What is the life of gel batteries? (3 Viewers)

[Revolvor]

The D250S is a dual charger, with MPPT solar and a 20A B2B, charging from the alternator/starter battery. The lower left input is from the alternator/starter battery, the lower right output is to the leisure battery.

I have a. CTEK D250S on my van, but without the Smartpass. It seems to do a good job of charging my 2x 110Ah LA batteries. You cannot change the battery profile, and it is NOT suitable for Lithium. There is a newer version (D250SE) that caters for various batteries, including Lithium.

 

[ChrisL]

I had three lead carbon gel batteries from Alpha Batteries that lasted less then three years, they started to go down hill after being on hookup for two winters according to the shunt they'd never been lower then 50%, I've now gone to lithium.

 

[TheLifeofBrian]

I had three lead carbon gel batteries from Alpha Batteries that lasted less then three years, they started to go down hill after being on hookup for two winters according to the shunt they'd never been lower then 50%, I've now gone to lithium.

Did they replace them under warranty as they have a 5 year guarantee?

 

[ChrisL]

Did they replace them under warranty as they have a 5 year guarantee?

No, if you look at the guarantee sheet it's not worth the paper it's printed on.

 

[TheLifeofBrian]

No, if you look at the guarantee sheet it's not worth the paper it's printed on.

That doesn't look good. I haven't even got a shunt !
Did you try to get them replaced or not bother?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[ChrisL]

That doesn't look good. I haven't even got a shunt !
Did you try to get them replaced or not bother?

I didn't bother as it would have cost £60 to ship the three batteries back and they would most likely have refused the claim anyway. I chalked it down to experience and Offgrid recycled them for me when they installed the Fogstar Drift.

 

[TheLifeofBrian]

OK next update!
I got home after driving 4 hours & left the tv & all the lights on & everything was fine for 2 hours!
Next day I plugged into the mains & charged them all day & that night left everything on for 4 hours & still ok!
They were just flat I thought but today I tried my lads MK capacity tester on them (after a full charge) one after the other and the one gave 15% and the other 14% so both obviously knackered
I'm just trying a pulse charger to see if it makes any difference but I doubt it

just realised there was audio - luckily I didn't swear!

 

[Ducatian]

OK next update!
I got home after driving 4 hours & left the tv & all the lights on & everything was fine for 2 hours!
Next day I plugged into the mains & charged them all day & that night left everything on for 4 hours & still ok!
They were just flat I thought but today I tried my lads MK capacity tester on them (after a full charge) one after the other and the one gave 15% and the other 14% so both obviously knackered
I'm just trying a pulse charger to see if it makes any difference but I doubt it

View attachment 956388
just realised there was audio - luckily I didn't swear!

View attachment 956389

Those voltage readings of 10.6 and 9.6 volts are rather consistent with dead batteries.

 

[Langtoftlad]

Presumably you've followed standard advice about separating the pair of batteries - just in case only one is goosed and is dragging the other one down?

Having just had 2 gels fitted, I'm rather hoping they'll last a bit longer than 2 years

 

[TheLifeofBrian]

Those voltage readings of 10.6 and 9.6 volts are rather consistent with dead batteries.

Those are the readings as the tester has finished testing them

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[TheLifeofBrian]

Presumably you've followed standard advice about separating the pair of batteries - just in case only one is goosed and is dragging the other one down?

Having just had 2 gels fitted, I'm rather hoping they'll last a bit longer than 2 years

Yes they were both charged & tested separately.