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Old 04-13-2012, 08:27 AM   #1
Gkerlin
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beaufort
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Phase I Electric upgrade complete

Ok folks... I'm going to ask a stupid question in a minute but cut me some slack .

My experience with big battery banks has always been on crusing sailboats. I have 6 AGMs on mine now with all the goodies. I've been using AGM or Gels, for years. Never used lead acid on the boat as its just not a real safe alternative.

Just now got done putting in 4 Trojan T125's, hooked up my little inverter, installed the Trimetric Monitor, and cracked it all back up.

Everything is working great however my batteries are making a fair amount of bubbling noise. Sounds like club soda... or better yet - tonic water.

Right now my converter (Factory OEM unit) is on Bulk (absorb) mode so it's putting out 14.4v I'm going to assume that when it drops back down to 13.6 and then 13.1 they will quiet down but.....

My dumb question is.... how much noise do these suckers (lead acid batteries) make when charging at 14.4v? Is it normal to be able to hear them fizzing like that??

If so - another reason why you don't want them on a Cruising Sailboat - the battery bank is under a couch in the main cabin.

Other than that the install came out real nice. Got a plastic battery box that holds all 4 and put them up in the forward compartment. All the power posts, etc are in the same compartment and the inverter is on the other side of the wall in the basement.

When I ran the Trimetric wire up into the coach, I left a messenger string in place so when I upgrade and add panels, I'll have a line already in place to pull whatever wires, inverter controls or whatever i want to add on that wall.
 
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Old 04-13-2012, 10:20 AM   #2
racerjoe
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sounds like they may be overcharging. I don't think they should do that normally,you will boil out the acid. Is the converter working properly??
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Old 04-13-2012, 10:58 AM   #3
Gkerlin
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Well at first glance I'm wondering about the converter. Its been charging at 14.4v now for about 3hrs or so. According to the converter manual, the green led light should be on steady when in boost mode and then blink when the batteries are between 50% and 90%. The led is solid green. I'm going to give it some time and see if it settles in. I doubt the batteries are below 50% though since they are only taking about 6 amps.
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Old 04-13-2012, 12:16 PM   #4
Jolu
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Greg,
I can't speak for the amount of time the converter would take to charge 4 T-105s.
When I do an equalize charge on my Interstate batteries using the solar panels or using the Inverter/Charger the batteries will sit there and boil for a couple of hours. I use Watermiser Battery Caps. Theses caps are vented and can be left in place while equalizing. The equalizing charge puts 14.8 to 15 volts in. This boiling action breaks up all the scale that collects on the plates. This needs to happen from time to time. I do my equalize charge about every 2 to 3 months.
They do cook or boil while doing this. I was concerned the first time I did it. I'm used to it now. I don't use the converter at all.
Joe
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Old 04-13-2012, 02:49 PM   #5
Gkerlin
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I just went out and checked and I'm down to 13.6v which is the normal mode, so the converter is at least cycling. I'm sure all is probably fine.

I've just never heard batteries boil before. I'm going to get the Flow Rite battery filling system to make the maintenance easier. Like I said - I'm used to the set em and forget em AGMs so I need as easy and mindless a system as I can get.

My converter only goes to 14.4v so I'm not sure how folk equalize batteries using an OEM converter. I'll figure that out as we go down the road.

Thanks Joe for all of your help. Next step are the panels and larger inverter. Most likely later this summer after we get back from AZ.
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