Interesting (!) battery issue

[nabsim]

It can take a long time to get that last 20% in there, more than 24 hours sometimes

 

[ActiveCampers]

The second battery has gone from "flat" to "float" in under 4hrs - so it too isn't taking full charge. (Maybe 25-30A).

Put battery 1 on another 240v charger, and it too said "nah - its full". (so that's 3 different chargers seeing the batteries as full)

Batteries are 2.5 years old, and in a van that is used at least weekly. The batteries have never been discharged below 60% (Except for the 1st time at the weekend, and during tests yesterday/today), and are always maintained by the CTEK D250S with solar, so kept "full" most of the time.

I don't see how the batteries could be looked after better, and I can't see why they'd both have lost 70% of their capacity.

v odd - expect a bit longer life than that.

 

[debs]

I wonder sometimes at battery manufacturers specs. I have 2 x 110ah batteries, but I suspect they are more like....90, 95, 100ah and now they are 3 years old, they must be losing a % efficiency, so once my upgrades are finished, it may be two new batteries for me. Thanks to Active campers for this interesting thread.

 

[ActiveCampers]

lol - interesting? The same size batteries by the same manufacturer and supplier are £15 more, but gone from 100 to 85AH (C100) 78AH (C20) - so think the new testing makes them more realistic. Even so, the drop off in age is immense. I'll see if they are under warrentee (new ones say 4yrs) - so knowing my luck, either (a) it'll be 2 years; (b) it'll be "send back at £20 postage per battery and we'll check", or (c) "Sorry that's normal usage" type thing. Pff.

 

[Trek]

When buying lead acid batteries and trying to compare them like for like , then go on the weight

Heavier battery more lead

Also if it has cell caps open one up and dip a piece of wood in to see how far down the tops of the plates are


Mate bought a 110 ah battery once that the plates were only half the height of 5he casing and was really light

Looked a big battery but it wasn’t, took it back for refund

 

[Molly 3]

Sounds like duff batterys to me,showing a good charge and then a fast drop of is a sure test,do buy varta or bosch silver power frame batterys next time but dont discharge below one third.

That's how my last battery died charged up very quickly, then went flat very quickly .

 

[Molly 3]

It can take a long time to get that last 20% in there, more than 24 hours sometimes

And that's on a good charger not engine.