MEGAWATT 60-AMP INTRODUCTION

NinerBikes,

Here's a boring, non-interesting, way-off-topic, small partial list of some of the chores/things I have to take care of that interfere with any battery maintenance activities:

1) Schedule and supervise removal and topping of 100 foot tall redwood trees after last week's wind storm.

2) Finish installation of the doggy-door through the wall that I recently started but accidentlly cut an internal wall wire while sawing.

3) Finish shampooing the RV rug for our upcoming Quartzite trip.

4) Start pruning of the orchard trees.

5) Drive 12 miles each way to get the RV propane tank filled before our Quartzite trip.

6) Get the RV serviced (beyond "opening the hood" stuff) next week before our Quartzite trip.

7) Finish backfilling behind the concrete block retaining wall I installed last summer.

8) Re-level the new refrigerator so the door naturally closes after opening it.

9) Research portable solar systems a bit more before maybe buying one at Quartzite.

10) Restart and tryout/verify our Verizon JetPack service so we have Internet access everywhere at Quartzite and other Arizona places after Quartzite.

11) Mend a couple pair of work britches.

12) Finish installing shelving in the new sheds we put up this summer.

13) Go with the DW to shop for new living room lounge chairs.

14) Co-ordinate with the contractor on completion of our 5-month long stick house remodeling project.

15) Clean the fireplace window.

16) Complete filling of our two 5000 gallon fresh water storage tanks before next summer's drought(?).

17) Re-install the broken deer fence that the snapped-off redwood tree ruined before the Quartzite trip.

18) Think about oiling the fishing reels before bass fishing next spring/summer.

WWWhhheeewww ... that's enough listing for now.

So, it should be obvious that having to mess with dinosaur-technology wet cell batteries should no longer be part of my (or anybody's?) life.

Who has time for oiling fishing reels? screw that! Buy some dynamite already! :)

pnichols wrote:

NinerBikes wrote:
Adding an 1/8" of water every two years is too frequent? What, are you retired?

Yep ... and yep.

I'm retired so I can do a whole lot of stuff other than messing with batteries. The other day when I (finally) added another 1/8 inch of distilled water to the RV engine starting battery I ALSO HAD TO CLEAN OFF the corrosion around the positive terminal and spray the terminal with WD-40 ... way too much unnecessary work for 15 minutes when I could have been oiling my fishing reels (not with WD-40, though).

Over my lifetime I've used hundreds of flashlight batteries and not one of them has ever needed water added to them. I guess my wet cell lead acid battery maintenance problem/hang-up is "the principle of the thing" ... tasks like those shouldn't be required anymore nowadays.

I have a still-functioning and rare size 12-14 year old Group 31 Optima 90 amp hour AGM battery that I wish would fit under the V10's hood so as to put an end to the dinosaur wet cell battery currently there. I even replaced the two tiny little wet cell batteries in my pressure sprayer and stick house backup generator with AGM ones to eliminate being let down with dead batteries in them every few years.

Sigh

I guess I don't have much to look forward to, then, as I get a lot older. I've always kind of felt that a peek under the hood and inspecting/fiddling with stuff was foreplay before going on an adventure.

NinerBikes wrote:
Adding an 1/8" of water every two years is too frequent? What, are you retired?

Yep ... and yep.

I'm retired so I can do a whole lot of stuff other than messing with batteries. The other day when I (finally) added another 1/8 inch of distilled water to the RV engine starting battery I ALSO HAD TO CLEAN OFF the corrosion around the positive terminal and spray the terminal with WD-40 ... way too much unnecessary work for 15 minutes when I could have been oiling my fishing reels (not with WD-40, though).

Over my lifetime I've used hundreds of flashlight batteries and not one of them has ever needed water added to them. I guess my wet cell lead acid battery maintenance problem/hang-up is "the principle of the thing" ... tasks like those shouldn't be required anymore nowadays.

I have a still-functioning and rare size 12-14 year old Group 31 Optima 90 amp hour AGM battery that I wish would fit under the V10's hood so as to put an end to the dinosaur wet cell battery currently there. I even replaced the two tiny little wet cell batteries in my pressure sprayer and stick house backup generator with AGM ones to eliminate being let down with dead batteries in them every few years.

pnichols wrote:

jrnymn7 wrote:
But it does not mention Temperature Compensation, so how does it do what they claim?

Their literature says it doesn't overcharge (.. implying from too high float voltage at high temps) and that it removes sulfate from the battery plates (.. implying the sulfate formed by undercharging from too low float voltage at low temps). So it appears that they have all of the negative bases covered from not being temperature compensated. Regarding the low temp coverage - you just have to believe in "high-frequency pulses" being able to control sulfation.

I've had one connected to my RV's same main engine starting battery thousands of hours for 6-7 years and so far the V10 turns over fast every time. I add 1/16 to 1/8 inch of distilled water to each of it's cells whenever I think of it - maybe every two years or longer. Sure wish I could afford an AGM engine starting battery so I wouldn't have to use distilled water anywhere in the RV except for maybe a steam iron.

Adding an 1/8" of water every two years is too frequent? What, are you retired? Maybe pop the hood every two years too, to see if any rats or mice have made a nest in there too?

I kind of like peaking around at my radiator hoses and such every now and then to check their general condition. My wallet will wince more for the extra $$$ to replace the AGM's in my Passat and two Touaregs... They don't last very long in the heat underneath the engine compartment.

Yes, batteries are commodities, but I feel a lot better when they go more than 6 or 7 years before needing to be R&R'd

jrnymn7 wrote:
But it does not mention Temperature Compensation, so how does it do what they claim?

Their literature says it doesn't overcharge (.. implying from too high float voltage at high temps) and that it removes sulfate from the battery plates (.. implying the sulfate formed by undercharging from too low float voltage at low temps). So it appears that they have all of the negative bases covered from not being temperature compensated. Regarding the low temp coverage - you just have to believe in "high-frequency pulses" being able to control sulfation.

I've had one connected to my RV's same main engine starting battery thousands of hours for 6-7 years and so far the V10 turns over fast every time. I add 1/16 to 1/8 inch of distilled water to each of it's cells whenever I think of it - maybe every two years or longer. Sure wish I could afford an AGM engine starting battery so I wouldn't have to use distilled water anywhere in the RV except for maybe a steam iron.

gmelton2,

I would try to obtain specs for your particular batts, but here are some general guidelines from a chart for a 12v flooded string or bank:

Temp; Float V; Charge V:

32F; 14.2; 15.3

50F; 13.96; 15.06

68F; 13.72; 14.82

86F; 13.48; 14.58

104F; 13.24; 14.34

(~ +/- .01333v per degree F.)

The ad for that battery minder includes the following:

" - Full-time battery monitoring automatically tests battery every microsecond, supplying only the current needed to maintain battery at full charge

- Does not overcharge, regardless of time connected

- Stops boil-out and ends water loss

- Allows battery to be stored safely at 0° to 120°F"

But it does not mention Temperature Compensation, so how does it do what they claim?

Even Menna may be making his battery life (pun intended) more complicated than necessary.

This may be all that's REALLY needed for easy living:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200332201_200332201

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Mena:

Shhhh!

A conspiracy of battery sellers and gizmo hucksters may pool their money and send a hit squad to your place.

LOL! :B