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it has continuity which I like + temperature also. Will also buy this: http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView...=&SUBCATID=295
If they let me take it away with the guarantee I can bring it back unopened within the next week and if the warrenty is 2years or more.
Will list my new more scientific results when I get them I have just disconnected the battery after another 20h long charge and it has already dropped to 12.5V 30min after
the multi meter looks very similar to the one I got the fatherinlaw...(there are a few very similar with different features).....I could certainly get by with one of those....not a "status tool" but it will do the job.
I've been eyeing off one of those chargers too...even at retail price they look to be good value.
Yeh I noticed the low price of hydrometers too......If it works at that price why the hell not.
Now you are tooled up you'll be thinking its christmass or something
Well I did my shopping came home with a different charger though, the Jacar one has only a 1 year warranty, the ACDelco has 3 I understand but need to confirm, there was no warranty info in the box.
I tested the battery before I put it on the ACDelco and it was 1.250 on the hydrometer and 12.6V on the new multi, yet the new charger said it was 12.4V and my old multi 12.3 ish.... sheesh!!!
The new charger I set to 15 amps but the battery sounded like I was cooking sausages inside so I dropped it to 10amp, when switched to the mode for % charged and it said 80%, took 1.5h to actually reach this new full this time and the charger was pumping 14.9v through it at times read from the charger display.
After sitting for 14h now the hydrometer reads 1.285 at 30degC and 12.75V on the new multi.
Will be getting a lend of a mates mulit over the w/e I need just one V reading device to read the same as another, they are all so far out, no idea which one is correct atm.
So thanks for all the help I have now 2 fully charged batterys, the 3year old battery charged higher than my new one, but they are fully charged, yippeee!.
Expensive but with this charger the fuss is gone just set and forget, thats nice change after the old one + it's real fast!
Thanks s-r, driveon and othersfor all the help, it was an expensive exercise but I learnt a some stuff too.
Well spent dosh FNQ and it’s like having a new range of toys.
Don’t worry to much about minor differences in voltage readings, the important thing is that, even with normal differences, you will still have a fairly good idea of the state of your batteries when you need to know.
You will also get a good understanding of how they work and how you can put them to work.
Yeah all is good now, my old battery now has 12.9v after 20h sitting so it is certainly charged up! Think in the past I have thrown a couple of batterys away that this thing would have saved, if it lasts 7-10y I will break even butthat doesn't count the ease of use.
Sorry Oldboot missed thanking you, very much help thanks, meant to add in my last post consider looking into the ACdelco there is a seller on ebay that has them for $150.00 +$20 postage and there is a protector 15amp 3stage for $120 which is a right bargin!, dunno where the acdelco sits in the range of brands for experienced buyers though.
Hey guys, lot of info there and thinking have to go and get myself some new gear if only the weather would improve so that I can use the boat. A couple of questions:
What level should the fluid in a lead acid battery be ie how high above the plates, with all this charging and discharging there must be some loss and I always worried that there is either not enough or too much. I use a couple of paddlepop sticks to measure mine and try to keep the fluid all the same height. Main reason is that to remove the batteries is a major effort and I can't seen the levels through the case.
I try to use distilled water if I do top up, is demineralised ok in emergency situations. I usually carry a bottle with me camping etc although I forgot to label it once and some one emptied it thinking it was plain water. I noticed that the missus brought some distilled water home for the iron so it seems it is easier to get than previously.
Hi Dignity, you can get distilled water at any grocery store these day, just go to the cleaning products section or the fabric softener section, like your wife did.
Demineralised water is fine to use.
All flooded wet cell batteries have built in maximum fluid level indicators.
When you remove the cap from the cells, there is a plastic indicator sticking down into the cell and you just top up the water until it touches the base of the plastic.
By the way, it doesn’t matter if there is a little more water added to one or two of the cell than is in the others, the important thing here is with flooded wet cell batteries, ALWAYS keep the plates covered.
the traditional water level is 6mm ot 1/4" above the seperators (thats the top of the pack of flat things you can see down the hole.
As drive on says there are fluid level indicators in every wett battery I've ever seen.
the trick is to look down the hole.......if you just see flat water when you look down you need to top up......as you top up you will see the water form a menuscus (the water will climb the walls a bit) inside the level indicator......once you have seen this it is very obvious.......if you can see the top of the plates you need to pay more attention.
the best thing to top up with is the little beaker you get with steam irons.
Demineralised water has pretty well replaced distilled water for most uses these days.........they cant call it distilled because it is filtered by reverse osmosis.
If they are running the RO properly it should be better than distilled any way.
It's the mineral content that is the problem.......
good clean directly collected ( not of an iron roof) rain water should cause no problems........my old man always used to have a "sacred bucket" he used to put out to collect rain water for batteries and such......after it had been raining properly for half an hour or so..... out would go "the bucket".
FWIW I just charged up my 18Ah AGM battery and checked with my multimeter. Straight after charge it read 13.2V. 30 minutes later, 12.9v. Will check again tomorrow and see how much further it drops.
Thanks guys, I had a look and neither of my batteries reached the plastic tube. I checked the cars and the same. As mentioned it is difficult to remove my batteries in the boat and almost impossible to look down. I have tried a mirror but not clear at what I am looking at so the thought was to remove the battery, find the optimal level and use a dip stick to check at a later date.
Don't forget Dignity, even tho you put water in the battery, when you pull the dipstick out it will be acidic! Don't put the lolly stick in ya mouth whilst opening the next cell!!
I have just disconnected the battery after another 20h long charge and it has already dropped to 12.5V 30min after
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you'll be thinking its christmass or something
butthat doesn't count the ease of use.
you need to pay more attention.
