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Post by quaysider on Jul 20, 2017 7:12:13 GMT
Grrrr.
I'm tired this morning... more so that normal thanks to the batteries (or perhaps just one of them) having decided to boil during my charging run yesterday... of course I was oblivious to this what with the wind etc but when it dropped last night, I thought when I noticed a bad smell, it was just the toilet vent - having forgotten the other day and spat my mouthwash in there I figured I must have upset the good bacteria.
I HAD noticed the soc dropping on the smartgauge the last few weeks and as a result had being re-arraning the fridge nightly assuming (wrongly as it now appears)something must have been touching the back of it.
IT wasn't until stupid o'clock this morning when the CO alarm went off (Andy slept through it of course) that I realised the smell was stronger at the back of the boat and the alarm was reading 54ppm... on checking the sg the batteries were down to 28% this morning.
SO - despite the fact they are supposed to be sealed, this morning I'm going to see if I can get the tops off and top up, test each battery (hopefully to identify - if I'm lucky just one bad one) and then remove it to buy a little more time.
If not it's new battery time... thing is they're only as old as the boat I'm really quite rigid about not abusing them etc. ... there is always the wonder as to whether they started OFF good or not in the first place.
AND of course - what's the weather doing now? - Absolutely bucketing down so it looks like a wet day folded up in the engine hole.
Hmmf..
It's a good job I'm a fire-engine blonde super hero... even 1 handed!
Ginge x
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Post by Gone on Jul 20, 2017 7:18:39 GMT
If you disconnect all the batteries and measure the voltage of each one I suspect you will find one that is well down. Much easier than prising tops off and getting acid in your eye. Also if it is still gassing there will be H2 inside and around the battery vent, so be very careful about sparks etc. I would remove all the covers etc and let it ventilate for a few minutes before doing anything else.
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Post by pearley on Jul 20, 2017 7:21:17 GMT
I've been woken like this in the past, but when on a shoreline. I would identify the faulty battery, either by checking how warm they are on charge, the hottest one being the faulty. Or by disconnecting the links and checking voltages on each battery. At this time of year running with one battery out of the bank shouldn't be a big problem. Then replace them all at the beginning of the winter.
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Post by Telemachus on Jul 20, 2017 8:16:11 GMT
The other possibility is a faulty charger or alternator (I'm not quite clear if the batteries were on charge overnight?). It's probably a duff battery but worth checking the charging voltage as you don't want to fit new ones and have them knackered straight away.
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Post by quaysider on Jul 20, 2017 10:42:20 GMT
Cheers fellas... I'm half way through putting it all back together now ... it WAS a duff battery... 3 read 11.92 and one 11.23 (give or take) ... AND they were not sealed (despite what the paperwork says) so I've topped the others up a bit and will shortly go back under and begin reconstruction surgery... It's a stupid arrangement in that I had remove 1, 2 and 3 to get the 4th one out. NOT good 3 weeks post carpal tunnel... I've hurt my hand and the previously well healed wound is now looking abit sorry for itself again.
I'll see how we manage with just the 3 for now as the bank will still be 405ah. It is annoying though as I'm quite rigid about keeping them well charged - alas not topping up.
I'm NOT liking this rain though as even with parasol propped over the engine hole, I keep getting drips running down the pole and digging the end of it into my back.... THAT IS NOT A Euphemism before enyone starts with comments about lubing up etc!
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Post by smileypete on Jul 23, 2017 11:54:39 GMT
Keeping an eye on the charge current towards the end of charge ('tail current') can give a good idea of battery type and condition and alert to possible problems.
Similarly a clamp meter that can read DC amps can quickly pick out a failing batt drawing excess charge current, cost from around £25.
Unfortunately Smartgauge is not the panacea most people would like it to be. Though it works very well... (at least until one discovers it's not a panacea etc etc...)
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Post by Telemachus on Jul 23, 2017 20:49:14 GMT
Keeping an eye on the charge current towards the end of charge ('tail current') can give a good idea of battery type and condition and alert to possible problems. Similarly a clamp meter that can read DC amps can quickly pick out a failing batt drawing excess charge current, cost from around £25. Unfortunately Smartgauge is not the panacea most people would like it to be. Though it works very well... (at least until one discovers it's not a panacea etc etc...) However, in this case the Smartgauge was correctly indicating a major battery problem.
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Post by peterboat on Jul 24, 2017 8:01:14 GMT
Keeping an eye on the charge current towards the end of charge ('tail current') can give a good idea of battery type and condition and alert to possible problems. Similarly a clamp meter that can read DC amps can quickly pick out a failing batt drawing excess charge current, cost from around £25. Unfortunately Smartgauge is not the panacea most people would like it to be. Though it works very well... (at least until one discovers it's not a panacea etc etc...) However, in this case the Smartgauge was correctly indicating a major battery problem. To be blunt so would a simple voltmeter
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Post by smileypete on Jul 24, 2017 11:24:58 GMT
However, in this case the Smartgauge was correctly indicating a major battery problem. Being a generous guy, I'd say you're about 10 to 15% right there...
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Post by Telemachus on Jul 24, 2017 11:42:36 GMT
However, in this case the Smartgauge was correctly indicating a major battery problem. To be blunt so would a simple voltmeter Only if you know what those funny numbers on the voltmeter mean, and what they should read. You and I do, but lots of people don't.
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Post by peterboat on Jul 24, 2017 16:53:35 GMT
To be blunt so would a simple voltmeter Only if you know what those funny numbers on the voltmeter mean, and what they should read. You and I do, but lots of people don't. True
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Post by smileypete on Jul 24, 2017 17:49:06 GMT
To be blunt so would a simple voltmeter Only if you know what those funny numbers on the voltmeter mean, and what they should read. You and I do, but lots of people don't. Mainly by choice...
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