# Are my batteries getting cooked ?



## hayixer (May 28, 2009)

Could anyone out there put my mind at rest & tell me if this is ok ? My 80 watt panel is keeping my 2 x 110 leisure bateries constantly charged/charging at 14 to 14.2 volts all day long, on most days . Van is sitting on driveway not been used at the moment, will this overcharge them ! ?
I also have a CTEK 7000 batery charger rigged up that is sitting in maintanence mode all day every day !

Bob.


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## pieterv (Feb 3, 2009)

It is best for batteries to be kept on o float charge after they have been fully charged. This is normally 13.5-13.8V, but varies according to manufacturer. If you want to be sure check with them.

But your charge seems a bit high for floating, are you sure it doesn't get reduced when the batteries are full?

Pieter


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## hayixer (May 28, 2009)

Well this is my worry, the CTEK charger is in maintainance/float mode saying they are full, but the solar panel is still charging to 14v, after the sun goes down the reading is about 13 + & everything says "good" do you think this constant 14v+ is a problem ?


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## inkey-2008 (May 24, 2008)

Unhook the mains charger. The solar should be enough to keep the batteries charged.
It has a regulator to stop over charging. 

You could switch some lights now and again to load the battery.

Andy


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## brillopad (Mar 4, 2008)

Your solar panel will/should have a charge controller to stop it over charging you batts your batt can have 14volts showing with no probs.Dennis


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

If you have standard leisure batteries and check with a multimeter you ARE getting 14.2V AT the battery terminals, then I'd do something about it. 

If it happens in sun, not otherwise, and happens with the Ctek turned off, then with a 80W panel I would not be happy with my solar regulator.

Dave


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## hayixer (May 28, 2009)

Thankyou all for your swift replies, i will disconnect the mains charger & let the solar do its job & if they can have 14v showing with no problem then, no problem !!
thanks again.


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## hayixer (May 28, 2009)

Right, so 14v at the terminals with the CETEK off & only solar charging is not so good ? this is what i am getting !! so 14.2 v could suggest a regulator fault ?


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Indeed. 

But measure things at the battery terminals and then you will know where you stand.

Dave


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## hayixer (May 28, 2009)

Will do.


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## Ian-rapido (Mar 24, 2009)

Our solar regulator (solsum) seems to turn off at 14.2v. It then starts to re charge when the battery drops to around 13.5v. 

Our mains charger floats the batteries at 13.8v but the solar panel regulator continues to charge until the batteries reach 14.2v and then it comes on and off depending on voltage. However, when the engine is running the solar panel regulator shows that the batteries are full and it stops any further charging. 

I dont know whether it affects the batteries, as a guideline the van was new in 2005, I had to replace the leisure bank in March so the batteries were around 5 years old. 

Ian


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## hayixer (May 28, 2009)

I have checked at the terminals with a multimeter & i've got 14.1v I have just disconected the mains charger no change as it is/was in maintainance mode, i then disconected the solar & the charge stopped of course, so the full charge was just from the solar, the batts are sitting at 13.55. 
The charge is a constant 14.1 14.2 all day just from the solar it dose not turn on & off !!
Dodgy regulatror ? ? ?


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## hayixer (May 28, 2009)

Or even dodgy regulator


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Here is the battery bible I use and recommend:
http://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Book-EN-EnergyUnlimited.pdf

See para 4.2.3 pgs 25/26.

You REALLY want to keep the float battery terminal voltage below 14V.

Dave


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## hayixer (May 28, 2009)

Thanks for that dave, the CTEK when on hook up will work in the way explained in your battery bible, & for now i will leave the solar off until i get the regulator adjusted maybe or buy a new one.  
Thanks again.
Bob.


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## TDG (May 26, 2009)

DABurleigh said:


> Here is the battery bible I use and recommend:
> http://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Book-EN-EnergyUnlimited.pdf
> 
> See para 4.2.3 pgs 25/26.
> ...


Dave, that is a a great dual propose document . - its a very good battery bible  but it also doubles as a sleeping aid :lol: And that's just the index :lol: :lol:


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## dipsticks (Aug 2, 2007)

I am getting worried now, our Morningstar regulator between our 85 watt Kyocera solar panel and our pair of 90ah batteries continuously (in sunlight) maintains a voltage of 14.4v (measured at the battery posts) but the Morningstar datasheet says that is the voltage control point >datasheet<

Will this be damaging the batteries ?

It is also a bit strange as when we start the engine the battery monitor shows a discharge as though the engine charging regulation thinks the batteries are over-charged !

Thanks for any info

Pete D


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Pete,

Firstly your battery monitor shows negative as the charge is flowing out of your leisure batteries into your now connected vehicle battery.

Secondly note 14.4v is the gassing voltage, and is no coincidence this is the maximum voltage of your alternator output. Thus the main problem is ONLY when you have successive days of long sunshine. Regretably this doesn't happen too often.

Dave


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

I have a SS10L similar to yours. I fitted a switch connected across terminals 6 (-ve) and 7 (sealed/flooded) so that when operated it puts the regulator in its sealed battery charging regime of 14.1V rather than 14.4V. I leave the switch on when left for long periods in the sun. 

I have a 12V compressor fridge and leave that on in summer as an extra fridge for beer and BBQ items so there is a load on in the van.


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## dipsticks (Aug 2, 2007)

Thanks Dave and Sallytraffic for your advice, I didn't think about the leisure batteries discharging into the vehicle battery, that is clearly the case as I can see on the Nasa monitor when the engine starts up. The vehicle charging appears to be a bit confused initially for a few miles but no ill has come of it, everything seems just fine and I am extremely pleased with the solar installation.

In the strong sunshine we have been having of late I noticed that the voltage was up to 14.6/14.7 volts, which, being in excess of the "set-point" 14.4v made me think I had a faulty regulator. I asked Morningstar and received the following answer:-

"Hi Peter,
The slightly higher charging voltage you are seeing is most likely due to the effects of temperature compensation. If the controller detects a temperature less than 25C, it is going to increase the charging voltage. Conversely, if it detects a temp. more than 25C, it will reduce the charging voltage. This is good for the batteries. 
The switch can be rated very low current, as the jumper is only for sensing purposes and carries only very little current (a mA or two max). 
Regards, 
Adam Kehlenbeck
MS Technical Support
www.morningstarcorp.com
[email protected] "

So I guess that indicates the regulator is OK in their opinion but the voltage seems high in consideration of the comments here and in the Victron Energy book, mentioned in Daves' post under section 4.4 Temperature Compensation. My experience is that when there is more sun, it gets hotter and the battery voltage by way of the solar panel and regulator increases up to the stated 14.6-14.7volts. I have now fitted a switch per Sallytrafic and will leave it set to operate at the lower set-point, nominally 14.1v until the weather changes at least. Maybe in America temperatures are generally based on a nominal of 25 deg C instead of our 20 deg C. My Morningstar is sited right next to the battery in exactly the same temperature environment. During solar charging I have never seen any of the large currents mentioned by some on here, even in very strong sun, and when charging is required, just small currents of 0.1a continuously pulsing on and off showing charge, then when the voltage gets up high the same small currents showing discharge but maintaining the high voltage.

I checked the battery electrolyte levels yesterday (awkward as both the seats need to be removed) and found that each took 500ml of water. Will the acid level need checking or is it only the water that is lost in the gassing process? Should I still feel confident in the Morningstar regulator or are my batteries effectively being cooked as questioned by the OP? I have also checked that the breather pipes are clear and to outside the vehicle, for safeties sake.

I found this a very interesting article too. _>PWM< especially for anyone thinking of buying a regulator (I chose mine simply as I knew Sallytraffic had the same one)

Thanks
Pete D_


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

Electrolyte lost by gassing rather than spillage is only the water part not the sulphuric acid so can be topped up with distilled.


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