Equalizing Chassis Batteries

[Steve Hepfer]

When equalizing chassis batters do you leave the coach plugged in to shore power?

[Steve Hepfer]

through the charger on the Magnum Energy panel.

[Ivan K]

Hmm, what kind of chassis batteries do you have? 

[Steve Hepfer]

Interstate wet cell. I have them on equalizing status now after disconnecting electronics and leaving the caps off. It should be done in about 3 more hours and then switch back to float charge

[Ivan K]

Not sure how you do it, my system is not configured to do that without some rewiring even if I wanted to do it to my starting batteries but the power has to come from somewhere, curious how it would possibly work without external source.

[Dr4Film]

You are better off using a PowerPulse hooked to your chassis and house batteries to eliminate plate sulfation versus attempting to do it using your Magnum charger.

https://tinyurl.com/y4glafbb

[Bob Nodine]

What Richard says. I am not a fan of equalizing batteries and use the PowerPluse on the house batteries. My chassis batteries are AGM so they don't get any maintenance.

 

[Tony G]

For what it is worth my ocean sailing cutter and Monaco Windsor both use 6v flooded Trojans and I equalize them  monthly while living in either "home".  I can get 7 to 10 years out of flooded cells as long as I NEVER run them down below 70% of their nominal capacity and don't lapse watering them and equalizing as above.  I also take hydrometer readings while equalizing so I can stop when cells become equal to without over doing the equalizing charge.

I have equalized while at anchor on the boat and boon docking in the bus and only equalize if there is no shore power option.  When I equalize away from shore power I try and schedule it while we are motoring to a new harbor hours away or running the genset for other tasks that load it more (like both A/C units running).

 

My 2 cents worth...

Tony

[Steven P]

13 hours ago, Dr4Film said:

You are better off using a PowerPulse hooked to your chassis and house batteries to eliminate plate sulfation versus attempting to do it using your Magnum charger.

https://tinyurl.com/y4glafbb

@Dr4Film, I have not heard of these.  Do you put on one battery at a time, have one for each battery, or wire so it works on all batteries at a time?   Any issues with having an Amp L Start hooked up?

[Ivan K]

I use it too. On the 12v battery combined output leads, on all the time. Same for the house. If you watch the voltage closely with a sensitive graphing meter, you'll see slight pulse every couple of seconds or so. You will not notice any other change.

BTW, my Amp-L works fine with it.

Edited November 17, 2020 by Ivan K

[Mike H]

4 hours ago, Steven P said:

@Dr4Film, I have not heard of these.  Do you put on one battery at a time, have one for each battery, or wire so it works on all batteries at a time?   Any issues with having an Amp L Start hooked up?

One across each house battery bank and another one on the chassis batteries.  They're only around $35 - $40.

[Dr4Film]

10 hours ago, Steven P said:

@Dr4Film, I have not heard of these.  Do you put on one battery at a time, have one for each battery, or wire so it works on all batteries at a time?   Any issues with having an Amp L Start hooked up?

Steven,

I use two on the House Battery Bank and one on the Chassis Battery. Although I started with only one on the House batteries but found a real deal on the PowerPulse one day and bought a third one.

No problem with either a Lambert Battery Maintainer or the Amp-L-Start. I originally had the Lambert but when that failed I installed the Amp-L-Start in its place.

Read about this device on the PowerPulse web site here. https://www.pulsetech.net/pp-12-l-powerpulse-12-volt-battery-maintenance-system.html

Edited November 17, 2020 by Dr4Film

[MHRookie]

Ok, I gotta ask... which units are you using?

chassis 2 - 12 v batteries & house is 4 - 6 volt.

[Dr4Film]

12 Volt ones as described in previous posts.

[MHRookie]

8 minutes ago, Dr4Film said:

12 Volt ones as described in previous posts.

Thanks, I didn’t see that.

[saflyer]

15 minutes ago, Dr4Film said:

12 Volt ones as described in previous posts.

In your earlier post I only saw that you said “chassis and house batteries”. I echo arnstrong1869’s point. Can you be more detailed? Sorry to belabor the point but it’s important.

 

Thanks,       
Ed

[Hotrod - R.I.P.]

23 hours ago, Bob Nodine said:

What Richard says. I am not a fan of equalizing batteries and use the PowerPluse on the house batteries. My chassis batteries are AGM so they don't get any maintenance.

 

Hi Bob,

Agms should not need equalization. One of the things that causes the need for that is electrolyte stratification, a layering or pockets of difference in the fluid. But the agm electrolyte is sandwiched in to its glass fabrics and can’t go anywhere to get out of place. 
 

However, Lifeline says that theirs can be equalized.... and they have a procedure. I wouldn’t do it.

My 8 Duracell gc2agms are over 6 years old and going strong. And you know I use them hard. 
 

Next batteries for the house will be Lifepo4. My little Duracell marine agm 34m chassis batts are only 5years old but doing fine. Maybe when I go to lithium for the house which will take less space and weigh a lot less I’ll go back to group 31 agm for the chassis. Hope the agms go a couple more years .

 

bill g

06 dynasty

[Steve Hepfer]

43 minutes ago, armstrong1869@gmail.com said:

Ok, I gotta ask... which units are you using?

chassis 2 - 12 v batteries & house is 4 - 6 volt.

I have the same setup using 2 - 12volt chassis and 4 - 6volt house. So if the house batteries are in parallel would I just need one unit for them and another for the chassis?

[Chuck B 2004 Windsor]

Depending on how old the batteries are and how much sediment has collected on the inside bottom under the plates, the battery can Blow Up.  Chuck B

[Dr4Film]

50 minutes ago, saflyer said:

In your earlier post I only saw that you said “chassis and house batteries”. I echo arnstrong1869’s point. Can you be more detailed? Sorry to belabor the point but it’s important.

Thanks,       
Ed

Read about this device on the PowerPulse web site here. https://www.pulsetech.net/pp-12-l-powerpulse-12-volt-battery-maintenance-system.html

26 minutes ago, Steve Hepfer said:

I have the same setup using 2 - 12volt chassis and 4 - 6volt house. So if the house batteries are in parallel would I just need one unit for them and another for the chassis?

I originally had only one on the Chassis Battery and one on the set of 4-6VDC House Batteries wired in series parallel. When I installed a new set of House Batteries I installed a second one so now I have two on the House Bank.

Edited November 17, 2020 by Dr4Film

[daveyjo]

I use the powerpulse sometimes, but my concern is using them while is storage with no external power to maintain the battery charge level.  How much power do they consume?  I don't want my batteries to go dead while in storage because of the power used by them.

[Dr4Film]

If you put your coach in storage for any length of time without power to keep the batteries fully charged then it is recommended that you disconnect the PP.

Copied from the Power Pulse web site: "This small weatherproof product can supplement your existing charging system and can be powered in two different ways. When the battery is being charged either by an onboard charger or a separate charging system, it will use the charging current as a power source. The rest of the time PowerPulse uses a small portion of the battery’s own energy so it is working 24-hours a day so you don’t need an electrical outlet. Accordingly, it should only be used on vehicles or equipment that is regularly used and frequently charged."

[96 EVO]

On 11/15/2020 at 3:42 PM, Steve Hepfer said:

Interstate wet cell. I have them on equalizing status now after disconnecting electronics and leaving the caps off. It should be done in about 3 more hours and then switch back to float charge

Little late but Interstate only recommends a 2hr equalizing charge on their GC2 batteries! 

[Chuck B 2004 Windsor]

I do not recommend a equalizing charging batteries.  When equalizing the batteries, you put over 14 vdc charge on the battery bank.  If the battery is old, there might be a lot of sedimate in the bottom of the battery that might cause the plates to short together, causing the battery to explode.   Chuck B