Over Charging Batteries

Submitted: Wednesday, Jul 08, 2015 at 15:18

ThreadID: 119427 Views:4061 Replies:5 FollowUps:9

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Caravan & Camper Battery Charging

Our modern lifestyle and need for electric and electronic products to accompany us on holidays and on our travels has brought us to have independent power in our caravans and campers when away from

PAm &Chris

Has anyone com across this problem

This morning when I turned the caravan lights on I found that I had a battery problem, when I opened the battery box the battery a 100ah glass mat had balloned. I believe this to be an over charging problem. I've been using a powersaver BC-012-15A for about 6 years through a surge arestor without trouble. As I have never received manuals on this bit of kit I don't know whether its a setting that has caused this or the unit is shot.
Any comments welcome
Chris

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Reply By: Notso - Wednesday, Jul 08, 2015 at 16:27

Wednesday, Jul 08, 2015 at 16:27

More likely an internal issue with the battery. After 6 years of successful use I guess the charger could also have gone belly up.

AnswerID: 556795

Follow Up By: PAm &Chris - Wednesday, Jul 08, 2015 at 17:13

Wednesday, Jul 08, 2015 at 17:13

AnswerID: 444192 Submitted: Friday, Feb 04, 2011 at 15:46
The battery in this link is identical to mine. Just found it through a Google search. Its two and a half years old and out of warrenty.

FollowupID: 843061

Reply By: oldtrack123 - Wednesday, Jul 08, 2015 at 22:34

Wednesday, Jul 08, 2015 at 22:34

Hi
I would certainly get the CHARGER checked before fitting new batteries
It has possibly failed to regulate & cooked the batteries [heavily overcharged ,one thing that AGMs cannot take]
PeterQ

AnswerID: 556801

Follow Up By: PAm &Chris - Wednesday, Jul 08, 2015 at 23:33

Wednesday, Jul 08, 2015 at 23:33

That will be my next step but who would be the best people to take it to? Can't see the point of putting in a new battery til I do.

FollowupID: 843069

Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Thursday, Jul 09, 2015 at 07:39

Thursday, Jul 09, 2015 at 07:39

PeterQ,

What you mean is don't charge the NEW battery, with the current charger until the charger has been tested, or replaced:-)

If the van battery has balooned, it is cactus anyway and a new one required.

Bill

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FollowupID: 843072

Follow Up By: oldtrack123 - Thursday, Jul 09, 2015 at 10:51

Thursday, Jul 09, 2015 at 10:51

HI Sandman
I suggest we are both saying the same thing!!!

PeterQ

FollowupID: 843076

Follow Up By: oldtrack123 - Thursday, Jul 09, 2015 at 20:05

Thursday, Jul 09, 2015 at 20:05

HI Chris
Try this ink for the manual
www.seatronic.no/pdf/Powersaver/powersaver_lader_eng.pdf
You can then check the settings ,

Apart from simulating the load characteristics of a battery connected to the Charger, the easiest way to check it is on a battery
using a volt & amp meter &observing to ensure it goes through ALL stages @ the correct voltages & time
Although those batterries are probably stuffed they may still be good enough to do those checks

FollowupID: 843092

Follow Up By: PAm &Chris - Thursday, Jul 09, 2015 at 20:22

Thursday, Jul 09, 2015 at 20:22

Thanks for the advice all, I've got an old battery at work, I'll will pull out the charger during the weekend and test it on Monday. I did notice that the unit has as switch on it for flooded and gel, if this switch is in the gel position would this cause the AGM battery to overcharge (i couldn't really see where the switch was set when I started to pull the battery out).

FollowupID: 843096

Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Thursday, Jul 09, 2015 at 20:45

Thursday, Jul 09, 2015 at 20:45

Chris,

It is possible that charging an AGM battery in the GEL mode could overcharge the battery.

In the GEL setting, the bulk charging voltage is around 15.5v against the normal AGM charging voltage of 14.2V. The higher voltage may well cause a problem with overcharging of the AGM battery, causing damage to it if the bulk charging phase is prolonged.

Bill

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Reply By: Member - Alastair D (NSW) - Friday, Jul 10, 2015 at 09:10

Friday, Jul 10, 2015 at 09:10

I would also check the specs of the battery to see what the maximum recommended charge current is. I have been surprised how low many of the cheaper AGMs are. I lost 2 AGMs prematurely due to my failure to check. One got too hot and failed after 2 years, one ballooned and only had about 1/3 capacity. I have only bought good quality since. Expensive but they last. I now use LiFeP04 batteries in the new truck which will happily charge at very high rates like 10C = ie 10 times capacity.

I would do as others have said, check the setting and if ok then check if it is correctly operating. Given that the charger has a rated max of 15A it would be surprising if it is the cause unless it has gone faulty.

AnswerID: 556835

Follow Up By: PAm &Chris - Friday, Jul 10, 2015 at 17:27

Friday, Jul 10, 2015 at 17:27

Thanks Alastair. Never heard of the battery charging rate before, just took it for granted that all batteries of the 12v type would charge at the same rate, I will be checking that a lot more closely in the future.
BTW what charger are you currently using?
Chris

FollowupID: 843142

Reply By: Member - Alastair D (NSW) - Saturday, Jul 11, 2015 at 08:39

Saturday, Jul 11, 2015 at 08:39

Further to the issue of limited charge current the following is a link to the specs for a Fullriver 105AH AGM which is considered as a fair quality deep cycle battery. Note the suggested 21A or less charge current. I was considering using these until I saw this limit. I did confirm it with the battery supplier.

http://www.batteriesdirect.com.au/files/products/DC105-121332110312_1.pdf

The remco equivalent suggests 30A max which is better but easy to exceed in vehicle if the battery is significantly discharged.

http://www.batteriesdirect.com.au/shop/product/4386/rm12-100dc.html

By contrast a Lifeline 105AH can be charged at a much higher rate 500A+. This is a Mil-spec battery and more expensive, but gives much better life and performance. This was the AGM I planned to use until I swapped to LiFeP04.

http://www.batteriesdirect.com.au/shop/product/4265/lifeline-12v-105ah-agm-battery.html

I have several chargers. For charging from the mains I have a Projecta 35A unit and several small Projecta or Ctek units to keep batteries on float. For the Li batteries it is a whole new world and not relevant here.

Nice thing about the Projecta is that it supports different types of batteries and you can set the maximum charge currents.

http://www.batteriesdirect.com.au/shop/product/10146/ic3500.html

Yet another can of worms that is fun to explore.

AnswerID: 556870

Follow Up By: PAm &Chris - Saturday, Jul 11, 2015 at 10:08

Saturday, Jul 11, 2015 at 10:08

What happened to the simple days?
It seems a life time ago that I could strip rebuild and maintain any car or motor, now I'm not even game to open the bonnet. Vans use to be simple once, just hook em up and away you go. I guess one day like cars, they'll be fully compurterized and you will need an engineering degree just to look at them.

FollowupID: 843158

Reply By: Peter_n_Margaret - Sunday, Jul 12, 2015 at 01:17

Sunday, Jul 12, 2015 at 01:17

It is my view that you can not overcharge a LA battery unless you offer excessive charge voltage. Offer excessive voltage and any amps will overcharge it.

I have used a Fullriver HGL AGM starter battery in the OKA for 6 years. It is offered 14.3V at up to 85A. It does not "overcharge".

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 Motorhome

AnswerID: 556896