I have a boat on the canal. It was a project, and I refit it all out. Some skills I had to learn on the job. The 12v electrics was one such thing, but I did it and learnt, and am still learning as problems present themselves and i work through them.
The problem is that the battery isn't holding charge, or there is some drain on it.
I only noticed it today, but it was dark by then, so I will examine the situation mid-week when i next go there.
I have a 240ah leisure battery. It is three years old, but hasn't been hammered, and I have always kept it charged up.
I'd been using the hydrometer and decided that the electrolite was depleted as it was showing uncharged even when it had been charged and showed 12.8v. So I mixed up some new electrolite and changed the electrolite, and tested it over a few days and it was working very well. In fact, I am confident that my current problem is nothing at all to do with the electrolite. But I certainly am not any expert by any means, so maybe.
I use a new Sterling charger, smart and 30amps, but the display never shows it is needing more than 13 amps, which goes in at 15v. Basically, to charge, in summer i just clip on a 100watt solar panel with its own controller, or in winter i run a little portable generator until the charger puts itself onto float, which usually takes about only an hour or so. When the charged battery is rested and has no load, it measures about 12.8v or 12.9v. In summer the solar power has it brimming to 13-plus volts.
I do not use very much electricity. I have a little 12v tv which draws 2 amps per hour, and I only have it on about 2 hours a day, and i have LED lighting which i leave on all night, but these draw very very little, almost zero, and I have a little water pump for the sink which maybe only pumps a gallon in a day.
So why did the battery show it was at 12.7v at 2pm, and by 5pm, without having used the tv or lights, did the battery measure only 10.6v ?? Its insane.
When i go back to the boat i am going to charge it as i mentioned, then rest it, then check every cell with the hydrometer, check the voltage with the multimeter, and then make sure everything is turned off, and check to see if there is any current flowing out of the battery. I don't see what more I can do.
So I'll post this for now, and when I have had time to do what I said, I will post the results. Then if anyone can offer any ideas I would be grateful.
The problem is that the battery isn't holding charge, or there is some drain on it.
I only noticed it today, but it was dark by then, so I will examine the situation mid-week when i next go there.
I have a 240ah leisure battery. It is three years old, but hasn't been hammered, and I have always kept it charged up.
I'd been using the hydrometer and decided that the electrolite was depleted as it was showing uncharged even when it had been charged and showed 12.8v. So I mixed up some new electrolite and changed the electrolite, and tested it over a few days and it was working very well. In fact, I am confident that my current problem is nothing at all to do with the electrolite. But I certainly am not any expert by any means, so maybe.
I use a new Sterling charger, smart and 30amps, but the display never shows it is needing more than 13 amps, which goes in at 15v. Basically, to charge, in summer i just clip on a 100watt solar panel with its own controller, or in winter i run a little portable generator until the charger puts itself onto float, which usually takes about only an hour or so. When the charged battery is rested and has no load, it measures about 12.8v or 12.9v. In summer the solar power has it brimming to 13-plus volts.
I do not use very much electricity. I have a little 12v tv which draws 2 amps per hour, and I only have it on about 2 hours a day, and i have LED lighting which i leave on all night, but these draw very very little, almost zero, and I have a little water pump for the sink which maybe only pumps a gallon in a day.
So why did the battery show it was at 12.7v at 2pm, and by 5pm, without having used the tv or lights, did the battery measure only 10.6v ?? Its insane.
When i go back to the boat i am going to charge it as i mentioned, then rest it, then check every cell with the hydrometer, check the voltage with the multimeter, and then make sure everything is turned off, and check to see if there is any current flowing out of the battery. I don't see what more I can do.
So I'll post this for now, and when I have had time to do what I said, I will post the results. Then if anyone can offer any ideas I would be grateful.
