Battery life
I have a Class C rig with 6 X U2200 6V interstate batteries, they are about 5 years old, well taken care of, toped off regularly. This spring cleaned the corrosion off the terminals and did a regul...
Forum Discussion
I wouldn't worry too much about temperature unless when testing the electrolyte is less than 60 degrees nor more than 75 degrees. I would worry more about the accuracy of the hydrometer. Most of them I come across are laughingly inaccurate.
Let's see, I paid twenty something dollars for a FRANCIS FREAS hydrometer, seventeen years ago (broke the 1,2,3rd ones). A little more than a dollar a year.
Batteries that have low specific gravity have sulfur on the plates that rightly belongs in solution. In the acid. These areas are going to GROW and destroy the plate if the sulfation is not forced back into solution by a controlled overcharge - desulfation, equalization.
It will not harm the batteries a bit to (this time only) ASSSSSSSUME the cells are reading low and sulfation has started.
A constant eleven amps applied across the battery (it's hard to achieve without a special charger) until voltage rises to 16.0 volts is called for.
Try the HARBOR FREIGHT 10-AMP charger set on 12 volts 10-AMPS STARTING. If voltage quickly rises to 16.0 click the slide button over to 2-amps and then be prepared to wait a few days until voltage rises as far as it can or to 16.0 volts maximum. At 2-amps this can take awhile and with 220 ampere hours, you won't encounter runaway voltage.
Wait an hour or two after it reaches 16.0 volts and re-check with your hydrometer. If readings have not changed I would then hold your hydrometer highly suspect.
Even if your batteries are OK and your hydrometer has lied to you, this gentle regimen above WILL NOT HARM THE BATTERIES A BIT.
Sometimes, given limits and guidelines a person can fudge a bit.
Let's see, I paid twenty something dollars for a FRANCIS FREAS hydrometer, seventeen years ago (broke the 1,2,3rd ones). A little more than a dollar a year.
Batteries that have low specific gravity have sulfur on the plates that rightly belongs in solution. In the acid. These areas are going to GROW and destroy the plate if the sulfation is not forced back into solution by a controlled overcharge - desulfation, equalization.
It will not harm the batteries a bit to (this time only) ASSSSSSSUME the cells are reading low and sulfation has started.
A constant eleven amps applied across the battery (it's hard to achieve without a special charger) until voltage rises to 16.0 volts is called for.
Try the HARBOR FREIGHT 10-AMP charger set on 12 volts 10-AMPS STARTING. If voltage quickly rises to 16.0 click the slide button over to 2-amps and then be prepared to wait a few days until voltage rises as far as it can or to 16.0 volts maximum. At 2-amps this can take awhile and with 220 ampere hours, you won't encounter runaway voltage.
Wait an hour or two after it reaches 16.0 volts and re-check with your hydrometer. If readings have not changed I would then hold your hydrometer highly suspect.
Even if your batteries are OK and your hydrometer has lied to you, this gentle regimen above WILL NOT HARM THE BATTERIES A BIT.
Sometimes, given limits and guidelines a person can fudge a bit.
