[Rhodes22-list] Battery

[The Rhodes 22 Email List]

Hi John,

Some suggestions and info:

You can easily do some simple checks yourself. One thing to always be aware
of is that a battery is potentially a very destructive piece of equipment.
Nigel Calder, a major boat guru, likes to give a demo in his electrical
classes to make a lasting impression - he shorts the terminals of a battery
in a very controlled environment. The room usually has to empty for a while
- sulphuric acid from exploded battery is hard on the lungs. There is
sometimes fire. So all you have to do is drop a wrench the wrong way and
boom. That said, it's not rocket science and there are lots of videos
showing how to check and wire things the right way. There is no danger of
getting shocked as with house electricity. And, a small wire across the
terminals will just melt - it's bigger conductors that are the danger. Just
treat it with respect. 
  
Now, your concerns: 
First, although many batteries today are sealed and never require addition
of water, some still do. Is there a way to add water to batteries? Some have
easy to unscrew or pull out caps and you can see right into the cells.
During charging, they may boil off some of the water. It's important to add
water in this case. 

Second, do get a volt meter - great to have anyway. Can get a pretty nice
multi-meter for $25. Then, find out what type batteries you have and google
to get info on what voltage should be. If you check when sun is shining, you
may see like 14 volts because the solar panels are charging them. Actually,
if you DON'T see close to 14 volts in bright sun, there may be a problem
with the panels or their connection to battery. At night, should still see
12.8 or a bit higher on most batteries fully charged. These are rough
numbers, not gospel. 

Third, if voltages are too low,  you might, as some suggested, buy a decent
charger - worth paying for something that won't over charge and boil the
battery. It may be that a good overnight charge will restore the batteries
just fine. In that case, I'd check to see why solar panels didn't keep them
up. The Rhodes 22 shouldn't have any big battery demands - starting the
engine is so quick that if it has an alternator, it should put back in
everything starting took out in a minute or two. Then there's your depth
meter, and other very low power devices. So mainly, you just need to keep
batteries from self discharging. In summer they discharge a lot faster than
in winter. 

Lastly, buy a simple book or do some research online - it's not rocket
science - just, like everything else, a little intimidating if you're
starting from scratch. Wonderful videos out there. A lot more fun than the
evening news.

Brooks
Cambridge, MD
'86/2006 R22 "Changes"


 




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