Hi all,
we took our folding camper out in April, to get it set up for the summer. I charged the battery up before we set off...all was fine, and the battery did as it should all weekend...it even powered the mover to get it back in the garage when we got home.
I didn't disconnect the battery (as we were meant to be going off again soon after). I went to check it today, and it's totally dead...it's not even showing any residual charge when I hook it up to the bench charger (which I know is working, by checking the "back up" battery). The bench charger doesn't even seem to acknowledge that it is even connected to the battery. it doesn't even give a reading of 0%. I'm used to having to sometimes give the battery a bit of a boost after a break...but this is new to me..
Any suggestions??
Sean
I don't know about 12v lead/acid but when I've had similar problems with cells for my model racing car (NiMH) that have been so dead the charger refused to acknowledge they were connected. I've kicked them into action by forcing them to charge at a silly high current (5-6 Amps instead of the normal 2-3A) for a very short time. In really extreme cases I've heard of people connecting them directly to a 12v battery Not had to do that myself thankfully.
It might be possible to do something similar to a lead acid by connecting it to another one just long enough to get a little charge in it so the charger "sees" it is there and flat???
From what you saw R-W-W it sounds like your problem was related to the crystals that build up. (when they say dont recharge a half full battery because it "remembers" and only charges up to that point in the future they are referring to crystals building up at half way point and not being broken down by charging/discharging)
I dont know if that happens in lead/acid ones though. Try finding someone who can open it up and top up the acid. I think that can be done... Seems odd for it to die in such a short time though.
Mike...I'll be bu****ed!! I hooked it up to the EHU, and in 20 minutes it was giving an almost full reading on the bench charger! I have got NO idea why the bench charger couldn't read it..great little solution there...not sure if it was a guess or not, but it worked...so thanks. I wouldn't have tried that if you hadn't suggested it. Don't have to try and rush back from work tomorrow to get to Highbridge now!