Batteries

bowser · Veteran Member

Batteries

Juggenaut · Veteran Member

I have got only 1x 120a/h in my van, run approx what you do. charge it with a 140watt solar panel, not a problem.

Mike Harding · Guru

Four years is a very poor lifespan for AGM batteries - even half
decent ones - what make are yours?

There are two effective ways to kill AGM batteries:
1 - regularly discharge them to 50% or less
2 - overcharge them

You don't say what your charging system is but it doesn't sound as if
your are over discharging them so I wonder if your system is putting
too much charge into them? This will cause them to "gas" and will
significantly shorten their life.

It may be worth spending some money and getting **someone who knows
what they are talking about** to have a look at your charging system.
This should not take more than an hour or so and cost, perhaps $100?

Should you go to a 135Ah battery?
Can't say without knowing more accurately what your usage is. In
order to maximise the life of an AGM battery try not to frequently
discharge it below 75% of capacity or 34Ah use in this case.

If you tell us the wattage of your TV and LED lights total we can
make an educated guess.

Kebbin · Guru

The biggest problem that I have noticed with batteries is that they are not getting to the correct charging voltage when off grid either because of not enough solar or the wrong controller for the job? How much solar have you Bowser?

bowser · Veteran Member

Afternoon Mike.

Yes, I felt the batteries should have lasted longer, I have found that one batt is a 105amp and the other is 110amp,

I have on the roof a 150 watt solar, the charger is a Smart Charger Switch Mode Multi Stage Charger.

I will be getting it checked out,

Regards Bowser.

-- Edited by bowser on Friday 13th of July 2018 04:41:32 PM

bowser · Veteran Member

Thanks Juggenaut, I have had a few people say that would be enough.

bowser · Veteran Member

Afternoon Kebbin, I think I might book the van into a leco, and get it checked out,

Regards Bowser.

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Hello bowser,
Do some quick checks of your own first (remember KISS?).

Check the terminals for tightness (don't over tighten) - also for corrosion (clean with a purpose built wire brush or fine - around 120 grit sandpaper).
Check that the batteries are firm in their brackets/boxes & not bouncing around.

Monitor the voltage -
a) on charge (up to 14.5v)
b) on float (13.2-13.5v nominally - during the day)
c) on discharge - heavy cloud or at night
d) at start of charge (ie early in the morning)

Then do the same with firstly one battery disconnected, then the other - so you'll have three sets of readings. Then you'll have something to compare & see what is going on.

Ideally the batteries should be equal in capacity but I don't think 5Ah difference is a big deal unless one died & dragged the other down

Print out this sheet & keep it in your van's papers - www.energymatters.com.au/components/battery-voltage-discharge/

I trust you're not one of the Deep Cycle users who believe that these batteries can be discharged all the way down (there are some around) - this is the best way to stuff them up.

As for the capacity you need, there are spread sheets on this forum (just do a search) or on www.campertrailers.org/ .

I have resurrected a dead AGM battery back from "stuffed" (less than 2 v - a smart charger will not work unless there is more than 2v) to working again - it took a full two weeks utilising an "old type" battery charger, a couple of solar panels & finally a smart charger & dummy load. That lady learned a valuable lesson about storing batteries.

wasn_me · Guru

I lived in my van for 5 months in 2015. I had 185 watts on the roof & one 105 a/h agm battery. I would watch tv 3 to 5 hrs at night. All lights were led. I charged lap top & camera with a 300 watt inverter, through the day. There was no 240 volt charger. I never saw the battery below 12.2 volts. Cheers Pete

bowser · Veteran Member

Thanks Pete.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

What regulator ? You say smart charger ? Or is it both ?

Izabarack · Guru

bowser wrote:

My van had 2x110 amp AGM Batteries in it when I bought it,
4 years later the are dead,

How old were the batteries when you bought your van? The mismatch in battery size triggers my thinking the van was second hand.

If only running a TV and some LED lights, one 110 should be plenty, and then some. Pay attention to charging. Solar capacity should be sufficient to have the batteries fully charged by late morning. I suspect your solar panel is not sufficient to charge the current arrangement and that may have contributed to early failure.

Iza

swamp · Senior Member

Hi
Exactly ,the batteries were how old when u bought the van ??

Even 150watts struggles to put back 40ah under a sunny day .
Have approx. 200ah and usable is 100ah potentially
YOU CAN ONLY USE WHAT U RECHARGE which is around 40ah

If it were a perfect world and had 8 hours of effective solar and no system losses =8hrs at 8ampsper hr that's 64ah Still not enough
Yes u have storage but they are not charged with performance in mind

Good charging practice allows batts to be charged by lunch.
You need to have it happen this way to allow for overcast weather /non solar weather.

It is recommended that 160--200 watts minimum per 100-120ah battery .

Precautions NEVER allow batteries to go flat .

FIT A LVD low volt cut out set at 12.oo volts around 70$ for a Projecta 30A unit [with time delay] connect to pos cable

Fit an OFF/ON isolator to prevent batterries going flat during storage , connect to neg cable

Either add another roof panel 150watter OR a portable 160watter . System would be heading in the right direction then

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Or generator ? Ahahaha

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

bowser, you wrote to Mike that "I have on the roof a 150 watt solar, the charger is a Smart Charger Switch Mode Multi Stage Charger".

Aus-Kiwi picked up that you didn't mention a regulator. I assumed it would have at least a 15A one fitted, hopefully close to the battery. If this is not the case & there is no regulator/controller fitted, then the batteries could have been over charged.

Most DC-DC chargers have a solar input on them - acting as the regulator. Your charger if it runs on 240vac, does not have the solar regulator function.

While doing the tests I suggested above - do not let the voltage drop below 12.3v.
------------------------

Swamp,
There are some benefits of living in the tropics besides nice winters & not so nice sweaty summers. My 2kw house system in Townsville provides the same day's output in August as my brother's 5kw system in NE Victoria.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Yes check if there is a regulator on Solar panel or near battery ? It MAY have been fitted to supliment the alternator while stopping short term ?

PeterD · Guru

bowser wrote:
I have on the roof a 150 watt solar, the charger is a Smart Charger Switch Mode Multi Stage Charger.

That tells me very little. The term "Smart Charger Switch Mode Multi Stage Charger" could mean a few things to me. That description fits my 240 V charger better tan my solar regulator.

What we need to know is the make and model number of your mains charger and your solar controller. With what you told us your situation is you could have a mains charger near your battery and the person who install the solar system may have used panels with little bricks on the back or them that are your actual solar regulators. If that is the case then It is possible you are not getting a good charge from your panels.

If you desire an accurate diagnosis of your problem we require an accurate description of you system. There is a lot of bum equipment that is offered and sold to amateur installers and we need to check that you have or have not acquired some of that bum equipment.

T1 Terry · Guru

bowser wrote:
Afternoon Kebbin, I think I might book the van into a leco, and get it checked out,
Regards Bowser.

Bowser posted this a few days ago so I'm guessing he is going to use the knowledge of a "leco" to diagnose and sort the problems. I read some where that auto electricians where the ones who had all the knowledge required to sort this stuff so I'm guessing he has taken that advice, let's hope that advice was well founded wink

T1 Terry

uncle wombat · Senior Member

Im having some problems with mine but have been told that you must have 2 the same not mix them.