Anyone ever have a Faulty Hydrometer ?

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solorone
solorone Solar Expert Posts: 257 ✭✭✭
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
Sold a panel upgrade to and old customer. He failed to put in controllers due to $$, 9 months later he calls me complaining of high voltage and low SG. Over winter the panels were putting out as high 31.5/32V. Calls made, techs talked to, worried that batteries were fried. Went back down there this week and discovered his hydrometer had about 1/4 " of fluid inside the float ???? His was a quality meter, he had used 15 years or more and it suddenly failed. I found it odd that if the float leaked, it did not fill up more and stop working altogether. the fluid in the float was easy to miss in the aged glass, but quite evident when I took it apart.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
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    Re: Anyone ever have a Faulty Hydrometer ?

    It is not uncommon for the rubber bulb or draw tube of a hydrometer to dry out, crack, and leak. Thus you may not be able to draw enough liquid in to make an accurate reading. This is if there is enough liquid in the battery to begin with: running without a charge controller is a sure-fire way to boil 'em dry.
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  • solorone
    solorone Solar Expert Posts: 257 ✭✭✭
    #3
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    Re: Anyone ever have a Faulty Hydrometer ?

    No problem drawing fluid, the float was giving 1.60/75 readings, he first noticed a down turn to 1.225 as top of charge. I can not understand how the glass float leaked, and further more why it did just not fill up inside the float, and refuse to rise at all. Any way I just posted this as an FYI. You never know when a small freaky detail will reach out and bite you.

    Charge controllers are in route.

    He has had a serious lesson in false economy, next to see if we/he can ascertain if there was any battery damage, might be hard to tell, could be just shortened life
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #4
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    Re: Anyone ever have a Faulty Hydrometer ?

    Uh, hydrometer readings ought to be 1.260 - 1.275. Typo, I assume.

    So you're saying the float cracked and let fluid in to it? That is a strange one!
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,447 admin
    #5
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    Re: Anyone ever have a Faulty Hydrometer ?

    Floats are generally glass--A hard knock can crack the glass (specially where the ends are sealed).

    Usually the failures are more obvious--But you are right--The details matter.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • solorone
    solorone Solar Expert Posts: 257 ✭✭✭
    #6
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    Re: Anyone ever have a Faulty Hydrometer ?

    Well I did get a pic, it doesn't look like much fluid, but guess it doesn't take much to throw the readings.

    original.jpg
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  • Vic
    Vic Solar Expert Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
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    Re: Anyone ever have a Faulty Hydrometer ?

    The glass Hydrometers that I've seen usually have the large diameter lower portion joined to a smaller diameter tube (with the scale markings).

    Sometimes these joints develop leaks in time. But it seems strange that the leaking did not continue, causing lower and lower readings, unless, the user simply stopped trusting the Hydro and quit making measurements.

    Have not seen any floats leak, ever, though. One Hydro here -- my favorite -- appears to have a bit of stuff in the seal of the outer tube, where there is a graft between two different tube sizes. Expect that this one will break at that joint some day.

    Many, including myself, suggest that people with FLA batteries have two, or better yet, three Hydros. Allows one to break, and voting of readings. Each site here has three, but the favorite is transported from site to site.

    Thanks for the heads-up. Vic
    Off Grid - Two systems -- 4 SW+ 5548 Inverters, Surrette 4KS25 1280 AH X2@48V, 11.1 KW STC PV, 4X MidNite Classic 150 w/ WBjrs, Beta KID on S-530s, MX-60s, MN Bkrs/Boxes.  25 KVA Polyphase Kubota diesel,  Honda Eu6500isa,  Eu3000is-es, Eu2000,  Eu1000 gensets.  Thanks Wind-Sun for this great Forum.
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  • verdigo
    verdigo Solar Expert Posts: 428 ✭✭
    #8
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    Re: Anyone ever have a Faulty Hydrometer ?

    Is there a preferred style hydrometer? I have one with a weighted plastic disc inside that pivots at the edge of it with an arrow that points to the graduation marks on the body. Got it from the Snap On tool truck.
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,447 admin
    #9
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    Re: Anyone ever have a Faulty Hydrometer ?

    Other than the standard "good quality" glass hydrometer (or two or three--for spares)--The ones with the internal thermometer in the float may not be the best thing (takes a lot of water to float the bulb--more fragile?).

    This one has gotten some good press here. Out of Europe, but now Midnite is selling (wholesaling?) them:

    http://www.midnitesolar.com/productPhoto.php?product_ID=505&productCatName=Battery%20Accessories&productCat_ID=39&sortOrder=1

    Attachment not found.

    Also, make sure you rinse any hydrometer out with a couple draws of distilled water--If you let the electrolyte dry inside the hydrometer, they get sticky (and very difficult to clean).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • verdigo
    verdigo Solar Expert Posts: 428 ✭✭
    #10
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    Re: Anyone ever have a Faulty Hydrometer ?

    Well. Since I now know I need three it might be interesting to do some comparisons on readings or give myself a complex
    .
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,447 admin
    #11
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    Re: Anyone ever have a Faulty Hydrometer ?

    Segal's law

    "A man with a watch knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never sure."

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #12
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    Re: Anyone ever have a Faulty Hydrometer ?

    the man with 2 watches knows the time when one of them stops. couldn't resist, but i get the point that one could be slow or one could be fast and so on.
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