Hello to old friends and all.
I've got a problem. I'm kinda sorta chicken to just simply plug the charger in, after a three year complete lack of attention. I'm pretty sure everything is wired up and ready to go so far as the battery system is concerned. It was never yet connected to the motor.
The system includes two group 31, 105Ah AGM batteries, now measuring .517 VDC wired parallel for 12 volts, they're connected to a Xantrex Truecharge 20 , and a Xantrex Link 20 . From a very brief study so far I believe just plugging it in and charging the two batteries as one might make sense, they discharged together.
On the other hand there is only one battery temperature sensor.
So what do you guys think?
Wow! It's been a while.
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Joe 26M Time Warp
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Catigale
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Re: Wow! It's been a while.
Joe
if the batteries have sat for three years in a discharged state they might not take a charge. I don't know how AGNs react to sitting off the top of my head.
I would watch them for the first few hours of charging and check for excessive heat
if the batteries have sat for three years in a discharged state they might not take a charge. I don't know how AGNs react to sitting off the top of my head.
I would watch them for the first few hours of charging and check for excessive heat
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Joe 26M Time Warp
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Re: Wow! It's been a while.
I gave them 3 hours the other night. Went from .517 to reading 10.5 volts starting off again tonight we were at 5.6 volts.
The Link 20 was reading all crazy when I first looked tonight. Usually it sleeps with only a few of the smaller LED's using battery power, this was flashing 188.88 and nothing I did pressing buttons changed it.
When I first started charging the voltage with my Fluke it was over 14 volts. I stayed close and they never felt hot. The voltage dropped I think from 14.4 to 13.4 in the first hour or so. I thought I read somewhere (probably some time ago) that you never give an AGM more than 13 volts.
That 10.5 volt reading was probably suspect but I took it as good news. I believe the reading was dropping while I took it and it was only a moment or so after switching the charger off. Better news is with the link 20 flashing bogus VDC like an idiot we started out 10 times higher than last time.
I called Xantrex tech support to ask for insight but they primarily deal no doubt, with other problems. I think it threw the guy when I suggested it isn't plugged in. No sir, no it's not, and that's why I'm calling. He said the unit has an internal fuse and can't be damaged attempting a restore.
The first restore charge was 3 hours on 6/3, second is now 6/5. Started at 5.6 volts charger turned off after 2.5 hours and waited for a stable reading on the Fluke 12.35 volts (12.30 on the Link 20). Plugged the charger back in and after a few minutes its putting out power again, Link20 says 13.45 These batteries have stayed room temp throughout this process.
The Link 20 was reading all crazy when I first looked tonight. Usually it sleeps with only a few of the smaller LED's using battery power, this was flashing 188.88 and nothing I did pressing buttons changed it.
When I first started charging the voltage with my Fluke it was over 14 volts. I stayed close and they never felt hot. The voltage dropped I think from 14.4 to 13.4 in the first hour or so. I thought I read somewhere (probably some time ago) that you never give an AGM more than 13 volts.
That 10.5 volt reading was probably suspect but I took it as good news. I believe the reading was dropping while I took it and it was only a moment or so after switching the charger off. Better news is with the link 20 flashing bogus VDC like an idiot we started out 10 times higher than last time.
I called Xantrex tech support to ask for insight but they primarily deal no doubt, with other problems. I think it threw the guy when I suggested it isn't plugged in. No sir, no it's not, and that's why I'm calling. He said the unit has an internal fuse and can't be damaged attempting a restore.
The first restore charge was 3 hours on 6/3, second is now 6/5. Started at 5.6 volts charger turned off after 2.5 hours and waited for a stable reading on the Fluke 12.35 volts (12.30 on the Link 20). Plugged the charger back in and after a few minutes its putting out power again, Link20 says 13.45 These batteries have stayed room temp throughout this process.
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Craig LaForce
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Re: Wow! It's been a while.
My memory isn't that great, but didn't you have a boat fire several years back caused by something happening during battery charging?
You just can't leave a battery uncharged for 3 years and expect it to spring back to life. Suggest you buy new batteries and recycle the old ones.
If you insist on trying to revitalize the old batteries, the frankenstein experiment should be performed out of the boat, with a portable smart charger (with battery diagnostic and reconditioning features, on a non-flammable, heat and acid resistant surface, where you could safely withstand acid spill, heat, fire, and maybe even explosion. Again, not recommended, especially if you are not an engineer or a battery expert.
Its just not worth it, get new batteries. My advise, worth what you paid for it.
You just can't leave a battery uncharged for 3 years and expect it to spring back to life. Suggest you buy new batteries and recycle the old ones.
If you insist on trying to revitalize the old batteries, the frankenstein experiment should be performed out of the boat, with a portable smart charger (with battery diagnostic and reconditioning features, on a non-flammable, heat and acid resistant surface, where you could safely withstand acid spill, heat, fire, and maybe even explosion. Again, not recommended, especially if you are not an engineer or a battery expert.
Its just not worth it, get new batteries. My advise, worth what you paid for it.
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Catigale
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Re: Wow! It's been a while.
Craigs advice about doing this outside is on the money
....., on a concrete floor, pan to catch any possible acid boilover, remove all flammables and small children, and especially flammable small children.
....., on a concrete floor, pan to catch any possible acid boilover, remove all flammables and small children, and especially flammable small children.
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Joe 26M Time Warp
- Engineer
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Re: Wow! It's been a while.
Well I'm sure you guys are probably right, but I'm not leaving this situation unattended. After six hours of charging I'm reading 11.95 VDC.
I'm not sure what the voltage was when I first got these, but it took 11 hours to charge them up initially.
Yeah Craig, that was our first boat and the cause of the fire was the Guest 2606A battery charger and two of the original Macgregor flooded acid batteries. No doubt that whole scenario influenced the choice of Xantrex Truecharge 20 and Link 20 battery monitor. The Xantrex tech guy did sound like he thought I was crazy, not because of the discharged state of the batteries but that I was doubting whether I should try it.
I'm not sure what the voltage was when I first got these, but it took 11 hours to charge them up initially.
Yeah Craig, that was our first boat and the cause of the fire was the Guest 2606A battery charger and two of the original Macgregor flooded acid batteries. No doubt that whole scenario influenced the choice of Xantrex Truecharge 20 and Link 20 battery monitor. The Xantrex tech guy did sound like he thought I was crazy, not because of the discharged state of the batteries but that I was doubting whether I should try it.