[traps7]

Hi guys.

My 110 amp leisure leisure battery is about 8 months old and up until last week was lasting me 5 days work no problem. But for the last 2 weeks it has only lasted 3 or 4 days before needing charging. I havn't increased my flow or changed anything. The water covers the plates in every cell and the little looking eye still shows green.

It doesn't go completely flat, just flat enough for the pump controller to flash 'bat' and cut the pump on and off.
Have had to rig a backup via the cigar socket for when it lets me down.

I don't really want to have to charge midweek when it's been working fine for 8 months.

Any ideas anyone?

[Ian Lancaster]

Assuming your pump/controller system draws 7 amps, a 110ah battery in perfect condition will operate the system for 15.7 hours from fully charged.

Do the maths - is  yours performing well?

[wizard]

Check that your charger is not set on heigh or quick charge e.g. 8 amps this will reduce the life of a battery also never place a battery on a cold cement floor or a van floor rather a piece of wood,Batteries do no like cold serfices.

[jonnyald]

have your battery load tested by you local garage,this will show if its duff and takes only a second or so to test



 

[ccmids]

the cold can nacker  it , get a new one and be done with it

[traps7]

No I never quick charge it. It charges on a 3 amp trickle on a wooden bench in my garage.

I'll call in somewhere tomorrow and get it tested.

Ian I don't get what you're saying? Do you mean I'd only get 15.7 hours out of it? I know I do more hours than this in a week and it had always lasted a week.

[jeff1]

Hi guys.

My 110 amp leisure leisure battery is about 8 months old and up until last week was lasting me 5 days work no problem. But for the last 2 weeks it has only lasted 3 or 4 days before needing charging. I havn't increased my flow or changed anything. The water covers the plates in every cell and the little looking eye still shows green.

It doesn't go completely flat, just flat enough for the pump controller to flash 'bat' and cut the pump on and off.
Have had to rig a backup via the cigar socket for when it lets me down.

I don't really want to have to charge midweek when it's been working fine for 8 months.

Any ideas anyone?

Over time it will loose performance but if your not charging it on a very regular basis then your only going to ever get a short life span from it.

Ian is correct with his calculations and if you've been getting longer from your battery then it tells me your hammering it, I charge mine everyday and its lasted me for years, take it indoors during real  cold snaps.   

[Londoner]

You should not leave it part charged for 4-5days before topping it up. Batteries like to be fully charged at all times so you should be doing it more often. They still don't last long even then.

[Slash]

I have two batteries and charge them up daily,I always have a spare in the van,at the end of the day I take the one that was in use out and put the spare one in for the next day,when that is done I charge the other one over night and put it in the van the next morning,this way you you will never be caught out and only takes a minute to do
5 days............................   ,now thats pure lazyness

[Bobs Window Cleaning]

All week

Mate, I have a 110 battery and never get a full week out of it. Lucky if it last 2 or 3 days :

Bob

[Window Washers]

I have a 110 and is charged either every day or every other at most

[concept]

my 110 lasted 3-ish days from full charge, now i run a split charge system, and it never needs a charge. works well for me, as a lot of my work needs a bit of a drive to get to.

[dai]

As Jeff Say's your not charging it often enough.
If you want to make a battery last then ideally you should charge it up fully when it's half empty. Get yourself a meter, and when you get a reading of 12.05 volts it's half empty and want's charging.
Running a battery down like you have been doing will knacker it in no time.

[Wrekin C S]

I charge mine every night aswell - your charger should be an intelligent one so shouldnt over charge it 

[traps7]

Ok thanks guys.

I'm gonna try and fit a split charge relay at the weekend and then bench charge the battery at weekends maybe.

How does that sound?

[concept]

I am posting via blackberry so takes ages to search, but I posted a thread a while back recommending a decent company to get split charge system from.

Mine is an intelligent charger system. Well advised to research these before buying.

I don't need to charge mine ever.

[traps7]

ok thanks. Will do.

[concept]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just thought I would pass on a name of someone who has been most helpful when supplying me my split charge system:

www.rawcomponents.co.uk

Steve is the guy I dealt with, and certainly knows his stuff.

The kit comes with superb diagrams and THE most simple instructions, even I can't go wrong.

Hope he will be of use to someone on here.

[Slash]

Ok thanks guys.

I'm gonna try and fit a split charge relay at the weekend and then bench charge the battery at weekends maybe.

How does that sound?

Thats fine but I have a split relay on mine and it does'nt make any difference,I don't drive far enough between jobs do justify it working,don't know why I bothered now

[Sir Squeaky]

I got through 3 batteries in a year and a half, then I just wired the pump straight to the van battery 8 months or so ago.
Never had a single problem since.