Arctic Traveller
Guru
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2007
- Messages
- 607
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Arctic Traveller
- Vessel Make
- Defever 49 RPH
Currently we have a large bank of house batteries consisting of 12 Interstate U2400 golf cart batteries connected in a series / parallel configuration.* Actually, there are two separate banks of 6 each, connected to a common point on the 12v buss.* About five years ago, I replaced all the batteries due to a greatly diminished amp hour capacity.* Two years later, the bank was condemned by an Interstate dealer, and replaced under warranty.* This is despite taking excellent care of the bank, never running them below 50%, equalizing a few times, keeping up on the water, using proper charge parameters* using a high frequency desulfater.* etc.
I now find that the new 2 year old bank is again way down on capacity.* Yesterday, I borrowed an electronic battery tester and discovered that two batteries were bad, but the rest were fine.* One of the bad ones is the one that the positive cable attaches to.* I now seem to remember that the same battery went bad last time.* The second bad one is in the middle of the same string electrically.*
I do have the positive and negative cables connected to opposite ends of the banks, requiring all current to flow through all batteries
Strangely, the other bank is fine, despite being electrically connected same way. *
I remember FF once saying the first battery in a string should be rotated once in a while, but with two banks connected the same way electrically, why would only one go bad twice?* Not to mention its a real pain to move these things at over 70lbs each.*
*
Ideas?.....................Arctic Traveller
I now find that the new 2 year old bank is again way down on capacity.* Yesterday, I borrowed an electronic battery tester and discovered that two batteries were bad, but the rest were fine.* One of the bad ones is the one that the positive cable attaches to.* I now seem to remember that the same battery went bad last time.* The second bad one is in the middle of the same string electrically.*
I do have the positive and negative cables connected to opposite ends of the banks, requiring all current to flow through all batteries
Strangely, the other bank is fine, despite being electrically connected same way. *
I remember FF once saying the first battery in a string should be rotated once in a while, but with two banks connected the same way electrically, why would only one go bad twice?* Not to mention its a real pain to move these things at over 70lbs each.*
*
Ideas?.....................Arctic Traveller