Thanks for eh quick reply, Lifeline states that you can equalize at
15.5 volts and not to open the batteries. I check the voltage with no
load after about 20 min.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks for eh quick reply, Lifeline states that you can equalize at
15.5 volts and not to open the batteries. I check the voltage with no
load after about 20 min.

My Lifeline batteries do not have caps that can be removed and equilization
was strongly discouraged. At least that was the story from Concord 6 years
ago when I bought my 2 8D batteries. Using voltage to measure the state
of a battery requires the battery sit without load for 24 hours. AGM
batteries
do not behave like liquid batteries. When put under load they sag lower
than liquid batteries initially. For example, when I put a 20A load on my
fully charged bank, the voltage will drop to 12.5 or so. But it will stay
there for many hours until it knees off. Capacity of the bank is fine, just
the
voltages are lower than in a liquid bank. I've had my 2 8D Lifeline
batteries for almost 6 years under rigorous use. They still have over 90%
of their original capacity.

Doug

So I shouldn't panic when the voltage goes down to 12.0 with an average
of about a 5 amp load? I will separate the batteries tomorow when they
are down to the 12.1 and are down about 80 and charge only one and see
if the other comes up.
Thanks.

Its been a great trip, everyone should go cruising

Not at all, but 12.0 is about as low as you want to go. If you measure
a fully charged battery you will notice it is around 12.6 rather than the
typical 12.8 for a liquid battery.

Doug

wrote in message
oups.com...
So I shouldn't panic when the voltage goes down to 12.0 with an average
of about a 5 amp load? I will separate the batteries tomorow when they
are down to the 12.1 and are down about 80 and charge only one and see
if the other comes up.
Thanks.

Its been a great trip, everyone should go cruising

Hello Doug,

The data I see suggests that if you have a 6 ampere load and
you measure 12.0 volts, the battery is at something like a
15% state of charge. (Assuming a 420 AH bank)

As I posted elsewhere, a 6 ampere load on a new, fully
charged battery bank of 420 AH should give an almost no-load
voltage reading.

Unfortunately, we don't know the state of charge (either
perceived or actual) of the original poster's bank when he
measured 12.0 volts under a 6 ampere load.

Regards,

Chuck

Doug Dotson wrote:
Not at all, but 12.0 is about as low as you want to go. If you measure
a fully charged battery you will notice it is around 12.6 rather than the
typical 12.8 for a liquid battery.

Doug

wrote in message
oups.com...

So I shouldn't panic when the voltage goes down to 12.0 with an average
of about a 5 amp load? I will separate the batteries tomorow when they
are down to the 12.1 and are down about 80 and charge only one and see
if the other comes up.
Thanks.

Its been a great trip, everyone should go cruising

"chuck" wrote in message
...
Hello Doug,

The data I see suggests that if you have a 6 ampere load and you measure
12.0 volts, the battery is at something like a 15% state of charge.
(Assuming a 420 AH bank)

My experience does not substantiate that. Even a flooded battery at
12V is more than 15% charged.

As I posted elsewhere, a 6 ampere load on a new, fully charged battery
bank of 420 AH should give an almost no-load voltage reading.

That's true. 6A is a gnat taking a leak to a 420 AH bank. I'm talking
a real load like my fridge drawing 50A.

Unfortunately, we don't know the state of charge (either perceived or
actual) of the original poster's bank when he measured 12.0 volts under a
6 ampere load.

True. No point in taking this further without more info.

Doug

Regards,

Chuck

Doug Dotson wrote:
Not at all, but 12.0 is about as low as you want to go. If you measure
a fully charged battery you will notice it is around 12.6 rather than the
typical 12.8 for a liquid battery.

Doug

wrote in message
oups.com...

So I shouldn't panic when the voltage goes down to 12.0 with an average
of about a 5 amp load? I will separate the batteries tomorow when they
are down to the 12.1 and are down about 80 and charge only one and see
if the other comes up.
Thanks.

Its been a great trip, everyone should go cruising