made a b-a-d boo boo July 26, 2009, 07:07:00 pm Yahoo Message Number: 104213It's been hot--really hot--here in Cal. Because of this, I had left the fantastic fan set on "one" to run at the high end of it's setting to circulate air in the coach. Since i have a solar panel, I don't have it plugged into shore power here in my yard. It's partially under an oak tree so the panel doesn't get full sun, but up til now, enough to keep the newer batteries topped off in the safe zone.Last week w/temps hitting over 105 to 110 here, I checked the batteries and topped off the water in them...everything looked fine.But then my Mom took a header on the porch and i was absent more or less for over a week what with going to the hospital, etc.Decided to take an afternoon off and go to a lake or hit cool water somewhere...went into the LD to turn on the frig, etc., and it was stone cold dead battery wise. Totaled.I am sick...these are only one year old 6 volt batteries. I plugged in the shore power and everything powered back on. One sigh of relief!However, after reading posts here for years, I am concerned about what I've done to my batteries. If they can recover; how long will it take using just shore power and the solar panel...what else can I do to properly recharge them...I think I understood that when a battery gets discharged more than 50%, you've permanently reduced the life of the batteries.Drive it? Use the generator? Hook them up to a battery charger and slow charge them one at a time--should they be disconnected first, either from each other and/or from the rig... Also do they need to be "deep cycle charged"..I think that's close to the term used.It's a 98' IB, standard factory solar setup, etc.I'm SOOOO bummed!! Gini Free and Junah-Dober Gal Celie and Nihm, Tonkinese kitlets "Kooch" the little red LD that could "Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."
Re: made a b-a-d boo boo Reply #1 – July 26, 2009, 08:15:03 pm Yahoo Message Number: 104214Hello Gina. Im not an expert nor an engineer like some of the regulars here, but in my opinion these 6 volts should be A-OK after hooking up your shore power for a day or two. The onboard automatic charger should bring them back up to full charge. Thats why we use DEEP CYCLE batteries because they can take being run down, charge wise and then recuperate after being reenergized. Good luck you should be fine. John in the ol 85'.
Re: made a b-a-d boo boo Reply #2 – July 27, 2009, 11:33:04 am Yahoo Message Number: 104224Gini Free wrote: I am concerned about what I've done to my batteries. --- With good reason, IMO. Deep cycle batteries should not be discharged past 50%; an 80% discharge usually toasts them. Even if you manage to "re-charge" the batteries -- and if the electrolyte has "boiled" dry, I doubt the success of this-- it's likely that they will not *hold* the charge. One very good source of battery information is Bill Darden's website; he answers emails:http://www.batteryfaq.org/ If the deep cycle batteries are Trojans, you could also try their website for "technical assistance." Or, AM Solar also offers good battery information, and Greg and/or Deb answer emailed questions. I suggest getting the scoop from real battery "experts" and going from there. Good luck. :-(Joan
Re: made a b-a-d boo boo Reply #3 – July 27, 2009, 06:43:04 pm Yahoo Message Number: 104237It's hard to really hurt the deep discharge batteries according to the seminar I just attended at FMCA. They have thicker lead plates than the motor battery and are sturdier all around. As an example, I hooked mine up, reversing the positive negative poles. The batteries overheated, but were still fine when checked out. Unfortuneatly, I can't say the same for the converter, it was fried and the radio lost it's back light for the display. Fuses protected the rest of the systems. Next time I take the batteries out, I am labeling the wires and taking a picture. File it under "lessons learned.Orlan
Re: made a b-a-d boo boo Reply #4 – July 29, 2009, 08:20:48 am Yahoo Message Number: 104266I wouldn't be too concerned at all. Any battery can take a few complete discharges without dying. It would be very bad if you left the battery(ies)
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Topic: made a b-a-d boo boo (Read 2 times)
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