Batteries

[kantuckian]

Help customer brought me his 08 cc precedent would not make 18 holes batteries US 8 volt less then 1 yr old.We charged them then ran load test ran 42.3 mins checked while on tester had 2 bad batteries replaced them after charging them ran another load test ran 58.6 min tested them while load tester is on had another bad battery Ok so we installed all new batteries charged them then ran a load test ran 88.4 mins question the new batteries are supposed to run 115 mins will they get stronger after ea time charged. also any idea what happen to the 3 that has gone bad.

[meimk]

Yes the batteries will take a few charge cycles to reach peak performance. As to what happened with the 3 "bad" ones? While defects happen sometimes, having 3 out of one pack is extreme. I would lean toward something in the care of the batteries might be at fault.
Were they "first line" US Battery or "blems"?

[kantuckian]

Thanks for your reply yes they are the red top of the line battery.they were not dangersley low on water but doubt if he had ever checked them.They carry a 2 yr warranty

[yawood]

I have US reds which are now three years old. To start with I was very careful with the maintenance but I must admit that I dropped the ball a bit a few months ago and ignored them (other than just plugging in the PowerDrive charger after each use). I have fitted a Victron BMV702 meter which measures all sorts of things including taking a mid-point reading and sounding an alarm if the delta between the two halves exceeds a set amount. This happened one day on the golf course and when I got home and checked it out I had one dry cell in one battery. The reading on that battery was quite low (5.95V and 2.07V less than the strongest battery) and I feared that I may have ruined it.

I topped it up and recharged the pack, then did a balance charge (plugging back in after the initial charge is finished) but although it worked, that battery was still marginal. I have persevered by doing balanced charges a couple of times and by putting the pack on my Save-a-Battery float charger each time after a PowerDrive charge. The pack has responded so well that the other day I travelled to the golf course (only a small distance) then did 18 holes around our (mostly flat) golf course then drove home again and the pack still read 50.7V; the weak battery is still the weakest but is now only 0.06V less than the strongest battery.

kantuckian; I know you are a professional and will understand that this does not really relate to your situation but I thought I would relay that story for other readers in case they find themselves in a similar situation. Catch them early and treat them carefully and they will respond. The Victron justified its price in this instance.

[kantuckian]

Thanks am concerned US wont give warranty

[alchemy]

I'm convinced that "changed" electrolyte does not mix completely and become uniform right away and it takes a few charges and driving around to mix it. Sulfuric acid is weird in that you can actually see it sit on the bottom even after you pour it through water in which it's very soluble and adding new water will significantly stay on top for a while. Dissolved lead I'm sure makes it even heavier. Then you have all the sandwiched plates that it has to mix in between. This definitely causes strange voltage readings.
edit- that was a reply to yawood

[yawood]

Originally Posted by alchemy

I'm convinced that "changed" electrolyte does not mix completely and become uniform right away and it takes a few charges and driving around to mix it. Sulfuric acid is weird in that you can actually see it sit on the bottom even after you pour it through water in which it's very soluble and adding new water will significantly stay on top for a while. Dissolved lead I'm sure makes it even heavier. Then you have all the sandwiched plates that it has to mix in between. This definitely causes strange voltage readings.
edit- that was a reply to yawood

I agree