Leisure batteries.

[forthpilot]

Leisure batteries.

About to investigate leisure batteries,as they have started to not hold charge for more than two or three days, depending on use.
I know they are gel, because of the EBL99 settings, I realise I have to disconnect the panels from the solar charger, but it is well out of the
way under the driver's seat with difficult access. Given that the M/H is in shadow on the north side of the house, is it acceptable to cover
the panels rather than disconnect them. I can then follow normal the normal process to disconnect them and see what I have, as there
are no visible labels. The van is an older Hymer B510 with two batteries in an underfloor locker, and I strongly suspect that they are
Exide G80's. favoured by hymer, but I want to check before I order replacements.
Stewart

 

[teejay]

Yes as long as you cover them properly i.e. something that wont let daylight through and can be fixed so as not to blow or fall off in even a slight breeze. Solar panels will still collect a charge from cloudy daylight on the north side of a house so cover them well. From what you say about your batteries, you may as well completely disconnect them as they sound finished. However, do have them checked before disposing of them. Their lack of a charged state may be caused by a fault elsewhere. Check out the rest of your solar system too. You don't give any details at all about what your system is so no-one can comment on that.

 

[forthpilot]

Thanks teejay, the M/home is 17 years old, but the original owner spared no expense. I have two gel leisure batteries, charged from two 80 watt Siemens solar panels, through a Schaudt LR1218 solar regulator, connected through the Scaudt EBL 99B. On the move I have a very sophisticated Buttner Electronic Ladebooster charger that charges every type of battery, from Wet to AGM. I lifted out the batteries this afternoon and they are indeed Exide 80 Ah. and 9 years old. All of this was fitted by the original German owner. I have ordered two Exide G80's to replace the batteries. Strangely, a well known supplier tried to tempt me down the path of replacment using cheaper AGM batteries, despite me pointing out that that without modification, the EBL 99B would not charge them properly. Bin bags sorted the solar panels.
Stewart.

 

[forthpilot]

Job done, two new Exide ES900 fitted. All sorts of unnecessary wiring removed. Batteries were wired in parallel but not the correct way.
New batteries charged for an initial 14 hours and all seems well. One thing that did occur to me during the process, and I would really
be interested on thoughts. If you follow the advised advice of isolating the EBL during prolonged layup, does that automatically disconnect
the solar charger from the batteries. I realise that the output is small in a northern winter, but does it matter