I have not bothered to check SG readings again. Even after I was able to get the SG higher, the batteries really did not perform any better. If I leave the 5+ year old engine starting battery in parallel overnight, then the voltage stays where expected.
While it is inconvenient to check the batteries, they are in the best location for my modest DIY class B, without major modification, which I am not willing to go through. AGM's would be cheaper/ easier than modification, and I might look into reducing the bank size with group 65's or 24's when replacement cannot be put off any longer. Depends on the pro rated warranty too, whenever I get around to asking about that.
Really I can only blame laziness for letting them get low in the first place. I'm estimating they have about 45% of their original capacity, so I am dragging around a 62 pound paperweight.
I am wondering if they have something to do with my Solar seeming to be underperforming by at least 30%. We had a nice cool sunny day last week and the amperage is just not there, even with a tilted panel. There is 2 hundred of a volt drop over the solar circuit breaker, but I don;t believe that would account for 30% less performance. Would be nice to have a clamp on DC ammeter.
The solar, and Schumacher, are having a hard time getting the voltage above 14.5, no matter how long I leave them to charge, and the amps with the schumacher are not tapering at those higher voltages. It just seems to plateau at 7 amps for a few hours, then give up and revert to float.
