Tress
Virginia
Full Member
Joined: 07/22/2007
View Profile
 Offline
|
How does one determine if there AGM batts have been overcharged? I have a voltmeter and batt monitor thats not connected right now but dont know how to measure overcharge. There are no visual signs, i.e. splits or leakage but when the batt monitor was connected it was reading a 0.6 positive charge and the manual says it should read 0 when batts are full, or negative otherwise. Thanks in advance for any input...
|
smkettner
Southern California
Senior Member
Joined: 03/21/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
What is the battery brand? What is the charging voltage? How many hours at this voltage?
Generally if you are charging at the proper voltage, most likely they are fully charged when accepting just 0.6 amps.
Just disconnect from the charger and use them. Don't worry unless there is a problem.
AGM can stand a lot of charging abuse. If they were truly ruined by overcharging they probably would have vented and would be rather hot. You would know. My experience is with Optima D31T and I found undercharging is easier to do than overcharge.
2001 F150 SuperCrew 5.4 Lariat Offroad 4x4 Tow Package 4.10 Truetrac
2006 Keystone Springdale 249FWBHLS
12K SuperGlide, KGE3000Ti 2.3kw rated 2.6kw max
Frank's voltage booster, Prosine 1800 powered by 4 GC2 batteries
|
Oswald38
3rd Rock
Senior Member
Joined: 12/04/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
You just got the most solid answer you will unless there is some unmentioned variable like a weak or dead cell in that AGM. Just ain't likely.
Show me something that does what AGM does it terms of value over flooded and I'll take that next challenge from John McCain. Respond if you get it.
|
Tress
Virginia
Full Member
Joined: 07/22/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
smkettner wrote:What is the battery brand? What is the charging voltage? How many hours at this voltage?
Generally if you are charging at the proper voltage, most likely they are fully charged when accepting just 0.6 amps.
Just disconnect from the charger and use them. Don't worry unless there is a problem.
AGM can stand a lot of charging abuse. If they were truly ruined by overcharging they probably would have vented and would be rather hot. You would know. My experience is with Optima D31T and I found undercharging is easier to do than overcharge.
Sorry, the bank consists of (2) 300ah 6v Lifeline batts, the charging voltage is around 14.5, and it was charged for maybe 3 hours at this voltage. Long story short, the 4 stage 40amp digital charge controller i installed was charging the batts as lead acid no matter what i set the batt selector switch to. I only ran the charge controller for around 3 or 4 hours over a few days before i disconnected and returned the charge controller, but then i got paranoid that perhaps i overcharged in the process, but it sounds like i should be ok, thanks a lot for the info!!!
|
wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
Senior Member
Joined: 07/04/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
A slight overcharge will shorten battery life some but not do much otherwise
If you seriously overcharge.... You will not need to ask questions.. You will just need to clean up the mess.
I do recommend you get a GOOD digital voltmeter, They can be a real battery saver
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
|
|
|
Hurricaner
Hurricane Utah
Senior Member
Joined: 02/17/2007
View Profile
|
It is pretty much impossible to do any damage in only 3 to 4 hours at 14.5 volts but that is too high for much longer.
Sam
Sam & Kari
Hurricane, Utah
2004 34' Damon Challenger 315
|
K-mann
Lex, KY
New Member
Joined: 05/23/2008
View Profile
|
Looking for something I can mount in my rig to monitor my battery.
wa8yxm wrote:I do recommend you get a GOOD digital voltmeter, They can be a real battery saver
What is a good digital voltmeter? Make, model, etc.
Where does one get a good digital voltmeter?
|
ozhoo
Anza Borrego Desert
Full Member
Joined: 03/06/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
K-mann wrote:Looking for something I can mount in my rig to monitor my battery.
wa8yxm wrote:I do recommend you get a GOOD digital voltmeter, They can be a real battery saver
What is a good digital voltmeter? Make, model, etc.
Where does one get a good digital voltmeter?
You can't go wrong with a Trimetric.
O
2003 F350
2003 KZ36P2
650 watts of solar feeding (2) networked Blue Sky 3024i CC, charging 660aH Lifeline AGM bank
Know before you tow- Towing Laws by State
Energy conservation is 5-10 times the value of generation. Check your appliances at EnergyStar.GOV
|
smkettner
Southern California
Senior Member
Joined: 03/21/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
For $20 this meter is fine for RV use - Sears Craftsman
LCD panel meter Shop around for a better price.
|
Tress
Virginia
Full Member
Joined: 07/22/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
wa8yxm wrote:A slight overcharge will shorten battery life some but not do much otherwise
If you seriously overcharge.... You will not need to ask questions.. You will just need to clean up the mess.
I do recommend you get a GOOD digital voltmeter, They can be a real battery saver
Well the problem is if the batts were compromised in any way because of overcharging im going to go the company that sold me the multistage charger and demand new batts. They sold me a unit that was defective and if it overcharged my batts then they should replace them!....
|
|
|
