Forum Discussion
wolfe10
Sep 25, 2013Explorer
OK, first disconnect.
Most "don't discharge below" recommendations are for BATTERIES AT REST-- meaning no charging and no discharge for at least an hour.
So, the first thing you need to do is tell us whether the "how low should they go" voltage is:
AT REST
UNDER 10 AMP
OR LESS LOAD OR UNDER HIGH LOAD
The higher the amp draw when monitoring voltage, the lower you can go before recharging. Said another way, under high load, a 50% charged battery may only read 11.8 VDC. Shutting down the load and letting the batteries rest can bring the "at rest" reading back to 12.2 VDC.
There are some excellent meters that monitor power usage and help make the decision. If you want recommendations, let us know. They are NOT inexpensive.
Most "don't discharge below" recommendations are for BATTERIES AT REST-- meaning no charging and no discharge for at least an hour.
So, the first thing you need to do is tell us whether the "how low should they go" voltage is:
AT REST
UNDER 10 AMP
OR LESS LOAD OR UNDER HIGH LOAD
The higher the amp draw when monitoring voltage, the lower you can go before recharging. Said another way, under high load, a 50% charged battery may only read 11.8 VDC. Shutting down the load and letting the batteries rest can bring the "at rest" reading back to 12.2 VDC.
There are some excellent meters that monitor power usage and help make the decision. If you want recommendations, let us know. They are NOT inexpensive.
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