Battery charger

[t a]

Maybe I am doing something wrong but I have to add water every two weeks or so to top off the levels. Probably use close to a solo cup of distilled water. I typically run at least one battery down completely each outing then hook it up to charge when I get back to the dock, leaving it plugged in until the next outing. I usually switch to my second battery only when sitting with engine off for 2+ hours leaving battery 1 to start. Both my batteries are deep cycle.

I quit leaving my prosport 12 plugged in full time because of this, it wasn't as bad as you are describing but I did cook all the water out of one of my batteries within one season of use. I wasn't checking on it cause I didn't believe I needed to in that short amount of time. I now plug them in for maybe a day after the lake them unplug the charger.

[MLA]

Maybe I am doing something wrong but I have to add water every two weeks or so to top off the levels. Probably use close to a solo cup of distilled water. I typically run at least one battery down completely each outing then hook it up to charge when I get back to the dock, leaving it plugged in until the next outing. I usually switch to my second battery only when sitting with engine off for 2+ hours leaving battery 1 to start. Both my batteries are deep cycle.

Sounds like you need more battery capacity so you have a shallower cycle. This could come in the form of a larger battery or additional batteries on the house bank. I would also spot check the charger's output to make sure its not over charging and its going into a float mode. You also need to make sure both batteries are reaching a full charge. This will also prevent the charger from going into float mode.

[TenTwentyOne]

Sounds like you need more battery capacity so you have a shallower cycle. This could come in the form of a larger battery or additional batteries on the house bank. I would also spot check the charger's output to make sure its not over charging and its going into a float mode. You also need to make sure both batteries are reaching a full charge. This will also prevent the charger from going into float mode.

MLA has it spot on.....

I would lean towards a an overcharge condition only because that is more water than I would think you would use from large cycles of charge. I would double check connections on the charger, and double check the charger output once the batteries are fully charged. You might also consider an isolation relay. You shouldn't typically need one with a pro sport charger, but sometimes it helps with charging balance and avoiding overcharge conditions.

Are you turning your battery switch off while charging? If not, is your battery switch in the coupled position? This could cause issues with the charger establishing which battery needs which charging rate....

[flapjack]

Not sure I would be adding distilled water to a battery, normal filtered water is just fine. Some distilling processes can deionize the water making it useless to put inside a battery. Just a fyi.

This isn't good advice. You want to avoid adding anything to the battery that isn't H2O. You might get away with filtered water, but it is not an optimum condition.

Deionized water is no longer deionized the second it is exposed to the ions in the battery.

[NCSurfing]

Maybe it's just me but I don't understand why most don't just do it right and get some XS power batteries or Kinetic. I had two XS power batteries in my LSV. Could run the stereo all day wide open and it MIGHT drop .05 volts. 4 amps and 14 speakers. Was night and day difference from my deep cycle batteries.

Amen. I have XP2000s in the factory slots and an XP3000 connected to the #2 in parallel. 4 amp Wetsounds system will run all day!

Edited January 15, 2016 by NCSurfing

[pknappe]

You want to use DI or distilled water. Tap water contains minerals such as calcium which will scale up the battery.

[BlitzedVLX]

Sounds like you need more battery capacity so you have a shallower cycle. This could come in the form of a larger battery or additional batteries on the house bank. I would also spot check the charger's output to make sure its not over charging and its going into a float mode. You also need to make sure both batteries are reaching a full charge. This will also prevent the charger from going into float mode.

I think both of my batteries may be on there way out. I have a two year old duracell 29HM that I plan to take back to the store to test. I always have the battery switch set to off when charging with the prosport at the end of the day. I have a multimeter from harbor freight, what settings would I put it on to test the chargers output? I take it that i would do this when the prosport is connected to the batteries and charging?

[MLA]

I think both of my batteries may be on there way out. I have a two year old duracell 29HM that I plan to take back to the store to test. I always have the battery switch set to off when charging with the prosport at the end of the day. I have a multimeter from harbor freight, what settings would I put it on to test the chargers output? I take it that i would do this when the prosport is connected to the batteries and charging?

You will want it set to the DC volt settiing. If its not auto scaling, you will need to set the scale so it will read in the 15V range. Most scales are below 1V (sometimes shown as mV) and then up to 40V then above 40V. The up to 40V would do it.

[tn_rider]

I think both of my batteries may be on there way out. I have a two year old duracell 29HM that I plan to take back to the store to test. I always have the battery switch set to off when charging with the prosport at the end of the day. I have a multimeter from harbor freight, what settings would I put it on to test the chargers output? I take it that i would do this when the prosport is connected to the batteries and charging?

I'm telling you, do it right and get some XS Power batteries. You won't be disappointed!!

[justgary]

I'm telling you, do it right and get some XS Power batteries. You won't be disappointed!!

Except if he has a charging problem, then he will be disappointed.

[justgary]

I think both of my batteries may be on there way out. I have a two year old duracell 29HM that I plan to take back to the store to test. I always have the battery switch set to off when charging with the prosport at the end of the day. I have a multimeter from harbor freight, what settings would I put it on to test the chargers output? I take it that i would do this when the prosport is connected to the batteries and charging?

If you are having to add water regularly, your batteries may indeed be on the way out.

What charger do you have (model number, please)? If it has an equalization setting, you may have it set wrong. Equalization is only good if done properly, since it is essentially an intentional overcharge in order to bring lazy cells up, stir the electrolyte, and desulphate the plates. It will also cook water out of the cells. You may not need equalization at all, or maybe once just before your winter layup ends.

I have a small solar installation that equalizes once a month, and seems to have worked well. My batteries are approaching ten years old now and have less capacity than when they were new, but they still seem to take a charge just fine.

It is also possible to overcharge by setting the charger for the wrong battery type.

Checking the specific gravity of each cell is key to knowing what's going on inside your battery. Even a cheap hydrometer will give you decent information.

Read up at battery university: http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/equalizing_charge