My Screwy 31
First off let me say I am not stressing over this. It's just a battery, it is only money, it is meeting my overnight needs, but it is displaying strange behavior, and I am curious as to why. So th...
Forum Discussion
landyacht318 wrote:
Another Sunday Hydrometer dipping.
I used 43 a/h last night, and averaged 38 this week. ~97% solar recharge each day. With one or two alternator blasts in the evening for a few miles.
I was a little later checking today than previous Sundays. It had been sitting at 15.3v for about 3 hours and taking 1.2 amps, after ~2 hours at 14.7v All loads still on the 31 battery, not switched to the other.
I dip the Hydrometer, 1.285, all three. Temp compensated, as all readings have been.
This is 0.005 higher than I've ever been able to get this battery upto. I assume it is due to water loss. Which is noticeable, but nowhere near the danger zone.
I wonder if this is the zone I should never fill it above? The SG level sweet spot perhaps.
And this 1.280+ reading came without me having to run the voltage upto 15.9v for up to 2.5 hours as every other Sunday has.
Not what I expected today.
Considering backing off the voltages a smidge for this week.
If you live near/around the OC, and had four consec near 100F days... well, that could be a little hot, Voltage wise, for those temps.
In another thread, for the first time ever, I got 1.280 on my T-1275. A full 10 points higher than I've ever seen. And a low cell that was 15 or so points lower was only 10 points lower this time. I triple checked that one low SG cell, in disbelief.
Maybe next Sunday, try 30 mins at 15.9V and see where you are at? Sooner or later you'll find the minimum minutes at 15.9 to get the jb done 1x a week.
Your seeing good numbers on the SG now, and not much voltage sag either? Sounds like you are fine tuning the sweet spot, bit by bit.
