Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: matt on October 03, 2007, 04:28:30 pm

Title: Battery ran out on me at lunch time
Post by: matt on October 03, 2007, 04:28:30 pm
i normally get 2 good long days out of it

it was charged all weekend

only last till lunch, so a bit of a short day today for me  :P
Title: Re: Battery ran out on me at lunch time
Post by: Nathanael Jones on October 03, 2007, 04:29:22 pm
Do the cells need a top up? Or maybe your charger is on the blink?
Title: Re: Battery ran out on me at lunch time
Post by: matt on October 03, 2007, 06:53:24 pm
im thinking its the cells to be honest, i will top it up this week when i find a sapre five mins, i sorted out my DI today
Title: Re: Battery ran out on me at lunch time
Post by: TERRY AB on October 03, 2007, 06:57:49 pm
Take it to halfords or a local garage and let them test it, they have a device that will put the battery under pressure (i.e. load it) if the batterys OK then it must be your charger.
Title: Re: Battery ran out on me at lunch time
Post by: Sir Squeaky on October 03, 2007, 07:03:15 pm
Mine lasts bugger all these days too Matt.
Must check the water levels, but I never get around to it.

I'm sure I've got some de-ionised water somewhere... ;D
Title: Re: Battery ran out on me at lunch time
Post by: Captain Scarlet on October 03, 2007, 07:05:04 pm
We have a solar panel trickle charger in the van to keep it topped up as we work, Luke
Title: Re: Battery ran out on me at lunch time
Post by: windowwashers on October 03, 2007, 09:28:59 pm
We have a solar panel trickle charger in the van to keep it topped up as we work, Luke
are you pulling our leg Luke or do you really have this, sounds a very good idea.
Title: Re: Battery ran out on me at lunch time
Post by: jouk45 on October 03, 2007, 09:42:03 pm
i have one to, heres where i bought it,
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=98358&C=Maplin&U=SearchTop&T=SOLAR%20PANELS&doy=3m10
Title: Re: Battery ran out on me at lunch time
Post by: jeff1 on October 03, 2007, 09:46:01 pm
You would need a solar panel the size of a transit van to be of any use.
Title: Re: Battery ran out on me at lunch time
Post by: windowwashers on October 03, 2007, 09:49:04 pm
You would need a solar panel the size of a transit van to be of any use.
cool have a relay and thats bigger  ;D Solar window cleaners now theres a thought  ;)
Title: Re: Battery ran out on me at lunch time
Post by: jeff1 on October 03, 2007, 09:51:17 pm
Why don't you go the full Hog and have a nuclear powered one, Nuk window cleaners  ;D
Title: Re: Battery ran out on me at lunch time
Post by: neil100 on October 03, 2007, 10:06:59 pm
Their are some very cheap batteries out their that are not designed for wfp. They will not last very long. I know I went through 5 batteries in 18 months. 3 x 85amp and 2 x 110 amp. my 2 x 110 amp batteries fully charged, a total of 220 amps could not last a morning.

Had them tested and told they were fine. a full discharge test was done on them.

I have an excellent battery charger , a £100 one so I know the charger is not the problem.

I never abused the battery as I allways recharge at the end of the day. After pulling my hair out in frustration I now have two high quality batteries that are in a totally diffrent league to the cheap Numax nasties.

If you use about 50% of the batteries amps in a day A Numax battery is only good for 150 recharges and then its as good as dead for all the use you will get out of it. Get the US27TMX 12VOLT 120AMP from Battery megastore it will give you 750 recharges. So it has a life span which will last 5 times longer then a numax battery at only twice its cost.

I have had my US27TMX 12VOLT 120AMP battery for 30 weeks and it gets hammered for 9 hours a day, 5 days a week but its as good as the day I bought it. Highly recommended.

My only tip which on a long testing period makes a diffrence to the batteries capacity is the way its charged. I have a Ctek 7000 battery charger and I can charge the battery to different voltages. I have tested one charging it up to 14.4 volts and the other to 14.7 volts. The 14.7 volt charge seams to make a big diffrence in keeping the batteries charge longer and stronger.

Nel.
Title: Re: Battery ran out on me at lunch time
Post by: jeff1 on October 03, 2007, 10:13:47 pm
Their are some very cheap batteries out their that are not designed for wfp. They will not last very long. I know I went through 5 batteries in 18 months. 3 x 85amp and 2 x 110 amp. my 2 x 110 amp batteries fully charged, a total of 220 amps could not last a morning.

Had them tested and told they were fine. a full discharge test was done on them.

I have an excellent battery charger , a £100 one so I know the charger is not the problem.

I never abused the battery as I allways recharge at the end of the day. After pulling my hair out in frustration I now have two high quality batteries that are in a totally diffrent league to the cheap Numax nasties.

If you use about 50% of the batteries amps in a day A Numax battery is only good for 150 recharges and then its as good as dead for all the use you will get out of it. Get the US27TMX 12VOLT 120AMP from Battery megastore it will give you 750 recharges. So it has a life span which will last 5 times longer then a numax battery at only twice its cost.

I have had my US27TMX 12VOLT 120AMP battery for 30 weeks and it gets hammered for 9 hours a day, 5 days a week but its as good as the day I bought it. Highly recommended.

My only tip which on a long testing period makes a diffrence to the batteries capacity is the way its charged. I have a Ctek 7000 battery charger and I can charge the battery to different voltages. I have tested one charging it up to 14.4 volts and the other to 14.7 volts. The 14.7 volt charge seams to make a big diffrence in keeping the batteries charge longer and stronger.

Nel.
Spot on Nel (you learn fast  ;))
all this advice is good advice, with a good battery, a good charger  and good charging routines, your batteries will last so much longer, I know I have a battery that is 8 years old and still going stong.
Follow nels advice and yours will last as long as mine.
Title: Re: Battery ran out on me at lunch time
Post by: neil100 on October 03, 2007, 10:30:55 pm
8 years Jeff, Put its name in lights.

Do you use wfp all day long? and how many days a week?

Just trying to ascertain how hard your battery has to work. Do you use 100 mtr Microbore hose? I am sure this takes more out of a battery then 50mtr 1/2" hose.

Nel
Title: Re: Battery ran out on me at lunch time
Post by: jeff1 on October 03, 2007, 10:40:25 pm
8 years Jeff, Put its name in lights.

Do you use wfp all day long? and how many days a week?

Just trying to ascertain how hard your battery has to work. Do you use 100 mtr Microbore hose? I am sure this takes more out of a battery then 50mtr 1/2" hose.

Nel
I use it every day I work about 4/5 hours, so its not used for that time so say 2/3rds is use.
I charge it every night, and if I'm not using it, it stays on charge even if I have a weeks holiday.
100m microbore hose is used with a varistream.

I used to use it in my caravan, it used to get hammerd for about 2 weeks in the year, I would fully charge it after use, let it stand for a week then recharge it for a couple of days and so on through out the winter. this keeps it in a fully charged state, so really its the maintanance of the battery that keep them going, I try to never fully discharge it as this is when your problems start.