Date: Fri, 3 Aug 2007 22:01:54 -0400
Reply-To: Benny boy <huotb@VIDEOTRON.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Benny boy <huotb@VIDEOTRON.CA>
Subject: Re: Deep Cycle Batteries
I know, i'm late... but i have the need to give you my late feedback.
First, great stuff Dennis, also, this is a great link:
http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm#Major%20Battery%20Types
Anyway, to MY long story:
Before, i owned Bus's, no fridge, so i had a Koolatron 12 V fridge, about
3-5 amp hour, my first so call Marine - DC was very good at the beginning
(1.5 year), the fridge could work for more than 2 days... after 1.5 years,
not even a day! so that says alot on direct Alternator charge to a DC-
Marine battery. So i bought a new one... lasted 1.5 year. Done!
Ok, my van is now equiped with two starting baterry, why, well, a few
reasons, first, they are both new, bought a the same place at the same
time... they simply love each other and love car alternator! For normal use,
they are cheap and perfect. OK! Not finish!
Last week, i was ready to go camping and see some whales, but on one
condition, Sylvia, my girl as to finis her MBA, so, she was in need of her
computer, ok, me!!! not camping with RV, ho NO! so, we have to find a
solution (no AC)... we need power for 4 to 6 days, well, it as been 6 days.
So here my story.
I had an almost new ands WELL charge Marive-DP battery, it was written on
it:115 amp-hour group 31... ok! so i check the computer for amp draw...
about 4-6 max. So ok, let say that if i can go half way (19 hours divided
by 2) that should give me a good day on one battery!!! NOT good enough but i
have no choice... let's try and see... so, i go there (in my to short
Vacation) and she work wile i go see whales... after a day she tell me, the
blue ligh is still ON (on the little 12V adaptor for computer, great little
gadget by the way), i say, ok, i know, she is probably going down soon, i
will go buy one tomorrow and we will ask a the office if we can charge one
everyday, we we swap them!
Ok, short story, i go buy one, a good one, fully charge... but i tell her,
get the fist one empty first... i'm curious... 2.5 days and the little light
is still ON ???? ok, i tell her use the second one i will go have the first
one charge...(i have a Deep Cycle charger with me), the charger says: 44%
left??? ok, at 15 amp/hour it should take about 4-5 hours... it did! the
first one is now fully charge. we never had to charge the second one, it
lasted the remaining of the trip, 6 days, and yes, sadly, Sylvia worked all
week on her computer, but hey, in front of her, for inspiration she had the
Saint - Lawrence river with whales jumping as a bonus for a view... better
than an office.
Conclusion: i have none! just some facts. I do think that batteries need the
right charger. Don't forget one thing, i still do electric model airplane
and helicopter, we now use LIPO (Lithium) battery, i have seen the evolution
of battery all my life (i owned hobby shop)... from NiCd to NiMh to now
LIPO... At first, we use to overcharge LIPO, they would simply explode. The
Hobby business if far ahead of the real world.
So, Deep Cycle, starting, GEL... Pfffffff... it all depend of your need and
electric consumption. The right way of charging VS how they are isolated
from each others. Of course Starting Battery don't like deep discharge,
well, will you discharge them all the way down??? GEL don't like Starting
battery, don't mix them! Marine don'T like Alternator, well, do something
about it... regulate the charge or charge them with a good charger.
On the other hand, DC can live with an alternator for a year or 2, they are
cheap... but, they are big! GEL are small, can be discharged, but don't like
other kind of battery... they is NO perfect world.
Benny
http://www.benplace.com/
On Sun, 29 Jul 2007 11:36:37 -0400, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
wrote:
>Of the battery choices out there, a conventional flooded cell will be the
>most tolerant of use and abuse and provide the longest life. Most of the
>12 volt deep cycle batteries or beefed up starting batteries and still
>have short lives of one or 2 seasons. The golf cart batteries are a lot
>more tolerant of heavy use.
>
>
>
>Of the common, reasonable price brands, Trojans are probably the best.
>Best plates and a lot of active material in the plates. Yes there are
>better such as Rolls Surrette but bring money.
>
>
>
>AGM and Gel batteries is still emerging technologies and the advertising
>is a lot of hype. While sold as sealed, they are truly sealed. All of them
>have some type of pressure relief vent. Temperature changes can cause the
>vents to weep and once the electrolyte is lost it can not be replaced.
>Most cell failures are the result of dry out. Unless you truly have an
>application requiring a sealed battery, they are not worth the money.
>
>
>
>Any battery can boil, off gas from a failure, whatever. For an RV
>application, the batteries should be installed in some type of sealed and
>vented compartment, especially if you plan to sleep while the batteries
>are being charged. This is not always practical so consider a flammable
>gas detector. They will pick up hydrogen. Plastic battery boxes are
>available for most any sized battery. They can be placed under the seat
>and you can install drain and vent of desired. At least if a battery boils
>out, the acid will be contained.
>
>
>
>For wiring and charging, the circuit needs to sized for both charging the
>battery and any load connected to it. This includes inverters. The GC-2
>will pull about 40 amps off the alternator during the bulk charge. Add you
>other loads. Best results will also be a direct line from the alternator.
>#6 gauge. Also, you want a truly reliable relay. Most important that it
>disconects when expected. You want double break contacts like in those
>solenoid type cans. Not a small lighting relay.
>
>
>
>Dennis
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