Originally posted by AndrewCoates
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NOCO Genius looks well built. Hooked it up to a battery and it charged it up and then shut down. I put a bit of a load on the battery and charger started up again, just as I would have expected. I think it will be perfect for my Boler trailer.Last edited by AndrewCoates; 09-17-2020, 10:56 AM.Leave a comment:
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Just finished my first test of my batteries and with them supposed to be charge to a specific gravity of 1.277 to be 100%, mine were charged to a temperature corrected 1.285, with very little difference between the cells. So I got .008 overcharged or about 105% charged. Now, I had two chargers on these batteries, one which had the electrical readout between 50 and 75 for all four batteries, and the other had the readout between 75 and 100 for all four batteries.
Since I think there is some "art" involved in this, to ensure my batteries don't overcharge:
1) I am going to remove them from the 600 watts of Panels when I store the RV. I thought about either putting one bank of 300 watts of panels on it, or even installing a second 100 watt panel just to charge the batteries but I opted against it.
2) I have a set of shelves with a charging and measuring station I built to keep my 270 LBS of Batteries charged. Now that they are charged, I am not going to leave the float charger connected. I will take specific gravity measurements every week to determine their health, and put them on the charger.
3) If there comes a point where I get sick of lugging 270 LBS of batteries between the RV and my house, I will start with rigging a 100 Watt panel to my MPPT charge controller, and take hydrometer readings and check water levels every month. I see myself going to this option sooner than I hope. Those batteries are heavy, and I'm really not sure if they're mode to be moved around a dozen times a year.
Originally posted by Mike90250 View PostThe other thing is maybe you are reading 105% full because the temp compensation was off, or at some point in time, electrolyte was added to refill, instead of distilled.
I have a Deka Hydrometer coming, unfortunately, the first one was delivered broken so I could not do that.
2 of the batteries had been sitting for days and the other for 2 hours, and I wrote the measurement on the third time I pulled fluid. It showed more charged between the first measurement and the last in some cells, so I think taking multiple measurements did circulate the electrolyte and water.Last edited by chrisski; 08-02-2020, 12:55 PM.Leave a comment:
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Worry about it after you measure the cells. Maybe you can get them charged fully one day, and perform another full charge the next day, and then measure.
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Originally posted by Mike90250 View PostThe hydrometer will give a definitive state of charge, and also if there is much difference, you may need to EQ the bank
The only way I’d have to manually equalize the batteries is not charging in the garage, but after the RV is set up for solar to program the charge controller to enter the equalization mode.
The other option would be on the charger to press the 30 amp 30 minute battery boost mode and hope that is close enough to equalization, but I’m not sure I want to rely on hope as a plan and not tech data.Leave a comment:
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The hydrometer will give a definitive state of charge, and also if there is much difference, you may need to EQ the bankLeave a comment:
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Hooked the "Large" 26 Amp Charger to two 6 Volt Batteries in Series, and it stated nearly charged. The Smaller 4 Amp Charger had rated the 6 Volt Batteries at 50% - 75%. I guess the best way to tell is a temperature adjusted hydrometer.
I also needed to add a total of two or three cups of water to four batteries after the first charging.Leave a comment:
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Originally posted by Mike90250 View PostGood. I'm glad they are flooded, perfectly normal for them to gas a lot. Then you get to add distilled water to make up for what was dissociated by electricity. In the afternoon, my battery shed sounds like a room full of snakes , from all the gassing. 13 gallons of distilled the last time I topped them up.
Once I put these in the RV and am charging the bank with 35 or 40 amps, I wonder if I will be able to hear them.Leave a comment:
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Good. I'm glad they are flooded, perfectly normal for them to gas a lot. Then you get to add distilled water to make up for what was dissociated by electricity. In the afternoon, my battery shed sounds like a room full of snakes , from all the gassing. 13 gallons of distilled the last time I topped them up.Leave a comment:
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Originally posted by Mike90250 View Post
If these are AGM batteries, I urge caution, as you should not be hearing them gas.
Well, maybe you will hear the gas bubbles as they charge, but the re-combiners should catalyze it back to distilled water, and drip back into the cells, Any venting gas is wrong.
thought about gettingAGM, but decided on FLA batteries instead. The manufacturer’s tech recommended I charge these FLA batteries in AGM mode when I use my high amperage charger.
Also, much more bubbling then venting.
I feel I’m in uncharted water so I appreciate the comments.Last edited by chrisski; 07-26-2020, 02:21 PM.Leave a comment:
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Originally posted by chrisski View PostI have the batteries hooked to the 4 amp charger, and I was surprised to hear them off gas as they get above 75% charged. I guess the hydrogen bubbling is not just theoretical. Certainly more than I expected. I will certainly make sure the venting system is good when I get them moved into the RV.
Well, maybe you will hear the gas bubbles as they charge, but the re-combiners should catalyze it back to distilled water, and drip back into the cells, Any venting gas is wrong.Leave a comment:
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I have the batteries hooked to the 4 amp charger, and I was surprised to hear them off gas as they get above 75% charged. I guess the hydrogen bubbling is not just theoretical. Certainly more than I expected. I will certainly make sure the venting system is good when I get them moved into the RV.Leave a comment:
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Speaking from my limited freezing nightly consumption. In my 34 ft TT.
This varies with temp settings. So it's not a one size fits all. Usage will vary.
At 30f not opening out side doors my 35000 btu heater runs 5 minutes then off for 10. So a 33% duty cycle. Longer run time if its windy.
a gal of lp has ~91500 btu. So about 8 hours per gal.
The heater blower when running 10.5 amps 130 watts.
A 20 lp 4.7 gal tank at 60f nights 80f days
Worst case in my usage. will last 3 weeks for refrigerator less if fridge is full
more if adding Warm foods.
We don't hold the door open.Last edited by Ho jo; 07-23-2020, 07:44 AM.Leave a comment:
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Originally posted by Ho jo View PostI used a a day green 20 amp 24-12 convertor.
won on ebay auction 5 bucks.
My 30 amp mppt controller was maxed with 500 watts @ 12 volts. (2 gc.)
I was able to add 500 more watts with the same controller@24. With 4 batteries in series. Double charging and capacity.
In my rv 12 volt loads are minimal 100-250 daily wh.
led lights, stove vent, water pump, fridge lp solenoid etc. 11 or12 peak amps.
The real power usage came from using the inverter. 32 led tv box fan.
inverter efficiency and tare losses being on 24-7. ~1 kwh daily.|Leave a comment:
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I used a a day green 20 amp 24-12 convertor.
won on ebay auction 5 bucks.
My 30 amp mppt controller was maxed with 500 watts @ 12 volts. (2 gc.)
I was able to add 500 more watts with the same controller@24. With 4 batteries in series. Double charging and capacity.
In my rv 12 volt loads are minimal 100-250 daily wh.
led lights, stove vent, water pump, fridge lp solenoid etc. 11 or12 peak amps.
The real power usage came from using the inverter. 32 led tv box fan.
inverter efficiency and tare losses being on 24-7. ~1 kwh daily.|Last edited by Ho jo; 07-21-2020, 11:26 PM.Leave a comment:
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