Battery Recharging - A Study - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 05-05-2003, 03:47 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 18,870
Battery Recharging - A Study

I wanted to play with some toys at home. I incurred a 13.6 amp-hour deficit on a fresh battery (About 24 hours of medium summertime loads). I have a Link 10 that tracks all this.

I recharged with my Honda 1000. I don't know how long it'll run on a light load. This whole excercise was run on Eco-Throttle, and the generator basically idled, except when I vacuumed the floor (2A, 120v Red Devil vac). Even then, it barely sped up. While running the vacuum, the charging current didn't drop. From 50 feet away I could barely hear the generator. (It wouldn't register above ambient sound on a sound meter.)

The object of recharging was to drive the 13.6 back down to zero (The Link 10 also monitors this). I quit after running the generator for 3.5 hours. After 2 hours, and every 1/2 hour after that, I recorded the amp-hours and the charging current going back into the battery and then plotted the results.

<img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3eb6d7a381efcRecharge.jpg/>

The so-what of all this? After getting all but about 2 of the amp-hours back (2 hours) it was going to be long struggle to get to zero. I take away from this that running the generator for 2 hours would bring me 97 percent of the way back. Time to quit.

If I ran the generator every other day, I expect the time to almost double (to a 2 amp-hour deficit) since the charging current would (probably) ramp up also. There was still gas in the generator at 3.5 hours so I expect 4 hours to be reachable. With the Link 10, I'd just run it down to 2 amp-hours and shut the generator off.

Hoo boy! Get this boy a life!



Legacy Posts is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-05-2003, 03:58 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 18,870
OK, Steve.

I understand all this except what software did you use to produce the graph? That knee at 2 hours is called the point of diminishing return, your Magnatek probably did that. It's not as smart as the Link-10.

You realize you could have done this with an ammeter? That graph wouldn't have been nearly so pretty.



Legacy Posts is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-06-2003, 05:46 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 18,870
Morgan,

I just plotted the numbers (amp-hours and charging current vs. time I'd been charging) on EXCEL. Then I copied the chart to a picture editor and saved it as .jpg.

As you pointed out, but I probably didn't make clear, it's the Magnatek that altered the charging current. The Link 10 is just a meter that records what the Magnateck is doing.

I did record the amps and I could have evaluated the state of the battery charge based on it's acceptance of current, but the amp-hour feature is more intuitive for me. In other words, if I use 13.6 amp-hours, I have to put 13.6 amp-hours back in. The amp-hours fly out, but it takes much longer to return them. I wondered where the diminishing return point was, and now I know. At least for my battery and charger. Using an ammeter, I'd charge until the battery would only accept 3 amp.

I could also have judged battery state by voltage, but during recharging, the battery shows 13.4 vdc and even if I turned off the charger momentarily to get a voltage reading, it takes a bit for the battery to "settle".



Legacy Posts is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-06-2003, 06:54 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 18,870
This is - - interesting. but I don't know what to do with this information. How does this help me become a better camper?

AND I didn't see anything about what color my battery should be either :crazy-ii. :duck



Legacy Posts is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-06-2003, 10:44 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 18,870
Those who bring a generator to boondocking might find this info interesting. Oh well, let's file this in the "okra" type file folder as having limited interest. :laugh



Legacy Posts is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-06-2003, 12:56 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 18,870
Steve LaBroad (no I need more syllables if I'm going to get this right) Ste-ven-La-Broad, (there that's better.) I did NOT mean this was not good and useful, I just wanted you to tell me how can I use this for me. Milly May Public. I could sit here and rechart and think about this and ponder, but I'd rather you tell me. :) I'm reinstalling windows in Buttercup at the moment, tornado warning out AGAIN. :wak



Legacy Posts is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-06-2003, 01:16 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 18,870
Oooog! Flashback! "Stephen George LaBroad, you come here RIGHT NOW!" "Aw, Ma, I didn't do anything."



Legacy Posts is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-06-2003, 01:22 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 18,870
Ha!!:laugh so it worked. :lol



Legacy Posts is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-06-2003, 01:34 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 18,870
Managing 12 volts.

Steve,
You'd probably enjoy the book "Managing 12 volts"...lots of great info and charts!!


Bill



Legacy Posts is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2003, 03:01 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 18,870
Jana, Steve should have marked the thread with a "GEEK ALERT" for all the Millies out there :huh :) :o

Pete and Rats, grinning



Legacy Posts is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
battery


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
New battery Lisa M. Care and Feeding of Molded Fiberglass Trailers 6 08-05-2010 04:27 PM
Kipor Generator for recharging House Battery kevin61 Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 8 06-05-2008 05:04 AM
Hooking up boler battery to Tug battery Andy H Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 3 08-02-2007 12:59 PM
Women's butt size study Benita Jokes, Stories & Tall Tales 2 07-02-2007 11:11 PM
New Battery? Fred Bell Care and Feeding of Molded Fiberglass Trailers 13 06-30-2007 09:39 AM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:44 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.