Adventure Location: Rockport, Texas
When the 6 volt batteries were put on the Castle on Valentines Day this year, the water level was checked. It was right on the money. About two months later it was checked and no water was needed to be added. Good was my thought. Not much water was used charging them.
They had not been checked again since late April. My solar controller was showing max charge voltage as 14.4 volts every day until a week ago. Then the charge was down to 13.8 every day. The system has temperature compensation on the charging circuit and that was my thought that the charging circuit was doing something because of the high temperatures outside. The batteries are mounted on the Castle’s tongue.
Well since it was too hot to do much outside, most of the day was spent goofing off in the A/C. As the sun neared setting the temperatures dropped from 91 to 85 and it was pleasant to sit outside. Suddenly it seemed right to check the battery water after three months. All six cells were nearing the top of the plates low. WOW the hot weather must have contributed to this evaporation rate! Any way it took nearly twenty four ounces of distilled water to top off the batteries!
The schedule will go back to once a month for the future until the batteries allow for a longer between check ups. Having HAPPPPPPPY BATTERIES is important for trying to have tooooo much fun. TheOFM.
City of Aransas Pass, Texas
I've been living with batteries off and on for going on to 37 years and I still haven't figured them out. Currently I'm only running one 12 volt marine/RV just to keep the bus systems powered up. I have it on an automatic battery moniter/charger which does a good job but being an untrusting soul I check it regularly. Sometimes it needs water. No rhyme no reason.
ReplyDeleteThank you for that information. I have also noticed that batteries have a mind of their own and it changes often. By the way folks check out Oldfool's blog at http://www.oldfool.org/ . It is always interesting.
ReplyDeleteI bought a system that fits over the fill openings of my two batteries. It is conneced via a hose with a quick disconect. The other sections that connects to it has a hand pump ball, like on old outboard gas tanks, and you just put the other end in a jug of distilled water and pump the ball until it gets hard. Disconect and the bateries are topped off and you didn't have to go through any contortions to check and fill them.
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