Re: (ET) battery gases

["David Roden" <etpost drmm net>]

If it's at 6.2 volts correct polarity and your meter is accurate, it's not 
reversed, and it's not even that much discharged - maybe 25-50%.  

I'd charge each 6 volt battery individually, preferably with a smart 
charger, and then test each for capacity if possible.  

There's a really cheap and easy way to test capacity of 12 volt batteries. 
 
You can test your 6 volt batteries in series pairs, then swap the pairing 
around to see which one is the real weakling.

For this test, you need a decent quality 12 volt input inverter, a 250 
watt 
heat lamp, and an old fashioned plug-in mechanical electric clock (check 
thrift stores).

Set the clock for 12:00.  Power up the inverter and plug in the heat lamp 
and clock.  

The inverter will sound an alarm and/or shut down when the battery is 
flat. 
 Read the time from the clock.  Since your average battery current will 
have been about 22 amps, multiply your running time in hours.decimals by 
22 
for your battery amp hours.  For example, if the light ran 6:20, that is 
6.33 hours, and the weaker battery of the pair has a capacity of (6.33 * 
22) == 139 amp hours.


David Roden - Akron, Ohio, USA

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 
Note: mail sent to the "etpost" address will not reach me.  To send 
me a private message, please use the address shown at the bottom
of this page : http://www.evdl.org/help/
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =