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Lead acid... it's dead isn't it?

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Renate:

--- Quote from: tautech on February 24, 2021, 11:55:11 pm ---Decent solar controllers have an Equalise function that you would normally set to automatically run once per month.
RTFM to see if your controller has such a function and engage it.
--- End quote ---
That what I illustrated above.
Mine does it on the 28th of each month (so that February can get it).

bdunham7:

--- Quote from: paulca on February 25, 2021, 10:56:26 am ---It does have an equalising mode and I believe it's set to default.  I have seen it charging the battery to just over 15V but only rarely.
If I try this 16V 10Amp thing on a sealed battery, surely it's just going to force it to vent... assuming it has a suitable vent.

--- End quote ---

If you actually get it up to 16 volts with 10 amps the battery is probably not in good shape.  10 amps shouldn't make it vent forcefully, it might fume a tiny bit.  If you have an equalizing mode that can supply 10 amps and it has been running even occasionally, then you probably just have the wrong type of battery for this.

paulca:

--- Quote from: bdunham7 on February 25, 2021, 03:05:43 pm ---
--- Quote from: paulca on February 25, 2021, 10:56:26 am ---It does have an equalising mode and I believe it's set to default.  I have seen it charging the battery to just over 15V but only rarely.
If I try this 16V 10Amp thing on a sealed battery, surely it's just going to force it to vent... assuming it has a suitable vent.

--- End quote ---

If you actually get it up to 16 volts with 10 amps the battery is probably not in good shape.  10 amps shouldn't make it vent forcefully, it might fume a tiny bit.  If you have an equalizing mode that can supply 10 amps and it has been running even occasionally, then you probably just have the wrong type of battery for this.

--- End quote ---

The charge controller wont get anywhere near 10Amps, as it's only a 50W panel :)  I think 3.2Amps is the max at 14.40V

paulca:
I hooked it up to my beefy PSU and at 16V it only took 4A which started to fall towards 3A immediately.  You think prolonged 16V will start the current rising again?

The battery has a condition sight glass and it's supposed to be green when fully charged and red if it needs replacing (is this a chemical SG measurement or something?), it shows "Black"... Recharge.

Ian.M:
The indicator 'eye' is a fixed threshold hydrometer containing a colored ball of known density trapped in some sort of cage immersed in the electrolyte of a single cell.  If the S.G. is high enough the ball will float against the window and display its color clearly.  Three color indicators have some arrangement where the background color also changes due to a float moving or by reflection from the electrolyte surface if the electrolyte level is too low.  It only monitors one cell and only gives a crude go/no-go indication of the S.G. so is essentially useless except as an indicator that batteries in store stock need recharging! 

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