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
I wound up taking ~60 A/H from the 31 last night, and the lowest voltage recorded by sunrise was 12.0x when the compressor fridge cycles on with the fan load about 3.5 amps total.
The night before, it was hitting 11.8x under the same general depletion and max loads. Even the incomplete eq cycle restored voltage to younger battery expectations.
Just before noon today, and 32A/h from full, taking 9.2 amps at 13.7v, I allowed it to see alternator current. Took 37 amps + 9.5 solar amps to bring voltage upto 14.9, and tapered to 22amps by the time I parked in front of ocean 5 minutes later, where I separated the AGm and 31 after I shut down engine. 9.5 solar amps had 31 at 14.1v.
Alternator not able to hold 31 at 14.9v at idle speed en route. Dang traffic lights.
No alternator current on return trip as it was already in ABSV mode when I rinsed off the salt water at 2pm. Starting engine during ABSV mode triggered 15.3v float mode, even though 31 was not hooked to alternator, drops back to 14.9ABSV with engine off.
After a few errands, and back home, I Released the solar 15v max hold I had on the 31 switched loads to AGM27, and 6.2 amps were required to raise 31 to 16v.
1.270, 1.275, 1.280
30 minutes later, 4.1 amps
1.285, 1.285 , 1.290
End EQ.
So nice having flooded battery at easy eye level. Pop hood, pop cap, dip hydrometer, turn manual switch, change solar voltages......
wait a minute, thats a lot of steps!
Cycling AGM tonight, as it was already 12ah in the hole come sundown.
The night before, it was hitting 11.8x under the same general depletion and max loads. Even the incomplete eq cycle restored voltage to younger battery expectations.
Just before noon today, and 32A/h from full, taking 9.2 amps at 13.7v, I allowed it to see alternator current. Took 37 amps + 9.5 solar amps to bring voltage upto 14.9, and tapered to 22amps by the time I parked in front of ocean 5 minutes later, where I separated the AGm and 31 after I shut down engine. 9.5 solar amps had 31 at 14.1v.
Alternator not able to hold 31 at 14.9v at idle speed en route. Dang traffic lights.
No alternator current on return trip as it was already in ABSV mode when I rinsed off the salt water at 2pm. Starting engine during ABSV mode triggered 15.3v float mode, even though 31 was not hooked to alternator, drops back to 14.9ABSV with engine off.
After a few errands, and back home, I Released the solar 15v max hold I had on the 31 switched loads to AGM27, and 6.2 amps were required to raise 31 to 16v.
1.270, 1.275, 1.280
30 minutes later, 4.1 amps
1.285, 1.285 , 1.290
End EQ.
So nice having flooded battery at easy eye level. Pop hood, pop cap, dip hydrometer, turn manual switch, change solar voltages......
wait a minute, thats a lot of steps!
Cycling AGM tonight, as it was already 12ah in the hole come sundown.
