Quick battery?

[ivanputski]

2012 5.0 classic, has original duel 6volt batteries. Topped up with distilled water and hooked up to shore power for about 1 1/2 days. GoPower solor reads 13.6volts. I unhook the shore power and hit the battery disconnect switch. The next day it reads 12.6 and has slowly dropped to 12.3 volts and 76 %. Have the batteries reached the end of their lives?

Battery dates are May 2012. Thanks for your insight.

 

[Chris & Patricia]

2012 5.0 classic, has original duel 6volt batteries. Topped up with distilled water and hooked up to shore power for about 1 1/2 days. GoPower solor reads 13.6volts. I unhook the shore power and hit the battery disconnect switch. The next day it reads 12.6 and has slowly dropped to 12.3 volts and 76 %. Have the batteries reached the end of their lives?

Battery dates are May 2012. Thanks for your insight.

I'm not an expert on trailer batteries, but generally for car batteries, if you are going beyond five years, although its not unusual, you might expect the batteries not to go too much longer. So using this logic, your trailer batteries are 6 1/2 years old and maybe looking towards the end of their lives.

 

[padlin]

In case they were not fully charged when you disconnected.
Charge them for another couple days.
Disconnect city power, turn off at 12v switch.
Check the voltage the next day, should read 12.7/8 for 100% charged. If so check it again in a few days. If it's lower then 12.7/8 then either check them with a hydrometer or replace.

 

[Upfisk]

Your batteries have sulfated and are not dead but dying. After charging they should be 12.6 and hold steady there. Read the voltage after 12 hours with no load, nor charging. Most telling is that the voltage drops after another day. Sulfated batteries charge fast and discharge equally fast, there are no longer as many lead plates to hold the charge.

 

[padlin]

Tin just posted a good state of charge chart.

http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f8/6-volt-agm-gc2-14156-3.html#post270793