Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Battery Voltage readings

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Battery Voltage readings

    Hi Guys,

    just a question for the electricity minded member of this forum...

    I have an Exide ED5 and for the past 3 days I have driven around 300km+ with no load on the AUX battery. My alternator (with LeighW's diode in it) is pushing out around 14.1-14.3v on start up and probably settling down to 13.8v after 30 odd mins of driving. The voltage went from around 12.1-12.2 to 12.47. For the past 3 days, it has remained at 12.47 and will not go up any higher. I've tested the battery after about 2-3 hours after I've turned the engine off to get a proper reading on it.

    Now I would like to know, is 12.47 = to 100% charge on an Exide ED5 which is about 5 months old, or is that not quite full?

    I rang the shop who sold it to me and they reckon that new batteries they have on the shelf are reading 12.49/12.50 and that they believe 12.47 is just about full (95%). Then I rang Exide and the bloke I spoke to was absolutely useless and told me that ta full battery reads 12.something! Absolutely useless information! Then I spoke to one of the boys at Piranha and they reckon it should get up to 12.8 after having been on a 3 stage 20amp charger. But I don't have one of those and want the battery to just be recharged off my alternator.

    Now, is 12.47 a fully charged battery or not? Is there another way of getting it to sit on 12.8 with the alternator and LeighW's chip?

    For those who have an Exide ED5, what are your readings when the battery is fully charged?

    I'm thinking that this battery is a bit of a dud as I'm not getting very much life out of it when I have my ARB 47L fridge running and considering getting a:

    - Century Marine Pro 720 100AH
    or
    - Century AGM C12-100DA

    Anyone have the above two and can give me pros and cons? Is the C12-100DA going to have trouble being recharged in the car given that it's AGM and they tend to need a higher charging voltage?

    I just want to have a fridge in that car that is powered for at least 48h without driving!!!

    Also, running this system through a redarc isolator and fairly thick cable. Getting a .2V drop through the isolator and cabling. (Main reads 14.2 while engine is on, AUX reads 14.05 while engine is on.

    Cheers,
    Lorenzo
    Loz - 2007 GXL D4D Auto White
    ARB Deluxe Winch Bar, 2" OME Lift, ARB On-Board Air, Safari Snorkel, GME TX3440 UHF, GME AE4018K1 antenna, Redarc/Exide ED5 dual battery system, ARB 47L fridge, Cooper AT3's 265/70/17, LeighW's voltage booster, Lightforce 240XGT's, Outback Solutions Drawer Systems
    [url=http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?20863-Loz-s-120-GXL-D4D-Prado&highlight=loz%27s]My Rig Build-Up[/url]

  • #2
    I am not an expert, but that voltage is not full, probably around 85%.
    If the charge is going into the battery, my guess would be it is stuffed, strange after 5months.. Have you checked the water etc...?

    As for new batteries, I just purchased a Haze N70Gel 100 Ah after having troubles with my fridge. Turns out it was the battery all along.
    I purchased mine from www.radum.com.au, delivered overnight and cheaper than anywhere else, my local Battery world wanted $475 for the same thing.
    For an Aux battery, I'd stay away from flooded wet cells if you can..


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
    D4D Prado GXL - 2014. 2" OME lift, ARB Deluxe Winch bar, ARB under body protection plates, ARB EZ Deflator, Weaco fridge, Matsen fridge on slide, BFG A/T's, ARB CKMA12 compressor, Oztrail side awning with LED lights PLUS canvas extension, Lightforce XGT's.. Oricom UHF380, GME AE4017

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi MD,

      that's sort of what I was thinking. I got a gut feeling that this battery is stuffed and for some reason, never felt confident with it. I mean it's not a vital battery, but I want it to work!

      How does the Haze perform? Can you get it to 100% charge with the Prado alternator? Is your alternator got a voltage booster? What sort of fridge have you got and how long can your battery power it without turning the engine over? Would be interesting to know as that better is about $375 from that site you told me, if the $200 Century marine performs similarly, then I'd rather spend the $199 on a new battery and get a refund from exide as this is still under warranty.

      Cheers,
      Lorenzo
      Loz - 2007 GXL D4D Auto White
      ARB Deluxe Winch Bar, 2" OME Lift, ARB On-Board Air, Safari Snorkel, GME TX3440 UHF, GME AE4018K1 antenna, Redarc/Exide ED5 dual battery system, ARB 47L fridge, Cooper AT3's 265/70/17, LeighW's voltage booster, Lightforce 240XGT's, Outback Solutions Drawer Systems
      [url=http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?20863-Loz-s-120-GXL-D4D-Prado&highlight=loz%27s]My Rig Build-Up[/url]

      Comment


      • #4
        The Haze.

        Well, my first impression is great. I have never seen my cheapy battery monitor read more than 12.8 after turning off the ignition. This Haze battery shows 13.0 or more. On a normal week, my driving is only 15 mins each way and by Tuesday PM, my old battery was not charged enough to keep the fridge running, the Haze is still showing 12.9 and it is Wednesday.
        So my understanding of this simple fact is, it holds charge longer, and charges quicker...






        Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
        D4D Prado GXL - 2014. 2" OME lift, ARB Deluxe Winch bar, ARB under body protection plates, ARB EZ Deflator, Weaco fridge, Matsen fridge on slide, BFG A/T's, ARB CKMA12 compressor, Oztrail side awning with LED lights PLUS canvas extension, Lightforce XGT's.. Oricom UHF380, GME AE4017

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by MDSimpson View Post
          The Haze.

          Well, my first impression is great. I have never seen my cheapy battery monitor read more than 12.8 after turning off the ignition. This Haze battery shows 13.0 or more. On a normal week, my driving is only 15 mins each way and by Tuesday PM, my old battery was not charged enough to keep the fridge running, the Haze is still showing 12.9 and it is Wednesday.
          So my understanding of this simple fact is, it holds charge longer, and charges quicker...

          Yes, I have a voltage diode it charges up to 14.4v but typically around 13.8 or so while driving.

          As for the longevity test, I have not done it yet, I was going to run it all in the garage but got too excited and once it was charged, I put it straight in the car. But I'd expect to get at least 48 hours out of it.....
          My fridge is a Matson 60l and it runs very well. I did report issues with it in another thread, but it turns out the battery was the issue all along...




          Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD



          Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
          D4D Prado GXL - 2014. 2" OME lift, ARB Deluxe Winch bar, ARB under body protection plates, ARB EZ Deflator, Weaco fridge, Matsen fridge on slide, BFG A/T's, ARB CKMA12 compressor, Oztrail side awning with LED lights PLUS canvas extension, Lightforce XGT's.. Oricom UHF380, GME AE4017

          Comment


          • #6
            Battery Drain Calculation

            Originally posted by Lorenzo View Post
            I just want to have a fridge in that car that is powered for at least 48h without driving!!!
            To ensure you get 48 hrs from a fridge battery:

            Assumptions:
            Fridge will be drawing current half the time it is on (i.e. 24 hrs)
            Fridge will be drawing approx 4 Amps when running.

            --> This gives 96 Amp Hours usage over 48 hours.

            A battery should have approx half it's charge left in it before being re-charged.

            --> So this means after 48 hours, the battery needs to only be half discharged : you therefore need approx 96AH * 2 = 200AH battery required to power a fridge for 48 hrs, using the above assumptions.

            You can change the assumption calculations to suit your situation, however this calculation is useful to see why your battery is going flat quicker than you thought!

            (for the most optimistic case, assume fridge is only drawing current for 1/4 the total time it is on, and then only draws 2Amps: this gives 24 Amp Hours use. So you only need 24AH * 2 = approx 50AH battery in this case)...
            stevensr34
            Senior Member
            Last edited by stevensr34; 02-05-2012, 08:27 PM.
            Rob.
            '08 GXL V6 Manual with: O/L Bar, Cibie Oscars, Safari Snorkel, Revalved Ironman 45710 Struts & 45682 Shocks, Dobinsons & King springs, MickeyT STZs, Eaton E-locker on rear, ScanGaugeII, InaWise TPMS, and a Tvan controlled via TowPro.

            Comment


            • #7
              Totally agree with the above post. A good quality fridge with Danfoss compressor will draw about 4 A when on and should operate for around 23 minutes per hour in 25 degree ish temps. You do the sums. There is nothing wrong with your battery. You are expecting too much from it. I have a similar fridge in our camper with a 200AH battery and a solar panel and get 4 days from it, but it's the solar panel which saves the day for me.
              A fully charged 12 volt battery should read around 12.5 volts after it has been disconnected from the charger for a little time (say 40 minutes). The charging system on a vehicle is not designed to fully charge a battery. Manufacturers have to build a safety factor into the system, so there is no chance of overcharging, but as well, the charging system is only designed to charge according to the load from the running of the vehicle. You should notice when you switch on your headlights, for example, the battery voltage will increase. That's the regulator recognising the need to increase the charge rate to the battery. The diode you have fitted will mean the battery charges a little more and for longer than normal. It is fitted in series with the field winding. The regulator thinks the battery voltage is 0.6 volts less than it really is and therefore continues to charge beyond where it would normally, but the system is still a simple one. If you really want to get the maximum charge possible, safely from your vehicle you need to spend the dollars and get a smart charger. I don't see the need to do that, however. I believe you need at least 200AH from your fridge batteries if you require your fridge to operate for 2 days, remembering as above stated, you can't completely discharge even a deep cycle battery continuously and expect it to last 5 years. I believe you should be able to discharge a lead acid D/C battery safely to a 30% level, but I'm not sure about your battery. Hope this helps.
              Ric

              Comment


              • #8
                Hmm. I think I'm getting the picture. On another note, I parked the car this am when I got to work at 9am and when I left work at 6 I tested the battery again. Read 12.47. Turned the engine on and then went to turn the fridge on. It was at 12 degrees (it's cold in Melbourne today!! And set it to 0. Then drive for half an hour all the way home. By the time I pulled up, fridge had reached temperature and compressor was off. Put the voltmeter to it with engine off and 2 mins after I pulled up and I got a reading of 12.00!!! Is my battery stuffed now or what? I'm very puzzled as to how I could've lost .47v whilst driving and feeding it 14.1v+ and fridge going flat out for 30 odd mins. I would've though the alternator would've run the fridge by itself or at worse have lost .1v.

                What are your thoughts in this?
                Loz - 2007 GXL D4D Auto White
                ARB Deluxe Winch Bar, 2" OME Lift, ARB On-Board Air, Safari Snorkel, GME TX3440 UHF, GME AE4018K1 antenna, Redarc/Exide ED5 dual battery system, ARB 47L fridge, Cooper AT3's 265/70/17, LeighW's voltage booster, Lightforce 240XGT's, Outback Solutions Drawer Systems
                [url=http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?20863-Loz-s-120-GXL-D4D-Prado&highlight=loz%27s]My Rig Build-Up[/url]

                Comment


                • #9
                  Hi Lorenzo, and can you post up full details of your set up because as you posted, the alternator should have been powering your fridge and charging your battery.

                  Furthermore, even if your battery was stuffed, if you had just stopped and turned the motor off, the battery should have still had a surface charge.

                  If the battery has dropped a cell, the voltage would have dropped to around 10.5v not 12 so it actually sounds like you may have a problem with something else in your set up, like a bad earth somewhere, or your isolator is not working properly.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Lorenzo,
                    I still don't think there is anything wrong with your battery, but whilst you have doubts in your mind it is always going to be a problem. I would call in to any decent battery supplier or auto electrician and ask them to do a load test. This will take about 10 secs and they will not charge you. Even if it is a D/C battery, it will still give you an accurate account of the health of your battery. It may be you do have a charging issue in the vehicle and you can deal with that separately, but at least then you will have narrowed it down a little.
                    Ric

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by drivesafe View Post
                      .

                      If the battery has dropped a cell, the voltage would have dropped to around 10.5v not 12 so it actually sounds like you may have a problem with something else in your set up, like a bad earth somewhere, or your isolator is not working properly.
                      I am thinking it may be more along the lines of a fault within your isolator too....



                      Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
                      D4D Prado GXL - 2014. 2" OME lift, ARB Deluxe Winch bar, ARB under body protection plates, ARB EZ Deflator, Weaco fridge, Matsen fridge on slide, BFG A/T's, ARB CKMA12 compressor, Oztrail side awning with LED lights PLUS canvas extension, Lightforce XGT's.. Oricom UHF380, GME AE4017

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Lorenzo,

                        Your aux shouldn't loose any charged whilst driving, do the same test as above
                        but leave the engine idling when you pull up and then measure the battery voltages, both
                        batteries should read then same and be about 13.9V at idle.

                        The .2V you mention above is too much drop for a setup like yours and I would
                        be checking the cabling and isolator for faults, if your dropping .2V across your
                        isolator I would be swapping it out for one of drivesafe's units.

                        Your battery is a little small but you should be able to get 48Hrs out of your battery
                        at around zero degrees, you will not be able to get 48Hrs run though if you are using
                        it as a freezer.

                        Another option you might like to consider if you have to replace your battery is to install
                        an Optima battery, I have had a few users of my booster diode now feedback that they can
                        recharge their Optima batteries from flat to fully charged in a little over an hours driving, mind
                        you nothing beats having plenty of AH capacity to start with but at least this setup allows for
                        a very quick recharge time.

                        Cheers
                        LeighW
                        LeighW
                        Avid PP Poster!
                        Last edited by LeighW; 03-05-2012, 10:15 AM.
                        HKB Electronics, manufacturer of the Alternator Voltage Booster, Silver 2008 D4D,Lifted,Underbody protection, Alternator Voltage Booster, Tiger Z winch, Lightforce DL, Air Horns, Tanami Drawers, Drop down fridge slide, Outback cargo barriers, Rotronics dual Battery system, Polaris GPS, HF/UHF/VHF, Radio speaker combiner, Long ranger water tank, Diff breathers, Inverter, Snorkel and others

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Leigh,
                          finally have dual battery system up and running in my 120 series. Just wanted to thank you as I found answers to all my questions, and solutions to all my hurdles by reading your replys to other forum members. Used one of your boosters purchased off ebay. Couldn't be happier, seconds to fit and worked just like you said.

                          Thanks again
                          PARSO

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            If you have a 240V/12V battery charger, isolate you auxilary batter and charge it to full capacity. When full, you should get a no load voltage reading of 12.6V after the battery has been loaded to remove the skin charge or left for a few hours to sit.

                            I have an exide ST575 that when discharged by a fridge to 50% or less will only charge up to a point where the unloaded voltage is 12.48V. The only way to get the battery to full charge is to us a separate battery charger or smart DC-DC charger. To charge a 130Ah agm from full discharge to full charge using the float charge (constant voltage) method, it take in the order of 24+ hours. If you boost charge at 0.2C, the time si 10-15 hours.
                            2019 GXL, Bullbar, UHF, Redarc Brake Controller, Tow Bar, Secondary Fuel Filter

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Hi gxl_d4d, a fully charged battery will have a loaded voltage reading of 12.7v and up to 13.2v for a no load ( OPEN CIRCUIT ) voltage reading and you are getting mixed up between two difference voltage modes, float charge and a constant voltage charge.

                              Alternators are constant voltage charging devices and can have constant voltage levels of up to 14.7v

                              An alternator can also run at 13.2v ( and even lower in some new vehicles ), but if the battery is in a low state of charge, 13.2v will still be a charging voltage, not a float voltage.

                              Whereas a float voltage level is only used to maintain a FULLY CHARGED battery, and the recommended float level varies for different batteries, 13.3v for flooded wet cell batteries, 13.4v for Standby AGMs and 13.7v gels.

                              One last point, taking a battery designed to be deep cycled, below 50% SoC does not effect it’s ability to fully charge in a reasonable time, in fact, when charging with an alternator, you will actually replace the bulk of the used capacity of a LOW battery in a far shorter time than by any other device.

                              With any battery discharged down to just 85%, it is going to take a fair bit of time to get it to a fully charged state.

                              There are exceptions, like Optima batteries, which can be fully charged with 13.65v in a short period of time but can have a float charge of up to 13.8v

                              By using one of LeighW’s booster fuses, you raise the CHARGING voltage of an alternator, which in turn reduces the charging time needed.

                              When charging low batteries while driving, no mater what type of charging method you use, it is highly unlikely you will ever fully charge standard type batteries in the driving time most people do.

                              As such, all vehicle batteries will benefit from a periodical charge with a 240VAC battery charger.

                              Comment

                              canli bahis siteleri bahis siteleri ecebet.net
                              mencisport.com
                              antalya escort
                              tsyd.org deneme bonusu veren siteler
                              deneme bonusu veren siteler
                              gaziantep escort
                              gaziantep escort
                              asyabahis maltcasino olabahis olabahis
                              erotik film izle Rus escort gaziantep rus escort
                              atasehir escort tuzla escort
                              sikis sex hatti
                              en iyi casino siteleri
                              deneme bonusu veren siteler
                              casibom
                              deneme bonusu veren siteler
                              deneme bonusu veren siteler
                              betticket istanbulbahis
                              Working...
                              X