Marine & Leisure Battery

rivonia

rivonia

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Hello all,
I do need help ASAP. I am in Nth Cyprus. One of my deep cycle batteries is showing a RED light which then means; '' Add Distilled Water'' However that is not possible as they are the new type SEALED batteries. I measured the voltage and it reads 13.3v. All the others ( I have 7) batteries show a green light which means all OK. The sterling battery manager/charger is charging all the time. When I disconect the red light battery the charger slows down and goes from red/green to green/green.

can any one help please.

Peter
 
nigelmercier said:
Disconnect the "red light" battery, it's dragging the others down.
Click to expand...

Hmm I realy dont see how that will help as ALL batteries are showing the same charge. I did disconnect it before to do various tests and still ALL batteries remain the same charge including the red light one. However thank you for your imput any one else out there?

Peter
 
The magic eye lights in the top of a sealed battery aren't that reliable.

Remove the suspect battery from the bank as you have done.

Monitor the terminal voltage of the isolated battery with a multimeter, over a 6 hourly period for a couple of days.

It should drop within a few hours to about 12.8V and stay there for days.

If it passes 12.8V and keeps dropping down to 10-11V, it is possibly knackered and not holding a charge.

If you need a new battery, can you motor round to South Cyprus ?? I know a few places in Limassol or possibly Larnaca that might have them.
 
Many thanks BARRY that sounds good. Shall diligently follow your advice. Shall be in the Sth next week for a hip op and stay for at least 8 weeks so if reqd I will get a new one then.

Peter
 
I agree with Nigel.
It sounds like you have a dead cell in one battery. This will cause the charger to try and keep charging all the batteries because the voltage will not rise.
With a defective cell the voltage with no load can still be normal. Isolate the suspect battery charge it, then try putting a load on it. If it has a defective cell the voltage will drop very quickly with only a moderate load
 
Good luck.

I've found that a bad battery will lose its off-load voltage very quickly.
However, if its doesn't, then it doesn't mean it's automatically good.
As others have pointed out, the second stage is to connect a small load like a 12V lamp, inspection lamp. etc - nothing too big as you won't know if its discharging normally or defective. Just something to draw an amp or two like a 10W bulb to put it on-load.
Then measure again and see how quickly the voltage drops.

Where are you mooring for your op, Larnaca Marina or the Limassol Marina near the St.Raphael Hotel ?

rivonia said:
Many thanks BARRY that sounds good. Shall diligently follow your advice. Shall be in the Sth next week for a hip op and stay for at least 8 weeks so if reqd I will get a new one then.

Peter
Click to expand...
 
Barry Jones said:
Good luck.

I've found that a bad battery will lose its off-load voltage very quickly.
However, if its doesn't, then it doesn't mean it's automatically good.
As others have pointed out, the second stage is to connect a small load like a 12V lamp, inspection lamp. etc - nothing too big as you won't know if its discharging normally or defective. Just something to draw an amp or two like a 10W bulb to put it on-load.
Then measure again and see how quickly the voltage drops.

Where are you mooring for your op, Larnaca Marina or the Limassol Marina near the St.Raphael Hotel ?
Click to expand...

We are in the new Karpaz Gate Marina in the TRNC. Thanks for advice. Please see my new thread "" GREAT SERVICE""

Peter
 
Yes I read the thread.

Also remember that the magic eye only shows the state of one 2V cell in the battery - there are five other cells in the battery.

A red magic eye usually means adequate electrolyte level but low charge.

The question is why the cell should be low when the same "eye" cell in the other batteries aren't.

You have dragged the battery up by its bootstraps by charging it for 5 hours.

It means nothing until you remove the charge supply and see if it can stand on its own two feet.

On the discharge, If the cell goes red again, before the others, then it is suspect.

If you don't see a red indication again, then it could be a fluke.

The guy is Plymouth hasn't mislead you, but he has either only told you half a story or you have only understood half the story.
 
Barry Jones said:
Yes I read the thread.

Also remember that the magic eye only shows the state of one 2V cell in the battery - there are five other cells in the battery.

A red magic eye usually means adequate electrolyte level but low charge.

The question is why the cell should be low when the same "eye" cell in the other batteries aren't.

You have dragged the battery up by its bootstraps by charging it for 5 hours.

It means nothing until you remove the charge supply and see if it can stand on its own two feet.

On the discharge, If the cell goes red again, before the others, then it is suspect.

If you don't see a red indication again, then it could be a fluke.

The guy is Plymouth hasn't mislead you, but he has either only told you half a story or you have only understood half the story.
Click to expand...

The battery is saved by following the advice from MARK at plymouth battery center. After 24 hrs still reading 12.6 and a load on it all the time. Green float is showing.

Happy is me

Peter
 
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