Battery @ 11.75v under sustained 8 amp load

[sailorboy1]

You know, all that may really needs to be done in this case to get the batteries truly fully charged once a week.

[chala]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I've come to the belief that it is essentially not possible to fully recharge normal lead acid batteries from Solar, no matter how big the array

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

He has an On/Off regulator it won't do a typical absorption or float it just bounces between an On voltage and an Off voltage once the target voltage has been attained.

It is why bypassing the regulator and charging to 15.1 V will fully recharge normal lead acid batteries. At this voltage the battery need to isolated from the rest of the electrical installation easy to be done if you have all ready 3 batteries. A 40 to 60 W solar panel will do the job better. Taking reading of the charging current at that voltage will give an indication on the ageing of the battery. At least twice a year a charge with a good battery charger will be beneficial to the battery. I have an ACDelco I-7012 that do an excellent job. Be aware that the terminal voltage of that charger is around 16V dc so it is imperative that the battery in charge be disconnected from the rest of the electrical installation.

[sailorboy1]

I just turn the key off and then back on to take it out of float and back into bulk and absorption (because I haven't gotten around to reprogramming the alternator).

[Panacea2183]

Originally Posted by ramblinrod

A constant 8 A load is quite high (200 Ahrs / day).

However, we just completed a 3 week trip in the 1000 islands and it was so hot our fridge compressor ran almost continuous. (4 year old Nova Cool ice box conversion.)

That being said, with a fully charged 340 Ahr flooded wet cell bank, by the next morning we would read 12.5 volts. We would charge via solar and alternator to read 12.6 Vdc by about 8 pm. By the next morning we would read 12.3 Vdc (Compressor running for all measurements.)

If your batteries are good, I suspect you are not fully charged when your Victron meter indicates you are.

Questioning my victron as well

Have just completed solar instal 780 watts
Have read many threads as well as the manual etc.
Supposed to not read full charge until absorption Votage is reached and tail amperage is 2% of bank capacity (900a/hrs)
It still says 100% charged even when absorption voltage has not been reached
It's just counting a/hrs.

I use a lot of juice! Mostly from ice maker running on the inverter (got to have ice for the sun downers)
Victron still says full charge even though I've never reached absorption voltage?

Will equalize when I get back on shore power and re check.
Still questioning Victron meter

[Stu Jackson]

In addition to the earlier link to Maine Sail's how to program a battery monitor, I've posted this one, too, hundreds of times:

For everyone installing a battery monitor: The "Gotcha Algorithm" thread, a "MUST READ"

Link-series Charging Algorithms -- The "Gotcha" Factor!

DEFAULTS are factory settings that are made to be modified to suit your setup.

Also read this one:

Programming a Battery Monitor (by Maine Sail) same as last link

Keeping Your Battery Monitor More Accurate Photo Gallery by Compass Marine How To at pbase.com

Mike, you really oughta start working on that fridge. I forget if you cleaned up the coils on the condesner.

We just had a rcent issue with our fridge at the start of our cruise from SF to Vancouver Island.

Here's the story,m but the real TROUBLE I've been having with my fridge, for 10 years of what my friend and I call FRIDGE FOLLIES was the sucky old electronic module on the fridge. For $223 you can replace it.

Adler Barbour Replacement Electronic Modules

Might save you $1600 for a new fridge system.

Of course, insulation helps, but with out 16C temps here on the coast of Northern California, heading into Oregon and Washington, I think I'll pass.

Good luck.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

In addition to the earlier link to Maine Sail's how to program a battery monitor, I've posted this one, too, hundreds of times:

...
Mike, you really oughta start working on that fridge. I forget if you cleaned up the coils on the condesner.

We just had a rcent issue with our fridge at the start of our cruise from SF to Vancouver Island.

Here's the story,m but the real TROUBLE I've been having with my fridge, for 10 years of what my friend and I call FRIDGE FOLLIES was the sucky old electronic module on the fridge. For $223 you can replace it.

Adler Barbour Replacement Electronic Modules

Might save you $1600 for a new fridge system.

Thanks for these Stu. I've been off swinging from our anchor for the past week or so. So, just catching up here.

Yes, I managed to clean the condenser .... somewhat. Not perfect by any means, but made a big improvement. Still runs heavy, but at least it cycles somewhat. We've been having very hot and humid weather here on the lower Great Lakes this season, which has exacerbated the problems. Up on Lake Superior I never noticed the problem ... probably b/c it's so cold up there all the time anyway.

I'll look into the electronic module swap. I'd rather not spend a couple of boat bucks on a new fridge if I can avoid it. But further to this thread, I'm planning to install a new MPPT as soon as I can. But I also think I've got a dud battering in the mix. We definitely have a lot less amp-hrs than we're supposed to.

Anyway, we're out cruising ... probably for another month. I'll nurse my system along till then.

[MarkJ]

Good read from Stu on the Link monitors.

I have one

But

Its only a monitor it DOESN'T DO ANYTHING.
It doesnt tell your chargers when to slow down, it doesnt control anything.

I still think that the best thing is after sunset turn everything off, chargers off, wind off, all lights, fridges etc off, everything.

Wait in the dark in the cockpit drinking rum for 1 hour then check your battery voltage both with your monitor but also your multimeter in the cigarette socket, etc.

I do it every so often, about once per fortnight.

[sailorboy1]

Rum fixes many problems