Forum Discussion

RJL's avatar
RJL
Explorer
Jun 06, 2023

House batterys

I'm trying to charge my house batteries. They're "Deka Pro Master" GC15's I had to add over a gallon of distilled water to them today and when I tried to charge them I got an "internal shorted cell" error message on my black and decker charger.

I hooked up a trickle charger and I'm going to charge it overnight and see if I can salvage them.

Searching the web for GC15 batteries they're all quite expensive. $250.00 or so a piece.

Any suggestions to places I can find affordable GC15's?

I just bought an engine battery and coughed up $215. I really am in no mood to pay 700 bucks for batteries.

Seems everything in this POS broke last season and I've got a ton of work to do to get it working as it should. Pretty sure I got an electric surge on one of my last outings.

Thanks

Bob
Class A
  • midnightsadie's avatar
    midnightsadie
    Explorer II
    Jun 07, 2023
    lot water, they,ve been going dry for a long time . rv,s take a lot of preventive maintance. p.s there toast .
  • KD4UPL's avatar
    KD4UPL
    Explorer
    Jun 07, 2023
    If you added that much water the plates were probably exposed to air and thus the batteries are scrap. Water needs to be checked regularly. AGM batteries eliminate the maintenamce but cost more.
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Jun 07, 2023
    Do you camp off grid? If you are basically plugged in when parked a Walmart group 29 might do just fine.
  • CA_Traveler's avatar
    CA_Traveler
    Explorer III
    Jun 07, 2023
    Anyone have a comparison of GC2 and GC15? Apparently the GC15 is a little better quality?

    Any reason to not use the GC2 and save some $?

    OP Surge possibility - The first thing I installed was a PI HW50C. I've never had a surge since 2004 but numerous other pedestal problems.

    OP It almost goes without saying that batteries need to be maintained.
  • Chum_lee's avatar
    Chum_lee
    Explorer
    Jun 07, 2023
    IMO, whether you have GC-15 or GC-2 6 volt wet batteries, IF you are adding more than about 12-16 OUNCES of distilled water to each battery to top it off at any one time, chances are that at some point, the top of the plates are/were dry and they are cooked. If your battery charger is showing that you have a shorted cell and the batteries won't hold a charge, well, . . . . that's just more bad news. Please don't shoot the messenger.

    Chum lee
  • CA_Traveler's avatar
    CA_Traveler
    Explorer III
    Jun 07, 2023
    Did you fill the batteries to the bottom ring and not the top? Did you distilled water? Doubtful it matters with the amount of water added, but good to know for the future.

    With excess water and a short they are likely compromised. At a bare minimum have they load tested.
  • Grit_dog's avatar
    Grit_dog
    Navigator
    Jun 07, 2023
    You can use a pair of GC2s or 1 or 2 12V batteries. Depends how much power you need.
  • corvettekent's avatar
    corvettekent
    Explorer
    Jun 07, 2023
    When I was using four 6-volt golf cart batteries I would check them every 4 months and add distilled water as needed. One gallon of water would last me two years. You not only need new batteries, but you need a new converter that won't cook your batteries to death.

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