Gel Batteries

How have you maintained it Ian?

Hi JD,

For the first few years it they were kept charged by a little Arlec charger with a Silicon Chip/Dick Smith kit regulator circuit added. This little regulator is brilliant. It includes a temperature compensation function that almost perfectly follows the battery manufacturer's float voltage Vs temperature recommendations.

However, last year the 'American' 12V supply in our Jayco 'van blew its brains out one day (bright blue flash and a small puff of smoke). And as all electronics gurus know, if you let the factory-installed puff of smoke escape from electronic components, they don't work too well anymore.

So I decided to replace both the 'American' and the Arlec charger with a Jaycar 12V 12A two-stage switch mode battery charger. This seems to be working well but can be a bit noisy at times. It's silent in 'float' mode but as soon as you turn on a bit of load, the cooling fan starts up. It doesn't seem to be a very high quality fan as it buzzes annoyingly at times. Might see if I can replace it 'one of these days'... Or perhaps put two 12V fans in series so they run slower but still move a bit of air.

Hope this helps,
Ian

Must be heaps of lead in it, did you have to reinforce the chassis of the truck????

I carry it on a special trailer with the feezers.

That would be one of the first batch of batteries they ever made.
Just before they realised that the buggers would last FOREVER and they would be out of business in 6 months.
They redesigned to second batch to the specifications we are aware of today. 12months to 4 yrs life expectancy and business is booming...

Easy

It sits in our defender, moved only a couple of times a week, till school holidays when we go touring. Last year it got a bit more of a run doing the Simpson Desert, The Canning Stock route and WA travel home on the Anne Beadell. So it got a bit of a shake up still no problems.Image Could Not Be Found