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JET View Drop Down
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Joined: 13 Jan 2017
Location: Ashland, Oregon
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Posts: 72 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Battery levels???
    Posted: 19 Mar 2017 at 9:49am
I have only owned my 178 a couple of months. When I bought it I had two 6v Interstate GC batteries installed. Since I bought it I have left it plugged into my house electrical full time to keep the batteries charged. I noticed that on a few occasions when I have the electrical unplugged the monitor panel will show the battery level going from full charge to the next light down (2/3 charge) in a matter of minutes. I had to take the pod back to the selling dealer to have a few things checked and mentioned this to the service department. When I picked up the trailer they didn't mention any problem they found (I should have asked specifically but didn't). I wasn't too worried about the reading as I figured the monitor panel wasn't probably all that accurate and getting a digital volt meter was one of the many things on my list to buy. And seeing how I was not dry camping this monitor reading was not very high on my priority. 

However I just finished a 10 day trip from my home in southern Oregon to Joshua Tree. I still didn't dry camp but I noticed towards the end of the trip my monitor would show my battery level at 1/3 to 2/3 charge WHILE plugged into the power shore at the camp grounds. So once I got home I noticed my monitor was still reading 2/3 charge WHILE connected to my house electrical. I got a digital meter and checked the readings. While connected to the house electrical my meter reads the battery levels at 11.9 to 12.0. Checking the two 6 volt batteries individually while connected to the house they read 5.8-5.9 individually. 

I know nothing about this area but researching this online it looks like my batteries are pretty much totally discharged (down to 20%?) while on the electrical supply. They should read closer to 14.0 connected?

1) Any ideas what is wrong? 

2) What should the battery volt read at 100% ? At 50%? etc.

3) I am going to call the service department Monday. It sounds like I have a charging problem and that I might have already severely compromised my new batteries by them being discharged to very low levels already if I am interpreting how to read the volt meter and what it should read. Should I demand new batteries if I do have some sort of charging problem?

John 
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CharlieM View Drop Down
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Posts: 1797 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2017 at 10:39am
First, the supplied 4 LED battery indicator in junk. The top light only means the battery is being charged. The third light is not 2/3, but usually means the battery is full but not being charged. Seeing the indicator drop to 3 lights after unplugging is normal. The lowest light usually means you left the battery at home Wink. A digital voltmeter, connected right at the battery after an hour of no drain, is the best truth teller short of a hydrometer. A fully charged battery will read ~ 13.6V and a 50% battery will read ~12.0V. If the battery does not show above 13V while plugged in I'd suspect the converter/charger.

EDIT: The fully charged battery will read ~12.6V when not being charged.
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Posts: 611 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2017 at 10:49am
Amazon books has a book you need to read --"12volt bible for boats" for around $15.  Won't take long and will help you understand batteries.
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Posts: 451 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2017 at 12:27pm
I wonder is the R-Pod converter has the "juice" to bring the golf cart 6 Volt batteries to full capacity. 80% bilk charge is fast but that last 20% takes a long time, and it would take a long long time for a high capacity amp hour battery like a true deep cycle GC battery.

 I would look into whether or not the R-Pod stock converter has the output needed to top off those batteries. Remember that the Pod was designed with one 12 volt marine/RV battery in mind. 
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CharlieM View Drop Down
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Posts: 1797 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2017 at 1:14pm
Originally posted by ToolmanJohn

I wonder is the R-Pod converter has the "juice" to bring the golf cart 6 Volt batteries to full capacity. I would look into whether or not the R-Pod stock converter has the output needed to top off those batteries.

Yes it does. Works fine. Just takes a bit longer with a higher capacity battery. Overnight should recharge completely.
Charlie
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Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2017 at 1:25pm
Originally posted by ToolmanJohn

I wonder is the R-Pod converter has the "juice" to bring the golf cart 6 Volt batteries to full capacity. 80% bilk charge is fast but that last 20% takes a long time, and it would take a long long time for a high capacity amp hour battery like a true deep cycle GC battery.

 I would look into whether or not the R-Pod stock converter has the output needed to top off those batteries. Remember that the Pod was designed with one 12 volt marine/RV battery in mind. 


It absolutely does. The normal charging time for FLA batteries works exactly like that, 1st 80% is bulk, the last 20% slows. The factory WFCO charger is capable of 55A or more then 25% of the rated aH capacity of a pair of gc2's.. actually a near perfect match.

The math of it is, you want to max charge at a rate of about 1.9A per cell, you have 6 cells, so you need a little less then 12A.. far less then the 55A capability.

Some charging explanation..
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CharlieM View Drop Down
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Posts: 1797 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2017 at 3:23pm
Originally posted by furpod


It absolutely does. The normal charging time for FLA batteries works exactly like that, 1st 80% is bulk, the last 20% slows. The factory WFCO charger is capable of 55A or more then 25% of the rated aH capacity of a pair of gc2's.. actually a near perfect match.

The math of it is, you want to max charge at a rate of about 1.9A per cell, you have 6 cells, so you need a little less then 12A.. far less then the 55A capability.

Some charging explanation..



Furpod,

The referenced article is apparently for a very small battery. The usual suggested charge rate is C/10 or 22A for a 220AH battery. This current is for any number of cells in series because the current is equal in all series connected cells. As you add cells the voltage increases, not the current. Thus a 12V 6 cell battery would be charged at ~14V@22A for the bulk phase.
Charlie
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Posts: 18 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2017 at 5:55pm
Fully charged, disconncted from the charger after an hour, you should see around 12.65V.  Under initial bulk charge you should see over 14V+ and on float around 13.2~13.6V depending on the charger.  Your plugged-in numbers indicate the converter/charger is not functioning at all.  Check breakers/fuses including the pair on the board directly. Do you see ANY activity on the converter/charger? Fan? A voltage change when pod is plugged in?

You batteries are below 50% charge which is ok to be at today, but not ok to leave them that way over time or there will be damage.  If you're not taking the thing in to have the charger looked at this week, you need to find "any" 12V charger and charge them sooner than later.  A generic 10A automotive one will do.  At a minimum, disconnect them now so the various vampire loads (propane detector, anything you've added, possibly even a defective converter) do not draw them down any futher.  Also check your water levels now and after its fixed.
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Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2017 at 6:21pm
Originally posted by CharlieM

Originally posted by furpod


It absolutely does. The normal charging time for FLA batteries works exactly like that, 1st 80% is bulk, the last 20% slows. The factory WFCO charger is capable of 55A or more then 25% of the rated aH capacity of a pair of gc2's.. actually a near perfect match.

The math of it is, you want to max charge at a rate of about 1.9A per cell, you have 6 cells, so you need a little less then 12A.. far less then the 55A capability.

Some charging explanation..



Furpod,

The referenced article is apparently for a very small battery. The usual suggested charge rate is C/10 or 22A for a 220AH battery. This current is for any number of cells in series because the current is equal in all series connected cells. As you add cells the voltage increases, not the current. Thus a 12V 6 cell battery would be charged at ~14V@22A for the bulk phase.


Sorry, you are right, the proper info is on that site somewhere.. I get lost sometimes there.. Part of why I like the "12v side of life" site better.. but he didn't go into as much detail as university..

But even then, again, with 55A available.. it's covered.
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Mar 2017 at 8:34pm
Agree that the converter sounds like it is bad, or has blown its main fuse.  Get your batts on a car charger to get them up quickly.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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