"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