[RE-wrenches] intermittent battery problem

[David Katz]

If it takes 2 hours of charging to get to 25.8, the batteries are very discharged. It should be that high as soon as you start charging with a decent charger.
David Katz

From: Ron Young [mailto:solareagle at solareagle.com]
Sent: Saturday, October 08, 2011 11:01 AM
To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Subject: [RE-wrenches] intermittent battery problem

Howdy Wrenches,

One of my customers that lives 3 hours out in the back country is having an intermittent problem that I haven't encountered before. The batteries drop rapidly in voltage but hydrometer readings are in the green. Turning off the inverter and just using DC doesn't change anything. Meters on the Mate, Outback MX and Whisper controller are all the same so it's not a metering problem. On the way to bed the batteries were at 25.4, overnight with no loads they dropped to 22.9 then a short 15 min. charge with a generator brings the batteries back up and two hours later they are at 25.8. This scenario has occurred several times and then doesn't appear for a day or two.

It doesn't seem to be sulfation as the batteries are reading good on the hydrometer every time. All cells check out. The inverter doesn't seem to be the problem. They have a Sunfrost on a separate DC circuit. It sounds like an intermittent circuit problem or electronics issue. Customer has checked and tightened all the connections he can get at but hasn't been inside the components. Would appreciate any suggestions or clues before I make the trip.

Ron Young

earthRight Products - Solareagle.com<http://Solareagle.com>
Alternative Energy Solutions ~ Renewable Energy Products


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