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First boat arrived, battery over discharged, will I catch fire?

dogsarelandseals

By dogsarelandseals
in New to Boating?

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Sir Nibble Veteran II

Sir Nibble

Posted
Posted

In all my years as an auto electrician, I have never heard of any danger peculiar to charging an "over discharged" battery. I have even run batteries so flat I could recharge them backwards and then reverse the process to get rid of sulphation. Sometimes a battery is so flat it takes ages for it to remember it's duty and start taking a charge but really, what danger?

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LadyG Veteran II

LadyGDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted (edited)
31 minutes ago, Mad Harold said:

Or perhaps thought "stuff this for a game of soldiers" and gone off to buy a Harley Davidson.

I'm not sure what to think, almost any situation can be improved.

I've got my 550 watts of solar trickling way even today when it has been seriously wet and cold most of the day., I notied they were very dusty, might try a splash of  of Fairy liquid.

I will be buying a 100 watts portable pack in winter, to point at the sun.

 

Edited by LadyG
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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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12 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

OP has gone very quiet, I've sent her messages but no response.

 

Last I heard from her she had bought a Multimeter and was looking to source a decent battery charger.

 

Does she have shore power now then? I thought she said she didn't but I may have missed something (I usually do).

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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

Posted
Posted (edited)
13 hours ago, Sir Nibble said:

In all my years as an auto electrician, I have never heard of any danger peculiar to charging an "over discharged" battery. I have even run batteries so flat I could recharge them backwards and then reverse the process to get rid of sulphation. Sometimes a battery is so flat it takes ages for it to remember it's duty and start taking a charge but really, what danger?

It's sort of what I was thinking too. Discharged batteries - so what? They were probably knackered anyway before she even bought the boat, so just switch off the isolators and leave the boat. She's likely to have to buy a new set of batteries and then learn how to charge them properly or otherwise risk wrecking the new bank. I hope she does have shore power - it's so much easier with a decent battery charger.

Edited by blackrose
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Alan de Enfield Veteran II

Alan de Enfield

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1 minute ago, blackrose said:

It's sort of what I was thinking too. Discharged batteries - so what? They were probably knackered anyway before she even bought the boat, so just switch off the isolators and leave the boat. She's likely to have to buy a new set of batteries and then learn how to charge them properly or otherwise risk wrecking the new bank. I hope she does have shore power - it's so much easier with a decent battery charger.

 

Tested on her new Multimeter, the batteries were 11.6v on Friday 4th.

I explained what type of charger to get and gave a couple of 20a and 30a examples, and suggested that "nipping out and getting a Halfords one" would not be advisable.

I told her what cable, terminals etc would be needed, but have heard nothing since.

 

Hoping she is OK.

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ditchcrawler Veteran II

ditchcrawlerDonate to Canal World

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28 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Tested on her new Multimeter, the batteries were 11.6v on Friday 4th.

I explained what type of charger to get and gave a couple of 20a and 30a examples, and suggested that "nipping out and getting a Halfords one" would not be advisable.

I told her what cable, terminals etc would be needed, but have heard nothing since.

 

Hoping she is OK.

The 4th, she only posted here in the middle of the month, or had it actually been going on for some time? She keeps popping into here but not saying anything.

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Alan de Enfield Veteran II

Alan de Enfield

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21 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

The 4th, she only posted here in the middle of the month, or had it actually been going on for some time? She keeps popping into here but not saying anything.

I've been in communication with her for several weeks, re buying a boat, transport etc etc.

 

It wasn't the 4th (That's today ………… Doh) it was last Friday (29th) when she purchased her Rolson multimeter and had 11.6v

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pete.i Rising Star

pete.i

Posted
Posted

If you don't know disconnect it and get somone in that does know. Batteries can be dangerous things although not as dangerous as some numpties would have you think.

 

I can say "numpties" because the clique can say it without a moderator jumping down their throat.

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Iain_S Influencer

Iain_S

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5 hours ago, Sir Nibble said:

I would like to know the source for the idea that an "over discharged" battery is dangerous to charge. I came across a definite "fact" in Africa that putting a battery on a metal or concrete surface will ruin it. There's some rubbish out there.

Of it's a metal surface, and the battery is the wrong way up, then I'd agree :D

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LadyG Veteran II

LadyGDonate to Canal World

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Has OP been back, or has s/he given up with us?

I assume that he /she was alarmed by the RED light status, and then went down a rabbit warren

Edited by LadyG
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