Battery Life - Page 2

Jubal · 05-14-2013, 07:45 PM

How to Winterize your Solar System | GPElectric

Burloak · 05-14-2013, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jubal

How to Winterize your Solar System | GPElectric

Agree with above... IF your winterizing. I don't winterize batteries here, I keep them continuously charged on the OEM system.

http://gpelectric.com/files/gpelectr...eet_CTI-95.pdf

ddevin · 05-14-2013, 11:19 PM

Thanks everyone. After being plugged in for 24 hrs. my monitor reads 100 percent charged. I don't know how well the batteries will hold the charge, but we are boondocking for 4 nights this weekend, so we will see.

Vermilye · 05-15-2013, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burloak

Folks that have the Escape trailer solar option have an additional separate charger, user configurable for flooded cell, AGM, or Gel type batteries. This controller includes a equalizing algorithm that applies equalization to flooded cell types for 2 hours every 28 days and whenever the voltage has dropped below 12.1 volts. As long as the trailer is being stored with direct daylight available to the solar cell the battery(s) shouldn't be removed/disconnected for storage.

Have to agree. I've made it through two winters with the solar panels keeping the batteries full. By the way, direct sunlight may not be necessary - both winters my panel (and the rest of the trailer) were covered with the Escape trailer cover. While the charge rate never got over .5 amps, it still kept up through the cover. I did use the disconnect switch to keep the propane detector from drawing down the batteries...

peter · 05-15-2013, 08:54 AM

Goodness, you guys are making my head hurt! I don't have a clue what you are talking about. I just plug stuff in and it works.

Signed, Peter's Wife

J Mac · 05-15-2013, 10:47 AM

My two 12v batteries are aging. One is on the bumper and one is in a sealed, vented case inside the trailer under the rear passenger seat. They're charged with an Escape solar panel. Should I continue with the 12v batteries or should I change to two 6v batteries? I'm leaning toward the 12v batteries because I'm already set up for them with my existing battery boxes.

Jim Bennett · 05-15-2013, 10:53 AM

While I would go for 2 6V on a new installation, I would likely just still with 2 12V, as it will be easier to do.

escape artist · 08-05-2013, 08:02 AM

Hi: all... It finally kicked the bucket. No better place than at Welcome to Boot Hill "Country" Jamboree We were the only fiberglass trailer there among the 600 or so rigs for 5 days of pure Country in the country!!!
Gotta call my friendly RVTech and see if he's got a good deal on a new Group 27. He told me this spring while doing the bearings and installing a new range hood vent that I was on borrowed time... I've know that for a while...it's still the original one from 2007. Nothing lasts forever

. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

cpaharley2008 · 08-05-2013, 10:53 AM

Hey Alf, did not know you were a country fan, maybe next year we can meet at Jam At The Ridge Frost Ridge Campground Events
not too far from you in New York, we spent Thanksgiving there last year.

escape artist · 08-05-2013, 11:50 AM

Hi: cpaharley2008... There's a lot about me you don't know? Here's a couple o' pic's. from"Boot Hill". Our site along with our daughters tent and Rhonda Vincent & the Rage "Queen of Bluegrass". Alf

SeldomSeen · 08-05-2013, 11:53 AM

The new 19 is sitting in the driveway, and I've been wondering about the dual 6v batteries. Although the gauge indicated they were charged, and the no load voltage across both was 12.8v, the specific gravity indicated they were not fully charged. I hit it with the old Diehard charger for a couple of hours and now the specific gravity indicates they are charged. I think the built in charger runs at too low of a voltage to fully charge those batteries. It certainly will not charge fully from the truck while driving.

fudge_brownie · 08-05-2013, 01:36 PM

That built in charger is well known to be slow. Like 14-16 hours to reach a full charge. Try turning on your pump and Maxx fan before plugging into shore power. Some say that will put the charger in boost mode. Then turn off the devices. Report back.

SeldomSeen · 08-05-2013, 07:09 PM

Sounds like a good test, I'll try it the next time out. But, for the record when we came home last week from Chilliwack, the battery "meter" was at 3/4. When I plugged in to the 120vac the converter was certainly in "high" mode. You could hear it.

I let it charge for well over 24 hours before I shut it down. Latter, I checked the specific gravity , and found it not completely charged. And you only know if a battery is charged by checking the specific gravity. Everything else is an educated guess. The Diehard charger completely charged the batteries.

The on board WFCO charger puts out 13.6v in absorption (normal) mode. But the Interstate Battery spec sheet for the GC2-XHD-UTL clearly states to charge at 15.3v, Even the float voltage is lower than the battery manufacturer recommends.

I'll keep studying this "problem". We tend towards so called boondocking...but I consider it plain old camping in a campground without hookups. Solar is in our future, but I'm trying to get smart first. So far the best info I have found is at:

HandyBob's Blog « Making off grid RV electrical systems work. Love him or hate him, he has some great insight because of years of real boondocking in a big 5er without owning a generator.

hotfishtacos · 08-05-2013, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeldomSeen

Sounds like a good test, I'll try it the next time out. But, for the record when we came home last week from Chilliwack, the battery "meter" was at 3/4. When I plugged in to the 120vac the converter was certainly in "high" mode. You could hear it.

I let it charge for well over 24 hours before I shut it down. Latter, I checked the specific gravity , and found it not completely charged. And you only know if a battery is charged by checking the specific gravity. Everything else is an educated guess. The Diehard charger completely charged the batteries.

The on board WFCO charger puts out 13.6v in absorption (normal) mode. But the Interstate Battery spec sheet for the GC2-XHD-UTL clearly states to charge at 15.3v, Even the float voltage is lower than the battery manufacturer recommends.

I'll keep studying this "problem". We tend towards so called boondocking...but I consider it plain old camping in a campground without hookups. Solar is in our future, but I'm trying to get smart first. So far the best info I have found is at:

HandyBob's Blog « Making off grid RV electrical systems work. Love him or hate him, he has some great insight because of years of real boondocking in a big 5er without owning a generator.

You are making the same discoveries that I made when I started looking into the charging of my Escape 19 batteries. You are correct that the batteries are not seeing enough voltage to fully charge them. The stock converter does not take the voltage up high enough to fully charge the batteries, regardless of their current charge condition. Interstate suggests around 14.6volts to 14.8volts for the first boost phase followed by 2 to 3 subsequent phase charges. 15.3volts is only required monthly. I changed both my converter charger and also my solar controller to get the charge voltages correct. Now it all works correctly. BTW, the stock solar solar controller will show 100% state of charge when it isn't so. You can search my previous posts for the specifics on what I did. I've seen your same complaint several times on this forum and some folks try their own work-arounds but the 6 volt Interstate wet cell batteries want to be charged a certain way and the stock equipment won't do it. However, there are many people out there that are having no problems with their units even though their batteries haven't truly been fully re-charged. Like you I am striving for the ultimate battery life while boon-docking. Good luck!

Steve

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