Am I shortening my battery life?

why I hit the quote instead of the edit button again remains a mystery to me... double post.

sjturbo wrote:
Not sure how that happened. The power supply is the S-35-12. let us try the link again, http://www.12voltpowersupplies.us/

BTW, when dealing with model numbers and electricity, dropping zero's and moving decimal points is dangerous. Triple check your work, and your calculations.

Power Supply S-350 - 12. Yes, that is the unit. You must have a volt meter first before using that power supply unit, and a very, very, very small phillips screw driver to adjust the voltage via the potentiometer "pot" which is a tiny little yellow screw by the green LED.

It takes very steady hands and an incredibly gentle touch to get the voltage set on this exactly where you want it. V will probably be in 0.2 to 0.3 increments, until you can really nail it down and get it to 0.1V increments or tenths.

I would go to your battery manufacturer and see what they recommend to top off voltages, off of their maintenance FAQs sheet. Or put it up here.

You will need some 8 gauge wire, and some ring terminals, and keep that Mega Watt as close as you can, while out of the weather elements, to your batteries, with a seperator wall, so that the power supply unit is not exposed to hydrogen or sulfur gas fumes, which are highly corrosive.

Go Power 600W PSW is my recommendation.

CLICKY

Tried C&P as well as copy/paste. Both worked the same. But they worked.

Not sure how that happened. The power supply is the S-35-12. let us try the link again, http://www.12voltpowersupplies.us/

sjturbo wrote:
Thanks again for all the educational information. I have learned much on the subject as I hoped. This supply, http://www.12voltpowersupplies.us/, would it meet with the favor of the pontificator's, pundit's and wise one's all? It appears to have the necessary requirements at a reasonable price. I just received my additional CR235's and will begin the battery box today! DW is scheduled for surgery in two weeks so won't be able to try out the new bank, but I'll keep my eye on the SG and try out the Top Charge when needed! P.S. I could use a recommendation on an inexpensive,(cheap?) 600 Watt inverter?

Your link to 12v power supplies is incomplete. Try cut and paste and retry?

Thanks again for all the educational information. I have learned much on the subject as I hoped. This supply, http://www.12voltpowersupplies.us/, would it meet with the favor of the pontificator's, pundit's and wise one's all? It appears to have the necessary requirements at a reasonable price. I just received my additional CR235's and will begin the battery box today! DW is scheduled for surgery in two weeks so won't be able to try out the new bank, but I'll keep my eye on the SG and try out the Top Charge when needed! P.S. I could use a recommendation on an inexpensive,(cheap?) 600 Watt inverter?

brulaz wrote:

NinerBikes wrote:

...
My system is stored fully charged, and fully disconnected. Bulk charge is what works for me on the generator. Solar panel is for when camping.
...

You don't use the solar system to maintain your batts in storage ???

Also - the 15V top off ... will that damage any internal electric devices or do you need to disconnect? I'm currently disconnecting at 15.3V ...

If I left my 120W portable folding solar panel out in the storage yard, it would grow legs and walk off, so no, I don't leave it out to maintain charge the T-1275. The top off charge, every 2 months, not the maintain charge, for my application, is where it's at.

That's somewhat the beauty of my portable, aimable solar panel. By aiming it a few times at the sun during the day, it's amperage yield makes it very efficient in harvest of energy for it's size, and ability to add significant amperage during the shoulder parts of the day. When you are using 12V solar panels to charge your battteries, it's all about the amperage output with a PWM charge controller.

A portable solar panel becomes "The little Solar Panel that Could". Well, except for the shortest of winter days. But I'd need to run the generator anyways if I wanted to run the microwave, so may as well give the battery a bit of a push too with the Mega Watt power supply unit.

15.0V is below the 15.4V threshold that starts causing circuit boards to pop on your refrigerator.

NinerBikes wrote:

...
My system is stored fully charged, and fully disconnected. Bulk charge is what works for me on the generator. Solar panel is for when camping.
...

You don't use the solar system to maintain your batts in storage ???

Also - the 15V top off ... will that damage any internal electric devices or do you need to disconnect? I'm currently disconnecting at 15.3V ...

smkettner wrote:

sjturbo wrote:
BTW SandiaMan was correct the actual float was 13.2 to 13.3

Keep the float on and you are fine.

The closer float voltage is to the theoretical "ideal" the less the battery will need to be stirred if it sits for several months at a time. Give particular emphasis to the word "less".

Variable atop variable aside, a battery that sits say six or seven months should be stirred even when 13.2 or whatever float voltage had been supplied. Ideal float voltage slows down stratification significantly. Slows down is not the same as "stops".

Sulfuric acid is HEAVY Density, lbs/gal., U.S.. 15.371

At 1.280 dilution there is a significant amount of H2SO4 in the electrolyte. Gradually, ever so gradually it wants to settle to the bottom. Introducing a current through the electrolyte causes an increasing Dependent on voltage level of natural acid circulation. It is a tiny but significant amount. Gaseous stirring is 10,000 (?) times as potent. Boy is that ever dartboard guessing at the ratio :) Bouncing down the interstate is best but this is about batteries dealing with a rig in hibernation.

I gotta harp...Top Charging is the monkey wrench in the above scenario. It cures so many prospective maintenance glitches with so little effort.