Leon 12

Yes but the bmv is blue and that is cool.... As boat is blue lol.

Hi wotever, I read the article yesterday with some interest so thank you. The info is going in bit by bit and its all a learning curve and aids my step to be a liveaboard, I had read somewhere regarding leaving float the same voltage as absorption/bulk so long as you keep an eye on charging. I am quite tenacious so will become routine but until you learn it's a guessing game.ni am open to any advice so thanks to you all.

Looked at that hydrometer. And looks easier to handle than the one I have.....( it has a temp compensator on the front). 12 volt learning is interesting but annoying at the same time and it indeed has decimal point. Also with the 75 to 125 cycles to achieve the rated 675 ah quoted from an email from Trojan would take about a year as I go to the boat every two to three days. Trojan stated they were 70 to 75% capacity at purchase. My mistake first was not fully charging when I received them also I stored them for two months in the conservatory, .......( my non knowledge of batteries bites) don't it.

Hello, all batteries were just into the green at 12.75 and the thermometer said discount by 8 points due to temp,the two centre ones were 12.60. I will perform a de sulphation cycle which should take four hours via the inverter charger at 15.5 volts and take hourly readings. I will replace the inverter charger with the pro charge 50 amp which should be enough to charge correctly due to being able to import user settings ie 14.8 and 13.8 respectively. Which I think is what trojan recommend. Maybe I imagined Trojans to be the holy grail. Arrrrrrrrrrrr net mind

Cheers Dave, regarding a suitable charger rather than inverter charger which has significant drawbacks ie the power it uses. Any views on a decent charger with facilities built in.... Temp compensation, de sulph cycle. The sterling charger does have a user setting so you can import trojan settings for the t105. Any opinions would be great .....for 675 ah bank. Leon

Yep the learning curve is getting steeper........I have if am totally honest been undercharging for seven months with what I'm finding out piece by piece. I have just been looking at the equipment and what it does........ie charger goes to float so presumed 100%. The bmv says 100% so must be 100%. The smartgauge says 100% so it must be 100% ......answer no.lololol think I might sell up and buy a four man tent.

Tried to open the link but it wouldn't open, 3% is pretty good thanks for the info.

What you said Phil made sense as the smartgauge read 100% in charge but then it dropped suddenly to 86% after stopping charge as i presumed it was full,when I looked over the evening, which threw me somewhat and thought the smartgauge wasn't very good

Wow...........and gulp..... So all along when I thought I'm at 100% I'm way down and always have been. I see that the smartgauge is a trusted piece of equipment but alas it's not in no way accurate. I understand that 100% is not achievable in a dynamic sense as usage constantly changes.

Also from reading on the forums, that even though the smartgauge gets increasingly more accurate it still can be between 5% to 10% out at 100% that seems to be quite a lot, the hydrometer I use is one with thermometer built in. All of this is a vast learning curve for me and I suppose a never ending one.

Sorry for being nieve but tail current befuddles me somewhat........

I am moored with no shore power so the Honda is my only real source of charge, it kicks in at 611 to 650 watts around 47 amps building to 14.8 volts then slowly tails off to around 11 amps then goes to float. I haven't done many equalization charges and gravity readings were 12.75 today and 12.65 on the centre two batteries after a two hour charge. The sterling charges at 14.4 to 14.8 then 13.2 at float. Batteries seem a complex and annoying article. Just don't want to damage them.

My fridge is an inlander 12 volt which according to the bmv uses 16 ah whilst away as the boat is cold and around 28 whilst on board Cheers

Having owned a boat for 2 years and a self renovation in that time. I have tried to fit the boat with as good equipment as I can. I currently have 6 x T105, BMV 701, Smartgauge . Also 3 x 100 solar via tracer 30 amp mppt. I use a Honda eu20i to charge via a sterling inverter charger. However the batteries don't seem to give many amp hours before dropping to 12.26 rather too soon in my opinion. I work all day and only use a couple of hours of tv every couple of days. All lights led. I understand that Trojans are at best 70% capacity when new also temperature at this time further reduces to up to 15% capacity. The smartgauge in my opinion just gives a voltage and places s.o.c at that voltage ie. 12.39 equates to 70% but the bmv has only gave out or used 28 amp hours since charge. Un beknown to myself my charger would go into float way before 100% is achieved. I didn't charge the batteries when I purchased them.........didn't know I had to so I don't really know what soc they are if I am honest. I don't use alternator for charging as its an old perkins 4108 45 amp which is too low and I'm looking for a suitable replacement ( any advice would be great). I am looking to move on more often virtually liveaboard so advice please . Also I have no ideas what to import in the victron bmv to get the best results...... Tail, time to go etc