Hi people.The GC batteries in my trailer are getting weak. I pulled them out for servicing. I have several chargers including a big 200A truck charger, Epson salt, battery acid, a CCA type battery tester, a battery hydrometer and a variable load to put on the batteries.The batteries have generally been kept fully charged by the solar panels on my trailer. They've been moderately drained daily when we've camped with the trailer, about 20 days a year. What do I do to improve the performance of my batteries and get a year or two more out of them ?Thanks

I would think just keeping them topped off and doing an conditioning cycle on them is about the best you can do.

What does the specific gravity say?

azrving wrote:What does the specific gravity say?Bingo. If it’s low you can equalize them basically over charging them to burn a layer of **** of the plates. Your big charger might do it. Google it or search Youtube. Be careful. It can be dangerous.

Hi me2,Forget the Epsom salts.Adding acid only increases the PH of the battery, which in turn would increase the positive plate shedding (which happens ever cycle) thus shortening the lifespan of the jars.The batteries may be sulphated. There are many threads on how to deal with this.You may have to get the voltage up to as high as 16 to rescue the batteries. If you plan this, then it is HIGHLY recommended to disconnect the battery bank from the RV. Anything over 15.4 volts may cause lots of damage to the computer boards in the RV.me2 wrote:Hi people.The GC batteries in my trailer are getting weak. I pulled them out for servicing. I have several chargers including a big 200A truck charger, Epson salt, battery acid, a CCA type battery tester, a battery hydrometer and a variable load to put on the batteries.The batteries have generally been kept fully charged by the solar panels on my trailer. They've been moderately drained daily when we've camped with the trailer, about 20 days a year. What do I do to improve the performance of my batteries and get a year or two more out of them ?Thanks

OP you need to fill in the blanks...of which none of your statements provide a single clue :)

How do I coax more life from my golf cart batteries ?

ScottG
Nomad
Aug 04, 2018
I would think just keeping them topped off and doing an conditioning cycle on them is about the best you can do.
azrving
Explorer
Aug 04, 2018
What does the specific gravity say?
Big_Katuna
Explorer II
Aug 04, 2018
azrving wrote:
What does the specific gravity say?

Bingo. If it’s low you can equalize them basically over charging them to burn a layer of **** of the plates.

Your big charger might do it. Google it or search Youtube.

Be careful. It can be dangerous.
pianotuna
Nomad III
Aug 04, 2018
Hi me2,

Forget the Epsom salts.

Adding acid only increases the PH of the battery, which in turn would increase the positive plate shedding (which happens ever cycle) thus shortening the lifespan of the jars.

The batteries may be sulphated. There are many threads on how to deal with this.

You may have to get the voltage up to as high as 16 to rescue the batteries. If you plan this, then it is HIGHLY recommended to disconnect the battery bank from the RV. Anything over 15.4 volts may cause lots of damage to the computer boards in the RV.

me2 wrote:
Hi people.

The GC batteries in my trailer are getting weak. I pulled them out for servicing.

I have several chargers including a big 200A truck charger, Epson salt, battery acid, a CCA type battery tester, a battery hydrometer and a variable load to put on the batteries.

The batteries have generally been kept fully charged by the solar panels on my trailer. They've been moderately drained daily when we've camped with the trailer, about 20 days a year.

What do I do to improve the performance of my batteries and get a year or two more out of them ?

Thanks
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Aug 04, 2018
OP you need to fill in the blanks...of which none of your statements provide a single clue :)
RJsfishin
Explorer
Aug 04, 2018
If their 8-10 yrs old, face reality,....their history.
A couple 6'ers from Cosco not much more than a tank of gas
me2
Explorer
Aug 04, 2018
ScottG wrote:
I would think just keeping them topped off and doing an conditioning cycle on them is about the best you can do.

What is a conditioning cycle ?
me2
Explorer
Aug 04, 2018
azrving wrote:
What does the specific gravity say?

All the cells are low or really low in SG.

There are no dead or shorted cells. I ran the batteries low on water a few times. And then over filled them a bit, losing a bit of acid in the process.
me2
Explorer
Aug 04, 2018
pianotuna wrote:

The batteries may be sulphated. There are many threads on how to deal with this.

You may have to get the voltage up to as high as 16 to rescue the batteries. If you plan this, then it is HIGHLY recommended to disconnect the battery bank from the RV. Anything over 15.4 volts may cause lots of damage to the computer boards in the RV.

The batteries have been removed from the trailer.

Could you provide me a link to a good desulphating process description ?

I have a couple 30V 5a or 10a cv/cc power supplies that I could put to use to desulphate them.
ol_Bombero-JC
Explorer
Aug 04, 2018
me2 wrote:

Could you provide me a link to a good desulphating process description ?

How many would you like? (Including tutorials)

Google is your friend.

Just Google: "Battery Desulfation" - Note spelling.

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