AGM Battery Capacity?
I want to measure the capacity of AGM batteries, I have monitoring equipment in my camper, Trimetric monitor. However that only reads the voltage as my solar charges the system and then as the vo...
Forum Discussion
You are going to kill your expensive battery if you treat it like this - running until fridge shuts down.
There is no way to measure directly SOC of AGM. You will have to rely on monitor - if you really have Trimetric battery monitor, rather than Trimetric display for solar controller.
Tri will "estimate" battery SOC. You will need to install a shunt so that Tri would be able to measure the current, not just voltage. Then you charge battery fully and properly, until charging stops and controller reads zero current in absence of loads and plenty of sun. At that point you reset SOC to 100%. Then it will read approximate SOC at any given moment ever after.
Capacity is a whole different thing. Yes, diminished capacity would indicate that battery needs replacement. You can measure it by applying controlled load but you have to understand what you are doing so I suggest you just leave it as is. In some years battery will start showing signs of aging, with a little attention you will notice this.
There is no way to measure directly SOC of AGM. You will have to rely on monitor - if you really have Trimetric battery monitor, rather than Trimetric display for solar controller.
Tri will "estimate" battery SOC. You will need to install a shunt so that Tri would be able to measure the current, not just voltage. Then you charge battery fully and properly, until charging stops and controller reads zero current in absence of loads and plenty of sun. At that point you reset SOC to 100%. Then it will read approximate SOC at any given moment ever after.
Capacity is a whole different thing. Yes, diminished capacity would indicate that battery needs replacement. You can measure it by applying controlled load but you have to understand what you are doing so I suggest you just leave it as is. In some years battery will start showing signs of aging, with a little attention you will notice this.
