Specific gravity readings from my bank?

bc buck
bc buck Registered Users Posts: 59 ✭✭
I feel my battery are getting weak so I bought  a specific gravity tester. They show there charged but im getting about 1/2 AH there rated for. They are Trojan SCS 225.

 Battery #1 readings.
1.26
1.257
1.257
1.25
1.257
1.263
Battery #2
1.255            1.260
1.264            1.263
1.265            1.265

What do these # represent?

Comments

  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    edited September 2016 #2
    First, know thatI am not an FLA man, I have  AGMs.
    So those numbers are telling you the relative charge of your cells.  You need to look up the SG reading you should get for your mdel and date of production, some are in the  10265 range and others ~1.280....  there are a  couple of very recent threads on these batteries, like in the last few days.  do a search , lots of relevant info there for you ...

    the 1.25 cells may need an EQ charge.  Are you getting to FLOAT frequently?
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • bc buck
    bc buck Registered Users Posts: 59 ✭✭
    These battery where abused for three years just using a generator. Now have panels and thinking EQ charging might put some more life in them.
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    what do you have for a charge controller and solar capacity?
    Are you familiar with the procedures to do a good charge followed by an EQ?
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • bc buck
    bc buck Registered Users Posts: 59 ✭✭
    450W using Morningstar MPPT controller and 260 AH battery bank.
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    Here is your Data sheet, http://www.trojanbattery.com/pdf/datasheets/SCS225_Trojan_Data_Sheets.pdf
    Also  http://www.trojanbattery.com/product/scs225/
    Assume you have a 12 V system,   you will need enough solar to have at least 26A at 16.2 Volts,  to do an EQ and possibly more for Temp Compensation depending on your areas ambient temperature.



     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • bc buck
    bc buck Registered Users Posts: 59 ✭✭
    Thanks Westbranch that is good info.Just looked at instructions for Prostar mppt 40a charger. The voltage programmed into controller is set for 15.3v during the equalizing charge for flood battery. Looks like I will need to use the custom section to enter 16.2 v during equalizing. Will let you know if it helps refresh battery and get back some AH.
  • softdown
    softdown Solar Expert Posts: 3,812 ✭✭✭✭
    I would think that the strict use of a generator to keep batteries charged would be quite hard on them. Possibly drained pretty heavily at times....for three years. We don't know the recharge rate at this time.

    Checking SG at the start of the day...before they are fully charged....may yield useful data. These SG figures don't look too bad to me. Though various manufacturers employ various SG parameters.
    First Bank:16 180 watt Grape Solar with  FM80 controller and 3648 Inverter....Fullriver 8D AGM solar batteries. Second Bank/MacGyver Special: 10 165(?) watt BP Solar with Renogy MPPT 40A controller/ and Xantrex C-35 PWM controller/ and Morningstar PWM controller...Cotek 24V PSW inverter....forklift and diesel locomotive batteries