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Topic: Running the 8 hour battery maintenance cycle (Read 569 times) previous topic - next topic

Running the 8 hour battery maintenance cycle

Running the Heart 2500, 8 hour maintenance on my 4 flooded batteries. Did it once 7 months ago. Brings them up to 16 volts to clean the plates ( disulfate ) . Any opinions?
1996 U295-36, Cummins 300hp, 8.3. Build number 4864. Vin number 1F97D536XTNO54271. Purchased October 31, 2019.

Re: Running the 8 hour battery maintenance cycle

Reply #1 –
Quote from: dans96u295ft –
Running the Heart 2500, 8 hour maintenance on my 4 flooded batteries. Did it once 7 months ago. Brings them up to 16 volts to clean the plates ( disulfate ) . Any opinions?
What is age of your batteries, manufacturer, model, and group size?  What does your battery mfg say about equalization?  What was the resting battery voltage before and after doing it 7 months ago? How has that changed over the past 7 months?

I've always recommended following your battery mfg recommendation for your specific battery.
97 U295 40, Build #5040, 6C8.3 325 HP
Oregon Continuous Traveler
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Prev: 1990 Barth, 10L 300 2 yrs; 91&92 Monaco Signature, 10 yrs, 10L C 300 &  6C8.3 300; 1997 ForeT 6C8.3 325 since May 2017.  Employed by Guaranty RV 14+ yrs.  Former VW New Car Dlr/Service Dlr, Sales Mgr, Rv Sales, and Service Adviser from 1968-2017
"Don't criticize what you can't understand" Bob Dylan

Re: Running the 8 hour battery maintenance cycle

Reply #2 –
Well it's been going for 3.5 hours now and I can hear the batteries boiling. They are 6 volt autozone rv deep cycle batteries that are 3 years old. I don't remember what it did the last time but twice a year seems to be the going rate on a coach not used to live in. I'll post the after findings tomorrow. I did pull it out of the garage and open the battery bay to ventilate the fumes as recommended. It automatically shuts off and returns to normal after 8 hours. It will be interesting to see if there is any difference. The Heart is a 3 phase, 130 amp charger. I was 12.5 on float unplugged before I started the clean cycle which the manual says is ok
1996 U295-36, Cummins 300hp, 8.3. Build number 4864. Vin number 1F97D536XTNO54271. Purchased October 31, 2019.

Re: Running the 8 hour battery maintenance cycle

Reply #3 –
Your unihome's battery compartment is not vented.  Was not made for flooded cells.  Dangerous.
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: Running the 8 hour battery maintenance cycle

Reply #4 –
Quote from: Caflashbob –
Your unihome's battery compartment is not vented.
@Bob,

I just had 3 late '90s Uin-coaches  together last week and all had vented battery compartments.

@ Dan

Look at the front bulkhead of your battery compartment near the top there should be 2 vent tubes that run to the front of the coach.

Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: Running the 8 hour battery maintenance cycle

Reply #5 –
I'll go look asap
1996 U295-36, Cummins 300hp, 8.3. Build number 4864. Vin number 1F97D536XTNO54271. Purchased October 31, 2019.

Re: Running the 8 hour battery maintenance cycle

Reply #6 –
My 99 295 is vented
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country

Re: Running the 8 hour battery maintenance cycle

Reply #7 –
When equalizing, I plot voltage every half hour.  When it stops rising for one hour, I terminate equalization.

Be sure all house systems are OFF when you do this-- many PC boards are NOT happy with 16 VDC.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: Running the 8 hour battery maintenance cycle

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Jack Lewis –
What is age of your batteries, manufacturer, model, and group size?  What does your battery mfg say about equalization?  What was the resting battery voltage before and after doing it 7 months ago? How has that changed over the past 7 months?

I've always recommended following your battery mfg recommendation for your specific battery.
Exactly! Our house batteries prohibit equalization. Manufacturer's web page will have recommendations.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Running the 8 hour battery maintenance cycle

Reply #9 –
Well, well. I'll be a frog lickin, lizard chasing, hog eater. Yes. Made sure everything was off. After 8 hours, I turned it on equalize and went to bed ( not in the coach ). Next time I'll monitor like Wolfe said. The batteries are back up to 13.8 idle. The fluid in all the cells is still ok and checking for vents, one under the battery slide out tray and a large one next to it in the floor. Nothing on top however. Do battery gases rise or are they heavier than air? When these give up. I'll go to AGM's and solve the gas problem.
1996 U295-36, Cummins 300hp, 8.3. Build number 4864. Vin number 1F97D536XTNO54271. Purchased October 31, 2019.

Re: Running the 8 hour battery maintenance cycle

Reply #10 –
Quote from: dans96u295ft –
Do battery gases rise or are they heavier than air? When these give up.

BOTH.

Hydrogen which is explosive is lighter than air and will rise.

But sulfuric acid vapor, water vapor, etc are heavier than air and will fall.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: Running the 8 hour battery maintenance cycle

Reply #11 –
The unihomes had a fiberglass close fitting box and cover over the batteries and a tube running from the top of the boxes edge straight to the rear wheel well.  Knowing that the batteries vent almost continuously

Sorry.  No way I would run flooded cells in a open compartment.

The vents in the compartment  are for emergencies I assume not normal operation. 

"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: Running the 8 hour battery maintenance cycle

Reply #12 –
That's what I thought as well. Vents are for liquid spills to run out the bottom. I'll call FT tech support Monday and see what they suggest. Previous owner did this and got away with it as I have but seems sketchy at best.
Am I correct in assuming AGM type 6 volts won't give off gas or just less gas
1996 U295-36, Cummins 300hp, 8.3. Build number 4864. Vin number 1F97D536XTNO54271. Purchased October 31, 2019.

Re: Running the 8 hour battery maintenance cycle

Reply #13 –
Quote from: dans96u295ft –
Am I correct in assuming AGM type 6 volts won't give off gas or just less gas

AGM also known as absorbent glass mat and gel type lead acid battery designs use a recombinant technology to turn the oxy-hydrogen mix back into water and are valve regulated so there is no out gassing.  There are also strict upper voltage limits on AGM and Gel designs so equalizing charges are forbidden.

If you want to run an equalize charge on your flooded cell batteries you could open the bay door.  With modern microprocessor controlled 3 and 4 stage battery chargers out-gassing is kept to a minimum.
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Re: Running the 8 hour battery maintenance cycle

Reply #14 –
Yes toolmaker, I pulled it out of the garage and left the bay door open during equalizing. Thanks
1996 U295-36, Cummins 300hp, 8.3. Build number 4864. Vin number 1F97D536XTNO54271. Purchased October 31, 2019.
 

Re: Running the 8 hour battery maintenance cycle

Reply #15 –
Quote from: Caflashbob –
The unihomes had a fiberglass close fitting box and cover over the batteries and a tube running from the top of the boxes edge straight to the rear wheel well.  Knowing that the batteries vent almost continuously

Sorry.  No way I would run flooded cells in a open compartment.

The vents in the compartment  are for emergencies I assume not normal operation. 
Our U300 unihome may have come with GELs but it had house conventional flooded/engine conventional flooded without any enclosure when we purchased it. I installed 6 AGMs for house batteries and have flooded conventional engine batteries at the back bumper ever since we brought it home many years ago. No enclosure then or now.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)