Author Topic: Battery acting funny  (Read 1928 times)

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Electron Pump

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Battery acting funny
« on: April 06, 2009, 05:55:23 PM »
  I've had the windmill down for a couple days now for maintnance. So the batteries have been at rest. I haven't used them any either. I had 2 t-105's and the day before I took the windmill down I added two more. So I now have four of 'em.

  This is the weird part. When I go out to check the volts I turn the meter on and it zeroes and goes to about 12.9 ish. The it starts counting upwards. In hundredths first by twos and threes and settling back to singles, or one hundredth at a time, for a minute or so finally slowing and stopping and holding at 13.7v.

  If it is at rest shoulndt it be settling down and not up? I took SG and the first two batteries floated two balls and the second two batteries floated three. I had recently added distilled water to the first two before I bought the two others so I suspect that the solution has not yet mixed to give me two floaters. They was full when I added the water.
« Last Edit: April 06, 2009, 05:55:23 PM by (unknown) »

tanner0441

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Re: Battery acting funny
« Reply #1 on: April 06, 2009, 12:34:43 PM »
Hi


I had a similar experience on a boat with parralaled batteries and it was corrosion on the terminals, when I prodded it with the metter it was connecting the batteries via the probe, whether it went up or down depended on which terminal I hit first...


Took over an hour to find though, all cause the new battery had had the terminals sprayed with corosion inhibitor and the link wire was being reused.


Brian

« Last Edit: April 06, 2009, 12:34:43 PM by tanner0441 »

Electron Pump

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Re: Battery acting funny
« Reply #2 on: April 06, 2009, 12:47:36 PM »
  Ya know the newer batteries had a sloppy greasy felt o-ring on the posts that I took off. And the posts were greasy. If I cleaned all That stuff off do you think it will fix the issue? What did you do to fix it?
« Last Edit: April 06, 2009, 12:47:36 PM by Electron Pump »

CmeBREW

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Re: Battery acting funny
« Reply #3 on: April 06, 2009, 02:15:12 PM »
I have a voltmeter (little multi-meter) that shows higher voltage readings like that when it's tiny 12v batt starts getting 'no good'. (low Volts)


Might want to check that.

« Last Edit: April 06, 2009, 02:15:12 PM by CmeBREW »

Electron Pump

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Re: Battery acting funny
« Reply #4 on: April 06, 2009, 03:06:04 PM »
  I can go do that right now! Thats something that needs to be done anyway.
« Last Edit: April 06, 2009, 03:06:04 PM by Electron Pump »

Ungrounded Lightning Rod

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Re: Battery acting funny
« Reply #5 on: April 06, 2009, 03:50:06 PM »
That felt O ring contains a corrosion inhibitor.  You should have left it on.  The goo on the post is probably more of the same.  Your clamp should cut right through it automatically if you tightened it properly.


You can buy them cheap at an auto supply.


(I hear they use different corrosion inhibitors on the two posts so don't try to put the old ones back on if you still have them.  The ones from auto supplies are color-coded for polarity.)

« Last Edit: April 06, 2009, 03:50:06 PM by Ungrounded Lightning Rod »

Disco Stu

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Re: Battery acting funny
« Reply #6 on: April 06, 2009, 05:34:00 PM »
good morning.

id say check the battery in your multimeter. ive had this happen to me before and removed alternators off a truck for no reason...
« Last Edit: April 06, 2009, 05:34:00 PM by Disco Stu »

Electron Pump

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Re: Battery acting funny
« Reply #7 on: April 06, 2009, 06:35:11 PM »
  I thought I had one of those batteries here but I dont. I've got a call out to my better half and she is supposed to stop in and pick one up for me on the way home. I'll bet thats the problem.
« Last Edit: April 06, 2009, 06:35:11 PM by Electron Pump »

Electron Pump

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Re: Battery acting funny
« Reply #8 on: April 07, 2009, 08:43:04 AM »
Yup.... That was it fellas! The voltage was a little lower than I thought. I went ahead and put her on the plug-in charger. At charge rate now she is right at 13.75, 90%.

  Weather service here now says Thursday is going to see some more 40 mph winds. I guess its that time of year, but I think I'm going to leave her down for a while. The last time they called for 40 mph winds I saw 58 riht here. My tower pole has a little bend up top to show it. I want to get some more ridgid guy wires on her before she goes back up and this is the perfict opportunity. The rope I was using was just to stretchy. It let her flop back and forth way to much. They saved it though. She wouldnt have made it with out them!
« Last Edit: April 07, 2009, 08:43:04 AM by Electron Pump »

zeusmorg

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Re: Battery acting funny
« Reply #9 on: April 07, 2009, 02:11:16 PM »
 Let me point out a few faults here.. First  you bought good batteries so go buy a REAL hygrometer. temperature compensated floating glass, not a floating ball. A tiny air bubble could cause a ball to float that shouldn't and they are to inaccurate to start with.

 Next new batteries are stored and shipped with some sort of protective coating on the terminals , this prevents discharging while stored, or slows it down. the felt washers are to prevent corrosion if there is a bad seal/leak around the terminal.They can neutralize any acid that leaks there.


 Electrical connections should be clean and dry, and kept that way. DO NOT use grease,vaseline or any other non drying coating on terminals.It can run in between terminals when it gets warm.insulating them.


 I use a drying rubberized coating to keep corrosion down. paint works ok but the rubberized coating peels off easily.


 To test a connection, use a multimeter on each side of your terminals,(one on batt. term. 1 on cable clamp) there should be no resistance.


 For more procedures refer to my battery FAQ in the FAQ's section.

« Last Edit: April 07, 2009, 02:11:16 PM by zeusmorg »

Madscientist267

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Re: Battery acting funny
« Reply #10 on: April 07, 2009, 03:38:00 PM »
Don't laugh too hard, but I have a Fluke that did that once - small amount of moisture got inside it and it didn't work right until I 'baked' it at ~200deg F for 15 minutes, and then letting it finish drying out wrapped in a few paper towels (or anything that will absorb any remaining humidity as it evaporates).


If changing the battery doesnt work and you notice the same phenomena on other DC sources, try that. Take the board out of the case and remove the battery so you dont melt anything and give it a try... sounds nuts but it worked for me.


Just watch the temperature. If you're skiddish of 200, let it cool off a few minutes before you put it in the oven, then let it sit as it cools the rest of the way.


Worked like a champ; meter still working just fine to this day.


Steve

« Last Edit: April 07, 2009, 03:38:00 PM by Madscientist267 »
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