Batteries gone down to 11.8 (1 Viewer)

[Wildbill]

Ok opening up a can of worms every thing was fine when I went to the club.
The fridge has stopped working
My battery’s have gone down to 11.8 thay are straying at 11.6 now and not going any lower I have disconnected the 12v fridge at the fuse.
Have been on solar for two weeks with no problems.
It now sitting at 11.6 going that low will it have damaged my batteries?
Wildbill

 

[Wildbill]

Now recovering back to 11.9 so i maybe flapped a bit to much of the good beer in the club
Wildbill

 

[Richard n Ann]

We had a cloudy day 2 days ago the battery was still ok but went down to 12.2v (with small load)
I turned the fridge up to 6° which helped a lot, it didn't run for over 3 hours during the night.

 

[steve69]

As far as I know, most 12v fridges only work when the engine is running. Yours is obviously different.

 

[Cal54]

steve69 I would assume Bill has a compressor fridge therefore it runs of his leisure battery (12volt) when not connected to an EHU.

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[Raul]

The issue is only time spent bellow 11v. As long as you recharge asap, even 10.5v is still ok. Time spent on discharged is allowing plates to sulphate. Re charging that back prety soon is reversible. But taking too long the sulphate is not reversible 100%. Some will return to electrolyte, some wont, depending on time spent in discharged state. Deep discharge needs recharge within 24hrs and hit absorb.

 

[Lenny HB]

Sounds like that voltage reading was under load so shouldn't be a problem, it's when they go that low with no load it's a problem.

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

I've set my compressor fridge to go of at 11.8v .

 

[Pausim]

My compressor fridge is 12V powered all the time, even when on EHU.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Mine will go off at 10.4v but that's the voltage at the fridge of course, not the battery

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[Richard n Ann]

As far as I know, most 12v fridges only work when the engine is running. Yours is obviously different.

Yes the ghastly old absorption fridges

 

[Lenny HB]

Mine will go off at 10.4v but that's the voltage at the fridge of course, not the battery

If its much different to the battery voltage your cables are far too small.

 

[Richard n Ann]

If its much different to the battery voltage your cables are far too small.

Yeah, it works fine so never measured it it's on the old 12v element cable

 

[1967bowesj]

Yeah, it works fine so never measured it it's on the old 12v element cable

Same as I did, if the cable can run a 150-250 watt element it should be ok with the 80 - 120watts compresser

 

[Wildbill]

Thank you so much for all your responses it working fine again this the battery went a bit low charge it up again and working fine but Lenny HB going to look at cable as it is a farly long run from Fues box
Wildbill

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[Richard n Ann]

Same as I did, if the cable can run a 150-250 watt element it should be ok with the 80 - 120watts compresser

Yes probably, the start up current can cause a problem though. Even if the voltage drops down for a fraction of a second the compressor module will switch off, so I expect mine will stop well before the battery is at 10.4v
Anyway it's working so I'm not faffing with it

 

[1967bowesj]

Yes probably, the start up current can cause a problem though. Even if the voltage drops down for a fraction of a second the compressor module will switch off, so I expect mine will stop well before the battery is at 10.4v
Anyway it's working so I'm not faffing with it

Same, ive set the low cut off and will see how it goes. Certainly aint seen a hint yet of failing, winter will be the test though as not sure age of battery, might be an upgrade to these super dupoer lithiums, then again it might be two new LA as they work fir what i use them now

 

[PlacidoD]

With the OP's problems solved can I piggyback on this thread to ask re the relative merits of 3 way fridges versus compression fridges working off 12 V only to inform my future purchases and upgrades?

I am familiar with 3 way fridges as that is what I currently have but I know nothing about relative current draw of the 3 way versus compression and, more broadly the relative fuel consumption gas versus electric. Presently I have plenty of gas via 2 x Safefill cylinders so I am in no massive hurry to change anything but if I change van or the current fridge fails I would like to be armed with info to aid decision making.

How easy is it to survive with say a typical single 90 Ah lead acid battery and a compression fridge (a) if driving a few hours most days or (b) using a 100W solar panel (i) in summer and (ii) in winter?

Thanks in advance for replies

 

[Richard n Ann]

With the OP's problems solved can I piggyback on this thread to ask re the relative merits of 3 way fridges versus compression fridges working off 12 V only to inform my future purchases and upgrades?

I am familiar with 3 way fridges as that is what I currently have but I know nothing about relative current draw of the 3 way versus compression and, more broadly the relative fuel consumption gas versus electric. Presently I have plenty of gas via 2 x Safefill cylinders so I am in no massive hurry to change anything but if I change van or the current fridge fails I would like to be armed with info to aid decision making.

How easy is it to survive with say a typical single 90 Ah lead acid battery and a compression fridge (a) if driving a few hours most days or (b) using a 100W solar panel (i) in summer and (ii) in winter?

Thanks in advance for replies

3 way fridges use about 10 amps. Compressor fridges about 3 amps

Our 3 way fridge used to last 4 weeks on gas in Benidorm (2 x 6kg LPG)

Now I've got the compressor fridge, as long as it's sunny or white cloud we can last indefinitely on the 150w solar and 80ah gel battery.

I don't use the van in winter though and don't have a TV

I also bought a 100w folding panel which is great if your main solar panel is getting shaded at some point or to give a boost on cloudy days

 

[ChrisL]

3 way fridges use about 10 amps. Compressor fridges about 3 amps

I think you may have that the wrong way around, my van during the day if i'm not charging anything draws between 2 and 3 amps, even powering the router and charging the tablet and phone it draws less then 4.5 amps.

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[Richard n Ann]

I think you may have that the wrong way around, my van during the day if i'm not charging anything draws between 2 and 3 amps, even powering the router and charging the tablet and phone it draws less then 4.5 amps.

No it's correct, he asked about them "working off 12v" so it's about 10amps for the 3 way fridges.

The 3 way fridge elements are about 120w, so about 0.5amps on mains hookup

 

[bigtwin]

No it's correct, he asked about them "working off 12v" so it's about 10amps for the 3 way fridges.

He was also asking about the endurance and given that the 12V power is, usually, on powered from the alternator, so your point is moot.

Three way fridges don’t use much (12V) power when running on gas.

Ian

 

[Richard n Ann]

He was also asking about the endurance and given that the 12V power is, usually, on powered from the alternator, so your point is moot.

Three way fridges don’t use much (12V) power when running on gas.

Ian

ChrisL just bear that in mind then.. My post is moot

 

[Lenny HB]

3 way fridges use about 10 amps.

Most of the lager ones 15 amps.

 

[Jofang]

We wild camp mostly and seldom use battery power for our 3 way fridge, we always use gas, as the flame is no more than a pilot light.

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[Wildbill]

Ok my friend has a boat we have charged his battery’s right up to 14.2 now going to take off the battery charger and leave them to stand for 24 hours.
Then put battery load testing tool on them.
After 25 hrs thay shuld be sitting at 13v if lower than that there’s a cell gone hopefully he has not damaged them with his inverter
But hopefully I get a good strong test
If not it fit hime some nice new batteries but he wants a 4 bank battery bank.
The batteries he has on were fitted in February but he put a 1800w iron on to 1000 w inverter his batteries went Dow to 10.5.
He could have caused serious damage to them
Wildbill

 

[Wildbill]

I've set my compressor fridge to go of at 11.8v .

How do you set the fridge to go off at 11.8 my one seems to go off at 12.5
Post photos as it would help
Regards
Wildbill

 

[Jasz]

3 way fridges use about 10 amps. Compressor fridges about 3 amps

Our 3 way fridge used to last 4 weeks on gas in Benidorm (2 x 6kg LPG)

Now I've got the compressor fridge, as long as it's sunny or white cloud we can last indefinitely on the 150w solar and 80ah gel battery.

I don't use the van in winter though and don't have a TV

I also bought a 100w folding panel which is great if your main solar panel is getting shaded at some point or to give a boost on cloudy days View attachment 936207

What make is your panel? It looks quite solid - are you happy with it so far?

 

[Richard n Ann]

What make is your panel? It looks quite solid - are you happy with it so far?

Yes it's good

Dokio 100W 12v Foldable Solar Panel For Car Battery/Camper/RV/Home/Garden | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Dokio 100W 12v Foldable Solar Panel For Car Battery/Camper/RV/Home/Garden at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Jasz]

Thanks, that is one that I was considering. The actual panel looks a little different to the picture on Amazon, although the framework looked the same.

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