battery and charger questions/ issues

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by 3ftover

1. But it holds a charge better than the rest. What's the explanation?
2. Can it be fixed by draining and adding new electrolytes?
3. BTW, been checking periodically after a ride and all seemed fine. Yesterday was the first time this happened.

1. The batteries are in series, so the same number of amps flows though all of them equally.
The battery whose voltage decreases more than the rest, cannot produce as many amps as fast as those whose voltage does not decrease as much under load.
This in turn, reduces the the amount of current flow in the series chain.
Net result is reduced performance and run-time.

I don't know why this is happening.

2. Probably not. If the Specific Gravity of the cells in that battery is in the 1.277 range when charged, it is up to where it should be.

3. Maybe some of the conductive sludge that collects at the bottom of the cells got stirred up and shorted between some of the plates, and later dislodged.

If it is working okay now, great, but if it happens again, I'd replace it.

[3ftover]

I don't know if working ok now. Have not checked. Before yesterday it was fine. We'll see. The water in the hydrometer was very dirty. This normal? Thought I'd ask since you mentioned sludge. Thanks again for all your help!

[JohnnieB]

The "water" (Diluted sulfuric acid actually) should be colorless or almost colorless, with no particles floating in it.