Where is my battery?

[mikeschn]

Looks like a crank open window to me!

So do you store that in a protective wrap of some kind when you are traveling, or do you just throw it in the teardrop, and throw stuff on top of it?

Mike...

You know, when I went back to Minden, I was out for 5 weeks and never lost my battery, and it wasn't even hooked to the tow. It had a full charge (or what my charger would give it) when I left home and every time I'd pull into camp I'd hook up the solar panel. I didn't worry about how much charge was in it as long as it provided elec to operate all my bells and whistles. The solar panel is a 15 watt. $150 at HF.[/color]

[Gage]

<snip>
So do you store that in a protective wrap of some kind when you are traveling, or do you just throw it in the teardrop, and throw stuff on top of it?
Mike...

Nope, just lay it on the bed under the pillows. The only other thing that might be in there that doesn't belong would be the crock pot.

Have a good day.

[GeorgeTelford]

How can a fully charged battery of aprox 13 volts loose charge when the alt is giving a charge of over 13 or maybe closer to 14 volts?

The answer to that is to connect two unequaly charged batteries, one will try to charge the other, because the starter battery is never charged above say 70% it will try to equalise with the higher charged leisure battery, the leisure is brought down by the starter (and the fact that an alternator can never get more than say 70% into any lead acid battery

Was that fully charged battery used for starting the vehicle?

No the starter battery was already on the vehicle, the leisure battery for testing was fully charged and not connected in circuit until after the vehicle started.

You didnt say how long it takes for your charger to bring the voltage up... 4-5 hours???More???

Because its got nothing at all to do with the test, The sterling is a top 4 stage charger and was left on way longer than needed to fully charge. The same charger is used to fully charge all the batteries in the photo below, trust me it can fully charge 10 batteries all at once one is no problem at all

I suspect it would charge better because a battery takes the last part of the charge slowly and an alt tries to push the charge in quickly.

The alternator only react to terminal voltage, attach a well dischrged battery and the alternator will churn out maximum amps for a few mins this causes the internal resistance (of the battery) to change quickly and the ampage drawn soons cuts back. but its nowhere near fully charged and it makes me howl to see people buying bigger alternators thinking its going to do any good, basically same scenario except resistance changes quicker and so cust bac sooner still not a fraction more charge....

Was this a deep cycle battery or a starting battery?

A deep cycle leisure battery one of this collection (my motorhomes 1100ah battery bank), I just borrowed one for the test.

[mikeschn]

This must be the answer for anyone who's tongue weight is too heavy.

Look Ma... no weight on tongue...



Mike...