanently into solution.

Been waiting for a guinea pig to try it out and report back.

Maybe a charger with pulsing will help also.

 

[omega2]

you could try this, has been known to work, get a battery known to be in a fair state of charge, i.e the one on your car, unhook from the car, put jump leads on good battery, and connect your charger pos and neg to the other ends of jumper leads, switch on charger then connect to "flat" battery" this may encourage it to accept a charge.

 

[DavidJ]

If your battery is more than 5 years old, it's dead. 110AH leisure battery from costco is only £72 incl VAT. Mess about no more!