Battery

[fontmell]

I have a 5 year old Vetus deep cycle battery which has not been used but charged 2 or 3 times
Will it be as useable for a while or should I dump it
Many thanks

 

[VicS]

try it

See if will charge OK

See if it holds its charge

run some sort of capacity test
Consider getting it professionally tested

 

[pcatterall]

Charge and test with, say, a 10amp bulb as load. Read volts every hour

 

[Len Ingalls]

Check the rating tag on bat. Many deep cycle bats. are rated for so many amp-hours at a 20 amp discharge rate. Ex: 100AH = 20 amps for 5 hrs.After 5 hrs,bat volts should be approx 11V (discharged). Even if bat. only goes 4 hrs,it is still 80% of new. You can use a lower amp discharge rate for the test-10amps or so-just do the math. / Cheers/ Len

 

[Len Ingalls]

Check this link for "lead acid bat testing"

http://www.marinehowto.com/

 

[RichardS]

I watched a TV programme last week about the restoration of a WW2 German mini-submarine.

The sub had been captured in 1945 and had been in the submarine museum in Gosport where I saw it in its unrestored state many years ago.

They tested the battery which had not been used or charged since 1945 and was only half full of electrolyte. Half a volt! Amazing really - 70 years and still some power. Unfortunately they couldn't recharge and use it because the casing was too badly cracked.

Richard