Built in battery state indicator what do the colours mean?

[bag 'o' bones]

We have a set of 'Platinum' leisure batteries which have a charge indicator on the top.

 

I assume:

 

Green - fully charged

White - charging required

 

 

 

Black - any idea?

 

Are their any other colours?

 

Platinum website does not seem to have an explanation!

 

 

[BD3Bill]

In the nicest possible way those little windows are not going to tell you very much about the state of play with your batteries, you need at very least a simple volt meter to tell how much voltage you have.

[journeyperson]

In the nicest possible way those little windows are not going to tell you very much about the state of play with your batteries, you need at very least a simple volt meter to tell how much voltage you have.

 

When my last set of batteries were completely caput they were still showing green.

[bag 'o' bones]

 

When my last set of batteries were completely caput they were still showing green.

That what I was wondering. The multimeter and hydrometer tell a different story!

[nicknorman]

It's just a kind of mini float (hydrometer). As I understand it black means knackered but not sure how it knows that. But as said, they are completely useless.

[bag 'o' bones]

I wonder if they eventually clog up with the bits of black stuff that you tend to find in older batteries?

[alan_fincher]

Green = "Green ball is currently stock in the hole"

White = "White ball is currently stock in the hole"

Black = "Black ball is currently stock in the hole"

 

That's about it really!

[Guest]

They are in my experience of having them in caravans and on the boat pretty useless for indicating state of charge but for indicating when they are knackered pretty reliable.

[Guest]

I agree that these indicators are not reliable. I have seen them green on completely dead batteries.

[Iain_S]

I think black denotes low level of acid, i.e. they need topping up. Howerver, as others have said, the indicator is only on one cell, and is pretty useless.

[bag 'o' bones]

I think black denotes low level of acid, i.e. they need topping up. Howerver, as others have said, the indicator is only on one cell, and is pretty useless.

Good point

 

According to the battery advice the electrolyte needs to maintained around 5-6mm above the plates. A good way of measuring the submersion height when topping up is to use a wooden Costa coffee stirrer as a dip stick.